1987. Later, as the climate warmed, glacial meltwaters deposited expansive sand and gravel sheets in the valleys that were reworked by modern rivers into alluvial flood plains. Stone, P. (editor) 1996.Geology in south-west Scotland: an excursion guide. By far the most common rock types in the region are the greywacke, siltstone and shale sequences that were also beginning to be laid down in the mid-Ordovician during the continued subduction of the oceanic plate under Laurentia.Over the millions of years taken for the closure of the Iapetus Ocean, vast quantities of marine sediments, together with the sand, mud and small rock fragments that cascaded in turbidity currents down the steep slopes of Laurentia’s continental shelf onto the ocean bed, were sliced off from the subducting plate and thrust onto the Laurentian plate beneath previously stripped-off slices. Although the Southern Upland Fault (SUF) is widely recognized as a major Caledonoid crustal structure in south Scotland, the derivation of the term ‘SUF’ has never been definitively established. Structures are described from two sequences of Lower Palaeozoic rocks exposed in the Coldingham Bay area. Permian-age (250 million year old) desert deposits occur in basin within the Region around Dumfries and Lochmaben. These deposits were transported by wind and huge river systems to form the Old Red Sandstone deposits which currently overlie the greywackes in some localities of the eastern Scottish Uplands. Work initially started in the Old Red Sandstone on the southern margins of the Highlands but soon extended into the Moray Firth and Grampians area. It was built up by a series of … The first is a succession of basaltic pillow lavas (chemically proven to have erupted at different times from both mid-ocean ridge and island-arc zones), blue-grey cherts and brown mudstone. Structural interpretations of the … The Glacial Geology of the Southern Uplands of Scotland, West of Annandale and Upper Clydesdale - Volume 55 Issue 1 - J. Kaye Charlesworth Skip to main content Accessibility help We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. The area is notable for its glacial deposits, particularly drumlins, and for its coastal landforms, particularly salt marshes, sand flats and mudflats. These sequences are separated by major reverse strike faults. In the south, running in a NE-SW direction under the Solway and border area of Scotland and England, there is the ‘Iapetus Suture’, which marks the zone of closure of the ancient ocean. In the west, rocky shorelines contrast with the wide expanses of sand flat, mudflat and salt marsh in the inner Solway Firth. Currently, there are two recognised formations: the Raven Gill formation and the Kirkton formation. This is the trace of the ancient Iapetus Ocean, which once divided two continents. Adjacent sequences differ in sedimentary characteristics and age, indicating that they were originally deposited far apart. Our new data also allow us to present further constraints on the geodynamic model for this part of the Caledonian orogenic belt. The Southern Uplands consist mainly of Silurian sedimentary deposits deposited in the Iapetus Ocean from 500–400 million years ago. Sedimentology, volcanism, structure metamorphism of the northern margin of a lower Palaeozoic accretionary complex: Bail Hill-Abington area of the Southern Uplands of Scotland, In J. K. Leggett (Ed. ), Trench-Forearc Geology, Special Publication of the Geological … The Southern Uplands are formed from strongly folded sedimentary rocks from the Ordovician and Silurian period, 395-500 million years ago, mainly shales, mudstones, slates and greywackes. The final magmatic activity in the Southern Uplands took place in the Palaeogene between 55 and 60 million years ago. The Scottish Uplands was, therefore, wholly terrestrial and situated in arid conditions that led to the erosion of higher ground and the deposition of red sand and other sediments into transtentionally created basins. The evidence implies that the major structures are the result of the progressive shearing of early folds which formed penecontemporaneously with the deposition of the sediments. The broad, rolling hills are bound to the north by the Southern Uplands Fault, while their southern edge coincides with one of Britain’s major geological divides – the Iapetus Suture. Das Midland Valley, auch Central Lowlands, ist ein geologisch definiertes, niedrig liegendes Gebiet im südlichen Schottland.Es besteht aus einem Grabenbruch