Person

Drummond Matthews

Drummond Matthews (1931–1997) was a British marine geophysicist. With his student Frederick Vine, he connected marine surveys and geomagnetism in a model explaining ridge magnetic anomalies and supporting seafloor spreading.

Submitted by: StellarEpicReviewed by: StellarEpic

Published 2026.10.23v1

Contents

Ridge surveys and supervision

At Cambridge, Matthews surveyed bathymetry and magnetism around the Carlsberg Ridge in the Indian Ocean and set his doctoral student Vine to interpreting the data. Seagoing measurements became evidence for investigating seafloor movement.

References: [1]

The 1963 interpretation

Their proposal combined magnetisation acquired as seafloor formed with geomagnetic reversals and spreading. It provided a basis for testing the process against magnetic anomalies in different ocean regions.

References: [1]

Recognition of joint work

Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1974, Matthews shared its Hughes Medal with Vine in 1982 for interpreting ocean-floor magnetic properties and their significance for plate tectonics.

References: [2]

References

Dan McKenzie and Neil Chroston, Geological Society of London. “Frederick John Vine (1939–2024).” 2025-06-26, Geoscientist. View source ↗
Royal Society Picture Library. “Medallists of the Royal Society, 1982: Drummond Hoyle Matthews.” View source ↗

Revision history

Corrections are reviewed before publication. Content expansions retain revision records.

v12026.10.23First edition

Create a documented independent encyclopedia entry.

Submitted by: StellarEpicReviewed by: StellarEpicSubmitted: 2026-10-23 14:09 UTCReviewed: 2026-10-23 14:09 UTC