author
Bruce C. Heezen
1924–1977
A pioneer of ocean-floor mapping, this American geologist helped reveal the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and reshape how scientists understood the seafloor. His work with cartographer Marie Tharp became an important piece of the story behind plate tectonics.
1 Audiobook
The Floors of the Ocean: 1. The North Atlantic Text to accompany the physiographic diagram of the North Atlantic
by Bruce C. Heezen, W. Maurice (William Maurice) Ewing, Marie Tharp
About the author
Born in Vinton, Iowa, in 1924, Bruce C. Heezen became an American geologist and oceanographer whose career was closely tied to Columbia University and its Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory. He studied at Iowa State University and later at Columbia, where he spent his professional life researching the deep ocean.
He is best remembered for his collaboration with oceanographic cartographer Marie Tharp. Working from sounding data gathered during research cruises, they mapped major features of the Atlantic seafloor, including the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Their work helped bring attention to the structure of the ocean basin and played an important role in the emerging understanding of seafloor spreading.
Heezen died in 1977 while on a research expedition near Iceland, still actively engaged in the work that defined his life. His legacy endures in the history of oceanography, especially in the effort to make the hidden landscape beneath the sea visible to the world.