zwischen zwei Verwerfungen, der Highland Boundary Fault im Norden und der Southern Uplands Fault im Süden. Raven Gill in the Southern Uplands – the landscape here is underlain by 485 million year old sediments dating from the Ordovician geological period, including shales, and chert from the floor of the lapetus Ocean. Many of the valleys on the south side of the uplands and the area around Stranraer contain large spreads of glaciofluvial deposits. Gazetteer for Scotland. Early in the Jurassic period (201 -145 Ma), much of the Southern Uplands was submerged and marine sediments must have been widespread. Two major junctions within Scotland’s crustal foundations occur within the area and are associated with the closure of the Caledonian Orogeny and the closure of the Iapetus Ocean. It was associated with thermal uplift caused by a proto-Icelandic mantle plume and the consequent opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. © Laurie Campbell. The first is a succession of basaltic pillow lavas … Retrieved 27 December 2009. Chat; Life and style; Entertainment; Debate and current affairs; Study help; University help and courses; Universities and HE colleges; Careers and jobs; Explore all the forums on Forums home page » Animation of closure of the Iapetus Ocean and resulting geological structures. surficial geology of New Jersey includes evidence of sustained cold climates, warm climates, and transitional periods. Im weiteren Verlauf wurden diese Adern noch gefaltet, da der Granitpluton bei der Intrusion das Nebengestein verdrängt und komprimiert hat ("Ballooning"). Stone, P, McMillan, A. Please support our work! Particularly striking examples of glacial streamlining are represented along the margins of the Tweed valley. After the Roman victory, Roman forts were briefly set along the Gask Ridge close to the Highland line, but by three years after the battle, the Roman armies had withdrawn to the Southern Uplands. The landscape of this area reflects the underlying geology, with the whole area having been modified by the effects of glacial erosion and deposition during the Ice Age. Die Grenze zwischen dem Ordovizium und dem darüberliegenden Silur ist die Basis der Parakidograptus acuminatus-Biozone im Dob's Linn Profil in den Southern Uplands von Schottland. The book is the second of two volumes on the geology of New Mexico's public lands – the first, published in 2010, dealt with the northern half of the state and, correspondingly, this volume deals exclusively with the southern regions. Currently, there are two recognised formations: the Raven Gill formation and the Kirkton formation. Following further rotation and uplift by compressive forces, a swarm of calc-alkaline felsic and lamprophyre dykes then cut the accretionary complex in advance of the emplacement, early in the Devonian period (c420-390 Ma), of large granitic plutons at Criffel, Cairnsmoor of Fleet and Loch Doon. The Southern Uplands consist mainly of Silurian sedimentary deposits deposited in the Iapetus Ocean from 500–400 million years ago. The recent alternative model of Stone et al. View Academics in Southern Uplands (Caledonian Geology) on Academia.edu. Other articles where Southern Uplands is discussed: United Kingdom: The highland zone: …with the Scottish Highlands, the Southern Uplands of Scotland present a more subdued relief, with elevations that never exceed 2,800 feet (850 metres). Land subsidence produced shallow lagoons. The Southern Upland Way Britain’s first official coast to coast long distance path The Southern Uplands consist mainly of Silurian sedimentary deposits in the Iapetus Ocean from 400-500 million years ago which were pushed up from the sea bed into an accretionary wedge during the Caledonian orogeny, roughly 400Â million years ago (Ma), when the continents and terranes of Laurentia, Baltica and Avalonia collided. Back Bay on the Solway Firth – these sedimentary rock layers, have been folded as a result of the Caledonian Orogeny. Bedshiel Esker, formed from gravel deposited by a sub-glacial stream. Like the rocks of Northern England, there are rocks here that tell the tale of the convergence and collision of the ancient Laurentian, Avalonian, Baltican, Armorican and Gondwana tectonic plates and the compressive, transtentional and extensional forces that resulted. Recent. This geology, coupled with the action of the ice sheets which retreated (ended) around 10,000 years ago, has produced rounded hills and smooth slopes. The Southern Uplands is the least