Memorial to Alfred T. Anderson

Previous articleNext article FreeEditorial StatementMemorial to Alfred T. AndersonEditor: David B. RowleyEditor: David B. RowleyThe Journal of Geology Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreMemorialAlfred Anderson, professor of geology at the University of Chicago from 1968, passed away on January 15, 2020. I met Fred in October 1982 when I first arrived as a postdoc working with Fred Ziegler. I began my postdoc before I had completed the final version of my dissertation. One of the components that I needed to complete was the photographing of thin sections. Fred Anderson very generously gave me access to his microscope—as he recalled in his acceptance speech of the Bowen Award in 2001—this was his startup package of $6.5K when he joined the faculty in 1968. It is a lovely microscope with an attached camera, and he also provided the film that I used to complete my dissertation. This simple, generous act completely typified Fred. He was a quiet, generous, self-effacing person who contributed broadly across volcanology and petrology to graduate, undergraduate, and continuing education students, to the Department of the Geophysical Sciences, and to the college. Fred was initially coeditor with Bob Newton, but he later served as editor in chief of the Journal of Geology from 1984 to 2008. This is no small task, and Fred worked tirelessly and guided the journal with a steady hand for those 24 years.Fred mentored many students and postdocs, including in no particular order Guil Gualda, Dork Sahagian, Christine Skirius, Fanqiong Lu, Brett Peppard, Joe Dufek, Paul Wallace, and Stan Williams, among many others. They have gone on to successful careers, which I am sure are due in no small measure to Fred’s generous mentoring and continued support.Fred was a gentle giant whose acute observations, whether of hourglass bubbles in volcanic glasses or of volatile budgets in magmas, led to deep insights into volcanic eruptions and emplacement of granites. Fred received the Norman L. Bowen Award, the top award in volcanology in the world, from the American Geophysical Union in 2001. Everyone should read the citation and Fred’s acceptance comments because they beautifully convey the person who Fred was. Here, I would like to briefly quote from Charles Bacon’s extraordinary citation of Fred for this award. To preface the first part of this quote, Charlie is relating an experience during a long bus ride sitting on uncomfortable seats associated with a field trip: “Fred’s visionary thinking and broad insight and his free sharing of his ideas with others came out in those conversations. My experience with this generous man has been typical. A friend wrote, ‘His brilliance is accompanied by the complete lack of ego building nonsense. He involves everyone with his thoughts and hides nothing.’ Those of us privileged to receive a detailed letter from Fred on some aspect of igneous rocks all others have overlooked, but that leads to exciting new research directions, will attest to the accuracy of that statement.” Charlie’s citation goes on to say, “In summing up, I will paraphrase some words by a mutual friend. Fred Anderson’s low-key demeanor belies his exceptional scientific acuity and creativity. His published work is characterized by extraordinary originality and insight.” I could not agree more. Charlie perfectly captures Fred’s modus operandi: speak softly, care deeply, always lend a hand, and be generous to one and all. Fred had a significant impact on many people, including myself, and I am extremely lucky to have had Fred as a colleague and a friend. As true for all of us, I miss his unassuming and calming presence in my life. We are each here for but a brief time, and we should all aspire to live life with the grace, humility, and abundant generosity that Fred Anderson so perfectly exemplified.Guilherme Gualda, Ayla Pamukcu, and Paul WallaceDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt UniversityGeological Sciences Department, Stanford UniversityDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of OregonAlfred (Fred) T. Anderson Jr. (1937–2020)It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Alfred (Fred) T. Anderson Jr. on January 15, 2020.Fred was one of the most influential petrologists of his generation. He was incredibly creative, and his work was always characterized by impressive attention to detail. He pioneered a multitude of methods to study minerals and glass in volcanic rocks that led to characterization of volcanic materials in unparalleled detail. His refreshingly open mind to new and controversial