Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich
Born11 December 1806 (1806-12-11)
Berlin
Died1 July 1886 (1886-08) (aged 79)
Vienna
NationalityGerman
Alma materHumboldt University of Berlin
Scientific career
FieldsMineralogy, geology
InstitutionsUniversity of Tartu

Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich (11 December 1806 – 1 July 1886) was a German mineralogist and geologist. Full member of St Petersburg Academy of Sciences (hon. member since 1866).

Biography

He was born in Berlin and educated at the local university.[1] His earliest scientific work is related to spinels and other minerals. Later he made special studies of fumaroles, of the mineral deposits around volcanic vents, and of the structure of volcanoes. In 1842 he was appointed professor of mineralogy in the university of Dorpat (Tartu), and henceforth gave attention to the geology and mineralogy of the Russian Empire.[2] Residing for some time at Tiflis, he investigated the geology of the Armenian Highland (this term was introduced by Abich)[3] and Caucasus.[4][5] In 1844 and 1845 he ascended Ararat volcano several times,[5] studied the geological event of 1840 that was centered on Ararat (Akori village). In 1877 he retired to Vienna, where he later died. The mineral Abichite was named after him.[2]

Publications

The following are listed in Chisholm (1911), p. 62:

References

  1. ^ "Biography".
  2. ^ a b  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abich, Otto Wilhelm Hermann von". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 62.
  3. ^ Armenian identity in a changing world, Levon Abrahamian, Mazda Publishers, 2006 – p. 50
  4. ^ "Hermann Abich (1806–1886): 'the Father of Caucasian Geology' and his travels in the Caucasus and Armenian Highlands, by E. E. Milanovsky".
  5. ^ a b Four Centuries of Geological Travel: edited by Patrick N. Wyse Jackson, p. 178

Further reading

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