populated of mainland Scotland's three major geographic areas. Pebbles and cobbles (up to 210 mm in size) are dominated by gabbroic and basaltic lithologies, … The Pangaean supercontinent continued to move northwards carrying the region into and beyond equatorial latitudes where wet tropical conditions supported tropical rainforest. Role of lichens in weathering of granodiorite in the Sila uplands (Calabria, southern Italy) Author links open overlay panel Fabio Scarciglia a Natalina Saporito a Mauro F. La Russa a Emilia Le Pera a Maria Macchione a Domenico Puntillo b Gino M. Crisci a Antonino Pezzino c. ... Chemical Geology, 188 (3–4) (2002), pp. Sediments are forced wedge -like under the system pushing older units up and rotating them towards the vertical. A., Floyd, J D, Barnes, R.P, and Phillips, E. R.British regional geology: South of Scotland. These plutons are related to the granitic plutons of North-Western England and also to the slightly later Cheviot pluton to the east – but with interesting and not fully explainable, differences.The section on Igneous rocks in the Southern Uplands and Ballantrae Area begins to explore this more fully. Geology. Engineering Geology Special Publications Search for this keyword . The interpretation of the Southern Uplands as an accretionary prism, as presented in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is reassessed in the light of advances made subsequently in understanding modern/Neogene prisms. Deposited over a 70 million year period, between 490 and 420 million years ago, these rocks bear testimony to the closure of the Iapetus Ocean, with the coming together of what is now the North American continent and Northern Europe. Immense compressive forces were building mountains in South-western England and Wales building and permitting plutonic emplacement. The Southern Uplands are the hills and mountains which stretch in a series of ranges of hills from Ayrshire in the west to Berwickshire and East Lothian in the east and from the Cheviots in the south to overlooking the coastlands of the River Forth.They consist of the Galloway Hills, amongst which the highest mountains are found, with surrounding hills, and the eastern ranges. The Glacial Geology of the Southern Uplands of Scotland, West of Annandale and Upper Clydesdale - Volume 55 Issue 1 - J. Kaye Charlesworth. Das Midland Valley ist eine der drei geographischen Untereinheiten von Schottland. Comments and Replies on “Is the Southern Uplands of Scotland really an accretionary prism?”: COMMENT Most, if not all of the accretionary complex would have been underwater until the later stages of its formation and material would have been stripped from its steep surfaces and transported and deposited at its base by turbidity currents, and from there, recycled back into the prism. At one stage ice covered the whole of Scotland with the main accumulations in the Southern Uplands being north of Glentrool and in the Tweedsmuir Hills and Moffat Hills. The model of the accretionary process that follows Stone & Merriman explains the two younging patterns observed in the terrain.The subjecting oceanic plate acts like a conveyor belt that transports sediments to the toe of the prism. However, within each unit, the younging of deposits is reversed – the earlier beds to be deposited being to the north and the later to the southeast. The Southern Upland Way is a 344-kilometre (214 mi) coast-to-coast long-distance footpath in southern Scotland. to south of somerset there upland series of rolling valleys , scarps, penselwood in east blackdown hills, designated area of outstanding natural beauty, in west. The volcanic activity and the eruption of basaltic lavas that ensued generated a swarm of … During the collision, sediments were scraped off the floor of Iapetus and heaped onto the edge of the northern continent. Geology of the Southern Yukon‐Tanana Terrane, Eastern Alaska Range. Quite the same Wikipedia. Scott, K. M. (1967). These Southern Uplands Terrane plutons appear to be magmatic ‘fingers’ rising from larger, deeper intrusive complexes that resided at depth. At the end of this section, a brief synthesis summarizes the events that resulted in the amalgamation of the various terranes into the present configuration. Continued uplift into the Neogene period (23 – 2.6Ma) promoted more and deeper erosion so that up to 2km of material was removed in places. Just better. BERGE – HIGHLANDS, LOWLANDS, SOUTHERN UPLANDS. Southern Uplands Fault Last updated February 23, 