Sedimentary systems in the Paleocene lava fields of the Inner Hebrides

Sedimentary systems in the Paleocene lava fields of the Inner Hebrides

The spectacular remnants of Paleocene lava fields in the Inner Hebrides are dominated by thick sequences of simple (sheet-like) flows and more complex compound flows. Interbedded with these lavas are sedimentary units, deposited within canyons, broad river channels, lakes and mires. In some cases, sufficient time intervals between eruptions allowed trees to develop on the volcanic landscape, now preserved as moulds and casts, together with slabs of bark and rafts of leaves. Elsewhere, magma interacted with sediment in a dynamic manner, producing a variety of distinctive lithologies, including peperites and hyaloclastites. Understanding the architecture of these volcanic and sedimentary systems allows us to get a glimpse into the dynamic development of these lava fields.

This talk will comprise a pictorial trip through the volcanic sequences of the Inner Hebrides, looking at examples of volcanic-sedimentary systems from Skye, Canna, Sanday, Rum, Eigg and Mull. There will be no mention of rock chemistry or isotope signatures – just field views from his collection of the past forty years!