VI 



lected during the three years of the expedition. The results of his work, which 

 has taken several years of his valuable time, are given in the present volume. I 

 trust, however, that I do not go too far when I say that the contents of this 

 volume will in several respects be an important step forward in our knowledge of 

 the physical conditions of the atmosphere of our globe. The observations 

 were taken in a hitherto entirely unknown region where the conditions are 

 extreme, but they are at the same time exceptionally uniform, as we were 

 moving the whole time slowly across an extensive and entirely ice-covered 

 sea. I believe also that this volume will prove that the working up of our 

 meteorological material could not easily have been placed in better hands. 



Captain Sigurd Scott-Hansen took charge of, and superintended, the 

 meteorological work of the expedition during the whole voyage. I know that 

 Prof. MoHN, who has now followed this work from hour to hour and day to 

 day, agrees with me that it has been carried out during the long and often 

 hard time with an endurance and care which is more than admirable; in 

 spite of the often very difficult and trying circumstances, there is hardly a gap 

 in the series of observations. I have on two previous occasions in this report 

 (Prefaces to Vols. I and II) gratefully acknowledged Scott-Hansen's valuable 

 services to the expedition; I could not send out this volume containing his 

 many important observations without thanking him once more for his faithful 

 work during the long polar day and the long, cold polar night. 



I also feel impelled to thank his two assistants. Captain Hjalmar Johansen, 

 and Mr. Bernhard Nordahl, as well as the other members of the expedition, 

 for their share in the meteorological work. 



Polh0iden, Lysaker, 2'^'^ February, 1905. 



FRIDTJOF NANSEN. 