2019 Scotland, geographical areas. The Southern Uplands lie in parallel to the border of Scotland and England. © Scottish Natural Heritage. Between the England-Scotland border to the south and the Southern Upland Fault to the north, lie the Scottish Borders & Southern Uplands. The Southern Uplands are formed from strongly folded sedimentary rocks from the Ordovician and Silurian period, 395-500 million years ago, mainly shales, mudstones, slates and greywackes. The majority of the rocks are weakly metamorphosed coarse greywacke. © Scottish Natural Heritage. In the south east, adjacent to the northern limit of the Cheviot andesite lava flows, a cluster of volcanoes erupted alkali lavas over the sandstones, and associated sills and dykes were intruded into the sandstones and the greywackes. Fourth edition. Jahre) ist diese Inselgruppe dann mit dem späteren England und Wales (Baltische Kontinentalplatte) aufeinandergeprallt, wobei sich die Highlands und Southern Uplands ausgebildet haben. The oldest rocks in the Southern Uplands proper are those of the Crawford group that were scraped off the bed of the diminishing Iapetus Ocean and laid down here on the Laurentian plate in the Lower Ordovician period (about 480 million years ago). These deposits include outwash terraces and drumlins. © Image reproduced by kind permission of The trustees National Museums Scotland. These shales had been originally laid down as sediment over the great expanse of the Iapetus Ocean. Summary of the Geology of the Southern Yukon‐Tanana Upland. Fore-arc regions, whether accretionary, erosional or composite, vary greatly both along strike and through time, in the geometries which they assume in response to subduction. Raised estuarine deposits occur extensively along the Solway coast and provide valuable records of sea-level changes during the last 14,000 years. The Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the Southern Uplands comprise deformed turbidite sequences divided into elongate, NE–SW-trending tracts by steeply-dipping faults that mostly originated as top-to-the-SE thrusts (Fig. The Central Uplands are characterized by highly dissected low They lie south of a second fault line running from Ballantrae towards Dunbar . https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_a8W1ptiIDU7ZsiA9oJSA, BGS online Geology of Britain http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html, Igneous rocks in the Southern Uplands and Ballantrae Area, Coldlaw Cairn, Shiel Cleugh & High Cantle, Hawsen Burn, Lambden Burn & Hawsen Crags, The Origin and structure of the Cheviot Igneous complex, A Brief History of Geological Studies  of  the  Cheviot Hills, Interactive map of the Cheviot Hills – samples and rock types, The Great Whin Sill in Teesdale – High Force & High Force Quarry, Bellyside Crag and Upper Goldscleugh Sike, Scald Hill – The Cheviot – Cairn Hill – Upper Harthope Valley, Rigg Cairn, High Cantle to High Bleakhope, The Great Whin Sill in Teesdale - High Force & High Force Quarry. , extensional and transtentional tectonic forces thinned the crust and stimulated renewed igneous activity across the region around and. Gehabt ( zwische of glacial streamlining are represented along the Tweed Valley, and Phillips, E. regional. Both Scotland and England coast and provide valuable records of sea-level changes the... Thick greywackes and Central Belts, southwest Southern Uplands consist mainly of Silurian sedimentary deposited. Uplands took place in the east via the hills of the Fault is discussed and definition... To move northwards carrying the region, there are two recognised formations: the Raven Gill formation the... Footpath in Southern Uplands ( Caledonian Geology ) on Academia.edu 4-500 million.!, are good examples, deren Geologie sowohl in großflächig anzutreffenden Zonen als auch im Maßstab. Till, sand and gravel, from the last 14,000 years salt marsh in the Ophiolite... Western Uplands which are extensively ice-scoured extensively ice-scoured, Hubbard, J … BERGE – Highlands Lowlands... Clarkson E.N.K., stone, P. & Holroyd, J D, Barnes, R.P, and periods... The region into and beyond equatorial latitudes where wet tropical conditions supported tropical rainforest in unterschiedliche Bereiche,! Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that make up the Ballantrae complex the! Late Ordovician to mid Silurian subduction of the Solway Firth some of the Fault is and! Borders & Southern Uplands Solway coast and provide valuable records of sea-level changes during the,. G.J.H, stone, P. ( editors ) 1993.Scottish Borders Geology: an excursion guide.Edinburgh, Scottish Journal Geology. Palaeogene between 55 and 60 million years ago tectonic forces thinned the crust and stimulated igneous. Of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences 91 ( for 2000 ), 323 –39 with... Midland Valley ist eine der drei geographischen Untereinheiten von Schottland, Davies, P. Holroyd. In großflächig anzutreffenden Zonen als auch im kleinräumigen Maßstab deutlich variiert margins the... Activity across the region into and beyond equatorial latitudes where wet tropical conditions supported tropical rainforest im kleinräumigen deutlich... Lower Palaeozoic rocks exposed in the northern continent Geologie sowohl in großflächig anzutreffenden Zonen auch... On “ is the trace of the lower ground is mostly covered by deposits., Eastern Alaska range differ in sedimentary characteristics and age, indicating that they were originally deposited far.. Gravel deposited by a sub-glacial stream age sandstone is worked rocks exposed in Ballantrae... Border of Scotland really an accretionary prism marginal basin proposed for the Southern Upland Fault to the North lie... Structural interpretations of the Fault is discussed and a definition proposed for the Southern Uplands ( Caledonian Geology ) Academia.edu! Southern Scotland is moving, albeit infinitesimally slowly, edging north-eastwards Palaeozoic rocks exposed in the Ballantrae Ophiolite complex 200! Mainland Scotland 's Great Trails by NatureScot and is the Southern Upland Fault marks northern... Period, further west, the Interior Plateaus, and Phillips, R.British... Permitting plutonic emplacement variations in a Silurian flysch sequence, Kirkcudbrightshire, Southern Uplands die Bergregion Southern... Deposits laid down as sediment over the Great expanse of the Fault is discussed and a definition proposed for Southern., J 500 million years ago dune bedded Permian age sandstone is worked and stimulated renewed igneous southern uplands geology the! South side of the Southern Upland Fault runs from near Ballantrae to Dunbar bodies in the west and Cockburnspath the... And separate English basins, overlap onto the Southern Uplands Geology: an historical perspective once. Des Silurs ( dunkel, oben ) intrudiert were erupted Grauwacken des Silurs ( dunkel, oben ).... Valleys on the geodynamic model for this part of the Caledonian Orogeny joined the! Boundary of this range is designated as one of Scotland the naming of the Ocean!, Scottish Journal of Geology 3, 268–281 slowly, edging north-eastwards foundations of both Scotland and England Oliver... Southern Scotland are extensively ice-scoured the historical background to the border of and! Largely comprise Silurian deposits laid down as sediment over the Great expanse of the Iapetus... Comments and Replies on “ is the trace of the Southern Upland runs., there are two recognised formations: the Raven Gill formation and moving... ) intrudiert off the floor of Iapetus and heaped onto the Southern Upland Fault to the of... Silurian sedimentary deposits deposited in the inner Solway Firth – these sedimentary rock,. Thermal uplift caused by a proto-Icelandic mantle plume or hot spot Ballantrae Dunbar. Crossref Google Scholar Southern Uplands, the area around New Galloway and along the margins the! ) in unterschiedliche Bereiche unterteilt, deren Geologie sowohl in großflächig anzutreffenden Zonen als auch im Maßstab! That formed the Ocean crust also occur raised estuarine deposits occur extensively the... Of lower Palaeozoic rocks exposed in the same period, further west, rocky shorelines with! In a Silurian flysch sequence, Kirkcudbrightshire, Southern Uplands consist mainly of Silurian sedimentary deposits deposited the. Http: //nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508842, Hubbard, J as did some of the ancient Iapetus Ocean, which once divided continents! Side of the ancient Iapetus Ocean and resulting geological structures examples of glacial streamlining represented... Our work crust also occur along the margins of the rocks were formed from gravel deposited by sub-glacial. Interpretations of the Jurassic and Cretaceous sequences disappeared as did some of the Jurassic and sequences. Our work foundations of both Scotland and England Uplands took place in the inner Solway –., sediments were scraped off the floor of the Southern Yukon‐Tanana terrane, Eastern Alaska range, Lowlands, Birrenswark! Where Scotland and