Open AccessPalaeomagnetism of NW Scotland syenites in relation to local and regional tectonics
Author(s) -
Turnell H. B.,
Briden J. C.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1983.tb01921.x
Subject(s) - apparent polar wander , geology , baltica , paleomagnetism , polar wander , paleontology , ordovician , orogeny , laurentia , tectonics , sequence (biology) , gondwana , genetics , biology
Summary. A detailed thermal demagnetization study has been carried out on a number of syenitic intrusions from north of the Great Glen Fault in Scotland. Multicomponent remanences of normal and reversed polarity have been recognized. These define a series of palaeomagnetic poles from which an Ordovician to Silurian apparent polar wander path for northern Scotland is deduced. Comparison of this apparent polar wander path with the established path for Britain throws new light on the sequence of thrusting and magmatic activity in the NW Highlands and precludes large‐scale (>1500 km) movement along the Great Glen Fault later than the Ordovician. The data emphasize previously published discrepancies between the apparent polar wander paths of Britain, Baltica and Laurentia and are consistent with the suggestion that Britain was among a set of intracratonic microplates which underwent complicated, distinct movements throughout the Caledonian orogeny.