Jules-Auguste Gosselet (19 April 1832 – 20 March 1916) was a French

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...

born in

Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department and in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, regio ...

, France.Prix Gosselet - Société géologique de France
(biography) Following unsuccessful studies of

pharmacy Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...

, and a stint as a

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

teacher at the Lycée du Quesnoy, he pursued a career in natural history. In 1853 he became a preparateur of

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

, later obtaining his doctorate with a thesis titled ''Mémoire sur les terrains primaires de la Belgique, des environs d'Avesnes et du Boulonnais'' (1860). He later taught high school

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

and

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...

, afterwards serving as an instructor of natural history at the Faculty of

Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...

. In 1864 he was appointed to the chair of geology at the recently established Faculty of

Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...

. In 1913 he became a non-resident member of the Academy of Sciences. Gosselet is remembered for his geological studies of northern France, as demonstrated by the title of one of his better known works: '' Esquisse géologique du Nord de la France et des contrées voisines'' (Geological sketches of Nord and neighboring regions), (1880). Other significant writings include a geological treatise on the

Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...

, ''L'Ardenne'' (1888), and

hydrogeological Hydrogeology (''hydro-'' meaning water, and ''-geology'' meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust (commonly in aquif ...

research on the

aquifers An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...

of Nord, ''Leçons sur les nappes aquifères du Nord'' (1887). Also, he is credited with providing a thorough description of the geological beds in the

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

Étrœungt Étrœungt () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Geography The river Helpe Mineure (one of Sambre's affluents) runs through the village. The river is subject to occasional flooding. Étrœungt is bordered by ten other com ...

(''schistes et calcaire d’Etroeungt''). In the field of

paleontology Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

, he performed pioneer "zoometric" research of a species of

brachiopod Brachiopods (), phylum Brachiopoda, are a phylum of trochozoan animals that have hard "valves" (shells) on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, w ...

known as '' Spirifer verneuilli'' (''Etudes sur les variations du Spirifer Verneuilli''). Since 1910, the ''Prix Gosselet'' is awarded every four years for accomplishments made in the field of applied geology. The mineral gosseletite, a phase of manganian

andalusite Andalusite is an aluminium nesosilicate mineral with the chemical formula Al2SiO5. This mineral was called andalousite by Delamétehrie, who thought it came from Andalusia, Spain. It soon became clear that it was a locality error, and that the spe ...

, is named after him.The Type Mineralogy of Belgium
Annales de le Societe Geologique Belgiquie. February, 1994. Retrieved December 23, 2011.

References

External links

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(bibliography) {{DEFAULTSORT:Gosselet, Jules French geologists People from Cambrai 1832 births 1916 deaths University of Lille Nord de France faculty University of Poitiers faculty Members of the French Academy of Sciences ~