Walter Munk

American oceanographer (1917-2019) · United States · On the map · Academics · Died at 101

Walter Heinrich Munk was an American physical oceanographer. He was one of the first scientists to bring statistical methods to the analysis of oceanographic data.

Walter Munk is read about 33 times a day, in 18 languages.

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A life in dates

2019Died8 February 20192010Crafoord Prize in GeosciencesAward1999Kyoto Prize in Basic SciencesAward1993Vetlesen PrizeAward1986Royal Society Bakerian MedalAward1983National Medal of ScienceAward1978Captain Robert Dexter Conrad AwardAward1976Alexander Agassiz MedalAwardMaurice Ewing MedalAward1970Josiah Willard Gibbs LectureshipAward1968Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical SocietyAward1966Sverdrup Gold Medal AwardAward1964Golden Plate AwardAward1962Fellow of the American Geophysical UnionAward1948Guggenheim FellowshipAward1917Born19 October 1917

People around Walter

Close ties

Dan McKenzie Influenced by Walter

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Media & music

Photos 7

Project Mohole contracted with a consortium of oil companies to use their oil drillship CUSS I.[31]

Munk used R/P FLIP to measure waves traveling across ocean basins.[36]

Ocean topography (see scale) and some paths traveled by sound waves during the 1991 Heard Island Feasibility Test.

Munk in Stockholm in 2010 to accept the Crafoord Prize.

Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presents the Crafoord Prize to Munk.

Munk's devil ray.

Awards

Crafoord Prize in Geosciences2010

Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences1999

Vetlesen Prize1993

William Bowie Medal1989

Royal Society Bakerian Medal1986

National Medal of Science1983

Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award1978

Alexander Agassiz Medal1976

Foreign Member of the Royal Society1976

Maurice Ewing Medal1976

Josiah Willard Gibbs Lectureship1970

Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society1968

Sverdrup Gold Medal Award1966

Arthur L. Day Medal1965

Golden Plate Award1964

Fellow of the American Geophysical Union1962

Guggenheim Fellowship1948

About this person

Munk worked on a wide range of topics, including surface waves, geophysical implications of variations in the Earth's rotation, tides, internal waves, deep-ocean drilling into the sea floor, acoustical measurements of ocean properties, sea level rise, and climate change. His work won awards including the National Medal of Science, the Kyoto Prize, and induction to the French Legion of Honour.

Country

United States

The same award as Walter

Mojib LatifBoth received Sverdrup Gold Medal Award

Carver MeadBoth received Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award

M. King HubbertBoth received Vetlesen Prize

Felix Andries Vening MeineszBoth received Vetlesen Prize Herbert FriedmanBoth received Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award

Henry StommelBoth received Sverdrup Gold Medal Award