Keith Runcorn facts for kids

Keith Runcorn (born November 19, 1922 – died December 5, 1995) was a British scientist. He was a physicist who studied the Earth's magnetic field. His work helped bring back the idea of continental drift. This idea explains how continents move over time. His research was a big part of understanding plate tectonics.

Early Life and Education

Keith Runcorn was born in Southport, England. He went to King George V Grammar School. Later, he studied engineering at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He finished his degree in 1942.

During World War II, he worked on radar research. After the war, he joined the University of Manchester. There, he studied the Earth's magnetic field. He earned his PhD in 1949. His research advisor was Patrick Blackett.

Discoveries in Earth Science

Runcorn's PhD research sparked his interest in palaeomagnetism. This is the study of the magnetism found in rocks. He first worked on this at the University of Cambridge. Later, he moved to Newcastle University in 1956. He became a professor of Physics there.

At Newcastle, Runcorn built a strong research team. They made important discoveries in many areas. These included how the Earth and Moon's insides move. They also studied the shape and magnetic fields of planets. He explored changes in the length of a day. His work helped explain polar wandering and continental drift. All of this contributed greatly to the theory of plate tectonics.

After retiring in 1988, he continued his research. He was active until his death in 1995.

Awards and Recognitions

Keith Runcorn received many awards for his scientific work. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1965. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. He also won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). The American Geophysical Union (AGU) gave him the Fleming medal.

In 1970, he received the Vetlesen Prize. This award is often called the highest honor in geology. He was also a member of the Pontifical Academy of Science. In 1981, he helped start the World Cultural Council. From 1989 to 1995, he was a special professor at the University of Alaska. In 2007, the Royal Astronomical Society created an award in his name. It is called the Keith Runcorn Prize. It is given for the best PhD thesis in geophysics each year.

Books Edited by Keith Runcorn

Keith Runcorn also helped edit several important books. These books shared new ideas and research in Earth sciences.

• Continental drift (1962)
• International dictionary of geophysics (1967)
• Methods in palaeomagnetism (1967)
• Earth Sciences (1971)
• Implications of continental drift to the earth sciences (1973)
• Mechanisms of continental drift and plate tectonics (1980)
• Magnetism, planetary rotation, and convection in the solar system (1985)