Walter C. Pitman, III
Encyclopedia
Walter Clarkson Pitman, III is a geophysicist and a professor emeritus at Columbia University
. His measurements of magnetic anomalies
on the ocean floor supported the Morley–Vine–Matthews hypothesis explaining seafloor spreading
. With William Ryan, he developed the Black Sea deluge theory
. Among his major awards are the Alexander Agassiz Medal
and the Vetlesen Prize
.
in 1956 from Lehigh University
and went to work for Hazeltine Corporation
from 1956 to 1960. In 1960 he became a marine technician for Columbia University
's Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, utilizing his expertise as an electrical engineer in oceanographic research. The following year he became a graduate student in geophysics
. Among his most important work was measurements of magnetic anomalies in the sea floor supported the Morley–Vine–Matthews hypothesis explaining seafloor spreading
.
’s Francis Shepard Medal. In 1996 he was awarded the Maurice Ewing Medal
by the American Geophysical Union
. In 1998 he received the Alexander Agassiz Medal
of the United States National Academy of Sciences
"for his fundamental contribution to the plate tectonic revolution through insightful analysis of marine magnetic anomalies and for his studies of the causes and effects of sea-level changes". In 2000 he was awarded the Vetlesen Prize
for plate tectonic theory, theoretical geomorphology and tectonics.
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...
. His measurements of magnetic anomalies
Magnetic anomaly
In 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...
on the ocean floor supported the Morley–Vine–Matthews hypothesis explaining seafloor spreading
Seafloor spreading
Seafloor 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....
. With William Ryan, he developed the Black Sea deluge theory
Black Sea deluge theory
The Black Sea deluge is a hypothesized catastrophic rise in the level of the Black Sea circa 5600 BC due to waters from the Mediterranean Sea breaching a sill in the Bosporus Strait. The hypothesis made headlines when The New York Times published it in December 1996, shortly before it was published...
. Among his major awards are the Alexander Agassiz Medal
Alexander Agassiz Medal
The Alexander Agassiz Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences for an original contribution in the science of oceanography. It was established by Sir John Murray in honor of his friend Alexander Agassiz.-Recipients:-References:NotesA...
and the Vetlesen Prize
Vetlesen Prize
The 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...
.
Early life
Pitman was born in Newark, New Jersey on 21 October 1931 http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/vetlesen/recipients/2000/pitman_bio.html. He received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical EngineeringElectrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
in 1956 from Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
and went to work for Hazeltine Corporation
Hazeltine Corporation
Hazeltine Corporation was a defense electronics company which is now part of BAE Systems Inc.-History:The company was founded in 1924 by investors to exploit the Neutrodyne patent of Dr. Alan Hazeltine...
from 1956 to 1960. In 1960 he became a marine technician for 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...
's Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, utilizing his expertise as an electrical engineer in oceanographic research. The following year he became a graduate student in 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...
. Among his most important work was measurements of magnetic anomalies in the sea floor supported the Morley–Vine–Matthews hypothesis explaining seafloor spreading
Seafloor spreading
Seafloor 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....
.
Awards
In 1984, Pitman was awarded the Society for Sedimentary GeologySociety for Sedimentary Geology
The Society for Sedimentary Geology is an international not-for-profit, scientific society based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is commonly referred to by its acronym SEPM, which refers to its former name, the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists.The Society’s reason for being is to...
’s Francis Shepard Medal. In 1996 he was awarded the Maurice Ewing Medal
Maurice Ewing Medal
The Maurice Ewing Medal is awarded by the American Geophysical Union for "significant original contributions to the understanding of physical, geophysical, and geological processes in the ocean; to those who advance oceanographic engineering, technology, and instrumentation; and to those who...
by 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...
. In 1998 he received the Alexander Agassiz Medal
Alexander Agassiz Medal
The Alexander Agassiz Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences for an original contribution in the science of oceanography. It was established by Sir John Murray in honor of his friend Alexander Agassiz.-Recipients:-References:NotesA...
of the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
"for his fundamental contribution to the plate tectonic revolution through insightful analysis of marine magnetic anomalies and for his studies of the causes and effects of sea-level changes". In 2000 he was awarded the Vetlesen Prize
Vetlesen Prize
The 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...
for plate tectonic theory, theoretical geomorphology and tectonics.