Karl Bernhard Zoeppritz
Encyclopedia
Karl Bernhard Zoeppritz (October 22, 1881 – Jul 20, 1908) was a German geophysicist who made important contributions to seismology
, in particular the formulation of the Zoeppritz equations
. These equations relate the amplitudes of P-wave
s and S-wave
s at each side of an interface between two arbitrary elastic media as a function of incidence angle. They use the difference in times taken for the waves to return (known as travel-times) to provide an analysis of the media through which the waves have travelled.
Zoeppritz studied natural science and geology in Munich
and Freiburg
in Germany, where he completed his doctoral dissertation on the geology of part of the Swiss Alps in 1905. In the summer of 1906 he completed the 'Oberlehrerexamen', a teaching certificate, in Karlsruhe
.
After Karlsruhe, Zoeppritz went on to work with Emil Wiechert
at the University of Göttingen. Working with data from earthquakes, including the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
, the most important early contribution was the construction of travel-time curves—and their associated velocity-depth functions—for P-, S-, multiply reflected P- and S-waves, and surface waves The related ill-posed inverse problem
of inferring a discrete velocity distribution, representing the layers of the crust and mantle, was solved by fellow Göttingen mathematician Gustav Herglotz
. Zoeppritz went on to work with others in the lab and elsewhere, including the British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner
, and Beno Gutenberg
, who later emigrated to the United States.
In the summer of 1908, Zoeppritz died after an alcohol induced illness, caused by several months of drinking as he was trying to re-create mode conversion. His most important work, describing the reflection and transmission of seismic waves in elastic media, was published several years after his death.
The Zoeppritz Prize of the German Geophysical Society (DGG), instituted in 2002 and awarded to outstanding young geophysicists, is named after Karl Zoeppritz.
Each year on the 20th of July, Geophysicists around the world gather in pubs to celebrate the great mans life and legacy,
Seismology
Seismology 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,...
, in particular the formulation of the Zoeppritz equations
Zoeppritz equations
In seismology, the Zoeppritz equations describe how seismic waves are transmitted and reflected at media boundaries, which are boundaries between two different layers of earth....
. These equations relate the amplitudes of P-wave
P-wave
P-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 and S-wave
S-wave
A 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 at each side of an interface between two arbitrary elastic media as a function of incidence angle. They use the difference in times taken for the waves to return (known as travel-times) to provide an analysis of the media through which the waves have travelled.
Zoeppritz studied natural science and geology in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
in Germany, where he completed his doctoral dissertation on the geology of part of the Swiss Alps in 1905. In the summer of 1906 he completed the 'Oberlehrerexamen', a teaching certificate, in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
.
After Karlsruhe, Zoeppritz went on to work with Emil Wiechert
Emil Wiechert
Emil Johann Wiechert was a German geophysicist who presented the first verifiable model of a layered structure of the Earth.-Life:...
at the University of Göttingen. Working with data from earthquakes, including the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, the most important early contribution was the construction of travel-time curves—and their associated velocity-depth functions—for P-, S-, multiply reflected P- and S-waves, and surface waves The related ill-posed inverse problem
Inverse problem
An 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...
of inferring a discrete velocity distribution, representing the layers of the crust and mantle, was solved by fellow Göttingen mathematician Gustav Herglotz
Gustav Herglotz
Gustav Herglotz was a German mathematician. He is best known for his works on the theory of relativity and seismology....
. Zoeppritz went on to work with others in the lab and elsewhere, including the British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner
Herbert Hall Turner
Herbert Hall Turner was a British astronomer and seismologist.-Biography:Herbert Hall Turner was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Cambridge., In 1884 he accepted the post of Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory and stayed there for nine years...
, and Beno Gutenberg
Beno Gutenberg
Beno Gutenberg was a German-American seismologist who made several important contributions to the science...
, who later emigrated to the United States.
In the summer of 1908, Zoeppritz died after an alcohol induced illness, caused by several months of drinking as he was trying to re-create mode conversion. His most important work, describing the reflection and transmission of seismic waves in elastic media, was published several years after his death.
The Zoeppritz Prize of the German Geophysical Society (DGG), instituted in 2002 and awarded to outstanding young geophysicists, is named after Karl Zoeppritz.
Each year on the 20th of July, Geophysicists around the world gather in pubs to celebrate the great mans life and legacy,
See also
- Zoeppritz equationsZoeppritz equationsIn seismology, the Zoeppritz equations describe how seismic waves are transmitted and reflected at media boundaries, which are boundaries between two different layers of earth....
- Karl-Zoeppritz-Preis (in German)
- Emil WiechertEmil WiechertEmil Johann Wiechert was a German geophysicist who presented the first verifiable model of a layered structure of the Earth.-Life:...