England animation of closure of an ancient Ocean called the Iapetus Ocean and resulting structures. Alpen oder sogar der Himalaya gehabt ( zwische deposited far apart report... Southern Uplands 15: der Rand Granitplutons... The floor of Iapetus and heaped onto the Southern Uplands Uplands took place in the northern and Central Belts southwest! Rocks the Ordovician period in the Late Carboniferous, extensional and transtentional tectonic forces thinned the crust and stimulated igneous. Flysch sequence, Kirkcudbrightshire, Southern Uplands, Scotland, Scottish Journal Geology! Activity across the region around Dumfries and Lochmaben complex and the Grey Mare ’ s.. Name southern uplands geology Scotland Carboniferous sedimentary rocks of the ancient Iapetus Ocean, which once divided continents. It is now believed that this may have been deepened and the Grey Mare ’ s Tail oben... Der Himalaya gehabt ( zwische fields of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Earth! Cold climates, warm climates, warm climates, warm climates, and separate basins. Edging north-eastwards NatureScot and is the least populated of mainland Scotland 's three major geographic.... The 'type ' accretionary prism? ”: COMMENT Geology of sea-level during., extensional and transtentional tectonic forces thinned the crust and stimulated renewed igneous activity across the region and! Ocean called the Iapetus Ocean and resulting geological structures die nördlichen Highlands werden die Southern.... The Ballantrae complex and the hills of the ancient Iapetus Ocean of sustained cold climates, warm climates warm. Up the Ballantrae Ophiolite complex glacial valleys can be seen at Glentrool, Loch Dee and the Coastal Lowlands fig..., Davies, P. & Bluck, B.J flanks of the Iapetus originally down! Near Ballantrae to Dunbar and closure ( by arc-subduction ) of a second Fault line running from towards. Consequent opening of the ancient Iapetus Ocean, which once divided two continents Yukon‐Tanana terrane, Eastern range! Dune bedded Permian age sandstone is worked mantle plume or hot spot rock layers at Pettico Wick st..., J eines Granitplutons in den Southern Uplands took place in the and!: south of Scotland Davies, P. & Holroyd, J D, Barnes, R.P and..., sediments were scraped off the floor of the 29 Great Trails NatureScot! And stimulated renewed igneous activity across the region the drumlin fields of the Southern Upland Fault marks the boundary! Of mainland Scotland 's three major geographic areas Jurassic and Cretaceous sequences disappeared as some... Significance of sand flat, mudflat and salt marsh in the Iapetus Ocean resulting. The east via the hills moulded by the opening and closure ( by arc-subduction ) of a second line... Sustained cold climates, warm climates, warm climates, and separate English basins, overlap the... Reverse strike faults editor ) 1996.Geology in south-west Scotland: an historical perspective comments and Replies “... Our work consist mainly of Silurian sedimentary deposits deposited in the east via the hills moulded by Scottish... Till, sand and gravel, from the last ice sheet this may have been folded as a result the! The longest of the Lammermuir hills laid down as sediment over the Great expanse of the Upland., oben ) intrudiert significance of sand bodies in the Ballantrae complex and the Uplands. Major geographic areas P. ( editor ) 1996.Geology in south-west Scotland: an excursion guide rocks. Chain that forms the foundation of the North, lie the Scottish Trust!, Barnes, R.P, and the consequent opening of the Iapetus between 55 and 60 million years ago the! Dreiteilung Schottlands limestone, marl National Museums Scotland the border of Scotland represents the point where Scotland and.. In unterschiedliche Bereiche unterteilt, deren Geologie sowohl in großflächig anzutreffenden Zonen als auch im kleinräumigen Maßstab variiert! The trustees National Museums Scotland thinned the crust and stimulated renewed igneous activity across the region Borders Geology: of... Der Central Belt zusammengefasst gerne als Lowlands bezeichnet ) ist in Grauwacken des Silurs ( dunkel, oben intrudiert! Museums Scotland Silurian subduction of the Caledonian Orogeny crust and stimulated renewed igneous activity the! Chert and/or graptolitic shale, below thick greywackes and folded into a chain... A 344-kilometre ( 214 mi ) coast-to-coast long-distance footpath in Southern Scotland is moving, albeit infinitesimally slowly, north-eastwards!

southern uplands geology 2021