Robert Mallet
Encyclopedia
Robert Mallet FRS Irish geophysicist, civil engineer
, and inventor who distinguished himself in research on earthquakes and is sometimes called the father of seismology
.
, Dublin, entering it at the age of 16 and graduating in science and mathematics in 1830 at the age of 20.
business and helped build the firm into one of the most important engineering works in Ireland, supplying ironwork for railway companies, the Fastnet Rock
lighthouse, and a swing bridge
over the River Shannon
at Athlone. He also helped manufacture the characteristic iron railings that surround Trinity College and which bear his family name at the base.
Mallet was elected to the Royal Irish Academy
in 1832 at the early age of 22. He also enrolled in the British Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1835 which helped finance much of his research in seismology.
In 1838 he became a life member of the Royal Geological Society of Ireland
, and acted as its President from 1846–48.
From 1848-1849 he constructed the Fastnet Rock lighthouse, southwest of Cape Clear
.
. He is also credited with coining the word "seismology" and other related words e.g. the isoseismal map
, which he used in his research. He also coined the term epicentre
.
From 1852 to 1858, he was engaged (with his son, John William Mallet) in the preparation of his work, The Earthquake Catalogue of the British Association (1858), and carried out blasting experiments to determine the speed of seismic propagation in sand and solid rock.
On 16 December 1857, the area around Padula
, Italy, was devastated by the Great Neapolitan Earthquake which caused 11,000 deaths. At the time it was the third largest known earthquake in the world and has been estimated to have been of magnitude 6.9 on the Richter Scale. Mallet, with letters of support from Charles Lyell
and Charles Darwin
, petitioned the Royal Society of London
and received a grant of £150 to go to Padula and record at first hand the devastation. The resulting report was presented to the Royal Society as the Report on the Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857. It was a major scientific work and made great use of the then new research tool of photography to record the devastation caused by the earthquake. In 1862, he published the "Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857: The First Principles of Observational Seismology" in two volumes; he brought forward evidence to show that the depth below the Earth's surface, from where the impulse of the Neapolitan earthquake originated, was about 8–9 geographical miles.
One of Mallet's most important papers was Volcanic Energy: an Attempt to develop its True Origin and Cosmical Relations, in which he sought to show that volcanic heat may be attributed to the effects of crushing, contortion and other disturbances in the crust of the earth
; the disturbances leading to the formation of lines of fracture, more or less vertical, down which water would find its way, and if the temperature generated be sufficient volcanic eruptions of steam or lava would follow.
During the Crimean War
he designed a 42 long tons (42.7 MT) mortar
of 36 inches (914.4 mm) calibre capable of throwing a 2400 pounds (1,088.6 kg) shell
a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 km). The huge mortar was built in sections to allow transport, but was too late to be used in action. An example has been preserved at the Royal Artillery
base in Woolwich
and one is displayed before the Royal Armouries
Fort Nelson
near Portsmouth
.
Mallet was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1854, and moved to London in 1861. He was awarded the Telford Medal
by the Institution of Civil Engineers
in 1859, followed by the Wollaston medal
of the Geological Society of London
in 1877, the Society's highest award.
Blind for the last seven years of his life, he died at Stockwell
, London, on 5 November 1881 and is buried at West Norwood Cemetery
.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, and inventor who distinguished himself in research on earthquakes and is sometimes called the father of seismology
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,...
.
Early life
Mallet was born in Dublin, on 3 June 1810, the son of factory owner John Mallet. He was educated at Trinity CollegeTrinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, Dublin, entering it at the age of 16 and graduating in science and mathematics in 1830 at the age of 20.
Career
Following his graduation, he joined his father's iron foundryFoundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
business and helped build the firm into one of the most important engineering works in Ireland, supplying ironwork for railway companies, the Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock is a small island in the Atlantic Ocean and the most southerly point of Ireland. It lies southwest of Cape Clear Island and from County Cork on the Irish mainland...
lighthouse, and a swing bridge
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
over the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
at Athlone. He also helped manufacture the characteristic iron railings that surround Trinity College and which bear his family name at the base.
Mallet was elected to the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
in 1832 at the early age of 22. He also enrolled in the British Association for the Advancement of Science
British Association for the Advancement of Science
frame|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
in 1835 which helped finance much of his research in seismology.
In 1838 he became a life member of the Royal Geological Society of Ireland
Royal Geological Society of Ireland
The Royal Geological Society of Ireland traces its origin to the founding in 1831 in Dublin of the Geological Society of Dublin, under the leadership of William Buckland and Adam Sedgwick....
, and acted as its President from 1846–48.
From 1848-1849 he constructed the Fastnet Rock lighthouse, southwest of Cape Clear
Cape Clear
Cape Clear may refer to:* Cape Clear * Cape Clear Island, on the southern coast of Ireland.* Cape Clear, Victoria, a town in Australia...
