List of geophysicists
Encyclopedia
This is a list of geophysicists, people who made notable contributions to geophysics
, whether or not geophysics was their primary field. These include historical figures who laid the foundations for the field of geophysics.
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
, whether or not geophysics was their primary field. These include historical figures who laid the foundations for the field of geophysics.
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- Thomas J AhrensThomas J AhrensThomas Julian Ahrens was a Professor of Geophysics at Caltech who was known for his study of the terrestrial planets and impact processes on planetary surfaces. Ahrens died on November 24, 2010 at the age of 74....
(American, 1936–2010) – experimental methods for modeling hypervelocityHypervelocityThe term hypervelocity usually refers to a very high velocity, approximately over 3,000 meters per second . In particular, it refers to velocities so high that the strength of materials upon impact is very small compared to inertial stresses. Thus, even metals behave like fluids under hypervelocity...
impacts and materials in the Earth's coreOuter coreThe outer core of the Earth is a liquid layer about 2,266 kilometers thick composed of iron and nickel which lies above the Earth's solid inner core and below its mantle. Its outer boundary lies beneath the Earth's surface...
and mantleMantle (geology)The mantle is a part of a terrestrial planet or other rocky body large enough to have differentiation by density. The interior of the Earth, similar to the other terrestrial planets, is chemically divided into layers. The mantle is a highly viscous layer between the crust and the outer core.... - Tanya AtwaterTanya AtwaterTanya Atwater is an American geophysicist and marine geologist who specializes in plate tectonics, in particular the evolution of the San Andreas fault plate boundary. Her educational work has focused on the creation of computer-animated multimedia products and presentations depicting plate...
(American, 1942–) – plate tectonic history of North America - Hannes AlfvénHannes AlfvénHannes Olof Gösta Alfvén was a Swedish electrical engineer, plasma physicist and winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on magnetohydrodynamics . He described the class of MHD waves now known as Alfvén waves...
(Swedish, 1908–1995) – Alfvén waves, magnetohydrodynamicsMagnetohydrodynamicsMagnetohydrodynamics is an academic discipline which studies the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids. Examples of such fluids include plasmas, liquid metals, and salt water or electrolytes...
of magnetosphereMagnetosphereA magnetosphere is formed when a stream of charged particles, such as the solar wind, interacts with and is deflected by the intrinsic magnetic field of a planet or similar body. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the other planets with intrinsic magnetic fields: Mercury, Jupiter,...
; Nobel Prize in PhysicsNobel Prize in PhysicsThe Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and... - Don L. AndersonDon L. AndersonDon Lynn Anderson is an American geophysicist who has made important contributions to the determination of the large-scale structure of the Earth's interior, especially using seismological methods. He is Eleanor and John R. McMillan Professor emeritus of geophysics at the California Institute of...
(American, 1933–) – seismologySeismologySeismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
and Earth's interior (including the Preliminary Reference Earth Model); Crafoord PrizeCrafoord PrizeThe Crafoord Prize is an annual science prize established in 1980 by Holger Crafoord, a Swedish industrialist, and his wife Anna-Greta Crafoord...
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- George Edward BackusGeorge Edward BackusGeorge Edward Backus is an American geophysicist, best known for his work with J. Freeman Gilbert on inverse methods for geophysical data. He is also notably credited with advancing the dynamo theory on the origin of the Earth's magnetic field.Born in Chicago, Backus did his undergraduate and...
(1930–) – Development of inverse methodsInverse problemAn inverse problem is a general framework that is used to convert observed measurements into information about a physical object or system that we are interested in...
for geophysics; contributions to dynamo theoryDynamo theoryIn geophysics, dynamo theory proposes a mechanism by which a celestial body such as the Earth or a star generates a magnetic field. The theory describes the process through which a rotating, convecting, and electrically conducting fluid can maintain a magnetic field over astronomical time... - Anthony R. BarringerAnthony R. BarringerAnthony R. “Tony” Barringer is a Canadian/American geophysicist. He has made numerous contributions to mineral exploration technology...
(Canadian/American, 1925–2009) – Developed the INPUT airborne electromagnetic system for detecting oreOreAn ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
s - Julius BartelsJulius BartelsJulius Bartels was a German geophysicist and statistician who made notable contributions to the physics of the Sun and Moon; to geomagnetism and meteorology; and to the physics of the ionosphere. He also made fundamental contributions to statistical methods for geophysics...
(German, 1899–1964) – Contributed to physics of the SunSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
and MoonMoonThe Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
; geomagnetism, meteorologyMeteorologyMeteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
and the physics of the ionosphereIonosphereThe ionosphere is a part of the upper atmosphere, comprising portions of the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere... - Louis Bauer (American, 1965–1932) – Mapped the Earth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
- Hugo BenioffHugo BenioffVictor Hugo Benioff was an American seismologist and a professor at the California Institute of Technology. He is best remembered for his work in charting the location of deep earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean....
(American, 1899–1968) – Discovered link between deep earthquakes and subduction zones - Francis BirchFrancis Birch (geophysicist)Albert Francis Birch was an American geophysicist best known for his experimental work on the properties of Earth-forming minerals at high pressure and temperature, in 1952 he published a well-known paper in the Journal of Geophysical Research ,where he demonstrated that the mantle is chiefly...
(American, 1903–1992) – Developed theoretical and experimental modelsMineral physicsMineral physics is the science of materials that compose the interior of planets, particularly the Earth. It overlaps with petrophysics, which focuses on whole-rock properties...
for the Earth's interior; Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Kristian BirkelandKristian BirkelandKristian Olaf Birkeland was a Norwegian scientist. He is best remembered as the person who first elucidated the nature of the Aurora borealis. In order to fund his research on the aurorae, he invented the electromagnetic cannon and the Birkeland-Eyde process of fixing nitrogen from the air...
(Norwegian, 1867–1917) – First realized that energetic electrons cause the auroraAurora (astronomy)An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
; nominated 7 times for Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895... - Abu Rayhan Biruni (Persian, 973–1048) – Made accurate measure of circumference of Earth and other contributions to geodesyGeodesyGeodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
- Martin BottMartin BottMartin Harold Phillips Bott FRS is an English geologist and now Emeritus Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, England.He is a Vice-President of Christians in Science...
