Geology and Landscapes of Scotland

Gillen Con

Description

The six hundred miles between the northernmost Shetland island and the Mull of Galloway in the South of Scotland contain some of the most interesting geology and most varied landscapes in Europe. This variety was the inspiration for a tradition of geological investigation that stretches back to the earliest earth scientists. The origins of the Scotland that we know today lie in five quite distinct geological histories.The Geology and landscapes of Scotland takes the reader on a tour of each of these regions in turn, starting with the Northwest Highlands and Outer Hebrides, which contain some of the oldest rocks on Earth, through the mountain terrains of the Highlands and Uplands to the Lowlands and then the fringes of the North Sea. A section describes the volcanic provinces of Scotland; another deals with the effects of the Ice Ages while a final section looks at Scotlands natural resources.Of equal appeal to the professional geologist seeking a broad overview of a much-studied terrain and a resource for the resident, visitor, walker, climber or angler who wants to understand the origins of the landforms they observe, Geology and landscapes of Scotland has proved itself as a reliable guide. In this thoroughly revised edition the many illustrations are presented in colour.

Sujets

• Sciences et techniques
• Escocia
• Scotland

Informations

• Publié par: Dunedin Academic Press
• Date de parution: 25 juillet 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781903544884
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Note to readers:
Owing to the complexity of the layout of the book as printed, the illustrations do not appear in the text of this ebook where they appear in the hard copy. To access any illustration, click on the appropriate reference in the text. Doing so will take you to the illustration in question with a hypertext link provided to take you back to the point you were at in the text. [The default setting is to return you the Chapter in which the figure is mainly referenced. Some figure appear in more than one chapter. Depending on your epub reader you can use the back to page feature of the reader to return to the point in the text that you were reading before you linked to the illustration. For example, there is the 'Back to page #' option in the lower left panel of the iPad or the 'Go Back' Button of the Kindle Fire device.]
Text that appears as footnotes in the hard copy edition now appears in brackets in the text itself. Material that is printed as text panels in the hard copy has been moved to appear as chapter Appendices.