ideas allowed him to pursue truly innovative and transformative science over several decades.The objects of Fred’s studies were volcanoes and their eruptive deposits. Primarily, Fred studied volcanic rocks to try to decipher the conditions and pathways of magma evolution. Most of his work focused on preeruptive conditions and differentiation of magma. But he also generated important data and ideas on the record of eruptive decompression and evolution of magmas on the surface after eruption. Starting with Fe-Ti oxides in anorthosites from Quebec for his PhD, Fred’s landmark work encompassed high-silica rhyolites to picrites, sampled in diverse places such as California, Hawaii, New Zealand, Guatemala, Japan, and even the Moon. There were no bounds to Fred’s curiosity!Fred was unafraid to use the most unconventional methods to accomplish the required tasks. He pioneered the use of a baseball bat to lightly crush pumice, he taught many of us to wrap pumice clasts in Silly Putty to measure their density, he used paper clips to rotate doubly polished crystals bearing melt inclusions so the wafer thickness could be measured optically, and he separated glass from crystals by “winnowing” with water. Many of us tried to come up with better and more sophisticated methods to accomplish these tasks only to find that Fred’s method gave the best results.At the same time, Fred insisted on finding the right tool for each task. He did some of the first measurements of mineral and glass compositions using the electron and ion microprobes; he pioneered the use of Nomarski interference contrast microscopy to reveal zoning in minerals; he was part of very early efforts to use oxygen isotopes for geothermometry; he performed some of the first measurements of H2O and CO2 in glass inclusions via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; and he was involved in some early work using X-ray computed tomography of pumice. He was a very early adopter of many novel analytical techniques.His keen ability to combine creative thinking with new and detailed measurements at the microscale positioned Fred particularly well to make many conceptual advances in our understanding of magmas and their eruptions. He characterized magma differentiation by fractional crystallization, exploring the role of magma mixing in magmatic systems and the role of volatiles in the evolution of magmas; importantly, he opened new doors to our understanding in coming up with new ways to study magmas. At the same time, he never insisted that his conclusions were right; in fact, he often thought they were likely wrong and was always open to considering alternative interpretations.Perhaps most importantly, Fred touched many lives. He loved spending time with his family and enjoyed his roles as a husband, a brother, a father, and especially as a grandfather. He was director of undergraduate studies in geophysical sciences and the resident master of one of the undergraduate dorms at the University of Chicago for many years. He was an incredibly dedicated advisor, who always put those he advised and their interests ahead of his own. Fred was humble to a fault and taught everyone around him to try to give credit where credit was due. Nothing could be called “clear” or “obvious” because someone would inevitably find it unclear or far from obvious.Fred’s humble nature and the fact that he always emphasized accomplishments of his students, postdocs, and colleagues over his own caused his brilliance to often fly under the radar. Nonetheless, Fred was a recipient of the 2001 Bowen Award from the American Geophysical Union.Fred received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and his PhD from Princeton University, working under the supervision of Robert Hargraves for the latter. After short stints at the University of Chicago as a postdoc, working with Bob Clayton and with the United States Geological Survey, Fred joined the faculty at the University of Chicago, where he stayed for the rest of his career until retiring in 2005.Fred’s unusual and caring style, his creativity and passion for science, and his quirky humor will be sorely missed. His indelible mark on science will not be forgotten. He never wanted the praise or the accolades. He would probably prefer that we stay diligent and try to be creative in the pursuit of science while challenging our own biases. We lost a huge mentor, and this is a moment to remember and refocus on his teachings.Other ResourcesThe University of Chicago News release:https://news.uchicago.edu/story/alfred-t-anderson-scientist-who-studied-rocks-recreate-volcanic-eruptions-1937-2020.Citation (by Charlie Bacon) and Fred’s response at the occasion of his acceptance of the 2001 Bowen Award:https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2002EO000064.Publications of Alfred (Fred) T. Anderson JrAnderson, A. T. 1966. Mineralogy of Labrieville anorthosite, Quebec. Am. Mineral. 