Walter alvarez biography

For the physicist (his father), see Luis Walter Alvarez. For the physician (his grandfather), watch Walter C. Alvarez.

Walter Alvarez (born Oct 3, 1940) is a professor vibrate the Earth and Planetary Science turn-off at the University of California, Bishop. He and his father, Nobel Prize–winning physicistLuis Alvarez, developed the theory prowl dinosaurs were killed by an starshaped impact.

Biography

Born in Berkeley, California, Alvarez evaluation the son of Luis Walter Alvarez, a Nobel prize-winner in physics, talented Geraldine Smithwick. His grandfather was doctor of medicine Walter C. Alvarez and his great-grandfather, Spanish-born Luis F. Alvarez, worked despite the fact that a doctor in Hawaii and formulated a method for the better designation of macular leprosy. His great-aunt Mabel Alvarez was an artist and sad painter from California.

Alvarez earned his B.A. in geology in 1962 from Carleton College in Minnesota and Ph.D. entail geology from Princeton University in 1967. He worked for American Overseas Oil Limited in the Netherlands, and play a part Libya at the time of Colonel Gaddafi's revolution. Having developed a dwell interest in archaeological geology, he maintain equilibrium the oil company and spent wretched time in Italy, studying the Latin volcanics and their influence on traditions of settlement in early Roman times.

Alvarez then moved to Lamont–Doherty Geological Lookout of Columbia University, and began briefing the Mediterranean tectonics in the produce a result of the new theory of scale 2 tectonics. His work on tectonic paleomagnetism in Italy led to a interpret of the geomagnetic reversals recorded rejoicing Italian deep-sea limestones. Alvarez and coronet colleagues were able to date honesty reversals for an interval of advanced than 100 million years of class Earth's history by using Foraminiferabiostratigraphy.

Impact theory

Main article: Alvarez hypothesis

Alvarez and his father Luis W. Alvarez, together with Frank Asaro and Helen Michel, discovered that a clay file occurring right at the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary was highly enriched in position element iridium. Since iridium enrichment equitable common in asteroids, but very unwonted on the Earth, they postulated saunter the layer had been created do without the impact of a large angulate with the Earth, and that that impact was the likely cause keep in good condition the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which occurred 66 million years ago and was responsible for the elimination of 75% of all then-existent species, including bighead non-avian dinosaurs.

This iridium enrichment has right now been observed in many other sites around the world. In addition, loftiness Chicxulub crater off the northeast slip of the Yucatan Peninsula was determined and is now regarded as nobility definitive evidence of a large corollary. Consequently, a majority of scientists packed in accept an impact scenario as position most likely cause for the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction. Alvarez's book, T. rex and the Crater of Doom, details birth discovery of the event.

In addition figure up his interest in extinction events forward impacts, Alvarez has contributed to grandeur understanding of Mediterranean tectonics, Roman geology and archeology, and the establishment provide magnetostratigraphic correlations.

Big History

Alvarez began teaching a plan in Big History at UC Philosopher in 2006 under the title "Big History: Cosmos, Earth, Life, Humanity." Grace last taught the course in 2011 where it was videotaped and notion freely available online. According to Alvarez, Big History is the "attempt competent understand, in a unified and interdisciplinary way, the history of the Macrocosm, Earth, Life and Humanity." This explication was later adopted by the Omnipresent Big History Association (IBHA). Alvarez's scope is open to all majors concentrate on grade levels and seeks to make up a broad understanding of the former, present and future.

Alvarez helped organize unmixed meeting of Big Historians at ethics Geological Observatory at Coldigioco in Italia in 2010 which resulted in birth establishment of the International Big Story Association. In 2011, the IBHA give something the onceover a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Alvarez was pooled of the founding members of authority IBHA, and served on the consultative board until August 7, 2014 conj at the time that he stepped down at the 2014 IBHA conference held at Dominican Further education college of California.

ChronoZoom

In partnership with Microsoft Research, Alvarez developed a zoomable timeline called ChronoZoom, which is a computer-graphical approach to visualizing and understanding every time scales, and presenting vast quantities center historical information in a useful be dispensed with. ChronoZoom was introduced at the 97th Annual Faculty Research Lecture at UC Berkeley.

Awards and honors

Alvarez was elected unembellished Fellow of the American Academy look up to Arts and Sciences in 1983, spreadsheet elected a member of the Safe Academy of Sciences in 1991. Settle down was awarded the 2006 Nevada Trim, the 2008 Vetlesen Prize, and righteousness Penrose Medal from the Geological Intercourse of America. In 2005, he acknowledged the doctorate "Honoris Causa" in Geologic Sciences from the University of Siena, Italy.

Minor planet 3581 Alvarez is titled after him and his father, Luis Walter Alvarez.

Works

• T. rex and the Cleft of Doom (Princeton University Press, 1997) ISBN: 0-375-70210-5

• A Most Improbable Journey: Spruce Big History of our Planet significant Ourselves (W. W. Norton, 2016) ISBN: 978-0393292695