(British, 1926–) – magnetic anomaliesMagnetic anomalyIn geophysics, a magnetic anomaly is a local variation in the Earth's magnetic field resulting from variations in the chemistry or magnetism of the rocks. Mapping of variation over an area is valuable in detecting structures obscured by overlying material...
, gravity anomaliesGravity anomalyA gravity anomaly is the difference between the observed acceleration of Earth's gravity and a value predicted from a model.-Geodesy and geophysics:... - Pierre BouguerPierre BouguerPierre Bouguer was a French mathematician, geophysicist, geodesist, and astronomer. He is also known as "the father of naval architecture"....
(French, 1698–1758) – geodesyGeodesyGeodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
; the Bouguer gravity anomalyBouguer anomalyIn geodesy and geophysics, the Bouguer anomaly is a gravity anomaly, corrected for the height at which it is measured and the attraction of terrain. The height correction alone gives a free-air anomaly.-Bouguer reduction:... - William BowieWilliam BowieWilliam Bowie, B.S., C.E., M.A. was an American geodetic engineer.-Background and education:He was born at Grassland, an historic estate near Annapolis Junction, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to Thomas John Bowie and Susanna Anderson. He was educated in public schools, at St...
(American, 1872–1940) – geodesyGeodesyGeodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
and isostasyIsostasyIsostasy is a term used in geology to refer to the state of gravitational equilibrium between the earth's lithosphere and asthenosphere such that the tectonic plates "float" at an elevation which depends on their thickness and density. This concept is invoked to explain how different topographic... - Wallace Smith Broecker (American, 1931–) – climateClimateClimate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
, ocean circulation; Crafoord PrizeCrafoord PrizeThe Crafoord Prize is an annual science prize established in 1980 by Holger Crafoord, a Swedish industrialist, and his wife Anna-Greta Crafoord...
, Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Bernard Brunhes (French, 1867–1910) – paleomagnetismPaleomagnetismPaleomagnetism is the study of the record of the Earth's magnetic field in rocks. Certain minerals in rocks lock-in a record of the direction and intensity of the magnetic field when they form. This record provides information on the past behavior of Earth's magnetic field and the past location of...
; discovered the first geomagnetic reversal - Sir Edward BullardEdward BullardSir Edward "Teddy" Crisp Bullard FRS was a geophysicist who is considered, along with Maurice Ewing, to have founded the discipline of marine geophysics...
(British, 1907–1980) – developed theory of geodynamo, pioneered use of seismologySeismologySeismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
to study the sea floor, and used seafloor bathymetryBathymetryBathymetry 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"...
to test continental driftContinental driftContinental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
. - Keith Edward BullenKeith Edward BullenKeith Edward Bullen FRS was a New Zealand-born mathematician and geophysicist. He is noted for his seismological interpretation of the deep structure of the Earth's mantle and core...
(New Zealand-born, 1906–1976) – SeismologicalSeismologySeismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
interpretation of the deep structure of the Earth's mantle and coreStructure of the EarthThe interior structure of the Earth, similar to the outer, is layered. These layers can be defined by either their chemical or their rheological properties. The Earth has an outer silicate solid crust, a highly viscous mantle, a liquid outer core that is much less viscous than the mantle, and a...
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- Henry CavendishHenry CavendishHenry Cavendish FRS was a British scientist noted for his discovery of hydrogen or what he called "inflammable air". He described the density of inflammable air, which formed water on combustion, in a 1766 paper "On Factitious Airs". Antoine Lavoisier later reproduced Cavendish's experiment and...
(British, 1731–1810) – made first estimate of the mass of the EarthEarth massEarth mass is the unit of mass equal to that of the Earth. 1 M⊕ = 5.9722 × 1024 kg. Earth mass is often used to describe masses of rocky terrestrial planets.... - Sydney Chapman (British, 1888–1970) – predicted magnetosphereMagnetosphereA magnetosphere is formed when a stream of charged particles, such as the solar wind, interacts with and is deflected by the intrinsic magnetic field of a planet or similar body. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the other planets with intrinsic magnetic fields: Mercury, Jupiter,...
; developed theories for effect of solar windSolar windThe solar wind is a stream of charged particles ejected from the upper atmosphere of the Sun. It mostly consists of electrons and protons with energies usually between 1.5 and 10 keV. The stream of particles varies in temperature and speed over time...
on geomagnetic stormGeomagnetic stormA geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by a disturbance in the interplanetary medium. A geomagnetic storm is a major component of space weather and provides the input for many other components of space weather...
s and auroraeAurora (astronomy)An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere... - Jon Claerbout (American, 1937–) – exploration geophysicsExploration geophysicsExploration geophysics is the applied branch of geophysics which uses surface methods to measure the physical properties of the subsurface Earth, in order to detect or infer the presence and position of ore minerals, hydrocarbons, geothermal reservoirs, groundwater reservoirs, and other geological...
- Alexis Clairaut (French, 1713–1765) – proved Clairaut's theoremClairaut's theoremClairaut's theorem, published in 1743 by Alexis Claude Clairaut in his Théorie de la figure de la terre, tirée des principes de l'hydrostatique, synthesized physical and geodetic evidence that the Earth is an oblate rotational ellipsoid. It is a general mathematical law applying to spheroids of...
and calculated the ellipticity of the EarthEarth ellipsoidAn Earth ellipsoid is a mathematical figure approximating the shape of the Earth, used as a reference frame for computations in geodesy, astronomy and the geosciences... - Vincent CourtillotVincent CourtillotVincent E. Courtillot is a contemporary French geophysicist, prominent among the researchers who are critical of the hypothesis that impact events are a primary cause of mass extinction of life forms on the Earth...
(French, 1948–) – paleomagnetistPaleomagnetismPaleomagnetism is the study of the record of the Earth's magnetic field in rocks. Certain minerals in rocks lock-in a record of the direction and intensity of the magnetic field when they form. This record provides information on the past behavior of Earth's magnetic field and the past location of...
; promoted theory that mass extinctions are caused by massive volcanic episodes - Allan V. CoxAllan V. CoxAllan Verne Cox was an American geophysicist. His work on dating geomagnetic reversals, with Richard Doell and Brent Dalrymple, made a major contribution to the theory of plate tectonics. Allan Cox won numerous awards, including the prestigious Vetlesen Prize, and was the president of the American...