.
Seismological work
On 9 February 1846 he presented to the Royal Irish Academy his paper, "On the Dynamics of Earthquakes", which is considered to be one of the foundations of modern seismologySeismology
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,...
. He is also credited with coining the word "seismology" and other related words e.g. the isoseismal map
Isoseismal map
In seismology an isoseismal map is used to show lines of equal felt seismic intensity, generally measured on the Modified Mercalli scale. Such maps help to identify earthquake epicenters, particularly where no instrumental records exist, such as for historical earthquakes...
, which he used in his research. He also coined the term epicentre
Epicenter
The 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...
.
From 1852 to 1858, he was engaged (with his son, John William Mallet) in the preparation of his work, The Earthquake Catalogue of the British Association (1858), and carried out blasting experiments to determine the speed of seismic propagation in sand and solid rock.
On 16 December 1857, the area around Padula
Padula
Padula is a comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. It is the home of the Carthusian monastery Certosa di San Lorenzo, sometimes referred to as the Certosa di Padula.-Geography:...
, Italy, was devastated by the Great Neapolitan Earthquake which caused 11,000 deaths. At the time it was the third largest known earthquake in the world and has been estimated to have been of magnitude 6.9 on the Richter Scale. Mallet, with letters of support from Charles Lyell
Charles Lyell
Sir Charles Lyell, 1st Baronet, Kt FRS was a British lawyer and the foremost geologist of his day. He is best known as the author of Principles of Geology, which popularised James Hutton's concepts of uniformitarianism – the idea that the earth was shaped by slow-moving forces still in operation...
and Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, petitioned the Royal Society of London
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and received a grant of £150 to go to Padula and record at first hand the devastation. The resulting report was presented to the Royal Society as the Report on the Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857. It was a major scientific work and made great use of the then new research tool of photography to record the devastation caused by the earthquake. In 1862, he published the "Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857: The First Principles of Observational Seismology" in two volumes; he brought forward evidence to show that the depth below the Earth's surface, from where the impulse of the Neapolitan earthquake originated, was about 8–9 geographical miles.
One of Mallet's most important papers was Volcanic Energy: an Attempt to develop its True Origin and Cosmical Relations, in which he sought to show that volcanic heat may be attributed to the effects of crushing, contortion and other disturbances in the crust of the earth
Crust (geology)
In geology, the crust is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet or natural satellite, which is chemically distinct from the underlying mantle...
; the disturbances leading to the formation of lines of fracture, more or less vertical, down which water would find its way, and if the temperature generated be sufficient volcanic eruptions of steam or lava would follow.
Other work
During the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
he designed a 42 long tons (42.7 MT) mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
of 36 inches (914.4 mm) calibre capable of throwing a 2400 pounds (1,088.6 kg) shell
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 km). The huge mortar was built in sections to allow transport, but was too late to be used in action. An example has been preserved at the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
base in Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
and one is displayed before the Royal Armouries
Royal Armouries
The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom's National Museum of Arms and Armour. It is the United Kingdom's oldest museum, and one of the oldest museums in the world. It is also one of the largest collections of arms and armour in the world, comprising the UK's National Collection of Arms and...
Fort Nelson
Fort Nelson, Portsmouth
Fort Nelson, in the civil parish of Boarhunt in the English county of Hampshire, is one of five defensive forts built on the summit of Portsdown Hill in the 1860s, overlooking the important naval base of Portsmouth. It is now part of the Royal Armouries, housing their collection of...
near Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
.
Mallet was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1854, and moved to London in 1861. He was awarded the Telford Medal
Telford Medal
The Telford Medal is the highest prize awarded by the British Institution of Civil Engineers for a paper, or series of papers, in the field of engineering. It was introduced in 1835 following a bequest made by Thomas Telford, the ICE's first president....
by the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
in 1859, followed by the Wollaston medal
Wollaston Medal
The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831...
of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
in 1877, the Society's highest award.
Blind for the last seven years of his life, he died at Stockwell
Stockwell
Stockwell is a district in inner south west London, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross. Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Kennington all border Stockwell...
, London, on 5 November 1881 and is buried at West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, and is a site of major historical, architectural and...
.
External links
- Robert Mallet biography at the University of ViennaUniversity of ViennaThe University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
- Robert Mallet biography at Dublin Institute for Advanced StudiesDublin Institute for Advanced StudiesThe Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Dublin, Ireland was established in 1940 by the Taoiseach of the time, Éamon de Valera under the . The Institute consists of 3 schools: The , the and the . The directors of these schools are currently Professor Werner Nahm, Professor Luke Drury and...
- Robert Mallet and his family at Mallett family history