description Joseph Paxson Iddings Overview
Joseph Paxson Iddings was an American geologist known for research in igneous petrology and volcanic rocks. In 1902 he helped develop the CIPW norm with Charles Whitman Cross, Louis V. Pirsson, and Henry S. Washington.
The norm uses chemical analysis to calculate an idealized mineral composition, giving petrologists a standardized way to compare rocks. Iddings also studied igneous rocks in western North America.
help Joseph Paxson Iddings FAQ
Who was Joseph Paxson Iddings?
Joseph Paxson Iddings was an American geologist and petrologist who lived from 1857 to 1920. He became known for studying igneous rocks and volcanic geology in the western United States.
What does CIPW mean in geology?
CIPW refers to Charles Whitman Cross, Joseph Iddings, Louis V. Pirsson, and Henry Stephens Washington. Their 1902 classification calculated normative minerals from a rock’s chemical analysis, helping geologists compare igneous rocks systematically.
What did Iddings contribute to igneous petrology?
Iddings helped make the study of igneous rocks a quantitative field by linking mineral assemblages to chemical composition. His major treatise Igneous Rocks was published in two volumes between 1909 and 1913.
Why is Joseph Iddings associated with the CIPW norm rather than ordinary rock naming?
The CIPW norm is a calculated mineral composition, not a list of the minerals a geologist can necessarily see in a hand specimen. The method came from the group’s 1902 paper on quantitative chemico-mineralogical classification and nomenclature.
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