One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
UCLA Earthquake Research Pioneer, Leon Knopoff, Dies At 85
via UCLA Newsroom
UCLA researcher Leon Knopoff who "pioneered the use of mathematical modeling for earthquakes, helped develop a way to date ancient pottery and examined how music affects human perception," died on Jan 20 of of respiratory failure at his home in Sherman Oaks, reports the Daily News. He was 85.With colleague Robert Burridge, Knopoff developed a model that helps in earthquake forecasting and discovered that small shakers usually do not predict major temblors along earthquake faults. Knopoff was also the co-inventor of a method of thermoluminescence dating for ancient pottery that used light emitted by trapped radiation to gain insight and information about the time period of the material.
He was a University of California, Los Angeles faculty member for more than six decades, authored upwards of 350 research papers, and co-edited five books.
Notes the UCLA newsroom, " 'Extreme rigor and thorough consideration of alternate interpretations were hallmarks of Leon's research, and he was known for his exceptional clarity in teaching,' said his UCLA colleague, David D. Jackson, a professor of geophysics. 'He was also a wonderful mentor.' "
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