51(11–12):1671–1711.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1967. The dimensions of oxygen isotopic equilibrium attainment during prograde metamorphism. J. Geol. 75(3):323–332.LinkGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1968. Oxidation of the Lablache Lake titaniferous magnetite deposit Quebec. J. Geol. 76(5):528–547.LinkGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1968. The oxygen fugacity of alkaline basalt and related magmas, Tristan da Cunha. Am. J. Sci. 266(8):704–727.CrossrefGoogle ScholarDesborough, G. A.; Anderson, A. T.; and Wright, T. L. 1968. Mineralogy of sulfides from certain Hawaiian basalts. Econ. Geol. 63(6):636–644.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1969. Massif-type anorthosite: a widespread Pre-Cambrian igneous rock. In Isachsen, Y. W., ed. Origin of anorthosite and related rocks. N. Y. State Mus. Sci. Serv. Mem. 18:47–55.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T., and Greenland, L. P. 1969. Phosphorus fractionation diagram as a quantitative indicator of crystallization differentiation of basaltic liquids. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 33(4):493–505.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T., and Morin, M. 1969. Two types of massif anorthosite and their implications regarding the thermal history of the crust. In Isachsen, Y. W., ed. Origin of anorthosite and related rocks. N. Y. State Mus. Sci. Serv. Mem. 18:57–69.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T.; Bunch, T. E.; Cameron, E. N.; Haggerty, S. E.; Boyd, F. R.; Finger, L. W.; James, O. B.; et al. 1970. Armalocolite: a new mineral from the Apollo 11 samples. In Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference (Houston, 1970), Proc., 1:55–63.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T.; Crewe, A. V.; Goldsmith, J. R.; Moore, P. B.; Newton, J. C.; Olsen, E. J.; Smith, J. V.; and Wyllie, P. J. 1970. Petrologic history of moon suggested by petrography, mineralogy, and crystallography. Science 167:587–590.CrossrefGoogle ScholarChao, E. C. T.; Minkin, J. A.; Frondel, C.; Klein, C.; Drake, J. C.; Fuchs, L.; Tani, B.; et al. 1970. Pyroxferroite: a new calcium-bearing iron silicate from Tranquility Base. In Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference (Houston, 1970), Proc., 1:65–79.Google ScholarSmith, J. V.; Anderson, A. T.; Newton, R. C.; Olsen, E. J.; and Wyllie, P. J. 1970. Petrologic history of the moon inferred from petrography, mineralogy, and petrogenesis of Apollo 11 rocks. In Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference (Houston, 1970), Proc., 1:897–925.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1971. Alkali-rich, SiO2-deficient glasses in high-alumina olivine tholeiite Hat Creek Valley, California. Am. J. Sci. 271(3):293–303.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1971. Exotic armalcolite and the origin of Apollo 11 ilmenite basalts. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 35(9):969–973.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T.; Clayton, R. N.; and Mayeda, T. K. 1971. Oxygen isotope thermometry of mafic igneous rocks. J. Geol. 79(6):715–729.LinkGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T., and Gottfried, D. 1971. Contrasting behavior of P, Ti, and Nb in a differentiated high-alumina olivine tholeiite and a calc-alkaline andesitic suite. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 82(7):1929–1942.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T., and Smith, J. V. 1971. Nature, occurrence and exotic origin of “gray mottled” (Luny Rock) basalts in Apollo 12 soils and breccias. In Second Lunar Science Conference (Houston, 1971), Proc., 1:431–438.Google ScholarNewton, R. C.; Anderson, A. T.; and Smith, J. V. 1971. Accumulation of olivine in rock 12040 and other basaltic fragments in the light of analysis and syntheses. In Second Lunar Science Conference (Houston, 1971), Proc., 1:575–582.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T.; Braziunas, T. F.; Jacoby, J.; and Smith, J. V. 1972. Thermal and mechanical history of breccias 14306, 14063, 14270, and 14321. In Third Lunar Science Conference (Houston, 1972), Proc., p. 819–835.