William Stauder

Jesuit Geophysical Observatories

Jesuits have had ah interest in observing and explaining geophysical phenomena since this religious order, the Society of Jesus, was founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1540. Three principal factors contributed to this interest: their educational work in colleges and universities, their missionary endeavors to remote lands where they observed interesting and often as yet undocumented natural phenomena, and a network of communication that brought research of other Jesuits readily to their awareness. One of the first and most important Jesuit colleges was the Roman College (today the Gregorian University) founded in 1551 in Rome, which served as a model for many other universities throughout the world. By 1572, Christopher Clavius (1537–1612), professor of mathematics at the Roman College, had already initiated an important tradition of Jesuit research by emphasizing applied mathematics and insisting on the need of serious study of mathematics in the program of studies in the humanities. In 1547 he directed a publication of Euclids work with commentaries, and published several treatises on mathematics, including Arithmetica Practica [1585], Gnomonicae [1581], and Geometrica Practica [1606]. Clavius was also a Copernican and supported his friend Galileo when he announced the discovery of the satellites of Jupiter.

3 – The Jesuit Contribution to Seismology

Jesuits significantly contributed to organizational, experimental, and theoretical aspects of seismology. Their principal contribution has been to provide seismological data for research into the constitution of the Earth and the processes of generation of earthquakes. To effectively accomplish this, Jesuit stations regularly endeavored to update the quality of their instrumentation. However, establishment of modern national seismological networks and research institutions has made Jesuit stations work no longer necessary and explains the closing of many Jesuit stations. Nowadays, the contributions from Jesuits, which are still active are much developed—the reporting of data is very modern and is mainly through the research centers. There are also contributions by individual Jesuits associated with Jesuit stations or working in or with other institutions or associations. They have continued to play an important part in the development of the theory of plate tectonics, in the study of the deep constitution of the Earth and of the mechanism of earthquakes, and in the earthquake hazard reduction programs of their various national efforts and cooperative international initiatives.