Obituary Notice

Richard 8t John Lambert 1928-1992

R. S. Lambert died in Edmonton, Canada in December1992. After graduating in Natural Sciences and takinga PhD at Cambridge University , he followed a career asa university teacher at Oxford University and as Chair­man of the Department of Geology at the University ofEdmonton. He made an immense contribution to theunderstanding of the metamorphic rocks of the ScottishHighlands. He demonstrated that Lewisian rocks in theMoine schists are tectonically emplaced above the baseof the structural sequence, and proved that changes inthe composition of white mica play a crucial role inthe sequence of minerals in the low grade. zones .ofBarrovian metamorphism. In collaborat ion withmembers of the Age and Isotope Research Group atOxford, he linked isotopic studies with carefullydocumented models of metamorphic evolution, toproduce a better understanding of both age-dating andmetamorphic processes. In all these fields , subsequent

research has confirmed his general conclusions,although structural and thermal models have beenrefined .

In the late 1960s, he argued against the rigid appli­cation of met amorphic facies that was fashionable,emphasizing instead that metamorphic processesinvolve continuous changes of temperature and defor­mation. Recent advances in analytical techniques areshowing how far-sighted he was. He continued to pursuehis wide interests in geology after he moved to Canadain 1970 for example by publications about the allo­chthonous terranes of the Western Cordillera ofCanada and the Archaean of China. Many Geologists'Association members have gained from his teaching ofextra-mural evening classes during his years at Oxford ,an unusual and very valuable application of his wideknowledge of the physical and chemical aspects ofgeology .

ROGER MAsON