List of geophysicists

This is a list of geophysicists, people who made important contributions to geophysics, whether or not geophysics was their primary field. These include historical figures who laid the foundations for the field of geophysics.

A

• Thomas J Ahrens (American, 1936–2010) experimental methods for modeling hypervelocity impacts and materials in the Earth's core and mantle
• Hannes Alfvén (Swedish, 1908–1995) Alfvén waves, magnetohydrodynamics of magnetosphere; Nobel Prize in Physics
• Don L. Anderson (American, 1933–) seismology and Earth's interior (including the Preliminary Reference Earth Model); Crafoord Prize

B

• Anthony R. Barringer (Canadian/American, 1925–2009) exploration geophysics
• Julius Bartels (German, 1899–1964) geomagnetism
• Louis Bauer (American, 1965–1932) geomagnetism
• Hugo Benioff (American, 1899–1968) seismology; discovered link between deep earthquakes and subduction zones
• Francis Birch (American, 1903–1992) developed theoretical and experimental models for the Earth's interior; Vetlesen Prize
• Kristian Birkeland (Norwegian, 1867–1917) first realized that energetic electrons cause the aurora; nominated 7 times for Nobel Prize
• Abu Rayhan Biruni (Persian, 973–1048) accurate measure of circumference of Earth and other contributions to geodesy
• Martin Bott (British, 1926–) magnetic anomalies, gravity anomalies
• Pierre Bouguer (French, 1698–1758) geodesy, gravity anomalies
• William Bowie (American, 1872–1940) geodesy
• Wallace Smith Broecker (American, 1931–) climate, Crafoord Prize, Vetlesen Prize
• Bernard Brunhes (French, 1867–1910) paleomagnetism
• Sir Edward Bullard (British, 1907–1980) geomagnetism, continental drift
• Keith Edward Bullen (New Zealand-born, 1906–1976) seismology

C

• Henry Cavendish (British, 1731–1810) made first estimate of the mass of the Earth
• Sydney Chapman (British, 1888–1970) predicted magnetosphere; developed theories for effect of solar wind on geomagnetic storms and aurorae
• Jon Claerbout (American, 1937–) exploration geophysics
• Alexis Clairaut (French, 1713–1765) proved Clairaut's theorem and calculated the ellipticity of the Earth
• Allan V. Cox (American, 1926–1987) created a timeline for geomagnetic reversals and was a pioneer in plate tectonics; Vetlesen Prize
• Albert P. Crary (America, 1911–1987) polar exploration, seismology

D

• Sir George Howard Darwin (British, 1845–1912) tides
• Everette Lee DeGolyer (American, 1886–1956) exploration geophysics
• Robert S. Dietz (American, 1914–1995) Proposed (and named) theory of seafloor spreading; discovered several impact craters including Sudbury Basin
• Richard Doell (American,1923–2008) paleomagnetism, Vetlesen Prize
• Adam Dziewonski (Polish/American, 1936–) Earth's interior,seismology,Crafoord Prize

E

• Walter M. Elsasser (American, 1904–1991) geomagnetism
• Loránd Eötvös (Hungarian, 1848–1919) geodesy, gravimetry
• Maurice Ewing (American, 1906–1974) seismology, oceanography

F

• Osmond Fisher (British, 1817–1914) continental drift
• James David Forbes (British, 1809–1868) Built the first seismometer
• Benjamin Franklin (American, 1706–1790) Established that lightning is electrical

G

• Carl Friedrich Gauss (German, 1777–1855) geomagnetism, geodesy
• William Gilbert (English, 1544–1603) geomagnetism
• George Graham (English 1673–November 1751) discovery of the diurnal variation of the Earth's magnetic field; related Aurora borealis to magnetic field variations
• Beno Gutenberg (American, 1889–1960) seismology

H

• Edmond Halley (English, 1656–1742) First chart of Earth's magnetic field
• Christopher Hansteen (Norwegian, 1784–1873) Mapped Earth's magnetic field
• Harry Hammond Hess (American, 1906–1969) Seafloor gravity anomalies and theory of seafloor spreading
• Zhang Heng (Chinese, 78–139) Invented the first seismoscope
• Arthur Holmes (British, 1890–1965) performed first Uranium-lead dating
• M. King Hubbert Correct statement of Darcy's law and mathematical demonstration that rock undergoes plastic deformation; Vetlesen Prize
• Alexander von Humboldt (German, 1769–1859) Global network of geomagnetic observatories

I

• Ted Irving (Canadian, 1927–) Early paleomagnetic evidence for continental drift

J

• Sir Harold Jeffreys (British, 1891–1989) mathematical geophysics, Vetlesen Prize

