From dog sledge to satellite: Knud Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen (1923–2009), geologist

Abstract

Knud Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen's career spanned an astounding period of change in the science. He was not a geologist whose name was widely known and it is probably true to say that few students today, even in his native Denmark, have heard of him. He was nevertheless a figure of huge importance to geological research in his role as someone who directed geology along very productive lines, creating an environment which was highly conducive to the successful careers of many talented researchers. He saw and presided over geology as it evolved from the heroic days of an individual with a dog-sledge and a microscope to later days with armies of personnel, aircraft, marine geophysical vessels, the GPS and the ICP-MS. He led the mapping of a subcontinent.

Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen and the history of the Greenland Survey

Originally trained as a joiner, Ellitsgaard obtained a master's degree in geology from the University of Copenhagen in 1952 (Fig. 1). He quickly became involved in work in Greenland, working on the Precambrian rocks between Nuuk (then Godthåb) and Disko Bugt on which he based his master's studies. While still a student, he travelled, with the archaeologist Eigil Knuth, to Peary Land, the northermost land on earth and a formidable Polar desert. These were the days when geological work involved little more than a hammer and notebook, travel was by dog-sledge and such an expedition involved over a year of total isolation rather than the few weeks in summer which became the norm for a later generation of geologists. Subsequently, he became a scientific assistant at the Mineralogical–Geological Institute at the University of Copenhagen, teaching and continuing work in Greenland.

Figure 1. Knud Ellitsgaard Rasmussen as a young field geologist.

In the years after the Second World War, it was decided to establish a geological survey for Greenland (Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse, GGU) and work was initiated by reconnaissance mapping of the Precambrian basement in southern West Greenland by Arne Noe-Nygaard and Hans Ramberg combined with studies of Cretaceous–Palaeogene sediments and basalts in the Disko Bugt region by a team led by Alfred Rosenkrantz. Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen both took part in the field work and had the responsibility for logistic arrangements for 20–30 workers each summer. At this time field parties were transported by motor cutters, whose numbers gradually increased over the years. Ellitsgaard was at first the leader of GGU, but not until 1966 the director, when GGU was made a directorate under the Ministry for Greenland. He also worked with the optical spectrometer (then the only practical means for obtaining trace element concentrations) on his samples from West Greenland and was university lecturer in economic geology from 1962–1967. I recall coming to Copenhagen during this period and being impressed by the way GGU was incorporated into the university environment. At this time, the number of permanent geologists was few and they ate their lunch around a small table in the museum canteen and were a tight-knit group. Later (by the 1990s) the permanent staff would rise to around 90 (about half geoscientists).

Mapping was to be the main aim of the survey as the vast area of West Greenland, which spans more than 14° of latitude, was virtually untouched. The work began in the area of Ivituut in southern West Greenland where it was hoped additional deposits of cryolite, which had been a valuable commodity since 1858, might be found.

Later work moved to more southerly areas, including the Ilimaussaq intrusion with its associated uranium deposits. This latter work was carried out in association with the Atomic Energy Commission with a view to supplying fuel to Danish reactors. This work, of course, never came to fruition as Denmark subsequently abandoned plans for nuclear-powered electricity generation.

At this time the strategy was that two-man teams worked from field camps and were supplied and moved by the motor-cutters (Fig. 2), but this meant that inland areas were virtually inaccessible. Ellitsgaard therefore worked tirelessly to obtain funding for air support and in 1958 the survey acquired two Bell 47-J helicopters.

Figure 2. From the early years of the GGU: geologists return to the motor-cutter after a day in the field.

As work proceeded, the GGU summer bases gradually moved northwards and by the beginning of the 1980s all the map-sheets on a scale of 1 : 100 000 had been published for the area south of Nuuk (with one exception, which appeared in 1996) and the number of participants each summer had risen to 120–130 (although work had also expanded to other areas—see below).

In the 1960s systematic mapping was also carried out to the north, forming the basis for the later development of the very rich Black Angel lead mine in the Ummanaaq district. This is an area of very abrupt alpine topography and Ellitsgaard realised that the only way to map it would be to make use of photogeological interpretation to supplement ground-based mapping. This led to the publication of 1 : 100 000 map sheets for this area and the interpretation of aerial photographs took on an increasingly important role for later campaigns.

