Johannes Herman Frederik Umbgrove
Encyclopedia
Johannes Herman Frederik Umbgrove (February 5, 1899 Hulsberg (Limburg
) - June 14, 1954 Wassenaar
), called in short Jan Umbgrove, was a Dutch
geologist
and Earth scientist.
Umbgrove studied geology
at Leiden University
, he finished his studies in 1926. He then became employed as a paleontologist
for the Dienst van de Mijnbouw in Nederlands Indië (Geological Survey of the Dutch East Indies
), where he studied Tertiary
foraminifera
and coral
s. He also studied volcano
es, tectonics
, coastal morphology and the bathymetry
of the seas surrounding the Sunda Islands
.
From 1929 he went back to Leiden to become the assistant of his former teacher B.G. Escher
. In 1930 he became professor in stratigraphy
and paleontology at Delft University. His research was again multidiciplinar. He studied the paleogeography of the Dutch East Indies from the data acquired by the gravitational surveys of F.A. Vening Meinesz
, the paleontology of corals and coral reef
s, tectonics, the geology of the Netherlands and volcanology
. Because of his broad field of interest he was one of the first to think of the Earth as one dynamic system, an idea on which he wrote his book the Pulse of the Earth in 1942. Another book on paleontology was published in 1943.
When he turned seriously ill in 1952 he kept writing in his bed, until his death in 1954.
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
) - June 14, 1954 Wassenaar
Wassenaar
Wassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
), called in short Jan Umbgrove, was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and Earth scientist.
Umbgrove studied geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, he finished his studies in 1926. He then became employed as a paleontologist
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
for the Dienst van de Mijnbouw in Nederlands Indië (Geological Survey of the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
), where he studied Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
foraminifera
Foraminifera
The Foraminifera , or forams for short, are a large group of amoeboid protists which are among the commonest plankton species. They have reticulating pseudopods, fine strands of cytoplasm that branch and merge to form a dynamic net...
and coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
s. He also studied volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es, tectonics
Tectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, coastal morphology and the bathymetry
Bathymetry
Bathymetry is the study of underwater depth of lake or ocean floors. In other words, bathymetry is the underwater equivalent to hypsometry. The name comes from Greek βαθύς , "deep", and μέτρον , "measure"...
of the seas surrounding the Sunda Islands
Sunda Islands
The Sunda Islands are a group of islands that form part of the Malay archipelago.They are further divided into the Greater Sunda Islands and the Lesser Sunda Islands.-Administration:...
.
From 1929 he went back to Leiden to become the assistant of his former teacher B.G. Escher
Berend George Escher
Berend George Escher was a Dutch geologist.Escher had a broad interest, but his research was mainly on crystallography, mineralogy and volcanology. He was a pioneer in experimental geology. He was a half-brother of the artist M.C. Escher, and had some influence on his work due to his knowledge of...
. In 1930 he became professor in stratigraphy
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering . It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks....
and paleontology at Delft University. His research was again multidiciplinar. He studied the paleogeography of the Dutch East Indies from the data acquired by the gravitational surveys of F.A. Vening Meinesz
Felix Andries Vening Meinesz
Felix Andries Vening Meinesz was a Dutch geophysicist and geodesist. He is known for his invention of a precise method for measuring gravity. Thanks to his invention, it became possible to measure gravity at sea, which led him to the discovery of gravity anomalies above the ocean floor...
, the paleontology of corals and coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s, tectonics, the geology of the Netherlands and volcanology
Volcanology
Volcanology is the study of volcanoes, lava, magma, and related geological, geophysical and geochemical phenomena. The term volcanology is derived from the Latin word vulcan. Vulcan was the ancient Roman god of fire....
. Because of his broad field of interest he was one of the first to think of the Earth as one dynamic system, an idea on which he wrote his book the Pulse of the Earth in 1942. Another book on paleontology was published in 1943.
When he turned seriously ill in 1952 he kept writing in his bed, until his death in 1954.
Sources
- I.M. van der Vlerk & Ph. H. Kuenen, 1954: levensbericht van Johannes Herman Frederik Umbgrove in Geologie & Mijnbouw, vol. 16, p 339-346
- A.J. Pannekoek, 1962: Geological research at the universities of The Netherlands, 1877-1962 in Geologie & Mijnbouw, vol. 41 no. 4 p. 161-174