Geology and mathematics
Trained in geology and mathematics, Tharp worked with petroleum-industry data before joining mapping work at Columbia. She combined geological judgement and drafting with mathematical analysis of scattered marine measurements.
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From soundings to terrain
While Heezen collected shipboard data, Tharp plotted profiles and maps from extensive soundings, including records from Atlantis. She identified the central rift along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge; they published a North Atlantic seafloor map in 1957.
The world ocean floor
Gender restrictions initially excluded Tharp from research cruises; she joined one in 1968. Following Heezen’s death in 1977, she continued work towards publication of their global ocean-floor map, bringing decades of measurements into a comprehensive depiction.