Ref NoLDGSL/1107/A/1/11
TitleGeneral scientific correspondence, 1971
DateJan-Jul 1971
LevelFile
Extent1 file
FormatDocument
DescriptionGeneral, scientific correspondence of Dan McKenzie, Senior Assistant in Research (SAR), University of Cambridge, England, January-July 1971.

Correspondents and subjects include:

JANUARY 1971
Brief letter from Devendra Lal, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, National Centre of the Government of India for Nuclear Science and Mathematics, Bombay, India, disappointed that McKenzie is unable to visit his institution, 8 January 1971; Robert 'Bob' Parker, Institute of Geophysics & Planetary Physics, La Jolla Laboratories, University of California, San Diego, USA, asks if McKenzie has any computer programmes for doing focal mechanisms for SUPERMAP, has seen McKenzie on television, Parker's latest paper on inverse conductivity, 14 January 2014; Yoshio Fukao, Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Japan, on the recommendation of Professor Seiya Uyeda, sends preprint of his PhD thesis and is keen to work with McKenzie, 6 January 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie who is impressed with the work and discusses possible funding options for Fukao to join the project, 18 January 1971; John Sclater, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, USA, thanks McKenzie for writing him a reference for a post at MIT as his department at Scripps appears to be in jeopardy, details the itinerary and arrangements for their forthcoming research cruise trip on the MELVILLE, around Japan, 20 January [1971]; Michitaka Uda, Chief Editor and Representative of the Japanese Organizing Committee of the 'The Ocean World' symposium, held in Tokyo, Japan, 13-25 September 1970, on plans to publish the proceedings, 27 January 1971, with typescript copy of McKenzie's paper "Convection in the Earth's Mantle", which appears to have been given at the symposium, [n.d.]

FEBRUARY 1971
Margaret Parkinson, Secretary, Oxford University Geological Society, Oxford, England, inviting McKenzie to give a talk, 19 February 1971; Eugene C Robertson, Chairman of the Francis Birch Symposium Committee, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on the delayed status of the published proceedings of the 1970 conference, with contents list, 1 February 1971; programme of the discussion meeting 'Plate Tectonics and the Evolution of the Earth's Crust' organized by McKenzie and John Sutton, and held on 25 February 1971 at the Royal Society, Carlton House Terrace, London, England; David 'Dai' Davies, Seismic Discrimination Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Lincoln Laboratory, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, John Sclater has been at MIT to give a lecture, wants clarification on McKenzie's opinion on the seismic zone east of Arabia, 10 February 1971; programme for the discussion meeting 'Plate Tectonics and the Evolution of the Earth's Crust', organised by John Sutton and McKenzie, held at the Royal Society, London, 25 February 1971, with brief manuscript notes by McKenzie on the reverse;

MARCH 1971
Typescript list of participants [including McKenzie] who attended a meeting, held in Zurich, Switzerland, to discuss the future of the JOIDES deep-sea drilling programme, [n.d.]; Walter Brian Harland, Department of Geology, Sedgwick Museum, University of Cambridge, England, has just completed a project reconstructing the palaeogeography of the Arctic and is turning his attention to orogenic belts, is keen to talk with McKenzie, 15 March 1971; letters concerning McKenzie's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) project grant, 15-16 March 1971; copy letter from McKenzie to David 'Dai' Davies, Seismic Discrimination Group, MIT, recommending an Indian student he has been working with, 16 March 1971; copy letter from McKenzie to Dr Vinod Gaur, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Roorkee, India, regrets that he did not have time to visit Gaur, but plans to be in India again in May or June, 16 March 1971; William 'Bill' Kaula, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA, invites McKenzie to give a paper on mantle tectonics for a symposium he is organizing, 19 January 1971, with brief copy reply from McKenzie declining, 16 March 1971; Manooch [Manouchehr] Takin, Tehran, Iran, is currently studying the geology of Iran and is interested in applying continental drift and plate tectonics theory, asks if McKenzie will send him a preprint of his paper on the Indian Ocean, 20 March 1971; photocopy of letter from John Sclater, regarding their joint paper ["The evolution of the Indian Ocean since the late Cretaceous", 'Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society', vol 25 (1971), pp437-528], 23 March 1971;

APRIL 1971
Dr M N Saxena, Chandigarh, India, thinks there is much to be done on plate tectonics on the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas and wants advice, 6 November 1970, with copy reply from McKenzie detailing the motion of India towards Asia, 6 April 1971; copy letter from McKenzie to Eugene C Robertson [Chairman of the Francis Birch Symposium Committee, Harvard University], US Geological Survey, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, expressing his irritation that the conference proceedings have been delayed, and his intention to remove his paper if there are any more problems, 6 April 1971; Richard Irving Walcott, Gravity Division, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa, Canada, regretting that he cannot obtain permission to visit Cambridge in the near future as his superior, Maurice Innes, wants to concentrate on developing a rheological program for Canada, 27 January 1971, with manuscript comment by McKenzie 'very sad...', with copy reply from McKenzie regretting that nationalism has got in the way of research which may impact on the geophysical research of Barry Parsons, 6 April 1971; Society for Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics, London, England, concerning McKenzie's talk to the organisation which is to take place after their AGM, includes typescript excerpt from McKenzie's radio talk "Drifting Continents" taken from 'The Listener', May 1970, 8 April 1971; Charles L Drake, Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA, unhappy that McKenzie was unable to attend the meeting of the Inter-Union Commission on Geodynamics at Leiden, 24 March 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie stating that the notice given for meetings is not long enough, 8 April 1971, Seiya Uyeda, [Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Japan], complains that academic staff have been unable to enter his department's building for months due to industrial action, Yoshio Fukao's application for a Royal Society Fellowship, 12 April 1971; Leon Knopoff, Professor of Geophysics, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA, inviting McKenzie to present a paper on the present state of ideas concerning dynamical models of plate tectonics at the Eighth Annual Symposium of the Upper Mantle Project Working Group on Geophysical Theory and Computers, 22 February 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie reluctantly turning down the invitation, 13 April 1971; David 'Dai' Davies, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA, the delivery of his new baby daughter, Davies' experience at the AGU conference, Keith Runcorn, Jason [Morgan] using hot plumes for his recent work, McKenzie's, Davies' and others' academic papers, 18 April 1971; BBC contract for interview with McKenzie, for the World Service programme 'How the Earth Was Made' recorded 27 October 1970 and transmitted in March 1971, signed 18 April 1971; Max Wyss, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA, suggests writing a funding proposal for McKenzie's proposed research project in Iran, 5 April 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie explaining his plans, 26 April 1971;

MAY 1971
Eugene C Robertson, Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA [Chairman of the Francis Birch Symposium Committee, Harvard University], concerning McKenzie's bibliographic citations in his soon to be published paper of the proceedings of the 1970 conference, 29 April 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie, 3 May 1971; copy letter from McKenzie to Dr J Delhaye, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National D'Astronomie et de Geophysique, Observatoire de Meudon, Hauts-de-Seine, France, agreeing to become a member of Delhaye's Geodynamics Committee although his limited French language skills may be insufficient, 3 May 1971; typescript abstract of paper "Palaeomagnetic studies in the British Caledonian orogenic belt" by James Christopher Briden, which was to be presented at the joint meeting of the British Geological Societies, Edinburgh, in September 1971, also incomplete copy of a page from a grant application citing the work of Briden, [n.d.]; Jean Francheteau, Centre Océanologique de Bretagne, Brest Cedex, France, is having problems with the MATT computer program and asks if McKenzie will send him data from MATT, VINE, FIEL and FIELF, requests a preprint of McKenzie's forthcoming paper on the evolution of the Indian Ocean [McKenzie, D & J G Sclater, "The evolution of the Indian Ocean since the late Cretaceous", 'Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society', vol 25 (1971), pp 437-528], 7 May 19741; David 'Dai' Davies, Lincoln Laboratory, MIT, concerning a Masters student's misinterpretation of one of the figures published in McKenzie's paper "The plate tectonics of the Mediterranean region",'Nature', vol 226 (1970), 239-243, showing earthquake epicentres, which are in fact nuclear test sites, 12 May [1971]; Chris Argent, Royal Society, London, England, seeking McKenzie's opinion on the newly formed British National Committee for Geodynamics, 10 May 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie, 17 May 1971; William 'Bill' Kaula, Editor, 'Reviews of Geophysics and Space Physics', forwarding a paper for McKenzie to referee and briefly mentioning a conversation he has had with John Sclater, 8 May 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie, concerning papers from other authors for publication and computing problems, 17 May 1971; William 'Bill' Kaula, UCLA, offering computing advice, 27 May 1971;

