Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South America

In the late 19th century, a regional map of <i>Nueva Granada</i> (present-day Colombia, Panama and parts of Venezuela and Ecuador) was published by German botanist and geologist Hermann Karsten (1817–1908). Karsten's work was incorporated by Agustín Codazzi (1793–1859), an Italian w...

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Main Author: K. R. Aalto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2015-06-01
Series:History of Geo- and Space Sciences
Online Access:http://www.hist-geo-space-sci.net/6/57/2015/hgss-6-57-2015.pdf
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author K. R. Aalto
author_facet K. R. Aalto
author_sort K. R. Aalto
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description In the late 19th century, a regional map of <i>Nueva Granada</i> (present-day Colombia, Panama and parts of Venezuela and Ecuador) was published by German botanist and geologist Hermann Karsten (1817–1908). Karsten's work was incorporated by Agustín Codazzi (1793–1859), an Italian who emigrated to Venezuela and Colombia to serve as a government cartographer and geographer, in his popular <i>Atlas geográfico e histórico de la Republica de Colombia</i> (1889). Geologic mapping and most observations provided in this 1889 atlas were taken from Karsten's <i>Géologie de l'ancienne Colombie bolivarienne: Vénézuela, Nouvelle-Grenade et Ecuador</i> (1886), as cited by Manual Paz and/or Felipe Pérez, who edited this edition of the atlas. Karsten defined four epochs in Earth history: <i>Primera</i> – without life – primary crystalline rocks, <i>Segunda</i> – with only marine life – chiefly sedimentary rocks, <i>Tercera</i> – with terrestrial quadrupeds and fresh water life forms life – chiefly sedimentary rocks, and <i>Cuarta</i> – mankind appears, includes diluvial (glacigenic) and post-diluvial terranes. He noted that Colombia is composed of chiefly of Quaternary, Tertiary and Cretaceous plutonic, volcanic and sedimentary rocks, and that Earth's internal heat (<i>calor central</i>) accounted, by escape of inner gases, for volcanism, seismicity and uplift of mountains. Karsten's regional mapping and interpretation thus constitutes the primary source and ultimate pioneering geologic research.
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spelling doaj.art-fe889d4a0cef42c280bd4d94c47bb88d2022-12-21T17:34:02ZengCopernicus PublicationsHistory of Geo- and Space Sciences2190-50102190-50292015-06-0161576310.5194/hgss-6-57-2015Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South AmericaK. R. Aalto0Department of Geology, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA 95521, USAIn the late 19th century, a regional map of <i>Nueva Granada</i> (present-day Colombia, Panama and parts of Venezuela and Ecuador) was published by German botanist and geologist Hermann Karsten (1817–1908). Karsten's work was incorporated by Agustín Codazzi (1793–1859), an Italian who emigrated to Venezuela and Colombia to serve as a government cartographer and geographer, in his popular <i>Atlas geográfico e histórico de la Republica de Colombia</i> (1889). Geologic mapping and most observations provided in this 1889 atlas were taken from Karsten's <i>Géologie de l'ancienne Colombie bolivarienne: Vénézuela, Nouvelle-Grenade et Ecuador</i> (1886), as cited by Manual Paz and/or Felipe Pérez, who edited this edition of the atlas. Karsten defined four epochs in Earth history: <i>Primera</i> – without life – primary crystalline rocks, <i>Segunda</i> – with only marine life – chiefly sedimentary rocks, <i>Tercera</i> – with terrestrial quadrupeds and fresh water life forms life – chiefly sedimentary rocks, and <i>Cuarta</i> – mankind appears, includes diluvial (glacigenic) and post-diluvial terranes. He noted that Colombia is composed of chiefly of Quaternary, Tertiary and Cretaceous plutonic, volcanic and sedimentary rocks, and that Earth's internal heat (<i>calor central</i>) accounted, by escape of inner gases, for volcanism, seismicity and uplift of mountains. Karsten's regional mapping and interpretation thus constitutes the primary source and ultimate pioneering geologic research.http://www.hist-geo-space-sci.net/6/57/2015/hgss-6-57-2015.pdf
spellingShingle K. R. Aalto
Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South America
History of Geo- and Space Sciences
title Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South America
title_full Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South America
title_fullStr Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South America
title_full_unstemmed Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South America
title_short Hermann Karsten, pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern South America
title_sort hermann karsten pioneer of geologic mapping in northwestern south america
url http://www.hist-geo-space-sci.net/6/57/2015/hgss-6-57-2015.pdf
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