Marcel Nicolet

{{Short description|Belgian physicist and meteorologist}}

{{more citations needed|date=December 2011}}

Marcel Nicolet (1912–1996) was a Belgian physicist and meteorologist.

Nicolet was born in {{Interlanguage link|Basse-Bodeux|fr}}, Belgium on February 26, 1912.{{cite journal|last=Ackerman| first=M.| year=1997|title=Baron Marcel Nicolet (1912–1996)|journal= Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union|volume=78|issue=26|page= 267|url=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1997/97EO00178.shtml|accessdate=7 December 2011|doi=10.1029/97eo00178| bibcode=1997EOSTr..78..267A|doi-access=free}} He received a degree in physics in 1934 after writing a dissertation on the spectrum of O and B stars and his Ph.D. in astrophysics from University of Liège in 1937.

After a few years as forecasting meteorologist he turned to the theory of ionized layers in the terrestrial atmosphere (fundamental book 1945). After World War II he met the most known colleagues at the meeting of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) at Paris 1946. He came to the United States first in 1950 where amongst other colleagues he met David Bates a scholar of Sir Harrie Massey the well-known physico-chemist. At that time Sir Harrie directed his interest towards the atmosphere. With Bates, Nicolet published four fundamental papers. In the following decades Nicolet was often invited to the US but the Institut royal meteorologique de Belgique remained his lifelong scientific home."Hommage au baron Marcel Nicolet", Ciel et Terre 113, 1997.p.90-92WMO Bulletin 39,1990, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, p.235-246Marcel Ackerman et Andre Jaumotte:"Marcel Nicolet"=www.academieroyale.be/../NICOLETMarcelA...pdf

He became one of the main promoters and finally secretary general of the International Geophysical Year,{{cite book|title=History of Geopyhysics, Volume 1|journal=History of Geophysics|year=1984|publisher=American Geophysical Union|location=Washington, D.C.|issn=8755-1217|pages=44|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eClXLhf5jdYC&q=%22Marcel%20Nicolet%22&pg=PA44 |isbn=9780875902753}} that due to the participation of all important nations (except China) became a most important{{citation needed|date=December 2011}}Frank Greenaway, Science international, A history of the international Council of the IGY 1996, p.264 scientific exercise worldwide. Nicolet was elected as its secretary general."International Geophysical Year 50th Anniversary Observance", US Academy of Sciences, Washington, December 1, 1959 King Baudouin of Belgium granted him the title of Baron in 1987 for his important contribution to the success of the International Geophysical Year.W. Swider: "Marcel Nicolet (1912-1996)", USAFRL, Hanscom AFB, Mass., 1996Bulletin de la classe des sciences, Académie royale des sciences, des lettres et des beaux-arts de Belgique, 1997

He received several highly esteemed prizes e.g. the William Bowie Medal of the American Geophysical Union in 1984.{{Cite web | url=http://honors.agu.org/bowie-lectures/marcel-nicolet-1912-1996/ |title = Marcel Nicolet (1912–1996)}}