About

Richard D. Law is a Professor of Geology at Virginia Tech, with a primary research focus in structural geology and tectonics. His work investigates the cause and effect relationships between deformation processes operating on different scales, integrating data from the crystal lattice and mineral grains to mountain belt scales. His research areas include the Himalaya of Pakistan, NW India, Nepal, and southern Tibet; the Caledonides of northern Scotland; the Armorican Massif of Brittany; the Orocopia Mountains of California; the White-Inyo Mountains of California; and the Brooks Range of Alaska. Law's studies encompass deformation mechanisms in geological materials, deformation thermometry, quartz crystallographic preferred orientation patterns, and the relationships between strain and geological structures. His regional studies have contributed to understanding the tectonic and thermal evolution of various mountain ranges and geological formations, including the Greater Himalayan slab, Himalaya exhumation processes, and structural evolution of the Armorican massif. He has authored and edited numerous publications, including books and special journal issues, and has been involved in multidisciplinary projects related to orogenic processes and continental collision zones.

Research topics

• Geochemistry
• Seismology
• Geology
• Geotechnical engineering
• Petrology
• Geomorphology
• Mineralogy
• Metallurgy
• Paleontology
• Materials science

Selected publications

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S6a – part 1. Wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy maps of Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, and Y for garnet grains for sample SB-23-03

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S22. High-contrast backscatter electron images of monazite grains and laser ablation split-stream spot ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for sample SB-24-09

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Geological Society London Special Publications · 2026-05-18

  article

  The Northern Highlands terrane (NHT), Scotland preserves a complex Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic tectono-metamorphic evolution. Work over the past three decades has helped constrain the timing and conditions of metamorphism in the northern NHT, yet parts of the southern NHT remain less well-constrained. New petrochronologic analyses (accessory phase geochronology, Mnz-Xtm and Grt-Bt thermometry, microstructural analysis) of the high-grade Sgurr Beag Thrust sheet in the southern NHT provide significant constraints on the thermal and deformational history. Monazite inclusions in garnet cores and inner rims yield two age populations; a ∼750-720 Ma population correlated with the Knoydartian (840-720 Ma) orogeny and a ∼680-600 Ma population provisionally linked to a regional hydrothermal event. A third event ranging from ∼465-435 Ma, peaking at ∼450 Ma, is recorded by monazite and xenotime in garnet inner rims and the matrix. Paragenetic fabric relationships between garnet, monazite, and xenotime indicate at least two distinct phases of post-450 Ma garnet growth and associated Mnz-Xtm and Grt-Bt thermometry yields 640-680°C conditions. These data suggest a continuous and prolonged high temperature orogenic event that contrasts with traditional interpretations of distinct Grampian and Scandian events or simple Scandian re-working of older Grampian and/or Knoydartian metamorphic assemblages.

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S9. High-contrast backscatter electron images of monazite grains and laser ablation split-stream spot ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for sample SB-23-05

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S12. High-contrast backscatter electron images of monazite grains and laser ablation split-stream spot ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for sample SB-24-05

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S8. (a) High-contrast backscatter electron images of monazite grains and laser ablation split-stream (LASS) spot ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for sample SB-23-04. (b) Wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy maps of Y and Th with LASS beam spots and derived ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for selected monazite grains for sample SB-23-04

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S3. High contrast backscatter electron images of monazite grains and laser ablation split-stream spot ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for sample SB-23-03

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S4. High contrast backscatter electron images of monazite grains and laser ablation split-stream spot ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for sample SB-23-03

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S16. High-contrast backscatter electron images of monazite grains and laser ablation split-stream spot ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for sample MT-23-06

  PublisherDOI

• Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry

  Figshare · 2026-05-13

  articleOpen access

  Fig. S2. Wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy maps of Y and Th with laser ablation split-stream spot beam spots and derived ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb ages for selected monazite grains for sample SB-23-01

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Analysis of Magma Flow and Wall-Rock Deformation in Plutons Exposed at Different Structural Levels in the White-Inyo Range: Implications for Emplacement Mechanisms of Granitic..

  NSF · $150k · 1995–1999

• The Papoose Flat Pluton: A Microstructural and Petrofabric-Based Analysis of Deformation Processes Associated with the Forceful Intrusion of a Granitic Pluton

  NSF · $86k · 1991–1994

• Kinematic Evolution and Exhumation History of the South Tibetan Detachment System, Everest Massif, Tibet

  NSF · $267k · 2002–2007

• Internal Flow, Extrusion and Exhumation History of the Greater Himalayan Slab

  NSF · $340k · 2007–2012

• Collaborative Research: Deformation Thermometry and Water Weakening of Quartz Tectonites - Case Studies from the Himalaya and the Caledonides of NW Scotland

  NSF · $184k · 2012–2017

Frequent coauthors

• J. Ryan Thigpen

  33 shared

• Kyle T. Ashley

  University of Pittsburgh

  29 shared

• M. P. Searle

  University of Exeter

  28 shared

• A. K. Kronenberg

  Texas A&M University

  25 shared

• Calvin A. Mako

  Virginia Tech

  23 shared

• Micah J. Jessup

  19 shared

• John M. Cottle

  18 shared

• Patrick Cordier

  Unité Matériaux et Transformations

  18 shared

Labs

• Department of Geosciences, Virginia TechPI

Education

• PhD, Geology

  University of London - Chelsea College

  1981

• M.Sc., Geology

  Imperial College London

  1977

• B.Sc., Geology

  Kingston University

  1975

Awards & honors

• John Ramsay Medal of Geological Society of London's Tectonic…