Register      Login
Historical Records of Australian Science Historical Records of Australian Science Society
The history of science, pure and applied, in Australia, New Zealand and the southwest Pacific
EDITORIAL

Anton Linder Hales 1911–2006

Kurt Lambeck A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Emeritus Professor of Geophysics, Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia. Email: kurt.lambeck@anu.edu.au

Historical Records of Australian Science 30(2) 146-165 https://doi.org/10.1071/HR18022
Published: 3 May 2019

Abstract

Anton Linder Hales died in Canberra on 11 December 2006. He was a distinguished geophysicist of international renown who made major contributions to understanding the structure and evolution of the deep Earth through the combination of theoretical developments, field experimentation and laboratory measurements, including in whole-mantle convection, palaeomagnetism, geochronology and seismology. He was also a creative and highly successful builder of research institutions on three continents, in South Africa, the USA and Australia. The last of these was as Foundation Director of the Research School of Earth Sciences at the Australian National University, leaving behind one of the leading geoscience research institutions in the world. His career spanned a period in which earth science was undergoing rapid evolution—from a ‘fixist’ view of the planet to the ‘highly dynamic’ view that we have today, an evolution to which he made important contributions both through his own research and his scientific leadership at institutional and international level.


References

Allibone, T. E. (1973) Basil Ferdinand Jamieson Schonland: 1896–1972, Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. Royal Society (Great Britain), 19, 629–653.
Basil Ferdinand Jamieson Schonland: 1896–1972Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Anonymous (1989) Twentieth Anniversary 1969–1959, Programs in geosciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas.

Austin, B. (2001) Schonland: Scientist and Soldier, Bristol.

Bercovici, D. (2009) ‘Mantle dynamics past present and future: an introduction and overview’, in Treatise on Geophysics, vol. 7, Mantle Dynamics, ed. D. Bercovici, Oxford, pp. 1–30.

Budden, K. G. (1951) The reflection of very low frequency radio waves at the surface of a sharply bounded ionosphere with superimposed magnetic field, Philosophical Magazine, 42, 833–850.

Christie, D. R., and Muirhead, K. J. (1983) Solitary waves: a hazard to aircraft operating at low altitude, International Journal of Aviation Safety, 1, 169–190.

Christie, D. R., Muirhead, K. J., and Hales, A. L. (1978) On solitary waves in the atmosphere, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 35, 805–825.
On solitary waves in the atmosphereCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Christie, D. R., Muirhead, K. J., and Hales, A. L. (1979) Intrusive density flows in the lower troposphere: a source of atmospheric solitons, Journal of Geophysical Research, 84, 4959–4970.
Intrusive density flows in the lower troposphere: a source of atmospheric solitonsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cleary, J. R., and Hales, A. L. (1966) An analysis of the travel times of P waves to North American stations in the distance range 32o to 100o, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 56, 467–489.

Compston, W., and Jeffery, P. M. (1959) Anomalous ‘common strontium’ in granite, Nature, 184, 1792–1793.
Anomalous ‘common strontium’ in graniteCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Datt, R., and Muirhead, K. J. (1976) Evidence for a sharp increase in P-wave velocity at about 770 km depth, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 13, 37–46.
Evidence for a sharp increase in P-wave velocity at about 770 km depthCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

De Laeter, J. R. (2008) Geochronology in Western Australia, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 55, 769–775.
Geochronology in Western AustraliaCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Doyle, H. A., and Hales, A. L. (1967) An analysis of the travel times of S waves to North American stations in the distance range 28o to 82o, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 57, 761–771.

Dziewonski, A. M., and Anderson, D. L. (1981) Preliminary reference earth model, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 25, 297–356.
Preliminary reference earth modelCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Dziewonski, A. M., Hales, A. M., and Lapwood, E. R. (1975) Parametrically simple earth models consistent with geophysical data, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 10, 12–48.
Parametrically simple earth models consistent with geophysical dataCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Dziewonski, A. M., Hager, B. H., and O’Connell, R. J. (1977) Large-scale heterogeneities in the lower mantle, Journal of Geophysical Research, 82, 239–255.
Large-scale heterogeneities in the lower mantleCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Forster, S. G., and Varghese, M. M. (1996) The Making of the Australian National University 1946–96, Sydney, pp. 116–118.

Frankel, H. R. (2012a) The Continental Drift Controversy: Volume 1: Wegener and the Early Debate, Cambridge.

Frankel, H. R. (2012b) The Continental Drift Controversy: Volume 2: Paleomagnetism and confirmation of drift, Cambridge.

