Pettersson's first publication from 1910 was on the issue of
radium. In 1913 he joined the staff of the Swedish Hydrographic-Biological Commission. In 1914 he began lecturing in Oceanography at
University of Gothenburg. He later brought this knowledge to the field of
oceanography, and with the help of
radium he could determine the age of
sediment samples from the
bottom of the sea. Pettersson became the first full professor of oceanography in Sweden and in 1938 founded the Institute of Oceanography in
Gothenburg, thanks to funding from the
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Pettersson was its head until 1956. He also was the head of the Bornö Hydrographic Field Station on Stora Bornö. In 1956, aged 68, he became Professor of Geophysics at the
University of Hawaii. Pettersson also wrote many popular scientific texts which helped disseminate progress in oceanography to the general audience. In July 1947, the
Albatross expedition started its around the world voyage with Pettersson as leader of the expedition. This expedition was planned by him, and was financed by private sponsors. He died in
Gothenburg on 25 January 1966. ==Publications==