Howel Williams
Encyclopedia
Howel Williams was a noted American geologist
and volcanologist
. He was born of Welsh parents in Liverpool, England, on October 12, 1898. He received a BA in geography
in 1923 and an MA in archaeology
in 1924 from Liverpool University. He studied geology at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London; his twin brother David Williams also became a geologist. Howel Williams moved to the University of California
at Berkeley
in 1926. In 1928 he was awarded the degree of D.Sc. from the University of Liverpool and published his first papers on the geology of various California volcanic regions. Williams was a member of the National Academy of Sciences
.
He published many studies on the volcanoes of California, but is most noted for his "The Geology of Crater Lake National Park
" in which he recognized the nature of the collapse of the crater and extended the work to develop the principles of volcanic caldera
formation. He did extensive early work on the geology of Central America
(often sketch-mapping from the windows of second-class buses), and of the Galapagos Islands
. In Latin America
, Williams put to good use his early background in archeology. For instance, he used petrographic techniques to trace the origin of stone used in the giant Olmec
sculptures of La Venta
, Tabasco
Mexico.
Williams was a master of the art of field sketching, formerly practiced by many naturalists. Many of his papers were illustrated with his meticulously done pen and ink drawings. His drawings of the microscopic features of rocks of all types were used exclusively in the very successful textbook, Petrography, by Williams, Turner, and Gilbert.
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and volcanologist
Volcanologist
A volcanologist is a person who studies the formation of volcanoes, and their current and historic eruptions. Volcanologists frequently visit volcanoes, especially active ones, to observe volcanic eruptions, collect eruptive products including tephra , rock and lava samples...
. He was born of Welsh parents in Liverpool, England, on October 12, 1898. He received a BA in geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
in 1923 and an MA in archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
in 1924 from Liverpool University. He studied geology at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London; his twin brother David Williams also became a geologist. Howel Williams moved to the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1926. In 1928 he was awarded the degree of D.Sc. from the University of Liverpool and published his first papers on the geology of various California volcanic regions. Williams was a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
.
He published many studies on the volcanoes of California, but is most noted for his "The Geology of Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park is the sixth oldest national park in the United States and the only one in the state of Oregon...
" in which he recognized the nature of the collapse of the crater and extended the work to develop the principles of volcanic caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
formation. He did extensive early work on the geology of Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
(often sketch-mapping from the windows of second-class buses), and of the Galapagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
. In Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, Williams put to good use his early background in archeology. For instance, he used petrographic techniques to trace the origin of stone used in the giant Olmec
Olmec
The Olmec were the first major Pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco....
sculptures of La Venta
La Venta
La Venta is a pre-Columbian archaeological site of the Olmec civilization located in the present-day Mexican state of Tabasco. Some of the artifacts have been moved to the museum "Parque - Museo de La Venta", which is in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco....
, Tabasco
Tabasco
Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....
Mexico.
Williams was a master of the art of field sketching, formerly practiced by many naturalists. Many of his papers were illustrated with his meticulously done pen and ink drawings. His drawings of the microscopic features of rocks of all types were used exclusively in the very successful textbook, Petrography, by Williams, Turner, and Gilbert.
Selected works
- GEOLOGY OF THE MARYSVILLE BUTTES CALIFORNIA, California (1929)
- Geology of Tahiti, Moorea, and Maiao, (Bernice P. Bishop museum. Bulletin 105) (1933) 83pp
- Calderas and their origin, University of California Press (1941), 346pp.
- LANDSCAPES OF ALASKA: THEIR GEOLOGIC EVOLUTION, University of California Press Berkeley (1958)
- Petrography: An introduction to the study of rocks in thin sections, W.H. Freeman (1958), 406pp
- GEOLOGIC RECONNAISSANCE OF SOUTHEASTERN GUATEMALA, University Of California Press (1964)
- Crater Lake: The story of its origin, University of California Press (1963)
- The history and character of volcanic domes, Johnson Reprint (1966)
- The Sutter Buttes of California: A Study of Plio-Pleistocene Volcanism, University of California Press; New Ed edition (March 7, 1979), 80pp