author
W. Maurice (William Maurice) Ewing
1906–1974
A pioneering geophysicist and oceanographer, he helped turn the deep ocean from a mystery into a field scientists could study in detail. His work on seismic methods, ocean-bottom research, and underwater sound had a lasting impact on earth science.
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 Lockney, Texas, on May 12, 1906, Maurice Ewing studied physics and mathematics at Rice Institute, where he earned his BA, MA, and PhD. He became known to colleagues as "Doc" and built a reputation for energetic, wide-ranging research.
Ewing was one of the key figures in 20th-century geophysics and oceanography. Sources describe him as a pioneer in using seismic reflection and refraction to investigate ocean basins, and they credit him with major work on marine sediments, deep-sea cores, ocean-bottom photography, and submarine sound transmission, including research connected with the SOFAR channel.
After World War II, he joined Columbia University and founded the Lamont Geological Observatory, later known as Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which became a major center for earth science. He died in Galveston, Texas, on May 4, 1974, but his influence continued through the institutions he built and the methods he helped establish.