Geophysics -- the physics of the Earth -- is a comparatively young science. Evolving into a distinct discipline only in the 19th Century, geophysics arose in the borderland between older, established sciences: physical geography, geology, astronomy, meteorology, and physics. Yet "geophysical" phonemena such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, auroras, and lightning had been objects of curiosity and speculation since ancient times. In the 20th Century, the discoveries of cosmic rays, the core and mantle of the Earth, seafloor spreading, and El Nino illustrated the evolution and maturing of the geophysical sciences, which are now generally considered to include: solid earth geophysics, atmospheric and ocean sciences, hydrologic sciences, and space sciences.
Like the science itself, the history of geophysics overlaps
discipline
boundaries. Internet resources in the history of geology, physics,
astronomy,
and oceanography all may contain material relevant to the history of
geophysical
ideas, experiments, and exploration, and the stories of geophysicists
and
their institutions. The online articles, bibliographies, and metasites
(collections of web links) listed below are freely available on the
Internet
and all have at least some geophysics component. They range from
educational
sites written for the general public to lists of archival repositories
and databases of interest to professional historians of science.
GeoClio: Webserver for the
History
of Geology and the Geosciences
(by Dean A. Dunn and Theodore S. Feldman)
Electronic clearinghouse for information of interest to researchers
in the history of earth sciences: discussion lists, project
announcements,
new books and papers, links to professional societies and archives.
History
of Geology and the Geosciences
(Comité français d'Histoire de la Géologie)
Metasite with links to many Web pages in the history of the earth
sciences,
with an emphasis on France: online bibliographies, databases,
societies,
research centers, museums, etc.
History of the Earth
Sciences
Society
General information about HESS plus abstracts of all papers in the
journal "Earth Sciences History" back to its inception in 1982.
Selected
Web Resources in the History of Science
(by Marianne Stowell Bracke and Paul J. Bracke)
Excellent introduction to available history of science material on
the Web (metasites, journals, databases, research centers,
organizations,
biographies, etc,), though little related specificially to the earth
sciences.
Web Sites for
the
History of Science
(American Institute of Physics, Center for the History of Physics.)
Extensive collection of links to web sites, online source materials,
and web exhibits in the history of physics, astronomy, and geophysics;
directories for history of science community; International Catalog of
Sources for History of Physics and Allied Fields.
Wind
and Sea: History of Oceanic and Atmospheric Science
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Good source for the history of meteorology, oceanography, mapping,
charting, and surveying; links to photo resources; general information
on the history of science.
WWW
Virtual
Library for the History of Science, Technology & Medicine
(by Tim Sherratt)
Gateway to online exhibitions, biographical sources, history of science
web sites, institutions, etc. organized alphabetically and by
discipline.
No longer maintained (last updated 1998), but still a wide-ranging and
interesting site.
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Biographies
of Geophysicists
Brief biographies of geophysicists for whom European Geophysical
Society and European Geosciences Union awards and medals have been
named.
Biographisches
Lexikon zur Geschichte der Geophysik
(by Walther Kerz, Ruth Kerz, and Karl-Heinz Glassmeier)
German-language biographies of many famous geophysicists. (Site under
construction.)
Earth
Scientists
Yahoo's guide to biographies of famous earth scientists, including
geophysicists, meteorologists, and oceanographers.
History
of Astronomy: Persons
(by Wolfgang R. Dick)
Exhaustive index to online biographies of more than 1750 persons --
includes many early geophysicists, physicists, and mathematicians, as
well
as astronomers -- plus pointers to numerous biographical sources.
History
of
Crystallography
(International Union of Crystallography)
Biographies of famous crystallographers and articles on historical
topics.
Library of
Geophysicists
(Society of Exploration Geophysicists)
Biographies of geophysicists and histories of organizations engaged
in exploration geophysics.
Men
and Women of Seismology
(National Earthquake Information Center)
Photos and biographies of famous seismologists.
On the
Shoulders of Giants
(NASA Earth Observatory)
Biographical sketches of pioneers in the study of the atmosphere,
oceans,
climate, and environment.
Wind
and Sea: Biographical Information
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Biographies of famous meteorologists, oceanographers, and marine
biologists.
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International
Union of Geological Science: Historical Perspectives
Articles on the founding of the IUGS and the First International
Geological
Congress in 1876.
NASA
History Office
Rich chronicle of American exploration of space, with detailed
chronologies
and descriptions of NASA lunar and planetary probes, human spacecraft
missions,
earth-monitoring satellites, and key documents in the history of US
space
policy.
NOAA History
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Online histories of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, National Weather
Service, National Geodetic Survey, and other NOAA organizations;
biographies
of famous meteorologists, oceanographers, and marine biologists;
photographs,
historic maps and charts.
Scripps
Institution of Oceanography History
Historical essays, biographies, photo galleries, and more.
The United
States
Coast Survey 1807-1867
(by Capt. Albert E. Theberge)
Online book detailing the founding and early years of the first science
agency in the United States.
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Cumulative
Bibliography on the History of Oceanography
(by Jacqueline Carpine-Lancre and Deborah Day)
Searchable database of citations to published works from 1987 to the
present, from the History of Oceanography Newsletter.
The
Early History of Seismometry (to 1900)
(by James Dewey and Perry Byerly)
In-depth, technical history of the development of earthquake-detecting
instrumentation.
The
Exploration of the Earth's Magnetosphere
(by David P. Stern and Mauricio Peredo)
Extensive educational site devoted to the science and history of
research
on the Earth's environment in space: magnetospheric physics, auroras,
solar
physics, cosmic rays, etc. Includes timelines and glossary, plus many
related
references, links, and additional resources.
Geodesy for
the
Layman
(Defense Mapping Agency)
Introduction to basic principles of geodesy, with a brief section on
history
.
The
Great Magnet, the Earth
(by David P. Stern)
The history of geomagnetism, told in non-mathematical terms.
Commemorates
the 400th anniversary of William Gilbert's groundbreaking book "De
Magnete."
Green-Flash
and Mirage Bibliography
(by Andrew T. Young)
Extensively annotated bibliography of published references to mirages,
green flashes, atmospheric refraction, etc. from antiquity to modern
times.
Historical
Development of Earth Rotation Knowledge
(by Jos Verheijen)
Brief article on geodynamics and timekeeping based on earth's rotation.
Historical
Overview of Meteorology in America
(by James Rodger Fleming)
Concise, scholarly essay on the development of atmospheric sciences
in the US, with a guide to relevant historical resources (archives,
manuscripts,
and special collections) in the Washington, DC area.
Seismology,
the Jesuit Science
(by Joseph MacDonnell, S.J.)
Summary of Jesuit contributions to seismology in the United States,
with lists of Jesuit seismological, geomagnetic, and meteorological
observatories
worldwide. Nice graphics illustrating basic seismological concepts.
This
Dynamic Earth: the Story of Plate Tectonics
(by W. Jacquelyne Kious and Robert I. Tilling, U.S. Geological Survey)
Popular-level introduction to plate tectonics concepts; traces the
development of ideas on continental drift, seafloor spreading, and
continental
drift, and includes biographical sketches of Alfred Wegener and Harry
Hess.
Well illustrated.
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