J. R. Wolf and the Zürich sunspot relative numbers (Q801886)

J. R. Wolf (1816-1893) was a Swiss mathematician who occupied positions at Bern and Zürich and published extensively in the areas of linear mappings, prime number theory, geometry, probability and statistics. In 1847, as the new director of the Bern Observatory, he made many observations of and surveyed historical records for sunspot variations, and estimated the cycle to more slightly more than 11 years. Since this was longer than that indicated by S. H. Schwabe and J. Lamont in related work, Wolf found himself immersed in controversy. The author describes these events in some detail.