Sandstrom, Johan Wilhelm

a German oceanographer, first described the fundamental mechanisms of the energy transfers that drive ocean circulation. He modeled oceanic circulation as a heat engine driven by gradients in temperature, pressure and volume. Sandstrom's Theorem (1916) states that a closed steady circulation can only be maintained in the ocean if the heat source is situated at a lower level than the cold source. This work would form the basis for understanding the role of oceans in global climate change.