(American, 1926–1987) – created a timeline for geomagnetic reversals and was a pioneer in plate tectonicsPlate tectonicsPlate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
; Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Albert P. CraryAlbert P. CraryAlbert Paddock Crary , was a pioneer polar geophysicist and glaciologist. He made it to the North and then to the South Pole on February 12, 1961 as the leader of a team of eight. The south pole expedition had set out from McMurdo Station on December 10, 1960, using three Snowcats with trailers...
(America, 1911–1987) – ArcticArctic explorationArctic exploration is the physical exploration of the Arctic region of the Earth. The region that surrounds the North Pole. It refers to the historical period during which mankind has explored the region north of the Arctic Circle...
and AntarcticHistory of AntarcticaThe history of Antarctica emerges from early Western theories of a vast continent, known as Terra Australis, believed to exist in the far south of the globe...
exploration, seismologySeismologySeismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
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- Sir George Howard Darwin (British, 1845–1912) – analyzed tides and tidal friction; first to develop mathematical theory for evolution of the Sun–Earth–Moon system
- Everette Lee DeGolyerEverette Lee DeGolyerEverette Lee DeGolyer . was a prominent oilman, geophysicist and philanthropist in Dallas...
(American, 1886–1956) – exploration geophysicsExploration geophysicsExploration geophysics is the applied branch of geophysics which uses surface methods to measure the physical properties of the subsurface Earth, in order to detect or infer the presence and position of ore minerals, hydrocarbons, geothermal reservoirs, groundwater reservoirs, and other geological...
in the petroleum industry - Robert S. DietzRobert S. DietzRobert Sinclair Dietz was Professor of Geology at Arizona State University. Dietz was a marine geologist, geophysicist and oceanographer who conducted pioneering research along with Harry Hammond Hess concerning seafloor spreading, published as early as 1960–1961...
(American, 1914–1995) – Proposed (and named) – theory of seafloor spreadingSeafloor spreadingSeafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics....
; discovered several impact craters including Sudbury BasinSudbury BasinThe Sudbury Basin, also known as Sudbury Structure or the Sudbury Nickel Irruptive, is a major geologic structure in Ontario, Canada. It is the second-largest known impact crater or astrobleme on Earth, as well as one of the oldest.... - Richard DoellRichard DoellRichard Doell was a distinguished American scientist known for developing the time scale for geomagnetic reversals with Allan V. Cox and Brent Dalrymple. This work was a major step in the development of plate tectonics...
(American,1923–2008) – created a timeline for geomagnetic reversals and was a pioneer in plate tectonics; Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Adam DziewonskiAdam DziewonskiAdam Marian Dziewoński is a Polish-American geophysicist who has made seminal contributions to the determination of the large-scale structure of the Earth's interior and the nature of earthquakes using seismological methods. He is the Frank B. Baird, Jr...
(Polish/American, 1936–) – large-scale structure of Earth's interiorStructure of the EarthThe interior structure of the Earth, similar to the outer, is layered. These layers can be defined by either their chemical or their rheological properties. The Earth has an outer silicate solid crust, a highly viscous mantle, a liquid outer core that is much less viscous than the mantle, and a...
and nature of earthquakes; Crafoord PrizeCrafoord PrizeThe Crafoord Prize is an annual science prize established in 1980 by Holger Crafoord, a Swedish industrialist, and his wife Anna-Greta Crafoord...
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- Walter M. ElsasserWalter M. ElsasserWalter Maurice Elsasser was a German-born American physicist considered a "father" of the presently accepted dynamo theory as an explanation of the Earth's magnetism. He proposed that this magnetic field resulted from electric currents induced in the fluid outer core of the Earth...
(American, 1904–1991) – first mathematical dynamo theoryDynamo theoryIn geophysics, dynamo theory proposes a mechanism by which a celestial body such as the Earth or a star generates a magnetic field. The theory describes the process through which a rotating, convecting, and electrically conducting fluid can maintain a magnetic field over astronomical time...
for Earth's outer coreOuter coreThe outer core of the Earth is a liquid layer about 2,266 kilometers thick composed of iron and nickel which lies above the Earth's solid inner core and below its mantle. Its outer boundary lies beneath the Earth's surface... - Loránd EötvösLoránd EötvösBaron Loránd Eötvös de Vásárosnamény , more commonly called Baron Roland von Eötvös in English literature, was a Hungarian physicist. He is remembered today largely for his work on gravitation and surface tension.-Life:...
(Hungarian, 1848–1919) – developed a highly accurate torsion balance for gravimetryGravimetryGravimetry is the measurement of the strength of a gravitational field. Gravimetry may be used when either the magnitude of gravitational field or the properties of matter responsible for its creation are of interest... - Maurice EwingMaurice EwingWilliam Maurice "Doc" Ewing was an American geophysicist and oceanographer.Ewing has been described as a pioneering geophysicist who worked on the research of seismic reflection and refraction in ocean basins, ocean bottom photography, submarine sound transmission , deep sea coring of the ocean...
(American, 1906–1974) – broad contributions to seafloor seismology; predicted and discovered the SOFAR channelSofar channelThe SOFAR channel , or deep sound channel , is a horizontal layer of water in the ocean at which depth the speed of sound is minimal. The SOFAR channel acts as a waveguide for sound, and low frequency sound waves within the channel may travel thousands of miles before dissipating...
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- Joseph Charles FarmanJoe FarmanJoseph Charles Farman is the British geophysicist who, together with Brian Gardiner and Jon Shanklin, published the discovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica...
(British, 1930–) – co-discoverer of the ozone hole - Osmond FisherOsmond FisherReverend Osmond Fisher was an English geologist and geophysicist....
(British, 1817–1914) – continental driftContinental driftContinental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912... - James David ForbesJames David ForbesJames David Forbes was a Scottish physicist and glaciologist who worked extensively on the conduction of heat and seismology. Forbes was a resident of Edinburgh for most of his life, educated at the University and a professor there from 1833 until he became principal of the United College of St...
(British, 1809–1868) – Built the first seismometerSeismometerSeismometers are instruments that measure motions of the ground, including those of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other seismic sources... - Scott ForbushScott ForbushScott Ellsworth Forbush was an American astronomer, physicist and geophysicist who is recognized as having laid the observational foundations for many of the central features of solar-interplanetary-terrestrial physics, which at the time was an under-developed field of study...