JUNE 1971
B G Jamieson, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), London, England, concerning NERC funded seismotectonic research projects in Iran, 2 June 1971; David G Roberts, NERC, concerning suggestions for suitable sites for deep-sea drilling in the Indian Ocean, 8 June 1971 [see LDGSL/1107/B/12 for report and sites mentioned]; copy letter from McKenzie to Dr Anne Reinier Ritsema, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, De Bilt, Netherlands, enquiring about the sources Ritsema used for his assertion that the motion in North Africa is a right handed strike slip, 10 June 1971; Mike McElhinny, Department of Geophysics & Geochemistry, Research School of Physical Sciences, Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia, praising McKenzie's paper on the Indian Ocean which John Sclater has shown him ["The evolution of the Indian Ocean since the late Cretaceous", ibid] but offering some detailed comments/corrections, 11 June 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie responding to the comments and his thoughts on Indian plate movements, 17 June 1971; copy letter from McKenzie to David G Roberts, NERC, forwarding a letter he is sending to Manik Talwani, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, New York, USA, with suggestions of suitable sites for deep-sea drilling in the Indian Ocean, 11 June 1971; Elisabeth Walker from Nigel Calder, BBC, London, England, sending McKenzie a copy of the shooting script [not included] for a BBC programme about the Earth and asking for his opinion, 18 June 1971; Xavier Le Pichon, Centre Océanologique de Bretagne, thanking McKenzie for a preprint of his paper [probably Williams, C A & D McKenzie, "The evolution of the North-East Atlantic", 'Nature', vol 232 (1971), pp168-173] and comparing Pitman's & Talwani's conclusions on the subject, criticises some of the contents of John Sclater's and McKenzie's paper "The evolution of the Indian Ocean since the late Cretaceous" [ibid], 21 June 1971; Mike McElhinny, Department of Geophysics & Geochemistry, ANU, has received Jean Francheteau's PhD thesis which coincidentally has the same title as a paper he is writing, palaeomagnetists being obsessed with wandering poles, apparent problem with the Jurassic palaeomagnetism of southeast Australia, puzzled by McKenzie's theories of rapid pole motions, 24 June 1971; Jim C Dooley, Australian Institute of Physics, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Canberra, Australia, inviting McKenzie to lecture at the Australian Institute of Physics' annual summer school, 16 June 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie declining the offer as he is setting up a group to work on the tectonics of Iran and has also just got married, 24 June 1971; William 'Bill' Kaula, UCLA, offering further computing advice, 25 June 1971; photocopy of a typescript list of participants and research topics attending a 'Strain Conference', [n.d.] [oversize] ;