Gane, P. G., Hales, A. L., and Oliver, H. O. (1946) A seismic investigation of the Witwatersrand earth tremors, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 36, 49–80.

Gane, P. G., Logie, H. J., and Stephen, J. H. (1949) Triggered telerecording seismic equipment, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 39, 117–143.

Gough, D. I. (1956) A study of the palaeomagnetism of the Pilansberg dykes, Geophysical Supplements to the Monthly Notices of Royal Astronomical Society, 7, 196–213.
A study of the palaeomagnetism of the Pilansberg dykesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gough, D. I. (1988) Landmarks of life in geophysics, South African Geological Yearbook, 1988, 22–29.

Graham, K. W. T. (1961) The remagnetization of a surface outcrop by lightning currents, Geophysical Journal, 6, 85–102.
The remagnetization of a surface outcrop by lightning currentsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Graham, K. W. T., and Hales, A. L. (1957) Palaeomagnetic measurements on Karroo dolerites, Advances in Physics, 6, 149–161.
Palaeomagnetic measurements on Karroo doleritesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Green, R. W. E., and Hales, A. L. (1968) The travel times of P waves to 30o in the central United States and upper mantle structure, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 58, 267–289.

Green, D. H., and Ringwood, A. E. (1967–68) The stability fields of aluminous pyroxene peridotite and garnet peridotite and their relevance in upper mantle structure, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 3, 151–160.
The stability fields of aluminous pyroxene peridotite and garnet peridotite and their relevance in upper mantle structureCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1935) The thermal stability of the lower atmosphere, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, 151, 624–640.

Hales, A. L. (1936) Convection currents in the earth, Geophysical Supplements to the Monthly Notices of Royal Astronomical Society, 3, 372–379.
Convection currents in the earthCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1937) Convection currents in geysers, Geophysical Supplements to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 4, 122–131.
Convection currents in geysersCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1948) A possible mode of propagation of the ‘slow’ or tail component in atmospherics, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, 193, 60–71.

Hales, A. L. (1953) The thermal contraction theory of mountain building (second paper), Geophysical Supplements to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 6, 486–493.
The thermal contraction theory of mountain building (second paper)Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1960) Research at the Bernard Price Institute of Geophysical Research, University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, 258, 1–26.

Hales, A. L. (1961) An upper limit to the age of the Witwatersrand system, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 91, 524–528.
An upper limit to the age of the Witwatersrand systemCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1974a) Crustal structure modelling in a spherically symmetrical earth, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 9, 7–8.
Crustal structure modelling in a spherically symmetrical earthCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1974b) Eigenperiods of earth models and the determination of travel time baselines, Journal of Geophysical Research, 79, 422–423.
Eigenperiods of earth models and the determination of travel time baselinesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1979) Keith Edward Bullen 1906–1976, Historical Records of Australian Science, 4, 42–64.
Keith Edward Bullen 1906–1976Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1986) Geophysics on three continents, Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 14, 1–20.
Geophysics on three continentsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1988) Geophysical research in South Africa, 1937–1962, South African Geophysical Association Yearbook 1988, , 17–21.

Hales, A. L. (1992) Speculations about crustal evolution, Journal of Geodynamics, 16, 55–64.
Speculations about crustal evolutionCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L. (1997) The Anelasticity of the Earth; how much do we know about Q?’ in Upper Mantle Heterogeneneities from Active and Passive Seismology, ed. K. Fuchs, Dordrecht Boston, pp. 173–186.

Hales, A. L., and Gough, D. I. (1947) Blackett’s fundamental theory of the earth’s magnetic field, Nature, 160, 746.
Blackett’s fundamental theory of the earth’s magnetic fieldCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L., and Gough, D. I. (1950) Measurements of Gravity in Southern Africa, Pretoria.

Hales, A. L., and Sacks, S. I. (1959) Evidence for an intermediate layer from crustal structure studies in the eastern Transvaal, Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2, 15–33.
Evidence for an intermediate layer from crustal structure studies in the eastern TransvaalCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L., Helsley, C. E., Dowling, J. J., and Nation, J. B. (1968) The east coast onshore-offshore experiment. I. The first arrival phases, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 58, 757–819.

