earth science

Medora Louise Krieger

Medora Louise Krieger is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Medora Louise Krieger rather than just read about it. In short: Medora Louise Krieger (1904–1994) was an American geologist known for becoming the first female field geologist in the United States Geological Survey (USGS). During her work with the USGS, Krieger was assigned to create geological maps of the area around Prescott Arizona in 1947, where she remained until her death in 1994.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

Medora Louise Krieger (1904–1994) was an American geologist known for becoming the first female field geologist in the United States Geological Survey (USGS). During her work with the USGS, Krieger was assigned to create geological maps of the area around Prescott Arizona in 1947, where she remained until her death in 1994. Krieger is noted as being one of the pioneering figures in the history of geology in the United States and was posthumously inducted into the American Mining Hall of Fame in 2018 by the Mining Foundation of the Southwest.

Biography

Personal life and education

Medora Louise Krieger (née Hooper) was born in Ticonderoga, New York in 1905. She displayed an early interest in geology, as her father, grandfather and two uncles were mining engineers. She attended Vassar College from 1924 to 1928, earning a bachelor's degree in geology. From there, she went on to Columbia University in pursuit of her masters and PhD. While attending Columbia, she met her husband Philip, who was an assistant professor at the institution, also in the field of geology. Louise and Philip were married in 1931. After her graduation from Columbia University, Krieger worked for the New York Geological Survey until the sudden death of her husband in 1940. During that time, their daughter, Katherine, was born. From 1942-1944 she taught at, Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. She then gained employment with the USGS beginning in the summer of 1944. Medora Louise Krieger died in 1994, in Prescott, Arizona aged 89. Time at the United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Her time at the USGS began in 1944, when she was placed at a desk job in Washington, DC. In 1947, she was moved to the Southwestern Geology Branch in Prescott, Arizona, where she continued with some office work, but was eventually moved to field work. This was particularly notable as women were not allowed to work as field geologists within the institution at the time. Kriegers employment as a field geologist in 1947 altered this policy. Krieger, faced discrimination for her gender in the field of Geology, for example, when working on her first assignment mapping the Bagdad mine in Arizona, she was prevented from entering the proximity of the mine, due to the objection of the miners. She went on to create twelve significant topographic maps of Arizona. Other women at the USGS, wanted to participate in field work, but, were not allowed to so, Krieger invited other women to be considered as assistants in the field.

Scientific contributions During her 35 years stationed in Prescott, Krieger was able to create geological maps for much of the State of Arizona. Beyond her maps, Krieger also found the time to formulate and test new geological theories. Most notably, in "Large Landslides, composed of megabreccia, interbedded in Micene basin deposits, southeastern Arizona", Krieger theorizes that thin layers of compressed air can help to explain the lack of friction notable in some landslides. Medora Louise Krieger was considered a "Pioneering geologist" and posthumously inducted into the American Mining Hall of Fame by the Mining Foundation of the Southwest in 2018.

Published works Geology of the Prescott and Paulden Quadrangles, Arizona Krieger's 1965 study gives a detailed look at the geology of the Prescott and Paulden Quadrangles, offering insight into the region's stratigraphy, tectonics, and mineral resources. Focusing on the precambrian, paleozoic and cenozoic rocks present in the Alder Group Formation, the comprehensive mapping and analysis contributed significantly to an understanding of central Arizona's geological history and its economic potential. Large Landslides, composed of megabreccia, interbedded in Micene basin deposits, southeastern Arizona This 1977 paper addresses the topic of landslides present in the Kearny and El Capitan mountain regions. Krieger included detailed measurements on multiple factors such as composition, depth, length, and analysis on the underlying playa and alluvial deposits. Krieger concludes by theorizing that compressed air may play a larger role in landslides than previously thought. Ash-flow tuffs of the Galiuro Volcanics in the Northern Galiuro Mountains, Pinal County, Arizona This 1979 paper studies the two distinctive major ash-flow tuff sheets of the upper Oligocene and lower Miocene Galiuro Volcanics in the northern part of the Galiuro Mountains, the Holy Joe and Aravaipa Members. Krieger found the Galiuro Volcanics to be so well exposed—and so clearly show characteristic features of ash-flow tuffs—that they could be a valuable teaching aid and a source of theses for geology students in the future.

See also Geology of Arizona USGS Geological map

References

Illustrations

The Modern United States geological survey Logo

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Medora Louise Krieger

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Medora Louise Krieger claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Medora Louise Krieger before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Medora Louise Krieger ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Medora Louise Krieger

In research: Medora Louise Krieger appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Medora Louise Krieger in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Medora Louise Krieger is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1904 births, 1994 deaths, 20th-century American geologists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Medora Louise Krieger outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Medora Louise Krieger in 20 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

What is Medora Louise Krieger in simple terms?

Why does Medora Louise Krieger matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Medora Louise Krieger?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Medora Louise Krieger.