Raymond Thorsteinsson facts for kids

Raymond Thorsteinsson (January 21, 1921 – April 23, 2012) was a famous Canadian geologist. He spent most of his life studying the land and rocks of the high Arctic. He was known for his important work on very old rocks from the Proterozoic and Paleozoic eras.

Life and Discoveries

Raymond Thorsteinsson was born in Wynyard, Saskatchewan, Canada. His family came from Iceland. He loved learning about the Earth. He earned his first degree in geology from the University of Saskatchewan in 1944. Later, he got a master's degree from the University of Toronto. In 1955, he completed his PhD at the University of Kansas.

Dr. Thorsteinsson started working in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in 1947. He began as a summer helper. One of his first big trips was a canoe journey with Dr. Y.O. Fortier. They explored parts of the Arctic that were mostly unknown. In 1952, he started his long career with the Geological Survey of Canada.

At first, Dr. Thorsteinsson explored the Arctic on foot and with dog teams. Later, he helped change how geologists worked there. He was one of the first to use small planes with big tires. These planes could land in remote areas of the Arctic Islands. His work helped oil and mining companies explore the land in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Understanding Arctic Rocks

Dr. Thorsteinsson made big discoveries in how rocks are formed and how old they are. He also studied the layers of rock in different areas. The Royal Society of Canada said his work was very important. They noted that his studies helped everyone understand the Arctic's geological history much better. He helped map out the huge layers of rock in the Islands. This work became the base for all future studies in the area.

During his career, Dr. Thorsteinsson led many large surveys. These surveys used helicopters to help geologists explore. Other geologists from the Geological Survey of Canada and universities worked with him. Their work created detailed maps and reports. These covered about 250,000 square miles of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Dr. Thorsteinsson visited every major island in the Archipelago. He was even the first person to visit some of them since their discovery by early explorers.

He published over fifty maps and articles about his findings. His geological maps were very detailed.

Studying Ancient Life

Dr. Thorsteinsson also studied Paleontology, which is the study of fossils. He made important discoveries about graptolites. These were tiny sea creatures that lived long ago. He also studied ostracoderms. These were ancient, jawless fish that lived about 400 million years ago. In the mid-1950s, he visited Sweden's Museum of Natural History. There, he studied these amazing fossils. He also helped create the most complete timeline of animal life in the Arctic. This timeline used fossils from the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods.

Dr. Thorsteinsson officially retired from the Geological Survey of Canada in 1992. But he kept working on Arctic research as an Emeritus Scientist until he passed away in 2012. By 1992, he had spent 39 field seasons exploring the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Raymond Thorsteinsson received many awards for his important work.

• 1951: Shell Oil Fellowship, University of Kansas
• 1952: Erasmus Haworth Award, University of Kansas, given to the best graduate student of the year.
• 1960: Became a Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada.
• 1960: Became a Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America.
• 1960: Medal of Merit, given for an outstanding paper on Canadian geology.
• 1961: Distinguished Lecturer for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
• 1964: Erasmus Haworth Award, University of Kansas, given to distinguished past students.
• 1969: Awarded the Patron's Medal by the Royal Geographical Society in London. This was for his work in exploring and developing the Canadian Arctic.
• 1973: Awarded the Willet G. Miller Medal by the Royal Society of Canada. This was for amazing work in Earth Science.
• 1973: Outstanding Achievement Award in Science from the Government of Alberta.
• 1979: Awarded the Logan Medal by the Geological Association of Canada.
• 1981: Awarded the Massey Medal by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. This was for outstanding personal achievement.
• 1982: Awarded the R. J. W. Douglas Medal by the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists.
• 1983: Became a Member of the Order of Canada, a high honor.
• 1987: Awarded the Gold Medal of The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
• 1989: Promoted to an Officer of the Order of Canada.
• 1988: Astolabe Award, given for exceptional personal achievement in the physical environment.
• 1992: Commemorative Medal, 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation.