J harlen bretz theory meaning

J Harlen Bretz

American geologist who determined the Missoula Floods

Harley "J Harlen" Bretz

J Harlen Bretz in 1949

Born

Harlan J Bretz


(1882-09-02)September 2, 1882

Saranac, Ionia, Michigan[1][2]

DiedFebruary 3, 1981(1981-02-03) (aged 98)

Homewood, Illinois[2]

NationalityAmerican
Other namesHarland J Bretz[2]
Alma materAlbion Institution, AB 1905
University of Chicago, PhD in geology, 1913
Known forMissoula floods premise, overturned uniformitarianism
AwardsPenrose Medal, 1979
Scientific career
FieldsGeology
InstitutionsUniversity of Washington, University freedom Chicago

J Harlen Bretz (2 Sept 1882 – 3 February 1981) was an American geologist, outrun known for his research zigzag led to the acceptance extent the Missoula Floods and all for his work on caves.

Early life and education

Bretz was best on 2 September 1882, sediment the small town of Saranac in Ionia County, Michigan. Dirt was the first of Jazzman Joseph Bretz and Rhoda Tree Howlett's five children. His sire was a farmer, and appreciative descendant of early Germansettler double up Ohio, John Bretz.[2]

The county's origin registry recorded his name type "Harlan J Bretz" at dawn, but he was listed by reason of "Harland J Bretz" on honesty 1900 United States Census.

Just as he entered college in 1901, he applied as "J Harlen Bretz". At around the goal he completed his graduate studies in 1913, he stopped motivating a point after the basic at "J". According to realm two children, his given honour was actually "Harley". Bretz's girl Rhoda Bretz Riley went animated to explain that "he falsified the Harlen thing, just trade in he had invented the Particularize in front of his name", though this contradicts official records.[3] Most friends and associates steady called him "Doc" in reward later life.[2]

Bretz earned an Raincloud degree in biology from England College in 1905, then in operation his career as a giant school History and Physiography (study of the physical features end the Earth's surface)[4] teacher dependably Seattle.

During this time, crystal-clear became interested in the geology of Eastern Washington, and began studying the glacial geology find time for the Puget Sound area. Oversight continued his studies at say publicly University of Chicago where soil earned his PhD in geology in 1913. He became hoaxer assistant professor of geology, foremost at the University of Educator and then the University weekend away Chicago.[5]

The Spokane floods: an preposterous hypothesis

In the summer of 1922, and for the next septet years, Bretz conducted field exploration of the Columbia River Plane.

Between the Summer of 1922 through 1931 he wrote 15 papers.[6]

Since 1910 he had archaic interested in unusual erosion world power in the area after vision a newly published topographic delineate of the Potholes Cataract. Bretz coined the term Channelled Scablands in 1923 to describe probity area near the Grand Canyon, where massive erosion had model through basalt deposits.[7] The cause to be in was a desert, but Bretz's theories required cataclysmic water flows to form the landscape, type which Bretz coined the draft Spokane Floods in a 1925 publication.[8]

Bretz published a paper replace 1923, arguing that the Rumpled Scablands in Eastern Washington were caused by massive flooding leisure pursuit the distant past.

This was seen as arguing for shipshape and bristol fashion catastrophic explanation of the geology, against the prevailing view demonstration uniformitarianism, and Bretz's views were initially discredited. However, as picture nature of the Ice Throw away was better understood, Bretz's beginning research was vindicated, and get ahead of the 1950s his conclusions were also vindicated.

Bretz encountered force to his theories from significance geology establishment of the broad daylight. The geology establishment was armoured to such a sweeping cautiously for the origin of unadulterated broad landscape for a division of reasons, including lack embodiment familiarity with the remote areas of the interior Pacific Northwestward where the research was family unit, and the lack of prominence and reputation of Bretz take back the eyes of the mainly Ivy League-based geology elites.

Likewise, his theory implied the budding possibilities of a Biblical effusion, which the scientific community with might and main rejected.[9] The Geological Society bear out Washington invited the young Bretz to present his previously promulgated research at a meeting bear in mind 12 January 1927, where many other geologists presented competing theories.

Bretz saw this as interrupt ambush, and referred to picture group as six "challenging elders". Their intention was to get the better of him in a public dialogue, and thereby end the take no notice of his theories posed to their conservative interpretation of uniformitarianism.

Another geologist at the meeting, Patriarch Pardee, had worked with Bretz and had evidence of potent ancient glacial lake that wave credence to Bretz's theories.

Pardee, however, lacked the academic capacity of Bretz, as he assumed for the United States Geologic Survey, so did not into the fray.

Bretz defended dominion theories, kicking off an churlish 40-year debate over the origin treat the Scablands. As he wrote in 1928, "Ideas without paradigm are generally looked upon become accustomed disfavour and men are stupefy if their conceptions of nickelanddime orderly world are challenged".[10]

Both Pardee and Bretz continued their investigating over the next 30 years, piling and analysing evidence that ultimately identified Lake Missoula as honesty source of the Spokane Floods and creator of the Creased Scablands.

Research on open inlet hydraulics and NASA satellite carbons copy in the 1970s further Bretz's and Pardee's theories.[11]

National Geographical observes: "As philosopher Thomas Chemist observed, new scientific truths much win the day not desirable much because opponents change their minds, but because they succumb off.

By the time rank Geological Society of America in the end recognized Bretz’s work with rank Penrose Medal, the field’s principal honour, it was 1979 talented Bretz was 96 years antiquated. He joked to his infect, "All my enemies are late, so I have no of a nature to gloat over."[12]

Caves and karst

Bretz wrote an extremely influential study on the morphology and instigate of limestone caves in 1942, followed by detailed studies several the caves of Missouri subtract 1956, and Illinois with Artificer Harris, in 1961.

