Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-gtxcr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T19:46:03.468Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Emplacement of alkali-dolerite sills relative to extrusive volcanism and sedimentary basins in the Carboniferous of Fife, Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

E. Howel Francis  and
Brent H. Walker
E. Howel Francis
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, The University, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
Brent H. Walker
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, The University, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Namurian alkali-dolerites in W and central Fife comprise up to nine component sills. These have three-dimensional shapes which are directly related to penecontemporaneous structures in the sedimentary host rocks. Two forms of control are identified. Basinal control is apparent where restored sill geometry shows thickening towards the bottoms of saucer-shapes which mimic sediment disposition at the time of emplacement. Fault control is evidenced by sills which change horizon along extensive E–W fractures once assumed to be entirely post-Carboniferous but now confirmed as growth-faults.

There are no associated dykes representing likely feeders comparable with those of the later tholeiitic Midland Valley Sill, but evidence is presented to suggest that at least some of the alkali-dolerite magma reached sill intrusion levels through volcanic pipes.

Keywords

alkali-doleritegravitational flowgrowth-fault intrusionsill emplacementsynsedimentary structurevolcanic neck
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 77 , Issue 4 , 1987 , pp. 309 - 323
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1987

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

Allan, D. A. 1924. The igneous geology of the Burntisland district. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH 53, 479–501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allan, D. A. 1931. A nepheline-basanite sill at Fordell, Fife. PROC LIVERPOOL GEOL SOC 15, 309–317.Google Scholar
Allan, J. K. & Knox, J. 1934. The economic geology of the Fife coalfields, Area II. MEM GEOL SURV G B.Google Scholar
Anderson, E. M. 1951. The dynamics of faulting, 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.Google Scholar
Barnett, J. A. M. 1985. Fracture patterns related to volcanic necks and pipes in an Upper Limestone Group (Namurian) coal seam in the Kincardine Basin, West Fife, Scotland. PROC YORKS GEOL SOC 45, 249–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, R., Day, T. C. & Stenhouse, C. G. 1932. The Braefoot Outer Sill, Fife; Part I. TRANS EDINBURGH GEOL SOC 12, 342–375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, R., Day, T. C. & Stenhouse, A. G. 1934. The Braefoot Outer Sill, Fife, Part II. TRANS EDINBURGH GEOL SOC 13, 148–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carey, S. W. 1958. The isostrat, a new technique for the analysis of the structure of the Tasmanian dolerite. In Dolerite: a symposium, 130–164. Hobart: University of Tasmania.Google Scholar
Daly, R. A. 1933. Igneous rocks and the depths of the Earth, 2nd edn. New York & London: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Dinham, C. H. & Haldane, D. 1932. The economic geology of the Stirling and Clackmannan Coalfield. MEM GEOL SURV G B.Google Scholar
Forsyth, I. H. & Chisholm, J. I. 1977. The geology of East Fife. MEM GEOL SURV G B.Google Scholar
Francis, E. H. 1957. New evidence of volcanicity in West Fife. TRANS EDINBURGH GEOL SOC 17, 71–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Francis, E. H. 1961a. The economic geology of the Fife Coalfields, Area II (2nd Ed). MEM GEOL SURV G B.Google Scholar
Francis, E. H. 1961b. Volcanism in relationship to sedimentation in the Carboniferous rocks of the Saline district. BULL GEOL SURV G B 17, 116–144.Google Scholar
Francis, E. H. 1968. Effect of sedimentation on volcanic processes, including neck-sill relationships, in the British Carboniferous. PROC 23RD INT GEOL CONGR PRAGUE 1968 2, 163–174.Google Scholar
Francis, E. H. 1982. Magma and Sediment—I: emplacement mechanism of late Carboniferous tholeiite sills in northern Britain. J GEOL SOC LONDON 139, 1–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Francis, E. H., Forsyth, I. M., Read, W. A. & Armstrong, M. 1970. The geology of the Stirling district. MEM GEOL SURV G B.Google Scholar
Haldane, D. & Allan, J. K. 1931. The economic geology of the Fife Coalfields, Area I. MEM GEOL SURV G B.Google Scholar
Kokelaar, B. P. 1983. The mechanism of Surtseyan volcanism. J GEOL SOC LONDON 140, 939–944.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kokelaar, B. P. 1986. Magma water interactions in subaqueous and emergent basaltic volcanism. BULL VOLCANOL 48, 275–289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leys, C. A. 1982. Volcanic and sedimentary processes in phreatomagmatic volcanoes. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Leeds.Google Scholar
McKenzie, D. 1978. Some remarks on the development of sedimentary basins. EARTH PLANET SCI LETT 40, 25–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollard, D. D. 1973. Derivation and evaluation of a mechanical model for sheet intrusions. TECTONOPHYSICS 19, 233–269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollard, D. D. & Johnson, A. A. 1973. Mechanics of growth of some laccolithic intrusions in the Henry Mountains, Utah, II: bending and failure of overburden layers and sill formation. TECTONOPHYSICS 18, 311–354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollard, D. D., Muller, O. H. & Dockstader, D. R. 1975. The form and growth of fingered sheet intrusions. BULL GEOL SOC AM 86, 351–363.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Read, W. A. & Dean, J. M. 1982. Quantitative relationships between numbers of fluvial cycles, bulk lithological composition and net subsidence in a Scottish Namurian basin. SEDIMENTOLOGY 29, 181–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, B. H. 1986. Emplacement mechanism of high-level dolerite sills and related eruptions in sedimentary basins, Fife, Scotland. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Leeds.Google Scholar
Walker, B. H. & Francis, E. H. 1987. High-level emplacement of an olivine-dolerite sill into Namurian sediments near Cardenden, Fife. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH: EARTH SCI 77, 295–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wohletz, K. H. & McQueen, R. G. 1984. Volcanic and stratospheric dust like particles produced by experimental crater-melt interactions. GEOLOGY 12, 591–594.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar