Prof. Henri Ali Basira Kampunzu

Gondwana Research (Gondwana Newsletter Section) I/: 8, No. 2,p p . 289-291. 02005 International Association f o r Gondwana Research, Japan.

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OBITUARY

Prof. Henri Ali Basira Kampunzu Jacques L.H. Cailteux, Franqois R.T. Lubala and Masaru Yoshida Dtpartement Recherche t3 De'veloppement,E.G.M.F., Groinpe Forrest International, Ltibumbashi, D.R. Congo Dipartement de Gtologie, Facultt des Sciences, Universitt de Lubumbashi, D.R. Congo Gondwana Institute for Geology and Environment, Hashimoto, japan

Prof. Henri Ali Basira Kampunzu 1952-2004

The scientific community heard with consternation and deep sadness the sudden demise of Professor Henri Ali Basira Kampunzu on November 29,2004 at the Midrand Park Hospital in Johannesburg (South Africa), as the consequence of a wound after a fall during a field trip in northern Botswana. He was not only an internationally recognized and appreciated scientist in the geological sphere, but also a cheerful person and an esteemed friend for many of his colleagues. His contribution to the development of geosciences in Africa has been very important, and it is an immense loss for the entire scientific community and particularly for African geology. Born on November 27,1952 in Bukavu (Kivu ProvinceL, D.R. Congo), Henri obtained his M.Sc. in Geology in 1976 Gondwana Research, V . 8, No. 2,2005

and his Ph.D. with highest honours in 1981, both from, University of Lubumbashi, D.R.C. From 1976, he became an active member as lecturer at the Geology Department, University of Lubumbashi, was appointed as an Associate Professor at the same University (1981-1982,1983-198S) and at the University of &-Marseille 111, France (1982-1983 and 1986-1988), and as Professor at the University of Lubumbashi (1988-1995) and University of Botswana in Gaborone (from 1995). He also gave courses and seminars at several other universities in Africa and Europe: on the geodynamic evolution of Proterozoic belts in Central and Eastern Africa (Senegal, Togo, Zambia), magmatism and evolution of the East African Rift (Montpellier and Clermont-Ferrand, France), geodynamic evolution of the Ubendian Belt in Eastern Africa (Brussel, Belgium),

geodynamic evolution of the Kibaran Belt in Central/ Eastern Africa (Braunschweig, Germany), etc. His early scientific interest was devoted to the Neoproterozoic anorogenic alkaline complexes exposed along the eastern border of D.R.C. and in Burundi (Central Africa), and to the volcanism related to the western branch of the African Rift Systems occurring in South Kivu, Virunga and Toro-Ankole volcanic provinces in D.R.C., building LIP a comprehensive model showing the spacetime evolution of magmatism in relation to the different stages of continental crust break-up. From 1985 up to 1990, he personally livened up the “Rift Project” on the East African Rift magmatism, organized several international conferences as the leader of the (UNESCO) International Geological Correlation Program IGCP-227 on magmatism in extensional regions, and supervised several doctoral researches on this subject. In 1991, he got his African and international reputation as the coeditor of an important book entitled “Magmatism in Extensional Structural Settings-the Phanerozoic African Plate” published by SpringerVerlag (Heidelberg, Germany). From 1986, Henri was a major actor in international scientificactivities and meetings focussed on Mesoproterozoic mobile belts and Neoproterozoic basins in the Central and Southern African sub-continent and related mineralization (IGCPs 302, 418, 419), co-leader of the IGCP-440 on “Rodinia Assembly and Breakup”, and still active in the more recent IGCP-450 on “Proterozoic Sediment-hosted Base Metal Deposits of Western Gondwana”. Henri showed exceptional skill, dynamism and creativity in initiating and promoting new research programs on the Proterozoic mobile belts in Africa, and particularly on the Central Africa Copperbelt. Seizing the opportunity of meetings or fieldtrips in any country, he had the genius to gather the right specialistsfor the success of a project. He was the author or co-author of over 80 scientific papers, over 40 abstracts in conference proceedings, and co-guest editor of a special issue of the Journal of African Earth Sciences in 1 9 9 4 on Neoproterozoicbelts of Zambia, D.R. Congo. and Namibia. He also showed intense activity in professional services and held important roles in scientific organizations and revues, e.g.: 0 Vice-president of the Geological Society of Africa (1985- 1990) ; 0 Chairman of the UNESCO Consultative Committee for Geology and Economic Development (1985-1993); 0 Secretary General (1992-1995) and President (since 1998) of the ILP (International Lithosphere Programme), International Commission for Earth Sciences in Africa (ICESA); 0 Member of the UNESCO/IUGS IGCP scientific board (1996-2001);

Regional Editor for Africa of the Gondwana Research journal (since 1998); 0 Associate Editor for Africa of the Episodes journal (International Union of the Geological Sciences); 0 Member, then President of the Executive Committee of the Botswana Geoscientists Association (1998-2000); 0 Member of the Editorial Board (since 1999) and Chief Editor (since 2003) of the Journal of African Earth Sciences; During these too short 23 years of professional work, Henri strongly acted to develop geological knowledge in Africa through courses, seminaries, student theses, scientific exchanges, local, regional and international symposia, and research projects. Last but not least, he devoted significant parts of his energy in formulating research projects in reputed universities all over the world and raising funds in order to involve promising young Congolese geologists, with the intimate hope to reinforce progressively the scientific capacity of the development of his origin country His bursting activity, communicative enthusiasm and exceptional vision in academic and research fields forced respect from all persons meeting him, and here below are selected few testimonies from friends and colleagues which can best express Henri‘s appreciated and beloved personality: Svetlana Bogdanova (Institute of Geology, Sweden) ... “we lost a good friend, a good man, and a good scientist completely devoted to African geology ... he will never be forgotten in the World Geological community”. Gregor Borg (University of Halle, Germany) ... “let’s keep his personality alive through his work and inspirations that we have shared!” Roland Buffard (Universitd de Dijon, France) ... “in my mind, as his former Professor at the University of Lubumbashi, I always will retain Henri as a great figure of the young Congolese generation in geology and particularly of the African volcanology”. Ian W. Dalziel (University of Texas at Austin, USA) ... “Henri touched people half a world away, such as myself, with regard to both his personal warmth and his professional abilities.. . my colleagues and I feel that we were very fortunate indeed to have his wise counsel and pleasant companionship as part of both our professional meetings and our social gatherings”. Patrick G. Eriksson (University of Pretoria, South Africa) ... “with the passing of Henri, Africa has lost one of her best sons ... he was a powerhouse and a motivator in African geological circles.. ..” Catherine Lerounge, Jean-Pierre Milesi, Yves Deschamps (BRGM, France) ... “. .. His desk was representative of his style of life and tremendous activity; full of so much books Gondwana Research, V. 8, No. 2, 2005

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and papers up to the ceiling and everything at the right place ...”. Johan Lavreau (Muske Royal de 1’Afrique Centrale, Belgium) ... “for us, Henri was a key man for the knowledge in African geology”. Joseph Kokonyangi, Jacques M. Batumike, M. Bulambo

(University of Lubumbashi, D.R. Congo) ... “we are orphaned by losing our beloved and respected Supervisor but his example will still be alive for ever”. Henri passed away too early. He had still so much to do and to share. He will be a model for generations of geologists in Africa.

Gondwana Research (Gondwana Newsletter Section) I.! 8, No. 2, pp. 291-292. 02005 International Association f o r Gondwana Research, Japan.

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CONFERENCE REPORT

2ndInternational Workshop on Water Dynamics Sujoy Ghosh, Asami Sano, Akira Shimojuku, Takaaki Kawazoe and Konstantin Litasov Institute of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geolopj, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan

The Earth is a unique planet among the other known celestial bodies because it contains significant amount of water. Water is vital and essential constitute for all life on the earth. The distribution of life on the earth is highly dependent on the distribution of water. Accordingly, two-day 2”dInternational Workshop on Water Dynamics was organized at Sendai International Center, Sendai, Japan during November 11-12, 2004 in which about 100 scientists from ten different countries presented their recent findings to explore the cause and effect relationship between water, ecology and life in various environments. This workshop was conducted in five categories. Seven plenary lectures, twelve invited lectures and around eighty posters were presented by different scientists who are actively involved in the water dynamics. The workshop was inaugurated by the address speech of Prof. K. Tohji, General Secretary of this course and subsequently by the speech of Prof Eiji Ohtani, Program Leader, the 2IstCentury COE Program of Earth Science at Tohoku University. In category-A o n Water Properties, H.E. Stanley discussed the thermodynamic properties of water and on the basis of recent experimental results, he suggested that more than one phase of amorphous solid water exists, while simulations suggest one of these phases is metastable with respect to another and on the basis of this he concluded that there are two phases which are stable. I. Ohmine discussed various aspects of water dynamics like intermittent collective motions and Gondwana Rcsenrch, V . 8, No. 2,2005

fluctuation, their experimental observation, the role of fluctuation in the water freezing process and the fluctuation in supercritical water and hydration. In category-Bon Water in the Earth’s Interior, R. Hemley talked about recent discoveries regarding the high pressure and temperature properties of water and its elemental constitute and concluded by using spectroscopic method, x-ray diffraction, x-ray inelastic scattering, and neutron scattering technique, that stable and metastable transitions in solid and fluid H,O, new phases of H, and 0, and mixtures of these materials can be investigated over a broad range of conditions. S.K. Saxena proposed a “super fluid” model for high pressure fluids and concluded on the basis of experimental and computational data that if water and hydrogen are present in the core of the Earth, then it would decrease the temperature and density of the outer core. In category-C on Water and the Origin of Life, J.L. Kirschvink narrated the role of boron and ribose to understand the origin of terrestrial life and suggested the discovery of this borate-dependent ribose synthesis pathway gives a clue that human beings originated from Mars. In category-D on Water and Energy, Water and Material, H. Ishida pointed out environmental problems such as global warming, desertization, depletion of the ozone layer, acid rain, etc., which originate from the global expansion of the economic activities of the industries in the developed countries and increasing population in the