Marie Tharp
Marie Tharp was an American geologist and oceanographic cartographer who, in partnership with Bruce Heezen, created the first scientific map of the Atlantic Ocean floor. Tharp's work revealed the detailed topography and multi-dimensional geographical landscape of the ocean bottom. Her work included a more precise cartographic representation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and her discovery of the rift valley along its axis, causing a paradigm shift in earth science that led to acceptance of the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift.
