Keith Runcorn

{{Infobox scientist

|name = Keith Runcorn

|birth_name = Stanley Keith Runcorn

|image =

|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRS|size=100%}}

|image_size = 150px

|caption = Keith Runcorn

|birth_date = 19 November 1922

|birth_place = {{Nowrap|Southport, England, United Kingdom}}

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1995|12|5|1922|11|19|df=yes}}

|death_place = San Diego, California, United States

|field = Plate tectonics
Paleomagnetism

|work_institutions = University of Cambridge
University of Manchester
Newcastle University
University of Alaska, Fairbanks

|alma_mater = University of Cambridge (BA)
University of Manchester (PhD)

|doctoral_advisor = Patrick Blackett

|doctoral_students =

|thesis_title = Investigations relating to the main geomagnetic field

|thesis_year = 1949

|thesis_url = https://copac.jisc.ac.uk/id/36192852?style=html

|known_for = reestablishing viability of the theory of continental drift; discoveries in planetary magnetism

|influences =

|influenced =

|prizes = {{Plainlist|

}}

(Stanley) Keith Runcorn {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRS}}{{Cite journal | last1 = Collinson | first1 = D. W. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.2002.0023 | title = Stanley Keith Runcorn. 19 November 1922–5 December 1995 | journal = Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society | volume = 48 | pages = 391–403| year = 2002 | jstor = 3650268| doi-access = free }} (19 November 1922 – 5 December 1995) was a British physicist whose paleomagnetic reconstruction of the relative motions of Europe and America revived the theory of continental drift and was a major contribution to plate tectonics.{{cite journal

| last = Hide

| first = Raymond

| author-link = Raymond Hide

| title = Stanley Keith Runcorn F.R.S. (1922–1995)

| journal = Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society

| volume = 37

| number = 3

| pages = 463–465

| publisher = Royal Astronomical Society

| date = 1996

| bibcode = 1996QJRAS..37..463H

}}[http://www.mcnabgroup.com/history%20mirror/runcorn.htm Biography - Newcastle]

Education and early life

Runcorn was born in Southport, Lancashire, and educated at King George V Grammar School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, whence he graduated in engineering within two years in 1942.Creer, K. M., [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/60354 "Runcorn, (Stanley) Keith (1922–1995)"], Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, September 2004. Retrieved 19 July 2020 {{subscription required}} After a period in radar research during the World War II, he joined the Physics Department at the University of Manchester where he did research on aspects of the Earth's magnetic field, taking his PhD for research supervised by Patrick Blackett in 1949.{{cite thesis|oclc=643616687|degree=PhD|first=Stanley Keith|last=Runcorn|year=1949|publisher=University of Manchester|id={{copac|36192852}}|title=Investigations relating to the main geomagnetic field|url=https://www.librarysearch.manchester.ac.uk/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma9925157584401631&context=L&vid=44MAN_INST:MU_NUI&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&tab=Everything&lang=en|website=manchester.ac.uk}}{{cite archive |first1=T. E. |last1=Powell |first2=P. |last2=Harper |item =Outline of the Career of Stanley Keith Runcorn |item-url = |item-id = |date = 2002 |fonds = |file = |box= |collection = Catalogue of the papers and correspondence of Stanley Keith Runcorn FRS (1922-1995), geophysicist. Volume 1 |collection-url = https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-services/records-and-archives/public/Runcorn,-Professor-Stanley-Keith-FRS-catalogue-of-papers-Volume-1.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari |repository = College Archives |institution = Imperial College |location = London |pages=5–7 |accession= }}{{cite encyclopedia|editor1-first=Charles Coulston |editor1-last=Gillispie|title=Runcorn, Stanley Keith |volume=24 |pages=298–302 |encyclopedia=Complete dictionary of scientific biography|date=2008|publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons|location=Detroit, Mich.|isbn=978-0-684-31559-1}}

Career and research

Runcorn's PhD led to his interest in palaeomagnetism, the study of the magnetism of rocks, which he pursued first at the Geophysics Department at the University of Cambridge and later at Newcastle University, where he was appointed to the chair of Physics in 1956. At Newcastle, Runcorn developed a strong research group in geophysics, and made substantial contributions to various fields, including convection in the Earth and Moon, the shape and magnetic fields of the Moon and planets, magnetohydrodynamics of the Earth's core, changes in the length of the day, polar wandering, continental drift and plate tectonics. After his retirement in 1988 he continued to be active in various lines of research until his untimely death in San Diego in 1995.

