Inge Lehmann

Description: (Seismologist & Geophysicist Known for Her Discovery that Earth’s Outer Core is Molten & its Inner Core Solid)

Inge Lehmann was a popular Danish seismologist and geophysicist who made revolutionary discovery in the field of seismology and geophysics. She was the first to thwart the age-old conception of the Earth’s inner core being molten. Through her research, she clearly explained that the Earth’s core was solid but surrounded by a molten outer core. This discovery helped explain the nature of seismic waves from Earthquakes. Before her discovery, seismologists believed Earth's core to be a single molten sphere. However, despite the same they were unable to explain measurements of seismic waves from Earthquakes, which were inconsistent with the Earth. Through careful analysis, she explained the seismic wave measurements and came to a conclusion of Earth having a solid inner core and a molten outer core. The discovery was crucial in the study of geophysics and gave scientists from across the world a new panorama of our planet. In her almost seven decades of career, she made remarkable contribution to the field of science. Other than her findings of Earth’s core, she also discovered another seismic discontinuity, which lay at depths between 190 and 250 km. This seismic discontinuity is now known as Lehmann discontinuity. Talking about her personality, Lehmann was a reserved and shy person. However, she managed to survive extraordinarily in the male dominated scientific society. She had a strong network of friends and colleagues whom she shared a good rapport with. Lehmann breathed her last at the age of 104, thus creating history yet again by being one of the longest lived scientists in the world.

Overview

Birthday May 13, 1888 (Taurus)
City Copenhagen, Denmark
Died on February 21, 1993
Parents Alfred Lehmann
Ida Sophie Tørsleff
All Filters