Hales, A. L., Muirhead, K. J., Rynn, J. M., and Gettrust, J. F. (1975) Upper mantle travel times in Australia—a preliminary report, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 11, 109–118.
Upper mantle travel times in Australia—a preliminary reportCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hales, A. L., Muirhead, K. J., and Rynn, J. M. W. (1980) A compressional velocity distribution for the upper mantle, Tectonophysics, 63, 309–348.
A compressional velocity distribution for the upper mantleCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ireland, T. R., Clement, S., Compston, W., Foster, J. J., Holden, P., Jenkins, B., Lanc, P., Schram, N., and Williams, I. S. (2008) Development of SHRIMP, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 55, 937–954.
Development of SHRIMPCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jamieson, R. T., and Schreiner, G. D. L. (1957) The ages of some African lepidolites determined from the 87Rb-87Sr decay, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, 146, 257–269.
The ages of some African lepidolites determined from the 87Rb-87Sr decayCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jeffreys, H. (1929) The Earth: Its Origin, History and Physical Constitution, 2nd edn, Cambridge.

Jeffreys, H. (1951) Mechanical aspects of continental drift and alternative theories, The Advancement of Science, 8, 79–80.

Jeffreys, H. (1976) The Earth: Its Origin, History and Physical Constitution, 6th edn, Cambridge, pp. 457–458.

Kennett, B. L. N., and Bowman, J. R. (1990) The velocity structure and heterogeneity of the upper mantle, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 59, 134–144.
The velocity structure and heterogeneity of the upper mantleCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mather, J. D. (2004) 200 Years of British Hydrogeology (Geological Society Special Publication 225), London.

McDougall, I. (2008) Brief history of isotope geology at the Australian National University, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 55, 727–736.
Brief history of isotope geology at the Australian National UniversityCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McElhinny, M. W. (ed.) (1979) The Earth: Its Origin, Structure and Evolution, London.

Muirhead, K. J., and Hales, A. L. (1980) Evidence for P-wave velocity discontinuities at depths greater than 650 km in the mantle, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 23, 304–313.
Evidence for P-wave velocity discontinuities at depths greater than 650 km in the mantleCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Needell, A. A. (2000) Science, Cold War and the American State: Lloyd. V. Berkner and the Balance of Professional Ideals, New York.

Paterson, M. S. (1982) John Conrad Jaeger 1907–1979, Historical Records of Australian Science, 5, 64–88.
John Conrad Jaeger 1907–1979Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Pekeris, C. L. (1935) Thermal convection in the interior of the earth, Geophysical Supplements to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 3, 343–367.
Thermal convection in the interior of the earthCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rose, E. F. P., and Clatworthy, J. C. (2008) Fred Shotton: a ‘hero’ of military applications of geology during World War II, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 41, 171–188.
Fred Shotton: a ‘hero’ of military applications of geology during World War IICrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rose, E. F. P., and Rosenbaum, M. S. (1993) British military geologists: through the Second World War to the end of the Cold War, Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, 104, 95–108.
British military geologists: through the Second World War to the end of the Cold WarCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rynn, J. M. W., and Reid, I. D. (1983) Crustal structure of the western Arafura Sea from ocean bottom seismograph data, Journal of the Geological Society of Australia, 30, 59–74.
Crustal structure of the western Arafura Sea from ocean bottom seismograph dataCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Schreiner, G. D. L. (1958a) Age of a Pilansberg dyke of palaeomagnetic significance, Nature, 181, 1330–1331.
Age of a Pilansberg dyke of palaeomagnetic significanceCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Schreiner, G. D. L. (1958b) Comparison of the 87Rb›87Sr ages of the red granite of the Bushveld Complex from measurements on the total rock and separated mineral fractions, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, 245, 112–117.

Shea, J. H. (1985) Continental Drift, New York.

Turner, J. S., and Gustafson, L. B. (1978) The flow of hot saline solutions from vents in the sea floor; some implications for exhalative massive sulfide and other ore deposits, Economic Geology and the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists, 73, 1082–1100.
The flow of hot saline solutions from vents in the sea floor; some implications for exhalative massive sulfide and other ore depositsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Van Zijl, J. S. V., Graham, K. W. T., and Hales, A. L. (1962) The paleomagnetism of the Stormberg lavas of South Africa. 1. Evidence for a genuine reversal of the earth’s field in Triassic-Jurassic times, Geophysical Journal International, 7, 169–182.

Wait, J. R. (1960) On the theory of the slow-tail portion of atmospheric waveforms, Journal of Geophysical Research, 65, 1939–1946.
On the theory of the slow-tail portion of atmospheric waveformsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ward, R. W., and Mitterer, R. M. (1983) Introduction [to special section on Anton Hales symposium], Journal of Geophysical Research, 88, 3245–3246.
Introduction [to special section on Anton Hales symposium]Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Willmore, P. L., Hales, A. L., and Gane, P. G. (1952) A seismic investigation of crustal structure in the western Transvaal, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 42, 53–80.