Contents
        Prefaces and acknowledgements
1. Geology – the science of the Earth
     Introduction
     The rock fabric of Scotland
     The rock cycle
     Structure of the Earth
     Folds, faults and shear zones
     Time and life
2. Geological regions of Scotland
     Introduction
     Geological regions
     Geological evolution
     What next?
3. Scotland's oldest rocks – the far northwest
     Introduction
     The Northwest Highlands
     The Outer Hebrides
     Basement rocks of the Inner Hebrides
4. The Caledonian Mountains
     Introduction
     The Northern Highlands
     The Grampian Highlands
     Igneous rocks in the Caledonian Mountains
     The Highland Border Complex
     Geology of Shetland
     The Southern Uplands
     Plate tectonics and drifting continents
5. Lowland Scotland: after the mountains
     Introduction
     Ordovician and Silurian rocks
     Devonian rocks
     Scotland in the Carboniferous
6. The North Sea and the Inner Hebrides
     Introduction
     New Red Sandstone
     Tropical seas of the Jurassic
     Chalk seas of the Cretaceous Period
7. Hebridean volcanoes
     Introduction
     The Small Isles
     Skye
     Mull
     Ardnamurchan
     Arran and Ailsa Craig
     St Kilda and Rockall
     Dyke swarms
     Landscape evolution
8. Ice Age Scotland
     Introduction
     The cooling climate
     Causes of ice ages
     Landforms created by glacial erosion
     Landforms created by glacial deposition
     Postglacial landscapes and sea-level changes
9. Natural resources, people and landscape
     Introduction – what is a natural resource?
     Metal-ore deposits
     Industrial materials
     Fossil fuels
     Alternative energy sources
     Resources and the landscape
     Summary – resources through time
     People and the landscape
       Appendix
    Taking it further / Fieldwork / Geological maps
       Glossary of technical terms
       Gaelic terms
       Bibliography
       Index of place names
       General Index
Prefaces and acknowledgements
Preface to the first edition
Scotland has been a Mecca for geologists for over two centuries. Indeed, the subject of geology was born here, with the pioneering work of the great James Hutton in the 1780s and, ever since, Scotland has played a key role in the development of ideas in geology. And with good reason, for Scotland boasts the most varied geological tapestry of any country of its size in the world.
This book has been designed for non-expert readers, and has been written in such a way that all the key concepts in geology are explained in a jargon-free and approachable way. The book presents an up-to-date account of each of Scotland's unique geological regions, from Shetland and Orkney, through the Western Isles to the Highlands, Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands. We trace Scotland's movements across the globe from the dawn of time – how we moved from southern ice-bound seas across the Equator into warm, humid coal-forming swamps, to be confronted eventually by icy conditions, this time near the North Pole. The book deals not just with the wide variety of rocks (and the minerals and fossil remains they contain), but also the landforms and scenic types that owe their origin to the structure and composition of the bedrock. We explore how these landforms developed through time, to be used to great advantage by Scotland's first settlers, and how the mineral riches have been exploited, from iron ores and building stones to coal, oil and gas.
Many of the fundamental ideas in geology were developed on the basis of rocks and structures seen in Scotland. Indeed, Scotland could justifiably be called the cradle of modern geology. For its relatively small size, the country boasts a truly amazing variety of rocks and structures. At first sight, this may appear daunting and even confusing to the novice, but Geology and landscapes of Scotland will put you at your ease and allow you to grapple with the most complex of notions, as you travel on a journey, following Scotland's fortunes in time and space.
Preface to the second edition
In the ten years since the first edition was written, Scotland has remained at the forefront of geological research, and many of the pioneering ideas have been put to the test using new age-dating techniques, which are becoming ever more sophisticated and accurate. This has resulted in some of the earlier ideas being challenged, with new interpretations put forward. Paradoxically, the recent results more often than not show the need to apply the new techniques to more of the country as further problems are brought to light. Great strides have been made in studying the age and structure of the Caledonian Mountains for example, yet still there are challenges in finding the age and extent of the Dalradian rocks. For over two centuries, Scotland has been a natural geological field laboratory, and it is gratifying to think that it looks set to remain as one of the world’s foremost outdoor laboratories for years to come. International conferences are regularly held here, and always accompanied by field trips to classic sites.
Have you ever stood on the shore at Achmelvich in the Northwest Highlands and looked across at Lochinver, wondering how that great sugarloaf mountain of Suilven came to be? This book will provide the answer to that and many other questions that fascinate the visitor attracted by Scotland's spectacular scenery, whether you are a walker, climber, archaeologist or rock collector. The great pioneers of Scottish geology will be introduced, including James Hutton (1726–97), who is regarded as the founder of modern geology and the discoverer of 'deep time'.
Thanks to the way Scotland developed over 3 billion years of Earth history, it is possible to divide the country into five quite separate regions, each with its own distinctive age, history and rock types. This book will take you on a journey through the five regions, starting with the incredibly old Northwest Highlands and Outer Hebrides, then the Caledonian Mountain terranes of the Northern and Grampian Highlands, Argyll, Shetland and the Southern Uplands. The geology of lowland Scotland is visited next – the Midland Valley, Orkney and Caithness, and the fringes of the Moray Firth. A return visit is then paid to the west coast, this time to explore the awe-inspiring geology of the Hebrides – volcanic mountain landscapes of 60 million years ago that heralded the opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. Finally, we examine the effects of the last great Ice Age – one of many in the past – and see how and why the climate cooled rapidly, how the landscape was sculpted by the force of moving ice sheets, and what the future climate may hold in store for us. Scotland has rich useful resources of natural materials, from building stones to metal ores and fossil fuels. These are dealt with comprehensively and in context – both regional and in the appropriate geological setting of how, why, when and where they formed. The human impact on the environment and the landscape is touched upon also.
How to use this book? If you have studied geology before, then you may want to skip Chapter 1 and move straight into the regional chapters that are of most interest, moving back to Chapter 1 and the Glossary whenever there is a need to brush up on a particular concept or some unfamiliar term. However, if you are new to the subject, then it is advisable to start at the beginning, by reading Chapters 1 and 2 before moving ahead. A comprehensive glossary of all technical terms used in the book is included, and there is a brief bibliography of work, much of which has been published since the first edition. There is also a list of useful websites.
Acknowledgements
I wish to express my gratitude to the late Roger Jones of Terra Publishing for his unstinting support, professional advice and expertise shown at every stage of production of the first edition, from the initial idea to the finished work. He also encouraged me to get started on the second edition. After Roger's untimely death, Anthony Kinahan of Dunedin Academic Press Ltd stepped in admirably, and has done a first class job with the second edition. I also wish to thank my students who, with their stimulating questions and bubbling enthusiasm in the field, the laboratory and the classroom over the years have inspired me to write down my explanations for the fascinating geological history of Scotland. In addition, I am grateful to my geological friends for leading me on many excursions and discussing their ideas so freely, and for allowing me to use some of their photographs. Dr Colin MacFadyen and Professor John Gordon very kindly made many helpful comments on the second edition, and I am greatly indebted to them for their time and expertise.
Credits
Title page ~ Eilean Donan Cast