The genius of C. Warren Thornthwaite, climatologist-geographer / by John R. Mather and Marie Sanderson
- Bib ID:
- 2414096
- Format:
- Book
- Author:
- Mather, John R. (John Russell), 1923-
- Description:
-
- Norman : University of Oklahoma Press, c1996
- xiv, 226 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
- ISBN:
- 0806127872 (alkaline paper) (cloth)
- Summary:
-
This well-written biography of outstanding climatologist C. Warren Thornthwaite (1899-1963) was written from unpublished letters and other accounts by his contemporaries, and includes a complete bibliography of his published works. For both general readers and specialists, it traces the chronology of Thornthwaite's achievements and his relationships with other important figures in American geography.
Thornthwaite's Laboratory of Climatology, located in a farm setting at Seabrook and later Centerton, New Jersey, was a mecca for climatologists from all parts of the world. His most important scientific contributions were his new, "rational" classification of world climates in 1948 and his concept of evapotranspiration and its use in climatic water budget. Having recognized that the relative moistness or dryness of a climate can only be determined if one compares precipitation with potential evapotranspiration, Thornthwaite compared supply with demand on a daily, monthly, and annual basis and was able to obtain quantitative values of such factors as water runoff, irrigation need, and water storage in the soil. Climatologists, hydrologists, and agriculturalists all have been touched by Thornthwaite's innovations. This engaging account of his achievements and his personal life explores his methodology and places his work in the perspective of his times.
- Full contents:
-
- 1. Early Years: 1899-1926
- 2. The University of Oklahoma: 1927-1934
- 3. Washington and the Soil Conservation Service: 1934-1946
- 4. The Move to Seabrook and an "Institute for Climatic Research"
- 5. Thornthwaite and Seabrook Farms: 1946-1954
- 6. C. W. Thornthwaite Associates
- 7. Thornthwaite and Academic Geography
- 8. International Activities: 1947-1958
- 9. The Laboratory and the Associates during the 1950s
- 10. The Last Years
- 11. Thornthwaite's Legacy.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references (p. [213]-215) and index.
- Subject:
- Other authors/contributors:
- Sanderson, Marie
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
You may copy under some circumstances, for example you may copy a portion for research or study. Order a copy through Copies Direct to the extent allowed under fair dealing. Contact us for further information about copying.
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Published status:
- Published
- Publication date:
- 1996
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
Request this item
Request this item to view in the Library’s reading room.
Feedback
Similar items
- Profiles in courage / John F. Kennedy ; special foreword by Robert F. Kennedy
- Men who conquered
- Diogenes discovers us
- The unforgettable Americans : Developed as a project of the Society of American Historians / by Allan Nevins
- Lives of American merchants, eminent for integrity, enterprise and public spirit [microform] / by the author of "The young merchant," "The young mechanic," &c