earth science

Richard H. Sibson

Richard H. Sibson 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 Richard H. Sibson rather than just read about it. In short: Richard Hugh Sibson (born 1945) is a New Zealand structural geologist and emeritus professor at the University of Otago, who has received numerous honors and awards for his work in the field of earthquake research. He has caused a 'fundamental shift' in the interpretation of the relationship between earthquakes and fault zone geology and on the origin of fault-hosted mineral deposits.

Key takeaways

Richard H. Sibson belongs to earth science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Richard H. Sibson to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Richard H. Sibson from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Richard Hugh Sibson (born 1945) is a New Zealand structural geologist and emeritus professor at the University of Otago, who has received numerous honors and awards for his work in the field of earthquake research. He has caused a 'fundamental shift' in the interpretation of the relationship between earthquakes and fault zone geology and on the origin of fault-hosted mineral deposits.

Academic career Richard Sibson is the son of ornithologist Richard B. Sibson (1911–1994). From 1959 to 1963 he attended King's College in Auckland. Sibson's subsequent decision to study geology was significantly influenced by his uncle, the paleontologist and naturalist Sir Charles Fleming, who suggested this subject to him. In 1968, he gained his BSc at the University of Auckland, 1970, and MSc at Imperial College London. Where in 1977 he also received his PhD. From 1982 to 1990 he worked at the Institute for Crustal Studies and Department of Geological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara. From 1990 to 2009 he was a professor at the University of Otago. He is associate professor of the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. In 2005, he co-founded the Institute of Earth Science and Engineering at the University of Auckland. Sibson's notable students include Virginia Toy.

Research Sibson studied structural geology at Imperial College under John G. Ramsay, Neville J. Price and Ernie Rutter. His particular interest was in the study of the structure and mechanics of fault zones of the Earth's crust and their relationship to earthquakes. His doctoral thesis dealt with pseudotachylites of the Outer Hebrides, he proved that these rocks are due to earthquake events, as is currently accepted. Sibson studied rock mechanics and rock deformation, and attempted to derive geological information from seismic and seismological measurements. From 1981 he worked in the USGS earthquake program in Menlo Park, later in the Archaikum of Canada he examined the influence of fluids (gases and liquids) on the formation and the course of earthquakes and the formation of ore deposits in fault zones due to hydrothermal processes. Sibson has been involved in public education about the risk posed by New Zealand's numerous active faults particularly the Alpine Fault.

Honors and prizes Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand 2003 Fellow of the Royal Society 2006 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 2010 Wollaston Medal of the Geological Society of London 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Auckland

References

External links Professor Emeritus Richard H. Sibson on the University of Otago website Award of the Wollaston Medal 2010 Falling Off Hubbert's Peak. Online Sibson's article on Peak Oil

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Richard H. Sibson

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Richard H. Sibson 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 Richard H. Sibson 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 Richard H. Sibson 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 Richard H. Sibson

In research: Richard H. Sibson 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 Richard H. Sibson 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: Richard H. Sibson is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1945 births, 20th-century New Zealand geologists, 21st-century New Zealand geologists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Richard H. Sibson 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 Richard H. Sibson in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Richard H. Sibson means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Richard H. Sibson out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Richard H. Sibson in simple terms?

Why does Richard H. Sibson 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 Richard H. Sibson?

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 Richard H. Sibson.