Keith Cox
Encyclopedia
Keith Gordon Cox FRS (25 April 1933 – 27 August 1998) was a British
geologist
and academic at the University of Oxford
. He had a particular interest in flood basalt
s and was regarded as one of the leading experts in this area.
, England
, where his father was a university lecturer in chemistry. After wartime evacuation
to Canada
, Cox attended King Edward's School, Birmingham
and Leeds Grammar School
. He completed national service in the Royal Engineers
between 1950 and 1952. He then took a scholarship to The Queen's College, Oxford
where he obtained a first-class degree in geology in 1956, but lost an eye in an accident in the Lake District
whilst on a field trip in 1955. After Oxford, Cox carried out further research at the University of Leeds
before being appointed lecturer in petrology
at Edinburgh University. In 1972 he became a university lecturer in geology at Oxford, being appointed a fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
in 1973. He was appointed a university Reader
in 1988, the same year that he became a Fellow of the Royal Society
. He drowned in a sailing accident at Erraid
off the Isle of Mull
in the Hebrides
on 27 August 1998.
. This led to him developing a particular interest in flood basalt
s, upon which he became a world expert on the topic in due course. He encountered these rocks during his African work in the Karoo
region and, whilst at Edinburgh, also in the Deccan
area of India and in southern Arabia. Research at Oxford also included flood basalts in the Parana
region of South America, the Hebrides and Antarctica. He also studied kimberlite
s.
He edited the Journal of Petrology (1971–83) and Earth and Planetary Science Letters (1981–85). He also wrote two textbooks: An Introduction to the Practical Study of Crystals, Minerals and Rocks (1967) (with B. N. Price and B. Harte) and The Interpretation of Igneous Rocks (1979) (with J. D. Bell and R. J. Pankhurst).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and academic at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He had a particular interest in flood basalt
Flood basalt
A flood basalt or trap basalt is the result of a giant volcanic eruption or series of eruptions that coats large stretches of land or the ocean floor with basalt lava. Flood basalts have occurred on continental scales in prehistory, creating great plateaus and mountain ranges...
s and was regarded as one of the leading experts in this area.
Life and career
Cox was born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where his father was a university lecturer in chemistry. After wartime evacuation
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Cox attended King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
and Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School was an independent school in Leeds established in 1552. In August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physically united in September 2008....
. He completed national service in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
between 1950 and 1952. He then took a scholarship to The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
where he obtained a first-class degree in geology in 1956, but lost an eye in an accident in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
whilst on a field trip in 1955. After Oxford, Cox carried out further research at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
before being appointed lecturer in petrology
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
at Edinburgh University. In 1972 he became a university lecturer in geology at Oxford, being appointed a fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
in 1973. He was appointed a university Reader
Reader (academic rank)
The title of Reader in the United Kingdom and some universities in the Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand denotes an appointment for a senior academic with a distinguished international reputation in research or scholarship...
in 1988, the same year that he became a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. He drowned in a sailing accident at Erraid
Erraid
The Isle of Erraid is a tidal island approximately one mile square in area located in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It lies west of Mull and southeast of Iona. The island receives about of rain and 1,350 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the driest and sunniest places on the western...
off the Isle of Mull
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
in the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
on 27 August 1998.
Work
Cox's doctoral and post-doctoral research at Leeds was on the Masukwe Complex in the Nuanetsi region of what was then called Southern RhodesiaSouthern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
. This led to him developing a particular interest in flood basalt
Flood basalt
A flood basalt or trap basalt is the result of a giant volcanic eruption or series of eruptions that coats large stretches of land or the ocean floor with basalt lava. Flood basalts have occurred on continental scales in prehistory, creating great plateaus and mountain ranges...
s, upon which he became a world expert on the topic in due course. He encountered these rocks during his African work in the Karoo
Karoo-Ferrar
Karoo and Ferrar denote a major geologic province consisting of flood basalt, which mostly covers South Africa and Antarctica, although portions extend further into southern Africa and into South America, India, Australia and New Zealand...
region and, whilst at Edinburgh, also in the Deccan
Deccan Traps
The Deccan Traps are a large igneous province located on the Deccan Plateau of west-central India and one of the largest volcanic features on Earth. They consist of multiple layers of solidified flood basalt that together are more than thick and cover an area of and a volume of...
area of India and in southern Arabia. Research at Oxford also included flood basalts in the Parana
Paraná and Etendeka traps
The Paraná-Etendeka traps comprise a large igneous province which includes both the main Paraná traps as well as the smaller severed portions of the flood basalts at the Etendeka traps in Namibia and Angola. The original basalt flows occurred 128 to 138 million years ago...
region of South America, the Hebrides and Antarctica. He also studied kimberlite
Kimberlite
Kimberlite is a type of potassic volcanic rock best known for sometimes containing diamonds. It is named after the town of Kimberley in South Africa, where the discovery of an diamond in 1871 spawned a diamond rush, eventually creating the Big Hole....
s.
He edited the Journal of Petrology (1971–83) and Earth and Planetary Science Letters (1981–85). He also wrote two textbooks: An Introduction to the Practical Study of Crystals, Minerals and Rocks (1967) (with B. N. Price and B. Harte) and The Interpretation of Igneous Rocks (1979) (with J. D. Bell and R. J. Pankhurst).