(American, 1904–) – Solar-terrestrial interactions and the Forbush decreaseForbush decreaseA Forbush decrease is a rapid decrease in the observed galactic cosmic ray intensity following a coronal mass ejection . It occurs due to the magnetic field of the plasma solar wind sweeping some of the galactic cosmic rays away from Earth. The term Forbush decrease was named after the American... - Robert Were Fox the YoungerRobert Were Fox the YoungerRobert Were Fox FRS was a British geologist, natural philosopher and inventor. He is known mainly for his work on the temperature of the earth and his construction of a compass to measure magnetic dip at sea....
(British, 1789–1877) – Discovered the geothermal gradientGeothermal gradientGeothermal gradient is the rate of increasing temperature with respect to increasing depth in the Earth's interior. Away from tectonic plate boundaries, it is 25–30°C per km of depth in most of the world. Strictly speaking, geo-thermal necessarily refers to the Earth but the concept may be applied...
; constructed a dip circleDip circleDip circles are used to measure the angle between the horizon and the Earth's magnetic field . They were used in surveying, mining and prospecting as well as for the demonstration and study of magnetism....
for use at sea - Benjamin FranklinBenjamin FranklinDr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
(American, 1706–1790) – Established that lightningLightningLightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
is electrical
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- Carl Friedrich GaussCarl Friedrich GaussJohann Carl Friedrich Gauss was a German mathematician and scientist who contributed significantly to many fields, including number theory, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, geodesy, geophysics, electrostatics, astronomy and optics.Sometimes referred to as the Princeps mathematicorum...
(German, 1777–1855) – first mathematical representation of Earth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
; geodetic surveys - Henry GellibrandHenry GellibrandHenry Gellibrand was an English mathematician. He is known for his work on the Earth's magnetic field. He discovered that magnetic declination – the angle of dip of a compass needle – is not constant but changes over time...
(English, 1597–1637) – discovered that magnetic declinationMagnetic dipMagnetic dip or magnetic inclination is the angle made by a compass needle with the horizontal at any point on the Earth's surface. Positive values of inclination indicate that the field is pointing downward, into the Earth, at the point of measurement...
varies with time - James Freeman GilbertJames Freeman GilbertJ. Freeman Gilbert is an American geophysicist, best known for his work with George E. Backus on inverting geophysical data, and also for his role in establishing an international network of long-period seismometers....
(American, 1931–) – development of geophysical inverse theoryInverse problemAn inverse problem is a general framework that is used to convert observed measurements into information about a physical object or system that we are interested in...
; establishment of network of seismometers - William Gilbert (English, 1544–1603) – early magnetic experiments; first to argue that the Earth itself is magnetic
- George GrahamGeorge Graham (clockmaker)George Graham was an English clockmaker, inventor, and geophysicist, and a Fellow of the Royal Society.He was born to George Graham in Kirklinton, Cumberland. A Friend like his mentor Thomas Tompion, Graham left Cumberland in 1688 for London to work with Tompion...
(English 1673–November 1751) – discovery of the diurnal variation of the Earth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
; related Aurora borealis to magnetic field variations - Beno GutenbergBeno GutenbergBeno Gutenberg was a German-American seismologist who made several important contributions to the science...
(American, 1889–1960) – probability distribution of earthquake energies and relation of energy to magnitude
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- Edmond HalleyEdmond HalleyEdmond Halley FRS was an English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist who is best known for computing the orbit of the eponymous Halley's Comet. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, following in the footsteps of John Flamsteed.-Biography and career:Halley...
(English, 1656–1742) – first chart of Earth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun... - Christopher HansteenChristopher HansteenChristopher Hansteen was a Norwegian geophysicist, astronomer and physicist, best known for his mapping of Earth's magnetic field.-Early life and career:...
(Norwegian, 1784–1873) – produced the first charts of the intensity of the Earth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun... - Harry Hammond HessHarry Hammond HessHarry Hammond Hess was a geologist and United States Navy officer in World War II.Considered one of the "founding fathers" of the unifying theory of plate tectonics, Rear Admiral Harry Hammond Hess was born on May 24, 1906 in New York City...
(American, 1906–1969) – seafloor gravity anomalies and theory of seafloor spreadingSeafloor spreadingSeafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.... - Georg HartmannGeorg HartmannGeorg Hartmann was a German engineer, instrument maker, author, printer, humanist, churchman, and astronomer....
(German, 1489–1564) – kept early records of magnetic declinationMagnetic declinationMagnetic declination is the angle between magnetic north and true north. The declination is positive when the magnetic north is east of true north. The term magnetic variation is a synonym, and is more often used in navigation... - Zhang HengZhang HengZhang Heng was a Chinese astronomer, mathematician, inventor, geographer, cartographer, artist, poet, statesman, and literary scholar from Nanyang, Henan. He lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He was educated in the capital cities of Luoyang and Chang'an, and began his career as a...
(Chinese, 78–139) – invented the first seismoscope - Arthur HolmesArthur HolmesArthur Holmes was a British geologist. As a child he lived in Low Fell, Gateshead and attended the Gateshead Higher Grade School .-Age of the earth:...
(British, 1890–1965) – performed first Uranium-lead datingUranium-lead datingUranium-lead is one of the oldest and most refined of the radiometric dating schemes, with a routine age range of about 1 million years to over 4.5 billion years, and with routine precisions in the 0.1-1 percent range... - M. King HubbertM. King HubbertMarion King Hubbert was a geoscientist who worked at the Shell research lab in Houston, Texas. He made several important contributions to geology, geophysics, and petroleum geology, most notably the Hubbert curve and Hubbert peak theory , with important political ramifications. He was often...
– correct statement of Darcy's lawDarcy's lawDarcy's law is a phenomenologically derived constitutive equation that describes the flow of a fluid through a porous medium. The law was formulated by Henry Darcy based on the results of experiments on the flow of water through beds of sand...
and mathematical demonstration that rock undergoes plastic deformation; Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Alexander von HumboldtAlexander von HumboldtFriedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
(German, 1769–1859) – global network of geomagnetic observatories
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- Ted Irving (Canadian, 1927–) – Early paleomagneticPaleomagnetismPaleomagnetism is the study of the record of the Earth's magnetic field in rocks. Certain minerals in rocks lock-in a record of the direction and intensity of the magnetic field when they form. This record provides information on the past behavior of Earth's magnetic field and the past location of...
evidence for continental driftContinental driftContinental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
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- Sir Harold JeffreysHarold JeffreysSir Harold Jeffreys, FRS was a mathematician, statistician, geophysicist, and astronomer. His seminal book Theory of Probability, which first appeared in 1939, played an important role in the revival of the Bayesian view of probability.-Biography:Jeffreys was born in Fatfield, Washington, County...