K

• Hiroo Kanamori (American, 1936–) Fundamental contributions to the physics of earthquakes; Kyoto Prize
• William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (Irish, 1824–1907) Influential estimate of the age of the Earth, ultimately proved incorrect
• Shen Kuo (Chinese, 1031–1095) discovered magnetic declination

L

• Johann von Lamont (Scottish, 1805–1879) Surveys of the Earth's magnetic field
• Inge Lehmann (Danish, 1888–1993) seismologist who discovered the Lehmann discontinuity and argued for a solid inner core
• Xavier Le Pichon (French, 1937–) Constructed past history of plate motions
• Augustus Edward Hough Love (English, 1863–1940) Developed theory of Love waves

M

• Jean-Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan (French, 1678 –1771) shape of the Earth and aurora
• Dan McKenzie Mathematical framework for plate tectonics; mantle convection; sedimentary basin formation; Crafoord Prize
• Robert Mallet (Irish, 1810–1881) developed controlled source seismology; coined terms seismology and epicenter
• Pierre de Maricourt (Petrus Peregrinus) (French, fl. 1269) first extant treatise on properties of magnets; detailed study of the compass
• Edme Mariotte (French, 1620–1684) one of the pioneers of modern hydrology; used floats to measure river flow
• Drummond Matthews (British, 1931–1997) used ocean magnetic anomalies to confirm theory of seafloor spreading
• Giuseppe Mercalli (Italian, 1850–1914) developed Mercalli scale for measuring earthquakes
• John Milne (British, 1849–1913) invented the horizontal pendulum seismograph
• Andrija Mohorovičić (Croatian, 1857–1936) identified Mohorovičić discontinuity;
• W. Jason Morgan (American, 1935–) geodynamics, plate tectonics
• Lawrence Morley used ocean magnetic anomalies to confirm theory of seafloor spreading

N

• Robert Norman (English, circa 1550–1600) re-discovery of magnetic dip

O

• Richard Dixon Oldham (British, 1858–1936) Seismologist, concluded that Earth has a molten core

P

• Luigi Palmieri (Italian, 1807–1896) Seismic studies of Mount Vesuvius
• Blaise Pascal (French, 1623–1662) demonstrated that atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude
• Chaim Leib Pekeris (American, 1908–1993) mathematical methods to study free vibrations of Earth, tides, and origin of Earth's magnetic field; Vetlesen Prize
• William Richard Peltier (Canadian, 1943–) geophysical fluid dynamics, glacial rebound, climate change, Vetlesen Prize
• Pierre Perrault (1608–1680)‎ developed the concept of the hydrological cycle
• John Henry Pratt (British, 1809–1871) laid foundation for principle of isostasy
• Frank Press (American, 1924–) design of a long-period seismograph, and the first detection of the Earth's normal modes of oscillation

R

• Harry Fielding Reid (American, 1859–1944) elastic-rebound theory and other contributions to seismology
• Charles Francis Richter (American, 1900–1985) Creation of Richter magnitude scale
• Keith Runcorn (British, 1922–1995) paleomagnetic work supporting continental drift; apparent polar wander

S

• Sir Edward Sabine (Irish, 1788–1883) measured oblateness of the Earth; established system of magnetic observatories
• Conrad Schlumberger (French, 1878–1936) and Marcel Schlumberger (French, 1884–1953) invented electric well logging
• Nicholas Shackleton (British, 1937–2006) paleoceanography, climate, Crafoord Prize,Vetlesen Prize
• Paul G. Silver (American 1948–2009) seismic anisotropy and splitting of shear waves
• David J. Stevenson (New Zealander/American, 1948–) theories of internal structure and evolution of planets
• Balfour Stewart (Scottish, 1828–1887) observations of solar flares and geomagnetic storms
• Carl Størmer (Norwegian, 1874–1957) motion of charged particles in the magnetosphere and origin of the aurora

T

• Merle Tuve (American, 1901–1982) used radio waves to measure the ionosphere; United States Medal for Merit

V

• Felix Andries Vening Meinesz (Dutch, 1887–1966) developed a precise gravimeter and discovered gravity anomalies above the ocean floor
• Fred Vine (British, 1939–) work on marine magnetic anomalies confirmed the theory of seafloor spreading

W

• Kiyoo Wadati (Japanese, 1902–1995) researched subduction zone earthquakes; lent name to Wadati-Benioff zone
• Alfred Wegener (German, 1880–1930) developed theory of continental drift
• Emil Johann Wiechert (German–1928) first verifiable model of layered structure of the Earth; pioneering work on propagation of seismic waves.
• J. Tuzo Wilson (Canadian, 1908–1993) contributions to plate tectonics: theories of hotspots, transform faults and Wilson cycles; Vetlesen Prize
• J. Lamar Worzel (American, 1919–2008) contributions to underwater acoustics, underwater photography, and gravity measurements at sea

nl:Lijst van geofysici