As it had become clear that the completion of the 1 : 100 000 map sheets (the actual mapping was on a scale of 1 : 20 000) would take many decades, mapping with a view to the preparation of a series of reconnaissance maps on a scale of 1 : 500 000 was commenced, and today the whole of Greenland is covered at this scale.

A massive expansion of activities took place in 1967, when the GGU took over mapping of East and North Greenland from the Danish Expeditions to North-East Greenland: a large multinational undertaking led by Lauge Koch. The size and nature of the terrain here (Fig. 3) demanded an expansion of the air support, using both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters in a major way. In the seasons 1968 to 1970, the polar vessels Martin Karlsen (formerly Kista Dan, chartered from Norway), Magga Dan and Perla Dan (both of the Lauritzen Line) were chartered to act as floating bases with two helicopter platforms installed. Subsequently, expeditions were based in tent camps and transport was largely airborne: the days of the motor cutters were over as surely as were those of the dog sledges.

Figure 3. Most of Greenland has a very abrupt topography—giving both good outcrops, but often severe logistical difficulties. These were overcome from the air. This is the country behind Savigssivik, near Kap York (North Greenland).

In 1970, the first geological map covering all of Greenland was published at a scale of 1 : 2500 000 and this was reissued in a fully revised edition in 1995. In addition to mapping, other duties had risen in scope over the years. These additional duties included special studies in connection with mining operations, glaciology related to the establishment of hydro-electric installations and the acquisition of offshore data, as interest in hydrocarbon deposits increased. This also involved advising on exploration licences as well as increased efforts in onshore sedimentary basins which could indicate what might be expected offshore. The offshore data was incorporated into the revised 1 : 2500 000 map.

Honours

Ellitsgaard achieved many honours, of which membership of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, the Eagle Medal of the Royal Danish Geographical Society, honorary Doctorate of Science at the University of Exeter and Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society of London are but a few.

Assessment

During the 27 years when Ellitsgaard was solely in charge of GGU, he presided over a remarkable expansion, with annual funding rising from a few million Danish kroner to more than 50 million kroner, largely due to his vision and his indefatigable efforts to persuade the powers-that-be to release the necessary funding.

Without a doubt it was the policy of attracting skilled researchers from many countries to take part in the mapping and geological description of Greenland that led to the high scientific standard of the survey's publications. These geologists were attracted by the immense potential for research in Greenland combined with the very favourable working conditions for both university teachers and research students under the GGU's auspices. The upshot of this policy, where researchers from over 50 institutions had taken part in GGU work, was the creation of a vast research network which not only opened the world's eyes to Greenland geology (by numerous publications in international journals), but made revolutionary advances (e.g. in the understanding of Precambrian terranes). The work was fully up to the standard of many leading international research institutes and no fewer than 25 of the young geologists from GGU's heyday became full professors. Many geologists in Britain have benefitted from this policy and will remember Ellitsgaard with affection.

It is to Ellitsgaard's everlasting credit that he not only encouraged the development of this wide international network, but that he insisted the survey always carried out basic research, resisting to a large extent politicians’ demands for ‘society relevant’ projects. The publication of results, both in survey products and in international scientific journals, was a key policy.

Ellitsgard was a reserved, certainly not a flamboyant character (Fig. 4). Nevertheless, he was always approachable by subordinates and unswerving in his visions for his organization. His early life as a craftsman could perhaps be glimpsed when he spent his lunch breaks polishing rocks and minerals in the survey's thin section lab.

Figure 4. Knud Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen (1923–2009), geologist, in his later years.

Acknowledgements

I have heavily based this communication on the obituary written by Niels Henriksen and Chris Pulvertaft, which is to appear in a forthcoming (v.20) Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland although some observations come from my own experiences. Both of these authors have made valuable comments on this work. I am grateful for the illustrations to Chris Pulvertaft and Jakob Lautrup.