Jean de Charpentier or Johann von Charpentier (8 December 1786 – 12 December 1855) was a German-Swiss geologist who studied Swiss glaciers. He was born in Freiberg, Saxony, Germany and died in Bex, Switzerland.
After following in his father's footsteps as a mining engineer he excelled in his field while working in the copper mines in the Pyrénées and salt mines in western Switzerland.
In 1818 a catastrophic event changed his life focus when an ice-dammed lake in the Val de Bagnes above Martigny broke through its barrier,[1] causing many deaths. Afterwards, he made extensive field studies in the Alps. Using evidence of erratic boulders and moraines and drawing on the works of Goethe,[2] he hypothesized that Swiss glaciers had once been much more extensive.[3] These boulders, characteristic of glaciers, were strewn as if they were brought there by glaciers that no longer existed. Even so, he wasn't sure how glaciers first formed, moved, or how they disappeared. His ideas were later taken up and developed by Louis Agassiz.
Tobias Krüger, "Auf dem Weg zu einem neuen Verständnis der Klimageschichte: der Alpenraum und die Anfänge der Eiszeitforschung" Blätter aus der Walliser Geschichte (Geschichtsforschender Verein Oberwallis), XLI, Brig 2009, pp. 123–160.
Tobias Krüger, "Discovering the ice ages : international reception and consequences for a historical understanding of climate", in History of science and medicine library; vol. 37, Leiden 2013, ISBN978-90-04-24169-5 (cloth) ; ISBN978-90-04-24170-1 (electronic bk.) (pp. 148–154, 162–163, 167–168, 177–178, 186–188).
Tobias Krüger, "À l'aube de l'âge de glace. Jean de Charpentier pionnier tragique d'une révolution scientifique", in Patrick Kupper, C. Bernhard Schär (ed.) Les Naturalistes. A la découverte de la Suisse et du monde (1800-2015), Baden, Hier und Jetzt 2015, ISBN9783039193578, pp. 17–33.
Referencesedit
^The flood is described in Jean M. Grove, Little Ice Ages, Ancient and Modern (as The Little Ice Age 1988) rev. ed. 2004:161.
^Cameron, Dorothy (1964). (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
^de Charpentier, Jean (1841). Essai sur les glaciers et sur le terrain erratique du bassin du Rhône. M. Ducloux.
jean, charpentier, johann, charpentier, december, 1786, december, 1855, german, swiss, geologist, studied, swiss, glaciers, born, freiberg, saxony, germany, died, switzerland, contents, life, legacy, also, bibliography, references, external, linkslife, editaft. Jean de Charpentier or Johann von Charpentier 8 December 1786 12 December 1855 was a German Swiss geologist who studied Swiss glaciers He was born in Freiberg Saxony Germany and died in Bex Switzerland Jean de Charpentier Contents 1 Life 2 Legacy 3 See also 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 External linksLife editAfter following in his father s footsteps as a mining engineer he excelled in his field while working in the copper mines in the Pyrenees and salt mines in western Switzerland In 1818 a catastrophic event changed his life focus when an ice dammed lake in the Val de Bagnes above Martigny broke through its barrier 1 causing many deaths Afterwards he made extensive field studies in the Alps Using evidence of erratic boulders and moraines and drawing on the works of Goethe 2 he hypothesized that Swiss glaciers had once been much more extensive 3 These boulders characteristic of glaciers were strewn as if they were brought there by glaciers that no longer existed Even so he wasn t sure how glaciers first formed moved or how they disappeared His ideas were later taken up and developed by Louis Agassiz nbsp Carte Geologique des PyreneesLegacy editThe glacier of Charpentierbreen in Nathorst Land at Spitsbergen Svalbard is named after him 4 See also editIce ageBibliography editTobias Kruger Auf dem Weg zu einem neuen Verstandnis der Klimageschichte der Alpenraum und die Anfange der Eiszeitforschung Blatter aus der Walliser Geschichte Geschichtsforschender Verein Oberwallis XLI Brig 2009 pp 123 160 Tobias Kruger Discovering the ice ages international reception and consequences for a historical understanding of climate in History of science and medicine library vol 37 Leiden 2013 ISBN 978 90 04 24169 5 cloth ISBN 978 90 04 24170 1 electronic bk pp 148 154 162 163 167 168 177 178 186 188 Tobias Kruger A l aube de l age de glace Jean de Charpentier pionnier tragique d une revolution scientifique in Patrick Kupper C Bernhard Schar ed Les Naturalistes A la decouverte de la Suisse et du monde 1800 2015 Baden Hier und Jetzt 2015 ISBN 9783039193578 pp 17 33 References edit The flood is described in Jean M Grove Little Ice Ages Ancient and Modern as The Little Ice Age 1988 rev ed 2004 161 Cameron Dorothy 1964 Early discoverers XXII Goethe Discoverer of the ice age Journal of glaciology PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2019 12 15 Retrieved 2010 11 23 de Charpentier Jean 1841 Essai sur les glaciers et sur le terrain erratique du bassin du Rhone M Ducloux Charpentierbreen Svalbard Norwegian Polar Institute Retrieved 3 March 2015 Karl Alfred von Zittel Maria M Ogilvie Gordon tr History of Geology and Palaeontology to the End of the Nineteenth Century 1901 External links editPictures and texts of Essai sur les glaciers et sur le terrain erratique du bassin du Rhone by Jean de Charpentier can be found in the database VIATIMAGES Today in Science History bio Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jean de Charpentier amp oldid 1169308672, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