=Awards and honours=

Runcorn received many honours, including Fellowship of the Royal Society in 1965, the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and the Fleming medal of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).{{cite web|url=http://www.egu.eu/awards-medals/portrait-keith-runcorn/ |title=Keith Runcorn |last1=Hide |first1=Raymond |work=Awards & Medals |publisher=European Geosciences Union |access-date=21 October 2011}} He was also a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. In 1970 he was awarded the Vetlesen Prize, widely considered the highest honor in geology.{{cite journal |title=Runcorn, Cox, Doell receive Vetlesen Prize |journal=Physics Today |date=August 1971 |volume=24 |issue=8 |pages=75 |doi=10.1063/1.3022903}}{{cite web |title=Stanley Keith Runcorn |url=https://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/the-vetlesen-prize/past-recipients/stanley-keith-runcorn |website=The Vetlesen Prize |publisher=Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory |access-date=6 December 2018}} In 1981, Runcorn became a founding member of the World Cultural Council.{{cite web | title = About Us | publisher = World Cultural Council | url = http://www.consejoculturalmundial.org/about-us/ | access-date = 8 November 2016}} He served as the Sydney Chapman Endowed Chair in Physical Sciences at the University of Alaska from 1989 to 1995. In 2007 the RAS named an award – for the year's best PhD thesis in geophysics – the Keith Runcorn Prize in his honour.{{cite web|last1=Elliott|first1=David|title=Keith Runcorn honoured|url=https://www.ras.org.uk/awards-and-grants/awards/1380-keith-runcorn-honoured|publisher=Royal Astronomical Society|access-date=21 January 2015}}

=Refereed journal publications=

{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|author2=Chapman, S |title=The Radial Variation of the Earth's Magnetic Field|journal=Proceedings of the Physical Society|date=1 October 1948|volume=61|issue=4|pages=373–382|doi=10.1088/0959-5309/61/4/310|bibcode = 1948PPS....61..373R }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=Variation of Geomagnetic Intensity with Depth|journal=Nature|date=10 January 1948|volume=161|issue=4080|pages=52|doi=10.1038/161052b0|bibcode = 1948Natur.161...52R |s2cid=4101337 |doi-access=free}}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|author2=Benson, A. C. |author3=Moore, A. F. |title=Measurements of the Variation with Depth of the Main Geomagnetic Field|journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|date=27 November 1951|volume=244|issue=878|pages=113–151|doi=10.1098/rsta.1951.0017|bibcode = 1951RSPTA.244..113R |s2cid=122914565 }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=Rock magnetism—Geophysical aspects|journal=Advances in Physics|date=April 1955|volume=4|issue=14|pages=244–291|doi=10.1080/00018735500101214|bibcode = 1955AdPhy...4..244R }}
{{cite journal|last=Collinson|first=D. W.|author2=Creer, K. M. |author3=Irving, E. |author4= Runcorn, S. K. |title=The Measurement of the Permanent Magnetization of Rocks|journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|date=29 August 1957|volume=250|issue=974|pages=73–82|doi=10.1098/rsta.1957.0012|bibcode = 1957RSPTA.250...73C |s2cid=123560074 }}
{{cite journal|last=Irving|first=E.|author2=Runcorn, S. K. |title=Analysis of the Palaeomagnetism of the Torridonian Sandstone Series of North-West Scotland. I|journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|date=29 August 1957|volume=250|issue=974|pages=83–99|doi=10.1098/rsta.1957.0013|bibcode = 1957RSPTA.250...83I |s2cid=123618344 }}
{{cite journal|last=Creer|first=K. M.|author2=E. Irving |author3=A. E. M. Nairn |author4=S. K. Runcorn |title=Palaeomagnetic results from different continents and their relation to the problem of continental drift|journal=Annales de Géophysique|date=1958|volume=14|pages=492–501|bibcode=1958AnG....14..492C}}
{{cite journal|last=Collinson|first=D. W.|author2=S. K. Runcorn |title=Polar wandering and continental drift - evidence from paleomagnetic observations in the United States|journal=Geological Society of America Bulletin|date=1960|volume=71|issue=7|pages=915–958|doi=10.1130/0016-7606(1960)71[915:PWACDE]2.0.CO;2|bibcode = 1960GSAB...71..915C }}
{{cite journal|last=Opdyke|first=N. D.|author2=Runcorn, S. K. |title=Wind direction in the western United States in the late Paleozoic|journal=Geological Society of America Bulletin|date=1960|volume=71|issue=7|pages=959|doi=10.1130/0016-7606(1960)71[959:WDITWU]2.0.CO;2|bibcode = 1960GSAB...71..959O }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=Satellite gravity measurements and a laminar viscous flow model of the Earth's mantle|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research|date=15 October 1964|volume=69|issue=20|pages=4389–4394|doi=10.1029/JZ069i020p04389|bibcode = 1964JGR....69.4389R }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=Changes in the Earth's Moment of Inertia|journal=Nature|date=28 November 1964|volume=204|issue=4961|pages=823–825|doi=10.1038/204823a0|bibcode = 1964Natur.204..823R |s2cid=4247143 }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=Flow in the mantle inferred from the Low Degree harmonics of the geopotential|journal=Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society|date=26 January 2010|volume=14|issue=1–4|pages=375–384|doi=10.1111/j.1365-246X.1967.tb06253.x|doi-access=free}}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=Convection in the Moon and the existence of a lunar core|journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|date=7 February 1967|volume=296|issue=1446|pages=270–284|doi=10.1098/rspa.1967.0021|bibcode = 1967RSPSA.296..270R |s2cid=120231002 }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=An ancient lunar magnetic dipole field|journal=Nature|date=27 February 1975|volume=253|issue=5494|pages=701–703|doi=10.1038/253701a0|bibcode = 1975Natur.253..701R |s2cid=4249864 }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S.K.|author-mask=1|title=On the interpretation of lunar magnetism|journal=Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors|date=August 1975|volume=10|issue=4|pages=327–335|doi=10.1016/0031-9201(75)90059-X|bibcode = 1975PEPI...10..327R }}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|author2=Lambeck, K. |author3=Winch, D. E. |title=The role of the core in irregular fluctuations of the Earth's rotation and the excitation of the Chandler wobble|journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|date=20 August 1982|volume=306|issue=1492|pages=261–270|doi=10.1098/rsta.1982.0086|bibcode = 1982RSPTA.306..261R |s2cid=119519578 }}

