35 Facts About Inge Lehmann

Inge Lehmann was a Danish seismologist and geophysicist who is known for her discovery in 1936 of the solid inner core that exists within the molten outer core of the Earth.

Inge Lehmann is considered to be a pioneer among women and scientists in seismology research.

The Inge Lehmann family had its roots in Bohemia; the Danish branch included barristers, politicians and engineers.

Inge Lehmann's cousins were the Minister of Trade, the chair of the Danish Women's Society, and the leader of the Danish Girl Scouts.

Inge Lehmann's younger sister Signe, who was a single mother, rose to popularity as a school superintendent.

Inge Lehmann credited her father and Hanna Adler as the most significant influences on her intellectual development.

At age 18, Inge Lehmann achieved a first rank mark in the entrance exam for Copenhagen University.

Inge Lehmann continued her studies of mathematics in Cambridge from 1910 to 1911 at Newnham College.

Inge Lehmann served as an actuarial assistant from 1911 to 1918 without attending school.

Inge Lehmann developed good computational skills in an actuary office she worked in for a few years until she resumed her studies at Copenhagen University in 1918.

Inge Lehmann completed the candidata magisterii degree in physical science and mathematics in two years, graduating in 1920.

Inge Lehmann had a younger sister, Harriet, who became an actress.

Inge Lehmann broke off an engagement in March 1917 and decided to remain unmarried, in order to pursue an academic career, which was not an unusual choice at the time.

Inge Lehmann took an interest in his field, and she began studying it on her own.

Inge Lehmann personally operated the one in Copenhagen, producing reports based on its readings.

In 1929, Inge Lehmann studied the Murchison earthquake which struck on the South Island of New Zealand.

Inge Lehmann analyzed the seismic data from the earthquake and noticed that there were waves of significant amplitude recorded in the Russian cities of Sverdlovsk and Irkutsk, both unexpected locations.

Inge Lehmann noticed after reviewing the data from the earthquakes that there were waves emanating from the earthquakes, which were called seismic waves.

Inge Lehmann was the first to interpret P-wave arrivals as reflections from an inner core.

Inge Lehmann observed seismic waves from earthquakes, leading her to hypothesize that the Earth's core consisted of two parts: "a solid metal core surrounded by an outer liquid core, overturning the accepted theory of an entirely liquid core".

Inge Lehmann published these findings in a paper titled P, Prior to 1936, scientists believed that the Earth's core was a single, massive molten sphere.

However, many global observations did not analytically add up until Inge Lehmann reached the heart of the issue.

Inge Lehmann inferred that the core wasn't homogeneous; rather, there is a smaller core that exists that is surrounded by the outer core.

Inge Lehmann deduced that waves travel faster in the smaller core, but the waves can be reflected off if it arrived tangentially.

Inge Lehmann's theory allows for another wave deflection at the extra boundary and this accounts for the direction and location in which the waves emerge.

Inge Lehmann continued her work during World War II, though international collaboration was limited.

Inge Lehmann studied there for a few months in 1952, after her retirement from the Royal Geodetic Institute.

Inge Lehmann became a prominent member of the community at the University of California, Berkeley, one of her most frequent stops.

Inge Lehmann was involved in the creation of the International Seismological Centre from 1961 to 1967.

Inge Lehmann's discoveries continue to play a vital role in geophysics.

Inge Lehmann's groundbreaking work provided the basis for modern seismic imaging techniques, which have become essential for exploring Earth's interior and monitoring nuclear tests.

The seismic discontinuities she identified, including the Inge Lehmann discontinuity, have been key to advancing our understanding of Earth's thermal history.

Inge Lehmann received many honours for her scientific achievements, among them are.

Inge Lehmann was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1936, and later became an Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1957.

Inge Lehmann will appear on a 2028 Danish krone banknote.