The peaks in the polarized Raman spectra of pyrochlore Pb2SC0.5Ta1.5O6
.5 crystals are specified and analyzed on the basis of two small clust
ers which account for the crystal symmetry and the atomic local enviro
nment. The predominant type of atom arrangements in the crystal lattic
e is discussed using calculated spectra of clusters with different dis
tributions of Sc cations. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.