- Graham Ryder
Graham Ryder (
January 28 ,1949 –January 5 ,2002 ) was an Englishgeologist and lunarscientist .He was educated at the
University of Wales, Swansea , receiving hisB.Sc. in 1970. He then earned aPh.D. ingeology from theMichigan State University in 1974. His post-doctoral work was performed at theSmithsonian Astrophysical Observatory .Dr. Ryder worked at the NASA Johnson Space Center in the Lunar Curatorial Facility for Northrup Services Inc. From 1978 to 1982 he helped in the assembly of catalogs and guides to the
Apollo lunar samples. Since 1983 he was a staff scientist at theLunar and Planetary Institute inHouston, Texas . Much of his work concerned the geology of the lunar surface, including the history of the marevulcanism ,Petrology of lunar rocks including highland rocks andbreccia s, and the chronology of lunar bombardment. He was an advocate of the "3.8 Ga Cataclysmic Bombardment" theory concerning a period of sudden mass impacts of the moon and inner planets.Ryder was posthumously awarded the
Barringer Medal at the 2003Meteoritical Society Meeting for his work in planetary science; other awards now named after him include theMeteoritical Society 'sPaul Pellas-Graham Ryder Award andMichigan State University 's Graham Ryder Memorial Fund. A crater on theMoon has been named in his honor. The crater is located at 44.5°S, 143.2° E. [http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=3&bodyID=11&typeID=9&system=Earth&body=Moon&type=Crater,%20craters&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig]His death was caused by complications from
cancer of theesophagus ; he is survived by his parents, siblings, and daughter.External links
* [http://www-curator.jsc.nasa.gov/curator/lunar/lnews/LNMar02/GRyder2.htm Memorial] by Paul D. Spudis.
* [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lpi/ryder/ryder_crater/ A Crater is named after Dr. Graham Ryder]
* [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/ryder/webother.html Bibliography]
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