=Popularizations=

{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=The Earth's Magnetism|journal=Scientific American|date=September 1955|volume=193|issue=3|pages=152–162|doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0955-152|bibcode=1955SciAm.193c.152R}}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=Corals as paleontological clocks|journal=Scientific American|date=October 1966|volume=215|issue=4|pages=26–33|doi=10.1038/scientificamerican1066-26|bibcode=1966SciAm.215d..26R}}
{{cite journal|last=Runcorn|first=S. K.|author-mask=1|title=The Moon's ancient magnetism|journal=Scientific American|date=December 1987|volume=257|issue=6|pages=60–68|doi=10.1038/scientificamerican1287-60|bibcode = 1987SciAm.257f..60R }}

=Edited books=

{{cite book|editor-last=Ahrens|editor-first=L. H.|editor2-first=K. |editor2-last=Rankama |editor3-first=S. K. |editor3-last=Runcorn |title=Physics and Chemistry of the Earth|date=1956|publisher=Pergamon Press}}
{{cite book|editor-last=Runcorn|editor-first=S. K.|title=Methods and Techniques in Geophysics: v. 1|date=31 December 1960|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0470745144}}
Continental drift (1962), S.K. Runcorn.
{{cite book|editor-last=Runcorn|editor-first=S. K.|title=Methods and Techniques in Geophysics: v. 2|date=1 January 1966|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0470745182}}
International dictionary of geophysics : seismology, geomagnetism, aeronomy, oceanography, geodesy, gravity, marine geophysics, meteorology, the earth as a planet and its evolution (1967), ed.
{{cite book|editor-last=Runcorn|editor-first=S. K.|title=Mantles of the Earth and Terrestrial Planets|date=1 January 1968|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0470745212}}
Methods in palaeomagnetism: Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Palaeomagnetic Methods (1967), edited by D.W. Collinson, K.M. Creer, S.K. Runcorn
{{cite book|editor-last=Runcorn|editor-first=S. K.|title=Palaeogeophysics|date=1970|publisher=Academic Press|location=London|isbn=978-0126027501|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/palaeogeophysics0000nato}}
Earth Sciences (1971), S.K. Runcorn
Implications of continental drift to the earth sciences (1973) NATO Advanced Study Institute, D.H. Tarling and S.K. Runcorn
Mechanisms of continental drift and plate tectonics (1980) edited by P. A. Davies and S. K. Runcorn
Magnetism, planetary rotation, and convection in the solar system : retrospect and prospect : in honour of Prof. S.K. Runcorn (1985) edited by W. O'Reilly, S. K. Runcorn
{{cite book|editor-last=Runcorn|editor-first=S. K.|title=The Physics of the planets : their origin, evolution and structure|date=1988|publisher=Wiley|location=Chichester|isbn=9780471916215|edition=Fac-sim}}

Death

Runcorn was murdered in his hotel room in San Diego during a lecture trip to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Police found that he had been strangled and found evidence of injuries to the head.{{cite news|last1=Sullivan|first1=Walter|title=Leading Expert in Geophysics Is Found Slain in Hotel Room|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/07/us/leading-expert-in-geophysics-is-found-slain-in-hotel-room.html|access-date=13 December 2016|work=The New York Times|date=7 December 1995}} Paul Cain, a professional kick-boxer, was later convicted and sentenced to a term of at least 25 years."Kick-boxer jailed for death of geophysicist," Nature, v.389, p.657 (16 October 1997) Prosecutors argued that Cain killed Runcorn after stealing his wallet and credit cards, having targeted him as an elderly gay man and therefore easy victim. Cain was tried three times in all. The first trial ended with a deadlocked jury; the second with a conviction that was overturned on appeal, on grounds that testimony from Cain's two previous wives as to his violent temper should not have been admitted in evidence.Ben Fox, "Man claims childhood abuse led him to murder renowned UAF scientist," Peninsula Clarion (28 February 2000)