Haraldur Sigurðsson
BornMay 31, 1939 (1939-05-31) (age 84)
Stykkishólmur, Iceland
NationalityIcelandic
Alma materQueen's University, Belfast (BSc)
University of Durham (PhD)
Scientific career
FieldsVolcanology
Geochemistry
InstitutionsUniversity of Rhode Island
ThesisThe petrology and chemistry of the Setberg volcanic region and of the intermediate and acid rocks of Iceland (1970)
Doctoral advisorGeorge Malcolm Brown[1]
Websitevulkan.blog.is/blog/vulkan

Haraldur Sigurðsson or Haraldur Sigurdsson (born May 31, 1939) is an Icelandic volcanologist and geochemist.

Education

Sigurdsson was born in Stykkishólmur in western Iceland.[2] He studied geology and geochemistry in the United Kingdom, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree from Queen's University, Belfast, followed by a PhD under the supervision of George Malcolm Brown from Durham University in 1970.[1][3]

Career and research

Sigurdsson worked on monitoring and research of the volcanoes of the Caribbean until 1974, when he was appointed professor at the Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island. He is best known for his work on the reconstruction of major volcanic eruptions of the past, including the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD in Italy and the consequent destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

In 1991, Sigurdsson discovered tektite glass spherules at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary (K–T boundary) in Haiti, providing proof for a meteorite impact at the time of the extinction of the dinosaurs.[4] In 2004 he discovered the lost town of Tambora in Indonesia, which was buried by the colossal 1815 explosive eruption of Tambora volcano.[5][6] In 1999, Sigurdsson published a scholarly account of the history of volcanology.[7] He was also editor in chief of the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes,[8] also published in 1999. He was awarded the Coke Medal of the Geological Society of London in 2004.[9]

Sigurdsson was a key scientist to uncover the sources of lake overturn that took the lives of entire villages nearby Lake Monoun[10] and Lake Nyos in Cameroon.[11] His story was popularized by the Youtuber MrBallen in an episode in January 2023.[12]

Active blogs

Sigurdsson has in recent years been active in blogging in Icelandic on various issues related to his science, geology and geochemistry. There he has also been active in criticizing USA government, world capitalism [13] and activities of Chinese companies in the Arctic.[14] He openly supports the left movement in USA. Sigurdsson has written on the Solarsilicon Project being developed by the US Company Silicor Materials Inc. in Iceland and its pollution.[15] As well as other environmental issues including global warming.

Publications

  • Jordan, Benjamin R.; Haraldur Sigurdsson; Steven Carey (2008). Ignimbrites in Central America and Associated Caribbean Sea Tephra: Correlation and Petrogenesis. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. p. 224. ISBN 978-3-639-10831-6.[16]
  • Haraldur Sigurdsson; Steven Carey (1990). Caribbean volcanoes a field guide. Open Library. p. 107.[17]
  • H. Sigurdsson; W.C. Evans (1987). Lake Nyos revisited:: a preliminary report. p. 7.[18]
  • Haraldur Sigursson; Paolo Laj (1990). Sulfur mass loading of the atmosphere from volcanic eruptions:: calibration of the ice core record on basis of sulfate aerosol deposition in polar regions from the 1982 El Chichon eruption, NASA grant NAG51304. Narragansett, RI; Washington, DC; Springfield, VA: University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Technical Information Service.[18]
  • Sigurdsson, Haraldur (1999). Melting the Earth:: the history of ideas on volcanic eruptions. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 260. ISBN 0-19-510665-2.[18]
  • Haraldur Sigurdsson; Steven Carey (2008). Volcanoes and the Environment:: Exploring the Earth System. Academic Press. p. 450. ISBN 978-0-12-643141-4.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 Sigurðsson, Haraldur (1970). The petrology and chemistry of the Setberg volcanic region and of the intermediate and acid rocks of Iceland. dur.ac.uk (PhD thesis). Durham University. OCLC 768299868. EThOS uk.bl.ethos.585970. Free access icon
  2. ↑ "Haraldur, The Volcanologist". LAVA Centre. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  3. ↑ home page Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine of Haraldur Sigurdsson at University of Rhode Island
  4. ↑ Sigurdsson, Haraldur; D'Hondt, Steven; Arthur, Michael A.; Bralower, Timothy J.; Zachos, James C.; Van Fossen, Mickey; Channel, James E. T. (1991). "Glass from the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in Haiti" (PDF). Nature. 349 (6309): 482–487. Bibcode:1991Natur.349..482S. doi:10.1038/349482a0. hdl:2027.42/62562. S2CID 43763504.
  5. ↑ 'Pompeii of the East' discovered BBC
  6. ↑ Sigurdsson, H.; Carey, S. (1989). "Plinian and Co-Igmibrite Tephra Fall from the 1815 Eruption of Tambora Volcano". Bulletin of Volcanology. 51 (4): 243–270. Bibcode:1989BVol...51..243S. doi:10.1007/BF01073515. S2CID 132160294.
  7. ↑ Sigurdsson, Haraldur (1999). Melting the Earth:: the history of ideas on volcanic eruptions. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 260. ISBN 0-19-510665-2.
  8. ↑ Haraldur Sigurdsson; Bruce Houghton; Hazel Rymer; John Stix; Steve McNutt, eds. (1999). Encyclopedia of Volcanoes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 1417. ISBN 978-0-12-643140-7.
  9. ↑ "Geological Society - 2004 Awards: Citations, Replies". Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2009-07-06., retrieved 06/07/2009
  10. ↑ Sigurdsson, H.; Devine, J. D.; Tchua, F. M.; Presser, F. M.; Pringle, M. K. W.; Evans, W. C. (1987). "Origin of the lethal gas burst from Lake Monoun, Cameroun". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 31 (1): 1–16. doi:10.1016/0377-0273(87)90002-3. ISSN 0377-0273.
  11. ↑ Magazine, Smithsonian; Krajick, Kevin. "Defusing Africa's Killer Lakes". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  12. ↑ ENTIRE VILLAGE dropped DEAD overnight (*MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY*), retrieved 2023-06-25
  13. ↑ Sigurdsson supporting the left in the USA
  14. ↑ Sigurdsson criticizing activities of Chinese companies in Iceland
  15. ↑ Sigurdsson against the US company Silicor Materials
  16. ↑ Amazon
  17. ↑ Open Library
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Haraldur Sigurdsson".
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