(British, 1891–1989) – deduced that the Earth's outer coreOuter coreThe outer core of the Earth is a liquid layer about 2,266 kilometers thick composed of iron and nickel which lies above the Earth's solid inner core and below its mantle. Its outer boundary lies beneath the Earth's surface...
is molten; contributed to mathematical geophysicsMathematical geophysicsMathematical geophysics is concerned with developing mathematical methods for use in geophysics. As such, it has application in many fields in geophysics, particularly geodynamics and seismology.- Geophysical fluid dynamics :...
; Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Lucy JonesLucy JonesLucile M. Jones is a seismologist and public voice for earthquake science and earthquake safety in California. She has been with the US Geological Survey and a Visiting Research Associate at the Seismological Laboratory of Caltech since 1983...
(?) Earthquake science and safety - Thomas H. JordanThomas H. JordanThomas H Jordan is a geophysicist and current director of the Southern California Earthquake Center at The University of Southern California. He was formerly the head of the Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a member of the...
(American, 1948–) – Seismic contributions to plate tectonicsPlate tectonicsPlate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
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- Hiroo KanamoriHiroo Kanamoriis a Japanese American seismologist who has made fundamental contributions to understanding the physics of earthquakes and the tectonic processes that cause them....
(American, 1936–) – Fundamental contributions to the physics of earthquakes; Kyoto PrizeKyoto PrizeThe has been awarded annually since 1985 by the Inamori Foundation, founded by Kazuo Inamori. The prize is a Japanese award similar in intent to the Nobel Prize, as it recognizes outstanding works in the fields of philosophy, arts, science and technology... - William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (Irish, 1824–1907) – Influential estimate of the age of the EarthAge of the EarthThe age of the Earth is 4.54 billion years This age is based on evidence from radiometric age dating of meteorite material and is consistent with the ages of the oldest-known terrestrial and lunar samples...
, ultimately proved incorrect - Shen KuoShen KuoShen Kuo or Shen Gua , style name Cunzhong and pseudonym Mengqi Weng , was a polymathic Chinese scientist and statesman of the Song Dynasty...
(Chinese, 1031–1095) – discovered magnetic declinationMagnetic declinationMagnetic declination is the angle between magnetic north and true north. The declination is positive when the magnetic north is east of true north. The term magnetic variation is a synonym, and is more often used in navigation...
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- Johann von LamontJohann von LamontJohann von Lamont was a Scottish-German astronomer and physicist.-Biography:Von Lamont was born John Lamont at Corriemulzie near Inverey in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The son of Robert Lamont and Elizabeth Ewan, his education began at the local school in Inverey, near Braemar...
(Scottish, 1805–1879) – Surveys of the Earth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun... - Inge LehmannInge LehmannInge Lehmann FRS , was a Danish seismologist who, in 1936, argued that the Earth's core is not one single molten sphere, but that an inner core exists which has physical properties that are different from those of the outer core.-Life:Inge Lehmann was born and grew up in Østerbro, a part of...
(Danish, 1888–1993) – seismologistSeismologySeismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
who discovered the Lehmann discontinuityLehmann discontinuityThe Lehmann discontinuity refers to an abrupt increase of P-wave and S-wave velocities in the vicinity of 220±30 km depth, discovered by seismologist Inge Lehmann. It appears beneath continents, but not usually beneath oceans, and does not readily appear in globally averaged studies...
and argued for a solid inner coreInner coreThe inner core of the Earth, its innermost hottest part as detected by seismological studies, is a primarily solid ball about in radius, or about 70% that of the Moon... - Xavier Le PichonXavier Le PichonXavier Le Pichon is a French geophysicist. Among many other contributions, he is known for his comprehensive model of plate tectonics .He is professor at the Collège de France.-Biography:Le Pichon holds a doctorate in physics....
(French, 1937–) – Constructed past history of plate motions - Augustus Edward Hough LoveAugustus Edward Hough LoveAugustus Edward Hough Love FRS , often known as A. E. H. Love, was a mathematician famous for his work on the mathematical theory of elasticity...
(English, 1863–1940) – Developed theory of Love waves
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- Gordon J. F. MacDonaldGordon J. F. MacDonaldGordon James Fraser MacDonald was an American geophysicist and environmental scientist, best known for his principled skepticism regarding continental drift , and later work on possible non-anthropogenic causes for global climate change...
(American, 1929–2002) – Investigated rotation of the Earth and true polar wanderTrue polar wanderTrue polar wander is a solid-body rotation of a planet or moon with respect to its spin axis, causing the geographic locations of the North and South Poles to change, or "wander". In a stable state, the largest moments of inertia axis is aligned with the spin axis, with the smaller two moment of... - Jean-Jacques d'Ortous de MairanJean-Jacques d'Ortous de MairanJean-Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan , a French geophysicist, astronomer and most notably, chronobiologist, was born in the town of Béziers on November 26, 1678...
(French, 1678 –1771) – shape of the EarthFigure of the EarthThe expression figure of the Earth has various meanings in geodesy according to the way it is used and the precision with which the Earth's size and shape is to be defined. The actual topographic surface is most apparent with its variety of land forms and water areas. This is, in fact, the surface...
and auroraAurora (astronomy)An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere... - Robert MalletRobert MalletRobert Mallet FRS , Irish geophysicist, civil engineer, and inventor who distinguished himself in research on earthquakes and is sometimes called the father of seismology.-Early life:...
(Irish, 1810–1881) – developed controlled source seismologySeismologySeismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
; coined terms seismology and epicenterEpicenterThe epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates... - Pierre de Maricourt (Petrus Peregrinus) – (French, fl.FloruitFloruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1269) – first extant treatise on properties of magnets; detailed study of the compassCompassA compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined... - Edme MariotteEdme MariotteEdme Mariotte was a French physicist and priest.- Biography :Edme Mariotte was the youngest son of Simon Mariotte, administrator at the district Til-Châtel , and Catherine Denisot . His parents lived in Til-Châtel and had 4 other children: Jean, Denise, Claude, and Catharine...
