Walter Hermann Bucher
Encyclopedia
Dr. Walter Hermann Bucher (March 12, 1888–February 17, 1965) was a German
-American
geologist
and paleontologist.
He was born in Akron, Ohio
of Swiss
-German
parents. The family then returned to Germany where he was raised. In 1911 he was awarded a Ph.D.
by the University of Heidelberg with a focus on geology and paleontology. The same year he returned to the U.S.
and joined the University of Cincinnati
as a lecturer. By 1924 he was a professor of geology at the institution.
His early works were on paleontology
, and he performed studies of stromatolettia, oolite
s, and ripple-shaped markings.
In 1935 he became president of the Ohio Academy of Sciences. In 1940 he joined the Columbia University
, specializing in structural geology. It is thought, that at this time he worked as a consultant on the Manhattan Project, hypothesizing how the detonation of the atomic bomb could affect the earths crust. In the same year he joined the National Research Council
, consultant as chairman of the Division of Geology and Geography. In 1946 he was elected president of the New York Academy of Sciences, and from 1950 until 1953 he served as president of the American Geophysical Union
.
From 1920 onward Dr. Bucher was noted for his studies in cryptovolcanic structures, significant deformations of the crust of the Earth, and structural geology.
He died in Houston, Texas
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 paleontologist.
He was born in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
of Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
-German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
parents. The family then returned to Germany where he was raised. In 1911 he was awarded a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
by the University of Heidelberg with a focus on geology and paleontology. The same year he returned to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and joined the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
as a lecturer. By 1924 he was a professor of geology at the institution.
His early works were on paleontology
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...
, and he performed studies of stromatolettia, oolite
Oolite
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Hellenic word òoion for egg. Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 mm; rocks composed of ooids larger than 2 mm are called pisolites...
s, and ripple-shaped markings.
In 1935 he became president of the Ohio Academy of Sciences. In 1940 he joined the 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...
, specializing in structural geology. It is thought, that at this time he worked as a consultant on the Manhattan Project, hypothesizing how the detonation of the atomic bomb could affect the earths crust. In the same year he joined the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
, consultant as chairman of the Division of Geology and Geography. In 1946 he was elected president of the New York Academy of Sciences, and from 1950 until 1953 he served as president of the American Geophysical Union
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
.
From 1920 onward Dr. Bucher was noted for his studies in cryptovolcanic structures, significant deformations of the crust of the Earth, and structural geology.
He died in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
Awards and honors
- Bownocker Medal of the Geological Sciences Department of the Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, 1938. - William Bowie Medal of the American Geophysical Union, 1955.
- Leopold von Buch Medal of the Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft, 1955.
- Penrose MedalPenrose MedalThe Penrose Medal was created in 1927 by R.A.F. Penrose, Jr. as the top prize awarded by the Geological Society of America to those who advance the study of geoscience.-Award winners:* 2011 Paul F. Hoffman* 2010 Eric J. Essene* 2009 B. Clark Burchfiel...
of the Geological Society of America, 1960. - The Walter H. Bucher Medal of the American Geophysical Union is named after him.
- The lunarMoonThe 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...
wrinkle-ridgeWrinkle-ridgeA wrinkle ridge is a type of feature commonly found on lunar maria. These features are low, sinuous ridges formed on the mare surface that can extend for up to several hundred kilometers. Wrinkle ridges are tectonic features created when the basaltic lava first cooled and contracted...
system called Dorsum BucherDorsum BucherDorsum Bucher is a wrinkle-ridge at in the border region between Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Imbrium on the Moon. It is 90 km long and was named after Walter Hermann Bucher....
was named after him.