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T., and Wright, T. L. 1972. Phenocrysts and glass inclusions and their bearing on oxidation and mixing of basaltic magmas, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. Am. Mineral. 57(1–2):188–216.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1973. The texture and mineralogy of lunar peridotite, 15445,10. J. Geol. 81(2):219–226.LinkGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1974. Chlorine, sulfur, and water in magmas and oceans. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 85(9):1485–1492.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1974. Evidence for a picritic, volatile-rich magma beneath Mt. Shasta, California. J. Petrol. 15(2):243–267.CrossrefGoogle ScholarDesai, P. J., and Anderson, A. T. 1974. Nature and origin of microphenocrysts in a basalt. Bull. Volcanol. 38:65–72.Google ScholarMuehlenbachs, K.; Anderson, A. T.; and Sigvaldason, G. E. 1974. Low-O18 basalts from Iceland. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 38(4):577–588.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1975. Some basaltic and andesitic gases. Rev. Geophys. 13(1):37–55.CrossrefGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1976. Magma mixing: petrological process and volcanological tool. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 1(1):3–33.Google ScholarJanssens, M.-J.; Palme, H.; Hertogen, J.; Anderson, A. T.; and Anders, E. 1978. Meteoritic material in lunar highland samples from the Apollo 11 and 12 sites. In Ninth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Houston, 1978), Proc., p. 1537–1550.Google ScholarRose, W. I.; Anderson, A. T.; Woodruff, L. G.; and Bonis, S. B. 1978. The October 1974 basaltic tephra from Fuego Volcano: description and history of the magma body. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 4(1–2):3–53.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1979. Water in some hypersthenic magmas. J. Geol. 87(5):509–531.LinkGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1980. Credit where credit is due: on reading, writing, and citing. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 8(1):1.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1980. Significance of hornblende in calc-alkaline andesites and basalts. Am. Mineral. 65(9–10):837–851.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1982. Parental basalts in subduction zones: implications for continental evolution. J. Geophys. Res. 87(B8):7047–7060.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T.; Friedman, R.; Otto, J.; Vander Wood, T.; and Wyszynski, J. 1982. The fractional crystallization of plagioclase in the Hat Creek basalt: observations and theory. J. Geol. 90(5):545–558.LinkGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1983. Oscillatory zoning of plagioclase: Nomarski interference contrast microscopy of etched polished sections. Am. Mineral. 68(1–2):125–129.Google ScholarHarris, D. M., and Anderson, A. T. 1983. Concentrations, sources, and losses of H2O, CO2, and S in Kilauean basalt. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 47(6):1139–-1150.CrossrefGoogle ScholarIto, E., and Anderson, A. T. 1983. Submarine metamorphism of gabbros from the Mid-Cayman Rise: petrographic and mineralogic constraints on hydrothermal processes at slow-spreading ridges. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 82(4):371–388.CrossrefGoogle ScholarIto, E.; Harris, D. M.; and Anderson, A. T. 1983. Alteration of oceanic crust and geologic cycling of chlorine and water. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 47(9):1613–1624.CrossrefGoogle ScholarWoodruff, L. G., and Anderson, A. T. 1983. Fracture vesiculation of andesitic magma, Pavlof area, Alaska. J. Geol. 91(3):323–329.LinkGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1984. Igneous Rocks. By Daniel Barker [review] Geol. 92(1):119–120.AbstractGoogle ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1984. Probable relations between plagioclase zoning and magma dynamics, Fuego Volcano, Guatemala. Am. Mineral. 69(7–8):660–676.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T.; Swihart, G. H.; Artioli, G.; and Geiger, C. A. 1984. Segregation vesicles, gas filter-pressing, and igneous differentiation. J. Geol. 92(1):55–72.LinkGoogle ScholarHarris, D. M., and Anderson, A. T. 1984. Volatiles H2O, CO2, and Cl in a subduction related basalt. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 87(2):120–128.CrossrefGoogle ScholarSchwindinger, K. R., and Anderson, A. T. 1987. Probable low-pressure intrusion of gabbro into serpentinized peridotite, northern California. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 98(3):364–372.CrossrefGoogle ScholarSahagian, D. L.; Anderson, A. T.; and Ward, B. 1989. Bubble coalescence in basalt flows: comparison of a numerical-model with natural example. Bull. Volcanol. 52(1):49–56.Google ScholarSchwindinger, K. R., and Anderson, A. T. 1989. Synneusis of Kilauea Iki olivines. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 103(2):187–198.CrossrefGoogle ScholarSkirius, C. M.; Peterson, J. W.; and Anderson, A. T. 1990. Homogenizing rhyolitic glass inclusions from the Bishop Tuff. Am. Mineral. 75(11–12):1381–1398.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1991. Hourglass inclusions: theory and application to the Bishop Rhyolitic Tuff. Am. Mineral. 76(3–4):530–547.Google ScholarLu, F. Q.; Anderson, A. T.; and Davis, A. M. 1992. Melt inclusions and crystal-liquid separation in rhyolitic magma of the Bishop Tuff. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 110(1):113–120.CrossrefGoogle ScholarQin, Z. W.; Lu, F. Q.; and Anderson, A. T. 1992. Diffusive reequilibration of melt and fluid inclusions. Am. Mineral. 77(5–6):565–576.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T., and Brown, G. G. 1993. CO2 contents and formation pressures of some Kilauean melt inclusions. Am. Mineral. 78(7–8):794–803.Google ScholarProusevitch, A. A.; Sahagian, D. L.; and Anderson, A. T. 1993. Dynamics of diffusive bubble-growth in magmas: isothermal case. J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 98(B12):22,283–22,307.Google ScholarJohnson, M. C.; Anderson, A. T.; and Rutherford, M. J. 1994. Pre-eruptive volatile contents of magmas. In Carroll, M. R., and Holloway, J. R., eds. Volatiles in magmas. Rev. Mineral. 30:281–330.Google ScholarSahagian, D. L.; Proussevitch, A. A.; and Anderson, A. T. 1994. Reply to “Comment on ‘Dynamics of diffusive bubble-growth in magmas: isothermal case.’” J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 99(B9):17,829–17,832.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T. 1995. CO2 and the eruptibility of picrite and komatiite. Lithos 34(1–3):19–25.CrossrefGoogle ScholarLu, F. Q.; Anderson, A. T.; and Davis, A. M. 1995. Diffusional gradients at the crystal/melt interface and their effect on the compositions of melt inclusions. J. Geol. 103(5):591–597.LinkGoogle ScholarWallace, P. J.; Anderson, A. T.; and Davis, A. M. 1995. Quantification of pre-eruptive exsolved gas contents in silicic magmas. Nature 377(6550):612–616.CrossrefGoogle ScholarWallace, P. J., and Anderson, A. T. 1998. Effects of eruption and lava drainback on the H2O contents of basaltic magmas at Kilauea Volcano. Bull. Volcanol. 59(5):327–344.Google ScholarWallace, P. J.; Anderson, A. T.; and Davis, A. M. 1999. Gradients in H2O, CO2, and exsolved gas in a large-volume silicic magma system: interpreting the record preserved in melt inclusions from the Bishop Tuff. J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 104(B9):20,097–20,122.Google ScholarAnderson, A. T.; Davis, A. M.; and Lu, F. Q. 2000. Evolution of Bishop Tuff rhyolitic magma based on melt and magnetite inclusions and zoned phenocrysts. J. Petrol. 41(3):449–473.CrossrefGoogle ScholarWallace, P. J.; Dufek, J.; Anderson, A. T.; and Zhang, Y. X. 2003. Cooling rates of Plinian-fall and pyroclastic-flow deposits in the Bishop Tuff: inferences from water speciation in quartz-hosted glass inclusions. Bull. Volcanol. 65(2–3):105–123.Google ScholarGualda, G. A. R.; Cook, D. L.; Chopra, R.; Qin, L. P.; Anderson, A. T.; and Rivers, M. 2004. Fragmentation, nucleation and migration of crystals and bubbles in the Bishop Tuff rhyolitic magma. Trans. R. Soc. Edinb. Earth Sci. 95:375–390.CrossrefGoogle ScholarLiu, Y.; Anderson, A. T.; Wilson, C. J. N.; Davis, A. M.; and Steele, I. M. 2006. Mixing and differentiation in the Oruanui rhyolitic magma, New from volatiles and in melt inclusions. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. ScholarGualda, G. A. R., and Anderson, A. T. and the of bubbles in magmas. of a pre-eruptive in Bishop Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. M. B.; Anderson, A. T.; V. M.; J.; E.; and K. in a into the of mafic J. Petrol. ScholarLiu, Y.; Anderson, A. T.; and Wilson, C. J. N. Melt in and decompression rates of silicic magmas before J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth ScholarGualda, G. A. R.; Pamukcu, A. M. Anderson, A. T.; S. R.; and Rivers, M. L. of crystallization and the of the Bishop giant magma body. A. Gualda, G. A. R.; and Anderson, A. T. of the Bishop Tuff magma in in pumice J. Petrol. Previous articleNext article by The Journal of Geology by The University of no articles this

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