(French, 1620–1684) – one of the pioneers of modern hydrologyHydrologyHydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
; used floats to measure river flow - Drummond MatthewsDrummond MatthewsDrummond Hoyle Matthews FRS was a British marine geologist and geophysicist and a key contributor to the theory of plate tectonics...
(British, 1931–1997) – used ocean magnetic anomalies to confirm theory of seafloor spreadingSeafloor spreadingSeafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.... - Motonori MatuyamaMotonori Matuyamawas a Japanese geophysicist who was the first to surmise that the Earth's magnetic field had undergone reversals in the past. The era of reversed polarity preceding the current Brunhes era of normal polarity is called the Matuyama reversed chron and the boundary between them is called the...
(Japanese, 1884–1958) – first to show that a geomagnetic reversalGeomagnetic reversalA geomagnetic reversal is a change in the Earth's magnetic field such that the positions of magnetic north and magnetic south are interchanged. The Earth's field has alternated between periods of normal polarity, in which the direction of the field was the same as the present direction, and reverse...
had occurred in the past - Dan McKenzie Mathematical framework for plate tectonicsPlate tectonicsPlate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
; mantle convectionMantle convectionMantle convection is the slow creeping motion of Earth's rocky mantle caused by convection currents carrying heat from the interior of the Earth to the surface. The Earth's surface lithosphere, which rides atop the asthenosphere , is divided into a number of plates that are continuously being...
; sedimentary basinSedimentary basinThe term sedimentary basin is used to refer to any geographical feature exhibiting subsidence and consequent infilling by sedimentation. As the sediments are buried, they are subjected to increasing pressure and begin the process of lithification...
formation; Crafoord PrizeCrafoord PrizeThe Crafoord Prize is an annual science prize established in 1980 by Holger Crafoord, a Swedish industrialist, and his wife Anna-Greta Crafoord... - Marcia McNuttMarcia McNuttMarcia Kemper McNutt is an American geophysicist. She is director of the United States Geological Survey and science adviser to the United States Secretary of the Interior....
(American, 1952–) – elastic strength of lithosphereLithosphereThe lithosphere is the rigid outermost shell of a rocky planet. On Earth, it comprises the crust and the portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of years or greater.- Earth's lithosphere :...
; identified the South Pacific superswell - Felix Andries Vening MeineszFelix Andries Vening MeineszFelix 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...
(Dutch, 1887–1966) – Invented a precise gravimeterGravimeterA gravimeter or gravitometer is an instrument used in gravimetry for measuring the local gravitational field of the Earth. A gravimeter is a type of accelerometer, specialized for measuring the constant downward acceleration of gravity, which varies by about 0.5% over the surface of the Earth... - Giuseppe MercalliGiuseppe MercalliGiuseppe Mercalli was an Italian volcanologist. He is best remembered today for his Mercalli scale for measuring earthquakes which is still used today.-Biography:...
(Italian, 1850–1914) – developed Mercalli scale for measuring earthquakes - John MilneJohn MilneFor other uses, see John Milne .John Milne was the British geologist and mining engineer who worked on a horizontal seismograph.-Biography:...
(British, 1849–1913) – invented the horizontal pendulum seismograph - Andrija MohorovičićAndrija MohorovicicAndrija Mohorovičić was a Croatian meteorologist and seismologist. He is best known for the eponymous Mohorovičić discontinuity and is considered a founder of modern seismology.-Early years:...
(Croatian, 1857–1936) – identified Mohorovičić discontinuityMohorovičić discontinuityThe Mohorovičić discontinuity , usually referred to as the Moho, is the boundary between the Earth's crust and the mantle. Named after the pioneering Croatian seismologist Andrija Mohorovičić, the Moho separates both the oceanic crust and continental crust from underlying mantle...
; - W. Jason MorganW. Jason MorganWilliam Jason Morgan is an American geophysicist who has made seminal contributions to the theory of plate tectonics and geodynamics...
(American, 1935–) – geodynamicsGeodynamicsGeodynamics is a subfield of geophysics dealing with dynamics of the Earth. It applies physics, chemistry and mathematics to the understanding of how mantle convection leads to plate tectonics and geologic phenomena such as seafloor spreading, mountain building, volcanoes, earthquakes, faulting and...
, plate tectonicsPlate tectonicsPlate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere... - Jean MorletJean MorletJean Morlet was a French geophysicist who pioneered work in the field of wavelet analysis around the year 1975. He invented the term wavelet to describe the functions he was using...
(French, 1931–2007) – Developed the wavelet transform for exploration geophysicsExploration geophysicsExploration geophysics is the applied branch of geophysics which uses surface methods to measure the physical properties of the subsurface Earth, in order to detect or infer the presence and position of ore minerals, hydrocarbons, geothermal reservoirs, groundwater reservoirs, and other geological...
. - Lawrence MorleyLawrence MorleyLawrence Morley, Ph.D. is a Canadian geophysicist. He is best known for his studies on the magnetic properties of ocean crust and their effect on plate tectonics.-Biography:Morley worked with Britons Fred Vine and Drummond Matthews...
used ocean magnetic anomalies to confirm theory of seafloor spreadingSeafloor spreadingSeafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics....
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- Louis Néel (French, 1904 – 2000) – developed theory to explain the stable magnetizationThermoremanent magnetizationWhen an igneous rock cools, it acquires a thermoremanent magnetization from the Earth's field. TRM can be much larger than it would be if exposed to the same field at room temperature . This remanence can also be very stable, lasting without significant change for millions of years...
in volcanic rocks; Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in physics. - Robert NormanRobert NormanRobert Norman was a 16th century-English mariner, compass builder, and hydrographer who discovered magnetic inclination, the deviation of the Earth's magnetic field from the vertical.- Work :...
(English, circaCircaCirca , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1550–1600) – re-discovery of magnetic dipMagnetic dipMagnetic dip or magnetic inclination is the angle made by a compass needle with the horizontal at any point on the Earth's surface. Positive values of inclination indicate that the field is pointing downward, into the Earth, at the point of measurement...
