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: DL-SW-1/4082/15-17
ISSN : 0972-169X Date of posting: 26-27 of advance month
Date of publication: 24 of advance month
Sprinkling Colours or
Hidden Poisons?
Editorial: Some interesting 35
thoughts on the "science of
science communication"
36
Editorial
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“Nothing is less predictable than the development of an active scientific field.” published in the Bulletin of the Seismological
Charles Francis Richter Society of America wrote: “Meeting Charles
Richter was an experience never to be
“In 1935 he (Richter) devised the scale of earthquake strength which bears his name. Unlike forgotten, for he was a very unusual person—
earlier, qualitative scales, the Richter scale is an absolute scale based on the logarithm of a man of many contrasts. He could be
the maximum amplitude of the earthquake waves observed on a seismograph, adjusted charming or irascible; he could be outgoing
for the distance from the epicentre of the earthquake.” or shy; he could be gentle and warm or
The Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists (2nd edition), 2002 abrupt and cold; and he was a man with
truly remarkable memory, but at the same
Charles Francis Richter was one of the most time, was renownedly absent-minded. In at
recognisable figures in the field of seismology least two areas, however, he never wavered in
in the 20th century. He is best known for his consistency: he was absolutely dedicated
the development of the scale to quantify the to his science, almost to the exclusion of
relative strength of earthquakes that bears his everything else, and he demonstrated utter
name (Richter scale). In fact his name has intellectual honesty.”
become synonymous with earthquakes. Every Richter was born on 26 April 1900 in
time an earthquakes strikes we are reminded a small farming community of Hamilton,
of him. To many it may be surprising to Ohio, USA. His parents were Fred W.
know that Richter never published in peer- Kinsinger and Lillian Anna Kinsinger (nee
reviewed journals. He published two books, Richter). Richter was born Charles Francis
namely Seismicity of the Earth and Associated Kinsinger, but then he adopted his mother’s
Phenomena (1941, with Beno Gutenberg) maiden name in his childhood and later in
and Elementary Seismology (1958). The 1926 he made it legal. On adoption of his
Seismicity of Earth and Associated Phenomena mother’s maiden name, Richter said: “…the
is considered a classic in the field of name Richter is actually my mother’s maiden
seismology. The book, Elementary Seismology name, which she resumed after a divorce,
was based on his lectures given at Caltech with court approval, and I have never been
Charles F. Richter
(California Institute of Technology) and known by any other name. And it is the
decades of his earthquake study. It contains a network of instruments that helped name, of course, of my maternal grandfather
description of major historical earthquakes, scientists accurately track the origin and to whom I owe practically everything I am
tables and charts and discussions on wide- intensity of earthquakes and map their and have, in terms of support and education.”
ranging subjects—ranging from the nature frequency. Richter and his colleagues utilised Richter’s parents divorced when he was nine
of the earthquake motion to insurance and the Array to prepare the Southern California years old. His maternal grandfather took
building construction. Both the books are earthquake catalogue, which remains as one him along with his mother to Los Angeles.
still used as textbooks in several countries. of largest and best catalogues of earthquakes After completing his school education,
Richter wrote an article on earthquakes available for any region of the world. He Richter joined the University of Southern
for the 15th edition of the Encyclopaedia was involved in earthquake engineering California where he spent his Freshman Year
Britannica (first published in 1974). by promoting good earthquake-resistant (1916-1917) − the first year in the university
Richter believed that it was impossible building and proper training for people living − before moving to Stanford University. It
to predict an earthquake. He once said: “The in earthquake-prone areas. Richter worked has been reported that at Stanford he first
idea of earthquake prediction appeals to the for saving human lives in major earthquakes. majored in chemistry but he broke so many
imagination, and attracts disproportionate He is credited with saving many lives. beakers that his professor advised him to
attention from the public, the news media, He was fond of listening to classical move into another field. He switched over
and some officials. The immediate objective music, reading science fiction and watching to physics. In 1920 he earned an AB degree
of reducing earthquake risk to lives and the television serial Star Trek. He frequently (an abbreviation of the Latin name for the
property would be served by the removal of undertook solitary hikes in the southern Bachelor of Arts degree ‘artium baccalaureus’)
old dangerous buildings.” California Mountains. Highlighting some of in physics from the Stanford University.
Richter was instrumental in the personal attributes of Richter, Clarence He planned to undertake graduate studies
establishing the California Seismic Array, Allen of Caltech in his tribute to Richter in physics. However, he had a nervous