J. Clarence Karcher
Encyclopedia
John Clarence Karcher was an American
geophysicist and businessman. He invented and eventually commercialized the reflection seismograph
, applying for patents on this in 1919. In doing this he created the means by which most of the world's oil reserves have been discovered. In 1930 he and Eugene McDermott
founded Geophysical Service Incorporated
, a pioneering provider of seismic exploration
services to the petroleum
industry. This company later spun off what would become Texas Instruments
.
. He was the son of Leo and Mary (Madlon) Karcher. When he was five the family moved to Oklahoma Territory
and settled in a farming community near Hennessey. In 1912 he earned a high school diploma.
where in 1916 he received a B.S.
degree in both Electrical Engineering
and physics
and was at the head of his class. When the university was granted a chapter in 1918, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduation Karcher accepted the Tyndal Fellowship in Physics at the University of Pennsylvania
where he began graduate work in September 1916. For his Ph.D. thesis he studied X-ray emissions. World War I interrupted his graduate studies and he served with the United States Bureau of Standards. His assignment was to locate heavy artillery batteries in France
by studying acoustic
waves the guns generated in the air. He noted an unexpected event in his research and switched his concentration to seismic waves in the earth. He thought it would be possible to determine the depth of underlying geological strata by vibrating the Earth's surface while precisely recording and timing the returning waves of energy.
On October 16, 1920, Karcher married Lydia Kilborn; they had two children.
.
Later when Everette Lee DeGolyer
, vice president and general manager of Amerada Petroleum Corporation
of Dallas, learned of Karcher's 1921 experiments with the seismograph he held a meeting with Karcher that resulted in the creation of Geophysical Research Corporation (GRC) of Tulsa. This was as a subsidiary of Amerada. Karcher was made vice president, given a $300,000 research fund and given a 15 percent stock interest. One of his first actions after establishing headquarters in Bloomfield, New Jersey
, was to hire his protoge from Western Electric, Eugene B. McDermott, a young Columbia University
graduate student. GRC introduced the seismic reflection method which was quickly accepted by the petroleum industry as a promising new tool during the next five years. In 1930, with the backing of DeGolyer, now president of Amerada, Karcher and McDermott launched Geophysical Service Incorporated
, which was later sold and renamed as Texas Instruments
. Karcher served as president and McDermott as vice-president.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geophysicist and businessman. He invented and eventually commercialized the reflection seismograph
Reflection seismology
Reflection seismology is a method of exploration geophysics that uses the principles of seismology to estimate the properties of the Earth's subsurface from reflected seismic waves. The method requires a controlled seismic source of energy, such as dynamite/Tovex, a specialized air gun or a...
, applying for patents on this in 1919. In doing this he created the means by which most of the world's oil reserves have been discovered. In 1930 he and Eugene McDermott
Eugene McDermott
Eugene McDermott was a geophysicist and co-founder of first of Geophysical Service and later of Texas Instruments.Born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 12, 1899. He graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1919 with a mechanical engineering degree.-Early career:Upon graduation,...
founded Geophysical Service Incorporated
Geophysical Service Incorporated
Geophysical Service Inc. was founded by John Clarence Karcher and Eugene McDermott in 1930 for the purpose of using refraction and reflection seismology to explore for petroleum deposits. It became one of the most successful seismic exploration contractors in the industry for many years...
, a pioneering provider of seismic exploration
Reflection seismology
Reflection seismology is a method of exploration geophysics that uses the principles of seismology to estimate the properties of the Earth's subsurface from reflected seismic waves. The method requires a controlled seismic source of energy, such as dynamite/Tovex, a specialized air gun or a...
services to the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
industry. This company later spun off what would become Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
.
Early life
John Clarence Karcher was born on April 15, 1894 in Dale, IndianaDale, Indiana
Dale is a town in Carter Township, Spencer County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,593 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1843 and initially called Elizabeth, it was renamed after Robert Dale Owen of New Harmony, the town's congressman at the time....
. He was the son of Leo and Mary (Madlon) Karcher. When he was five the family moved to Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
and settled in a farming community near Hennessey. In 1912 he earned a high school diploma.
Education
As an undergraduate Karcher attended the University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
where in 1916 he received a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in both Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and was at the head of his class. When the university was granted a chapter in 1918, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduation Karcher accepted the Tyndal Fellowship in Physics at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
where he began graduate work in September 1916. For his Ph.D. thesis he studied X-ray emissions. World War I interrupted his graduate studies and he served with the United States Bureau of Standards. His assignment was to locate heavy artillery batteries in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
by studying acoustic
Acoustic wave
Acoustic waves are a type of longitudinal waves that propagate by means of adiabatic compression and decompression. Longitudinal waves are waves that have the same direction of vibration as their direction of travel. Important quantities for describing acoustic waves are sound pressure, particle...
waves the guns generated in the air. He noted an unexpected event in his research and switched his concentration to seismic waves in the earth. He thought it would be possible to determine the depth of underlying geological strata by vibrating the Earth's surface while precisely recording and timing the returning waves of energy.
On October 16, 1920, Karcher married Lydia Kilborn; they had two children.
Career
In 1919 Karcher applied for patents in reflection seismography. In 1921 this technology was proven as a valid method in the search for oil but at the time oil prices were such there was no demand for this new technology. Karcher first went to work for the Bureau of Standards, and then joined Western Electric Company where he performed research on ocean-bottom telegraph cable. It was here that he first met a young Eugene McDermottEugene McDermott
Eugene McDermott was a geophysicist and co-founder of first of Geophysical Service and later of Texas Instruments.Born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 12, 1899. He graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1919 with a mechanical engineering degree.-Early career:Upon graduation,...
.
Later when Everette Lee DeGolyer
Everette Lee DeGolyer
Everette Lee DeGolyer . was a prominent oilman, geophysicist and philanthropist in Dallas...
, vice president and general manager of Amerada Petroleum Corporation
Hess Corporation
The Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...
of Dallas, learned of Karcher's 1921 experiments with the seismograph he held a meeting with Karcher that resulted in the creation of Geophysical Research Corporation (GRC) of Tulsa. This was as a subsidiary of Amerada. Karcher was made vice president, given a $300,000 research fund and given a 15 percent stock interest. One of his first actions after establishing headquarters in Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
, was to hire his protoge from Western Electric, Eugene B. McDermott, a young Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
graduate student. GRC introduced the seismic reflection method which was quickly accepted by the petroleum industry as a promising new tool during the next five years. In 1930, with the backing of DeGolyer, now president of Amerada, Karcher and McDermott launched Geophysical Service Incorporated
Geophysical Service Incorporated
Geophysical Service Inc. was founded by John Clarence Karcher and Eugene McDermott in 1930 for the purpose of using refraction and reflection seismology to explore for petroleum deposits. It became one of the most successful seismic exploration contractors in the industry for many years...
, which was later sold and renamed as Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
. Karcher served as president and McDermott as vice-president.