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- Richard Dixon OldhamRichard Dixon OldhamRichard Dixon Oldham FRS was a British geologist who made the first clear identification of the separate arrivals of P-waves, S-waves and surface waves on seismograms and the first clear evidence that the Earth has a central core.-Life:Born on 31 July 1858 to Thomas Oldham, a Fellow of the Royal...
(British, 1858–1936) – Seismologist, first clear evidence for separate arrivals separate arrivals of P-waveP-waveP-waves are a type of elastic wave, also called seismic waves, that can travel through gases , solids and liquids, including the Earth. P-waves are produced by earthquakes and recorded by seismographs...
s, S-waveS-waveA type of seismic wave, the S-wave, secondary wave, or shear wave is one of the two main types of elastic body waves, so named because they move through the body of an object, unlike surface waves....
s and surface waves on seismogramSeismogramA seismogram is a graph output by a seismograph. It is a record of the ground motion at a measuring station as a function of time. Seismograms typically record motions in three cartesian axes , with the z axis perpendicular to the Earth's surface and the x- and y- axes parallel to the surface...
s; first clear evidence for Earth's core
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- Luigi PalmieriLuigi PalmieriLuigi Palmieri was an Italian physicist and meteorologist. He was famous for his scientific studies of the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, for his researches on earthquakes and meteorological phenomena and for improving the seismographer of the time.- Biography :Palmieri was born in Faicchio,...
(Italian, 1807–1896) – Seismic studies of Mount VesuviusMount VesuviusMount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting... - Blaise PascalBlaise PascalBlaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
(French, 1623–1662) – demonstrated that atmospheric pressureAtmospheric pressureAtmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
decreases with altitude - Chaim Leib Pekeris (American, 1908–1993) – mathematical methods to study free vibrations of Earth, tides, and origin of Earth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic fieldEarth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
; Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - William Richard PeltierWilliam Richard PeltierWilliam Richard Peltier, Ph.D., D.Sc. , is a university professor of physics at the University of Toronto. He is director of the Centre for Global Change Science and principal investigator of the Polar Climate Stability Network...
(Canadian, 1943–) – geophysical fluid dynamicsGeophysical fluid dynamicsGeophysical fluid dynamics is the study of naturally occurring, large-scale flows on Earth and other planets. It is applied to the motion of fluids in the ocean and outer core, and to gases in the atmosphere of Earth and other planets...
, glacial rebound, climate changeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Pierre Perrault (1608–1680) developed the concept of the hydrological cycle
- John Henry PrattJohn Henry PrattJohn Henry Pratt was a British clergyman and mathematician who devised a theory of crustal balance which would become the basis for the isostasy principle.-Life:...
(British, 1809–1871) – laid foundation for principle of isostasyIsostasyIsostasy is a term used in geology to refer to the state of gravitational equilibrium between the earth's lithosphere and asthenosphere such that the tectonic plates "float" at an elevation which depends on their thickness and density. This concept is invoked to explain how different topographic... - Frank PressFrank PressFrank Press is an American geophysicist.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Press was science advisor to President Jimmy Carter from1976 to 1980,and president of the U.S. NationalAcademy of Sciences from 1981 to 1993...
(American, 1924–) – design of a long-period seismograph, and the first detection of the Earth's normal modes of oscillation
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- Harry Fielding ReidHarry Fielding ReidHarry Fielding Reid was an American geophysicist. He was notable for his contributions to seismology, particularly his theory of elastic rebound that related faults to earthquakes....
(American, 1859–1944) – elastic-rebound theoryElastic-rebound theoryThe elastic rebound theory is an explanation for how energy is spread during earthquakes. As plates on opposite sides of a fault are subjected to force and shift, they accumulate energy and slowly deform until their internal strength is exceeded...
and other contributions to seismology - Charles Francis RichterCharles Francis RichterCharles Francis Richter , was an American seismologist and physicist. Richter is most famous as the creator of the Richter magnitude scale which, until the development of the moment magnitude scale in 1979, quantified the size of earthquakes...
(American, 1900–1985) – Creation of Richter magnitude scaleRichter magnitude scaleThe expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake.... - Keith RuncornKeith RuncornStanley Keith Runcorn FRS was a British physicist whose paleomagnetic reconstruction of the relative motions of Europe and America revived the theory of continental drift and was a major contribution to plate tectonics.-Biography:He was born in Southport, Lancashire and graduated in engineering...
(British, 1922–1995) – paleomagneticPaleomagnetismPaleomagnetism is the study of the record of the Earth's magnetic field in rocks. Certain minerals in rocks lock-in a record of the direction and intensity of the magnetic field when they form. This record provides information on the past behavior of Earth's magnetic field and the past location of...
work supporting continental driftContinental driftContinental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
; apparent polar wanderApparent polar wanderApparent polar wander is the imaginary movement of the Earth's magnetic poles relative to a continent while regarding the continent being studied as fixed in position, as determined by paleomagnetic data...
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- Sir Edward SabineEdward SabineGeneral Sir Edward Sabine KCB FRS was an Irish astronomer, geophysicist, ornithologist and explorer.Two branches of Sabine's work in particular deserve very high credit: Determination of the length of the seconds pendulum, a simple pendulum whose time period on the surface of the Earth is two...
(Irish, 1788–1883) – measured oblateness of the Earth; established system of magnetic observatories - Conrad SchlumbergerSchlumberger brothersConrad Schlumberger and Marcel Schlumberger were brothers from the Alsace region in France...
(French, 1878–1936) – and Marcel SchlumbergerSchlumberger brothersConrad Schlumberger and Marcel Schlumberger were brothers from the Alsace region in France...
(French, 1884–1953) – invented electric well loggingWell loggingWell logging, also known as borehole logging is the practice of making a detailed record of the geologic formations penetrated by a borehole. The log may be based either on visual inspection of samples brought to the surface or on physical measurements made by instruments lowered into the hole... - Michael SchoenbergMichael SchoenbergMichael Schoenberg was a theoretical geophysicist noted for his fundamental contributions to the understanding of anisotropy in the real earth and its application to the determination of texture, fracture porosity, and flow properties of reservoir rocks.-Career:Schoenberg received a Ph.D...
(1939–2008) – contributions to seismic anisotropy - Nicholas ShackletonNicholas ShackletonSir Nicholas John Shackleton FRS was a British geologist and climatologist who specialised in the Quaternary Period...