JULY 1971
Various invitations for McKenzie to attend symposia and write papers, many of which he turns down as he is too busy, or letters concerning the submission of academic papers; also copy letter from McKenzie to Xavier Le Pichon, Centre Océanologique de Bretagne, responding to Le Pichon's criticisms of his paper and clarifying some points, 1 July 1971; Edward 'Ted' Irving, Canadian Sub-committee for Geodynamics, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa, Canada, asks for McKenzie's opinion on six proposed topics and speakers for the forthcoming symposium 'Mechanism on Plate Tectonics' to be held at the 1972 International Geological Congress, 16 June 1971, with copy reply from McKenzie, 15 July 1971; Mike McElhinny, Department of Geophysics & Geochemistry, ANU, complimenting McKenzie on his paper on polar wandering presented at the Birch Symposium which he wishes to cite in his latest book, has realised that you can have rapid polar motion without sea-floor spreading but India must have moved due to spreading from one of the Indian Ocean ridges, McElhinny's current work on induction and conduction, 16 July 1971, with brief copy reply from McKenzie, 23 July 1971; Ken Livesley, University Engineering Department, Cambridge, England, trying to organise a finite-element program and seeking feedback, [n.d.]; copy letter from McKenzie to Dr Hiroo Kanamori, Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Japan, surprised that Kanamori's paper on the Tonankai and Nankaido shocks agree with his and Sclater's findings on slip vectors and the pole for the North Pacific, 27 July 1971.
Administrative HistoryThere are no letters from August to December 1971, probably in part due to McKenzie's marriage and honeymoon.
Access ConditionsAccess is by appointment only. Please contact the Archivist for further information.
LanguageEnglish and French
Related MaterialFor other correspondence from this period see McKenzie's working files in section LDGSL/1107/B/2.
ArchNoteDescription by Caroline Lam
CreatorNameMCKENZIE | Dan Peter | 1942- | geophysicist
ALLEN | Clarence | 1925- | geophysicist
BOLT | Bruce A | 1930-2005 | seismologist
BRIDEN | James Christopher | 1938- | geophysicist
DAVIES | David | 1939- | geophysicist
DRAKE | Charles L | 1924-1997 | geologist
FRANCHETEAU | Jean | 1943-2010 | marine geologist and geophysicist
FUKAO | Yoshio | 1943- | geophysicist
FUNNELL | Brian Michael | 1933-2000 | geologist
GAUR | Vinod K | 1936- | geophysicist
GEE | David Godfrey | 1937- | geophysicist
HARLAND | Walter Brian | 1917-2003 | geologist
IRVING | Edward | 1927-2014 | geologist and palaeomagnetist
KANAMORI | Hiroo | 1936- | geophysicist and seismologist
KAULA | William Mason | 1926-2000 | geophysicist and geodesist
KNOPOFF | Leon | 1925-2011 | geophysicist, physicist and musicologist
LAL | Devendra | 1929-2012 | nuclear geophysicist
LE PICHON | Xavier | 1937- | geophysicist
MCELHINNY | Michael William | 1933- | geophysicist
PARKER | Robert Ladislav | 1942- | geophysicist and mathematician
PITMAN | Walter Clarkson | 1931- | geophysicist
ROBERTS | David Gwyn | 1943-2013 | oceanographer and geoscientist
ROBERTSON | Eugene Corley | 1915-2005 | geologist
SCLATER | John George | 1940- | marine geologist and geophysicist
RITSEMA | Anne Reinier | 1923-2003 | geophysicist and seismologist
TAKIN | Manouchehr | fl 1967- | geologist
TALWANI | Manik | 1933- | geophysicist
UYEDA | Seiya | 1929- | seismologist
WALCOTT | Richard Irving | 1933- | geologist
WYSS | Max | 1939- | seismologist and geophysicist
Persons
CodePersonNameDates
DS/UK/1192MCKENZIE; Dan Peter (1942-); geophysicist1942-
DS/UK/1301LAL; Devendra (1929-2012); nuclear geophysicist1929-2012
DS/UK/1221PARKER; Robert Ladislav (1942-); geophysicist and mathematician1942-
DS/UK/1302FUKAO; Yoshio (1943-); geophysicist1943-
DS/UK/1211SCLATER; John George (1940-); marine geologist and geophysicist1940-
DS/UK/1263ROBERTSON; Eugene Corley (1915-2005); geologist1915-2005
DS/UK/1264DAVIES; David (1939-); geophysicist1939-
DS/UK/1303HARLAND; Walter Brian (1917-2003); geologist1917-2003
DS/UK/1304GAUR; Vinod K (1936-); geophysicist1936-
DS/UK/1198KAULA; William Mason (1926-2000); geophysicist and geodesist1926-2000
DS/UK/1306DRAKE; Charles L (1924-1997); geologist1924-1997
DS/UK/1272UYEDA; Seiya (1929-); seismologist1929-
DS/UK/1307FUNNELL; Brian Michael (1933-2000); geologist1933-2000
DS/UK/1222KNOPOFF; Leon (1925-2011); geophysicist, physicist and musicologist1925-2011
DS/UK/1228WYSS; Max (1939-); seismologist and geophysicist1939-
DS/UK/1308BRIDEN; James Christopher (1938-); geophysicist1938-
DS/UK/1299FRANCHETEAU; Jean (1943-2010); marine geologist and geophysicist1943-2010
DS/UK/1298TALWANI; Manik (1933-); geophysicist1933-
DS/UK/1280ROBERTS; David Gwyn (1943-2013); oceanographer and geoscientist1943-2013
DS/UK/1309RITSEMA; Anne Reinier (1923-2003); geophysicist and seismologist1923-2003
DS/UK/1256MCELHINNY; Michael William (1933-); geophysicist1933-
DS/UK/1245LE PICHON; Xavier (1937-); geophysicist1937-
DS/UK/1236ALLEN; Clarence (1925-); geophysicist1925-
DS/UK/1243PITMAN; Walter Clarkson (1931-); geophysicist1931-
DS/UK/1240BOLT; Bruce A (1930-2005); seismologist1930-2005
DS/UK/1166IRVING; Edward (1927-2014); geologist and palaeomagnetist1927-2014
DS/UK/1310GEE; David Godfrey (1937-); geophysicist1937-
DS/UK/1311WALCOTT; Richard Irving (1933-); geologist1933-
DS/UK/1312KANAMORI; Hiroo (1936-); geophysicist and seismologist1936-
DS/UK/1654TAKIN; Manouchehr (fl 1967-); geologistfl 1967-
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