Walter Hermann Bucher (March 12, 1888 – February 17, 1965) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

- American

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, althoug ...

and

paleontologist 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 was born in

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...

, to Swiss-

parents. The family then returned to Germany, where he was raised. In 1911 he was awarded a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

by the

University of Heidelberg } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

with a focus on geology and paleontology. The same year he returned to the

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and joined the

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,0 ...

as a lecturer. By 1924 he was a professor of geology at the institution. His early works were on

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 ...

, and he performed studies of stromatolettia, oolites, and ripple-shaped markings. Later he concentrated on the Earth's crust

diastrophism Diastrophism is the process of deformation of the Earth's crust which involves folding and faulting. Diastrophism can be considered part of geotectonics. The word is derived from the Greek ' 'distortion, dislocation'. Diastrophism covers moveme ...

problem and proposed firstly (immediate and independent with

Mikhail Tetyaev Mikhail Mikhailovich Tetyaev (russian: Михаил Михайлович Тетяев; 11(23) September 1882, Nizhny Novgorod – 11 October 1956, Leningrad) was a Soviet tectonic geologist. The wrinkle ridge Dorsa Tetyaev on the Moon ...

) the pulsation hypothesis of the

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

developing. In 1935 he became president of the Ohio Academy of Sciences. In 1940 he joined the

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, specializing in structural geology. It is thought that at this time he worked as a consultant on the Manhattan Project, hypothesizing how the detonation of the atomic bomb could affect the Earth's crust. In the same year he joined the

National Research Council National Research Council may refer to: * National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development * National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome * National Research Council (United States), part of ...

, as a consultant as chairman of the Division of Geology and Geography. In 1946 he was elected president of the New York Academy of Sciences, and from 1950 until 1953 he served as president of the

American Geophysical Union The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of Earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary scientists and enthusiasts that according to their website includes 130,000 people (not members). AGU's a ...

. He was also president of the

Geological Society of America The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences. History The society was founded in Ithaca, New York, in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitch ...

(1955) and received their Penrose Medal in 1960.Eckel, Edwin, 1982, GSA Memoir 155, The Geological Society of America — Life History of a Learned Society: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Memoir 155, 168 p., . From 1920 onward, Bucher was noted for his studies in cryptovolcanic structures, significant deformations of the crust of the Earth, and structural geology. He died in Houston, Texas.

Bibliography

* W. H. Bucher, "The Deformation of the Earth's Crust", Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1933. * * Bucher, W. H., Caster, K. E. and Jones, S. M., "Elementary guide to the fossils and strata in the vicinity of Cincinnati", 1945, Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. * W. H. Bucher, "Role of gravity in orogenesis", ''Geological Society of America Bulletin'', 1956. * W. H. Bucher, "The pattern of the Earth's mobile belts", ''Journal of Geology'', 1924.

Awards and honors

* Bownocker Medal of the Geological Sciences Department of the

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

, 1938 *

William Bowie Medal The William Bowie Medal is awarded annually by the American Geophysical Union for "outstanding contributions to fundamental geophysics and for unselfish cooperation in research". The award is the highest honor given by the AGU and is named in honor ...

of the American Geophysical Union, 1955 *

Leopold von Buch Christian Leopold von Buch (26 April 1774 – 4 March 1853), usually cited as Leopold von Buch, was a German geologist and paleontologist born in Stolpe an der Oder (now a part of Angermünde, Brandenburg) and is remembered as one of the most im ...

Medal of the Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft, 1955 *

Penrose Medal The Penrose Medal was created in 1925 by R.A.F. Penrose, Jr., as the top prize awarded by the Geological Society of America. Originally created as the Geological Society of America Medal it was soon renamed the Penrose Medal by popular assent of t ...

of the Geological Society of America, 1960 * The Walter H. Bucher Medal of the American Geophysical Union was named after him. * The

lunar Lunar most commonly means "of or relating to the Moon". Lunar may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lunar'' (series), a series of video games * "Lunar" (song), by David Guetta * "Lunar", a song by Priestess from the 2009 album ''Prior t ...

wrinkle-ridge system called '' Dorsum Bucher'' was named after him.

References

External links

Walter Hermann Bucher (1888-1965)National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoir
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bucher, Walter Hermann 1888 births 1965 deaths 20th-century American geologists American paleontologists People from Akron, Ohio Heidelberg University alumni University of Cincinnati faculty Columbia University faculty Penrose Medal winners Presidents of the Geological Society of America American expatriates in Germany

Bibliography

Awards and honors

See also

References

External links