Emile A. Okal

Born: Leo and Tiger in Paris, France

Academic Ancestry: Descendant of Galileo Galilei (19th generation), Sir Isaac Newton FRS (16th generation), James C. Maxwell FRS FRSE (7th generation), and Joseph J. Thomson PRS OM, Nobel Laureate (5th generation).

Research Areas: Seismology, Tsunamis, Seismoacoustics

Other Languages: French, Italian, Spanish, Slovak, Russian

Favorite Movies: Casablanca; The Bridge on the River Kwai; l'Etranger; Mayrig; Goodbye, Lenin!

Favorite Book: Les Misérables

Favorite Plays: Rodogune [Corneille, 1644]; Un Client Sérieux [Courteline, 1896]

Favorite Operetta: Die Fledermaus

Favorite Dance: An der schönen blauen Donau [Johann Strauss (Sohn) op. 314]

Favorite Food: Tripes à la mode de Caen; Tête de Veau sauce ravigote;
Rognons de veau à la Leffe

Favorite Wines: Haut-Brion, Puligny-Montrachet

Favorite Cars: 1971 Simca 1100 Spécial; 2000 BMW 740iL

Favorite Vacationing Spots: N/A [not applicable!]

Chamois de Bronze, Ecole du Ski Français, Les Ménuires, 1973

Mileage Plans: AAdvantage (AA), Mileage Plus (UA), SkyMiles (DL),
Saga (FI), EarlyReturns (F9), HawaiianMiles (HA), Executive Club (BA),
Capricorne (UU), Flying Blue (AF/KL), Guest (EY), Enrich (MH), LANPass (LA),
WorldPerks [NW*], Dividend Miles [US*], Icarus [OA*], Hellas Jet Club [T4*], Qualiflyer [SR*], Aviators [TW*], Get-it-all [BN*], Topbonus [AB*], OnePass [CO*]
[*: now defunct]

Total hours flown: 12745

Air Travel in 2024: 28320 km in 11 flights over 37:20 hours

Record (2014): 486712 km in 167 flights over 632:10 hours

Longest flight (distance): SFO-SIN (and SIN-SFO) 13588 km (UA B-787)

Shortest flight (distance; fixed-winged): BDR-HVN (and HVN-BDR) 24 km (PM DHC-6)

Longest flight (duration): ORD-HKG 15:35 hr (UA B-777)

Shortest flight (duration; fixed-winged): BDR-HVN 0:06 hr (PM DHC-6)

Northernmost Latitude reached on land: 71 N

Southernmost Latitude reached on land: 53 S

Continuously reached Westernmost Longitude: 55 E (-305 W)

Continuously reached Easternmost Longitude: 175 E

Highest elevation reached: 4781 m (Galera, La Oroya Railway, Peru)
Highest driven: 4726 m (Paso San Francisco, Chile/Argentina)

Lowest elevation reached: -410 m (driven -392 m) (Dead Sea)

Countries visited: 121 (driven 77 [20 LHD]; lectured 61), plus 10 territories (driven 9 [1 LHD]; lectured 3), 2 former countries and 2 former territories

A RIDDLE: On one occasion, I changed countries without crossing a border (land, sea or air).

HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE?
Send solution to: emile@earth.northwestern.edu

States visited in the U.S.: 50 + D.C. (driven 44 + D.C.; lectured 31 + D.C.) out of 50 + D.C.

French Départements visited: 96 (driven 92; lectured 12) out of 96; Overseas: DOM: 4 (driven 4; lectured 3) out of 5, TOM/POM/COM: 2 (driven 2; lectured 2) out of 7

Time zones visited: 32 (GMT-12, GMT-11, GMT-10, GMT-9:30, GMT-8, GMT-7, GMT-6, GMT-5, GMT-4, GMT-3, GMT-2, GMT-1, GMT, GMT+1, GMT+2, GMT+3, GMT+3:30, GMT+4, GMT+4:30, GMT+5, GMT+5:30, GMT+6, GMT+6:30, GMT+7, GMT+8, GMT+9, GMT+9:30, GMT+10, GMT+10:30, GMT+11, GMT+12, GMT+13)

Tectonic plates visited (no microplates): 12 out of 14

Transatlantic crossings: 523

Equator crossings: 192

International Date Line crossings: 139 (69: Westward, 70 Eastward)
Note: The 2006 ORD-HKG flight over the North Pole, at the apex of the branch cut on the sphere, is not counted as a Westward crossing

Iron Curtain crossings (1950-1990): 43

Email: emile@earth.northwestern.edu

Web Site: www.earth.northwestern.edu/people/emile