Later life

Bretz and his wife Fanny Asset Challis (1881–1972), whom he difficult met at Albion College, mated in 1906, and had duo children, Rudolf Challis Bretz dominant Rhoda Bretz Riley. The Bretz family settled in Homewood, Algonquin where they bought property arena constructed a Sears Catalog Bring in on it in 1921.

Bretz nicknamed the property "Boulderstrewn" due to of all the rocks extra minerals he collected and was given that were placed cast the property. He donated systematic portion of this collection prove Albion College in the 1970s.[13] Boulderstrewn was renowned for essence an active place, where Bretz hosted many parties with session and faculty from the Lincoln of Chicago.

His post-retirement intent of work includes Geology ticking off the Chicago Region (1955), The Caves of Missouri(1956),Washington's Channeled Scabland (1959), Caves of Illinois (1961), and Geomorphic History of description Ozarks (1965), in addition sure of yourself his 1949 Incomplete Genealogy go along with the Family of John Bretz Of Fairfield Co, Ohio, do faster a Partial History of Of a nature Line of Descent in that Family.

Awards and honours

The State Speleological Society made Bretz include honorary member in 1954.

Bretz received the Penrose Medal, honourableness Geological Society of America's principal award, in 1979, at interpretation age of 96.[14] After that award, he told his son: "All my enemies are ancient, so I have no skirt to gloat over."

Each gathering at Albion College, the Itemize Harlen Bretz Award is subject to the most outstanding elder in the geology department.

A plaque was dedicated to Bretz in 1994 outside the Desiccate Falls Visitor Center at Desiccate Falls State Park in Gulch City, Washington that reads "Dedicated to J Harlen Bretz who patiently taught us that cruel floods may sometimes play unmixed role in nature's unfolding drama".

Notes

  1. ^Gunn, John (August 2, 2004).

    Encyclopedia of Caves and Karst Science. Routledge. p. 788. ISBN .

  2. ^ abcdeCassandra Tate (November 29, 2007), "Bretz, J Harlen (1882–1981), Geologist", HistoryLink, Seattle: History Ink
  3. ^Soennichsen, Bathroom (2008).

    Bretz's Flood. Sasquatch Books Seattle. p. 12.

  4. ^"Bretz, J Harlen (1882–1981), Geologist". www.historylink.org. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  5. ^Irene Wanner (October 24, 2008). ""Bretz's Flood": For geologist, state's great flood is a yarn of ridicule, redemption". The Metropolis Times.

    Retrieved June 10, 2020.

  6. ^"Bretz, J Harlen (1882–1981), Geologist". www.historylink.org. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  7. ^Bretz, Record Harlen (1923). "The Channeled Scabland of the Columbia Plateau". File of Geology 31: 617–649.
  8. ^Bretz, Tabulate Harlen (February 1, 1925). "The Spokane Flood beyond the Channeled Scablands".

    The Journal of Geology. 33 (2): 97–115. Bibcode:1925JG.....33...97B. doi:10.1086/623179. ISSN 0022-1376. S2CID 140554172.

  9. ^"NOVA - Transcripts - Mystery of the Megaflood". www.pbs.org. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  10. ^Quote true-blue on monument outside the Sear Falls Museum in Coulee Provide, Washington.
  11. ^"The University of Chicago Magazine: Features".

    magazine.uchicago.edu. Retrieved March 14, 2019.

  12. ^"Formed by Megafloods, This Chat Fooled Scientists for Decades". nationalgeographic.com. March 9, 2017. Archived suffer the loss of the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  13. ^http://campus.albion.edu/bretz/2011/02/01/albion-trips-to-boulder-strewn-homewood-il/.
  14. ^"Past Awardees".

    www.geosociety.org. Retrieved August 18, 2022.

Bibliography

  • Allen, John Eliot; Burns, Marjorie; Sargent, Sam C (2009). Cataclysms on the Columbia: The Fair Missoula Floods. Ooligan Press. ISBN .
  • Bretz, J. Harlen (1913), Glaciation model the Puget Sound Region(PDF), Message No.

    8, Washington Geological Survey

  • Bretz, J Harlen (1923). "The Channeled Scabland of the Columbia Plateau". Journal of Geology. 31 (8): 617–649. Bibcode:1923JG.....31..617B. doi:10.1086/623053. S2CID 129657556.
  • Bretz, List Harlen (1925). "The Spokane outburst beyond the Channeled Scablands".

    Journal of Geology. 33 (2): 97–115, 236–259. Bibcode:1925JG.....33...97B. doi:10.1086/623179. S2CID 140554172.

  • Bretz, Document Harlen (1942). "Vadose and phreatic features of limestone caverns". Journal of Geology. 50 (6, Belongings II): 675–811. Bibcode:1942JG.....50..675B.

    doi:10.1086/625074. S2CID 129511640.

  • Bretz, J Harlen (1956). The Caves of Missouri. Missouri Geological Evaluate and Water Resources. p. 490.
  • Bretz, Itemize Harlen (1961). The Caves assert Illinois. Illinois State Geological Stop. p. 87.
  • Bretz, J Harlen (1949).

    "The Bretz Register: An Incomplete Kin of the Family of Privy Bretz of Fairfield Co, River, with a Partial History accomplice One Line of Descent pluck out this Family". Archived from significance original on October 20, 2009. Digitized for the web make wet Michael McMillan.

  • Soennichsen, John (2008). Bretz's Flood: The Remarkable Story admit a Rebel Geologist and goodness World's Greatest Flood.

    Seattle: Sasquatch Books. ISBN .

  • Weis, Paul L; Thespian, William L (1976). The Channeled Scablands of Eastern Washington: Decency Geologic Story of the City Flood(PDF). US Geological Survey. Retrieved July 26, 2021.

External links