Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T06:53:59.507Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Potassium–Argon Age Studies in Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

J. A. Miller
Affiliation:
Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, University of Cambridge.
P. E. Brown
Affiliation:
Dept. of Geology, University of Sheffield.

Abstract

New potassium-argon age determinations are presented for rocks ranging in age from Lewisian to Tertiary. A late-Caledonian metamorphic event at about 422 million years is very important in the Highlands and the relationship of this to previous metamorphisms is discussed. Newer Granite emplacement took place about 400 million years ago and the Moine thrust movement also took place at about this date. Lower Carboniferous basalts yield, by whole rock methods, ages compatible with the time scales of Kulp (1960) and Holmes (1959). Volcanic activity in Mull is confirmed as Palaeocene or Eocene in age.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1965

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anderson, J. G. C., 1960. The Wenlock Strate of South Mayo. Geol. Mag., 97, 265–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailey, E. B., and McCallien, W. J., 1934. Pre-Cambrian Association. B. Second excursion, Scotland. Geol. Mag., 71, 548–57.Google Scholar
Bailey, E. B., and Maufe, H. B., 1960. The Geology of Ben Nevis and Glencoe. Mem. geol. Surv. U.K.Google Scholar
Barrow, G., 1893. On an intrusion of muscovite-biotite gneiss in the S.E. Highlands of Scotland and its accompanying metamorphism. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 49, 330–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dearnley, R., 1962. An outline of the Lewisian complex of the Outer Hebrides in relation to that of the Scottish mainland. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 118, 143–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dewey, J. F., 1961. A note concerning the age of the Metamorphism of the Dalradian Rocks of Western Ireland. Geol. Mag., 98, 399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dewey, J. F., 1962. The Lower Palaeozoic stratigraphy of central Murrisk, Co. Mayo, and the evolution of the south Mayo trough. Proc. geol. Soc. Lond. No. 1599.Google Scholar
Dodson, M. H., Miller, J. A., and York, D., 1961. Potassium-argon ages of the Dartmoor and Shap granites, using the total volume and isotope dilution techniques of argon measurement. Nature, 190, 800.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Downie, C., 1962. In Proc. geol. Soc. Lond. No. 1600.Google Scholar
George, T. N., 1960. The stratigraphical evolution of the Midland Valley. Trans. geol. Soc. Glasgow, 24, 32107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giletti, B. J., Moorbath, S., and Lambert, R. St. J.., 1961. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 117, 233–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartley, J. J., 1933. The geology of north-eastern Tyrone and the adjoining portions of Londonderry. Proc. Roy. Irish Acad., 41B, 218–75.Google Scholar
Holmes, A., 1959. A revised geological time-scale. Trans. Edin. geol. Soc., 17, 183216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, W. Q., 1948. On the significance of thermal structure in the Scottish Highlands. Geol. Mag., 85, 229–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, W. Q., 1949. Zones of progressive regional metamorphism in the Moine schists of the Western Highlands of Scotland. Geol. Mag., 86, 4356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, W. Q., 1955. The tectonics of the Morar anticline and the problem of the north-west Caledonian front. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 110, 357–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, W. Q., 1958. The tectonic evolution of the Midland Valley of Scotland. Trans. geol. Soc. Glasgow, 23, 106–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kulp, J. L., 1960. The geological time-scale. Internat. Geol. Cong. 21st Sess., Pt. III, 1827.Google Scholar
MacGregor, A. G., 1952. Metamorphism in the Moine nappe of northern Scotland. Trans. Edin. geol. Soc., 15, 241–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacGregor, M., and MacGregor, A. G., 1948. The Midland Valley of Scotland. British Regional Geology, 2nd edit.Google Scholar
McIntyre, D. B., 1954. The Moine Thrust—its discovery, age and tectonic significance. Proc. geol. Ass., 65, 203–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKerrow, W. S., and Campbell, C. J., 1960. The stratigraphy and structure of the Lower Palaeozoic rocks of north-west Galway. Sci. Proc. Roy. Dublin Soc., Ser. A., 1, 2751.Google Scholar
Miller, J. A., 1961. Age of metamorphism of Moine schists. Geol. Mag. 98, 8586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, J. A., Barber, A. J., and Kempton, W. H., 1963. A potassium-argon age determination from a Lewisian inlier. Nature, 197, 1095–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, J. A., and Brown, P. E., 1963. An absolute age determination in the Mourne Mountains granite. Geol. Mag., 100, 93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, J. A., and Mussett, A. E., 1963. Dating Basic Rocks—The Whin Sill. Geophysical Journal, 7, 547–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phemister, J., 1960. The Northern Highlands. British Regional Geology, 3rd edit.Google Scholar
Pitcher, W. S., 1953. The migmatitic older granodiorite of Thorr district, Co. Donegal. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 108, 413–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pringle, J., 1939. The discovery of Cambrian trilobites in the Highland Border rocks near Callander, Perthshire. Rep. Brit. Ass., 252.Google Scholar
Rast, N., 1958 a. The tectonics of the Schichallion complex. Quart J. geol. Soc. Lond., 114, 2546.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rast, N., 1958 b. The metamorphic history of the Schichallion complex. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., 63, 414–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rast, N., 1962. In Symposium: Depth and tectonics as factors in regional metamorphism. Proc. geol. Soc. Lond., No., 1594.Google Scholar
Read, H. H., 1931. The geology of central Sutherland. Mem. geol. Surv. U.K.Google Scholar
Read, H. H., 1961. Aspects of Caledonian magmatism in Britain. Liver. and Manch. Geol. Journ., 2, 653–83.Google Scholar
Read, H. H., and Farquhar, O. C., 1956. The Buchan anticline of the Banff nappe of Dalradian rocks in N.E. Scotland, Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond. 112, 131–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Read, H. H., and MacGregor, A. G., 1948. The Grampian Highlands. British Regional Geology, 2nd edit.Google Scholar
Richey, J. E., MacGregor, A. G., and Anderson, F. W., 1961. The Tertiary Volcanic Districts. British Regional Geology, 3rd edit.Google Scholar
Sabine, P. A., 1953. The petrography and geological significance of the post-Cambrian minor intrusions of Assynt and adjoining districts of North West Scotland. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 109, 137–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shackleton, R. M., 1957. Downward-facing structures of the Highland Border. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 113, 361–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, J. B., 1951. The age of Tertiary vulcanicity in Scotland. Brit. Ass., Edinburgh meeting programme, 63.Google Scholar
Soper, N. J., 1963. The structure of the Rogart igneous complex, Sutherland. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 119, 445–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sturt, B. A., 1960. The geological structure of the area south of Loch Tummel. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 117, 131–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sturt, B. A., 1961. The metamorphic history of the Loch Tummel area. Liver. and Manch. Geol. Journ., 2, 689711.Google Scholar
Sutton, J., 1961. The Moine Series of Scotland, Pt. I Sci. Prog., 49, 715–24.Google Scholar
Sutton, J., 1962 a. The Moine Series of Scotland, Pt II. Sci. Prog., 50, 7686.Google Scholar
Sutton, J., 1962 b. In Symposium: Depth and tectonics as factors in regional metamorphism. Proc. Geol. Soc. Lond. No. 1594.Google Scholar
Sutton, J., and Watson, J.., 1951. The pre-Torridonian metamorphic history of the Loch Torridon and Scourie areas in the North West Highlands and its bearing on the chronological classification of the Lewisian. Quart. J. geol. Soc. Lond., 106, 241307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutton, J., and Watson, J., 1962. An interpretation of Moine-Lewisian relations in Central Ross-shire. Geol. Mag., 99, 527–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar