Jerry P. Eaton, a pioneer of seismic networks for monitoring volcanoes and
earthquakes, died April 2, 2004, age of 77, after a long battle with cancer.
Eaton’s passion for the development of dense instrumental networks for
monitoring tectonic activity advanced microearthquake seismology to the forefront
in studies of earthquakes and volcanoes.
The importance of dense networks is widely understood today, but Eaton was among
the first to demonstrate their value. In this way, he set the foundation in
the 1950s and 1960s for subsequent evolution of techniques and instrumentation
for studies of local seismicity, regional strain and seismic refraction applied
to studies of crustal structure.
After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1953,
Eaton joined the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory,
where he spent the next eight years developing the modern arena of volcano monitoring.
In 1960, Eaton and K. Murata published a classic paper in Science describing
how magma rises from 50 to 60 kilometers below Kilauea into a shallow reservoir,
and how eruptions occur when the reservoir magma pressure exceeds the strength
of the volcano.
In 1965, Eaton moved to Menlo Park, Calif., where he became a key player in
establishing the USGS earthquake research program and the National Earthquake
Hazards Reduction Program. He championed the importance of observing Earth’s
processes at their noise level with dense networks and of systematically cataloging
earthquake phenomena. Eaton’s objective was not just to study selected
parts of the San Andreas Fault, but rather to observe the system as a whole,
a goal that was realized in the early 1980s when end-to-end coverage of the
San Andreas Fault was completed.
Eaton’s classic study of the aftershocks of the Parkfield earthquake of
1966 clearly demonstrated the value of dense networks. He established how a
precisely located earthquake could be used to elucidate tectonic processes by
revealing the structural elements, crustal structure and stress fields.
Jerry Eaton was a pioneer, blazing his own new path. He left a trail for others
to follow and encouraged many colleagues to excel. He was a dedicated scientist
and a wonderful colleague, and he leaves a rich legacy for future generations
of seismologists.
On March 17, 2004, Jesse Daniel Skelton died at the age of 80. A well-rounded
individual, Skelton gave 43 years of continuous service to Exxon as vice president
of exploration research, before retiring and founding the Montgomery Philosophical
Society. “Jesse Daniel Skelton will be fondly remembered for inspiring
others to see the beauty of their world through his eyes,” said Mary Sue
Timmerman, mayor of Montgomery, Texas, on a Web site created in Skelton’s
honor.
A member of the “Greatest Generation,” Skelton served in the U.S.
Army Air Corps as a navigator in the Air Transport Command during World War
II. Skelton attended Wichita University, and he received a bachelor’s degree
in electrical engineering with high honors from Kansas State University in 1948
and a master’s from Oklahoma State University in 1954. He was a member
of Eta Kappa Nu, Sigma Tau and Phi Kappa Phi honorary societies.
Skelton was very active in the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG); he
was the general chair of the convention in Houston in 1971, was vice president
of the society from 1972 to 1973 and served as president from 1974 to 1975.
In 1982, he was awarded honorary membership in SEG for his distinguished contributions
to the society and his profession. He was also president of the American Geological
Institute in 1976.
Skelton is survived by Gloria, his wife of 59 years, and his daughters Janet
Wood and Linda Renner. He had nine grandchildren and one great grandson. A devout
Christian, Skelton served as a deacon in Memorial Baptist Church in Tulsa and
the Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, and most recently as an elder in the
Walden Community Church in Montgomery, Texas.
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