(British, 1937–2006) – paleoceanographyPaleoceanographyPaleoceanography is the study of the history of the oceans in the geologic past with regard to circulation, chemistry, biology, geology and patterns of sedimentation.- Source of information :...
, climateClimateClimate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
, Crafoord PrizeCrafoord PrizeThe Crafoord Prize is an annual science prize established in 1980 by Holger Crafoord, a Swedish industrialist, and his wife Anna-Greta Crafoord...
, Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - Paul G. SilverPaul SilverPaul Gordon Silver was an American seismologist.A member of the research staff at the of the Carnegie Institution of Washington since 1982, Paul Silver made a series of important contributions to the investigation of seismic anisotropy and to earthquake research by observing the slow...
(American, 1948–2009) – seismic anisotropySeismic anisotropySeismic anisotropy is a term used in seismology to describe the directional dependence of seismic wavespeed in a medium within the Earth.- Crustal Anisotropy :...
and splitting of shear waves - Susan SolomonSusan SolomonSusan Solomon is an atmospheric chemist working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Solomon was one of the first to propose chlorofluorocarbons as the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole.Solomon is a member of the U.S...
(American, 1956–) – proposed chlorofluorocarbons as the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole; Nobel peace prizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
. - David J. StevensonDavid J. StevensonDavid John Stevenson is a professor of planetary science at Caltech. Originally from New Zealand, he received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in physics, where he proposed a model for the interior of Jupiter. He is well-known for applying fluid mechanics and magnetohydrodynamics to understand...
(New Zealander/American, 1948–) – theories of internal structure and evolution of planets - Balfour StewartBalfour StewartBalfour Stewart was a Scottish physicist. His studies in the field of radiant heat led to him receiving the Rumford Medal of the Royal Society in 1868. In 1859 he was appointed director of Kew Observatory...
(Scottish, 1828–1887) – observations of solar flareSolar flareA solar flare is a sudden brightening observed over the Sun surface or the solar limb, which is interpreted as a large energy release of up to 6 × 1025 joules of energy . The flare ejects clouds of electrons, ions, and atoms through the corona into space. These clouds typically reach Earth a day...
s and geomagnetic stormGeomagnetic stormA geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere caused by a disturbance in the interplanetary medium. A geomagnetic storm is a major component of space weather and provides the input for many other components of space weather...
s - Carl StørmerCarl StørmerFredrik Carl Mülertz Størmer was a Norwegian mathematician and physicist, known both for his work in number theory and for studying the movement of charged particles in the magnetosphere and the formation of aurorae....
(Norwegian, 1874–1957) – motion of charged particles in the magnetosphereMagnetosphereA magnetosphere is formed when a stream of charged particles, such as the solar wind, interacts with and is deflected by the intrinsic magnetic field of a planet or similar body. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the other planets with intrinsic magnetic fields: Mercury, Jupiter,...
and origin of the auroraAurora (astronomy)An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
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- Merle TuveMerle TuveMerle Anthony Tuve, PhD was an American scientist and geophysicist who was the founding director of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He was a pioneer in the use of pulsed radio waves whose discoveries opened the way to the development of radar and nuclear...
(American, 1901–1982) – used radio waves to measure the ionosphereIonosphereThe ionosphere is a part of the upper atmosphere, comprising portions of the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere...
; United States Medal for Merit
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- Felix Andries Vening MeineszFelix Andries Vening MeineszFelix 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...
(Dutch, 1887–1966) – developed a precise gravimeterGravimeterA gravimeter or gravitometer is an instrument used in gravimetry for measuring the local gravitational field of the Earth. A gravimeter is a type of accelerometer, specialized for measuring the constant downward acceleration of gravity, which varies by about 0.5% over the surface of the Earth...
and discovered gravity anomalies above the ocean floor - Fred VineFred VineFrederick John Vine is a British marine geologist and geophysicist and was a key contributor to the theory of plate tectonics.-Early life:...
(British, 1939–) – work on marine magnetic anomalies confirmed the theory of seafloor spreadingSeafloor spreadingSeafloor spreading is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics....
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- Kiyoo WadatiKiyoo WadatiProfessor was an early seismologist at the Central Meteorological Observatory of Japan, researching deep earthquakes. His name is attached to the Wadati-Benioff zone...
(Japanese, 1902–1995) – researched subduction zone earthquakes; lent name to Wadati-Benioff zone - Alfred WegenerAlfred WegenerAlfred Lothar Wegener was a German scientist, geophysicist, and meteorologist.He is most notable for his theory of continental drift , proposed in 1912, which hypothesized that the continents were slowly drifting around the Earth...
(German, 1880–1930) – developed theory of continental driftContinental driftContinental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912... - Emil Johann Wiechert (German–1928) – first verifiable model of layered structure of the EarthStructure of the EarthThe interior structure of the Earth, similar to the outer, is layered. These layers can be defined by either their chemical or their rheological properties. The Earth has an outer silicate solid crust, a highly viscous mantle, a liquid outer core that is much less viscous than the mantle, and a...
; pioneering work on propagation of seismic waves. - J. Tuzo Wilson (Canadian, 1908–1993) – contributions to plate tectonicsPlate tectonicsPlate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
: theories of hotspotHotspot (geology)The places known as hotspots or hot spots in geology are volcanic regions thought to be fed by underlying mantle that is anomalously hot compared with the mantle elsewhere. They may be on, near to, or far from tectonic plate boundaries. There are two hypotheses to explain them...
s, transform faultTransform faultA transform fault or transform boundary, also known as conservative plate boundary since these faults neither create nor destroy lithosphere, is a type of fault whose relative motion is predominantly horizontal in either sinistral or dextral direction. Furthermore, transform faults end abruptly...
s and Wilson cycles; Vetlesen PrizeVetlesen PrizeThe Vetlesen Prize is awarded from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.-Background:The Vetlesen Prize has been described as an attempt to establish an equivalent of a Nobel award for geophysics or geology... - J. Lamar WorzelJ. Lamar WorzelJ. Lamar Worzel , American geophysicist known for his important contributions to underwater acoustics, underwater photography, and gravity measurements at sea.-Life:...
(American, 1919–2008) – contributions to underwater acoustics, underwater photography, and gravity measurements at sea