Väinö Auer

Väinö Auer (b. January 7 1895 in Helsinki, Russian Empire – d. March 20 1981 in Helsinki, Finland), the son of senator Kyösti Auer, was a Finnish geologist and geographer, chiefly remembered as an explorer of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia. He is also noted for his pioneering studies on tephrochronology, desertification, and the development of bogs.

Auer studied at the University of Helsinki, graduating BSc (1917), MSc (1918), and PhD (1923). His studies were interrupted by the Finnish Civil War, where he saw action in 1918. Auer became a professor of geography at the University of Helsinki in 1929.

While holding his professorship Auer launched expeditions to Tierra del Fuego in 1928-1929, and to Patagonia in 1937-1938. Following the end of World War II he relocated to Argentina in 1946, entering the service of the Argentinian government as an advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank, among other functions. During his years in Argentina, Auer continued his earlier studies on the natural history of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, while advising the Argentinian government in matters related to land use and colonization of the country’s southern frontier.

Auer returned to Finland in 1953. In the last years of his professional career, he served as a professor of geography (1953-1957), and of geology and palaeontology (1957-1963) at the University of Helsinki.

References

Alhonen, P. and Alhonen, A. (2006) Vaakavarren ratsastaja – Tutkimusmatkailija Väinö Auerin elämä (a biography in Finnish). Edico, Helsinki, 486 pp.

Publications

For a complete list cf. Alhonen & Alhonen (2006).

Auer, V. (1960) The Quaternary History of Fuego-Patagonia. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 152.

Auer, V. (1956-1970) The Pleistocene of Fuego-Patagonia. Parts I-V. Annales Academiae Scientarum Fennicae A III, 45, 50, 60, 80, 100, 1300 pp.