Ever heard of Snowball Earth? The time the whole planet was covered by Ice. 640 to 720 million years ago a series of glacial periods occurred worldwide which are given as evidence of this event and rocks of this age are found in Scotland.
Want to learn more? Then join us for a free public lecture, presented by David Webster and hosted by the Geological Society of Glasgow.
Summary
The Port Askaig Formation in the Garvellach Islands and Islay is some 1100m thick and includes 48 diamictites. Many were deposited by grounded ice; a few were ice-rafted. The PAF records 76 climatically-related episodes: 28 glacial, 25 periglacial and 23 non-glacial, plus unusual iron-rich and glaciotectonic intervals. Amongst Cryogenian glacial successions, the PAF is exceptional in its combination of formation thickness; the number of climatically-related episodes and the thickness (25km) of its host Supergroup.
PAF studies started with MacCulloch (1819); Thomson (1871) proposed a glacial origin; Pitcher and Shackleton (1961) measured the strata in the Garvellachs, leading to Tony Spencer’s 1971 Geological Society of London Memoir (#6). A large multi-disciplinary team is now preparing a new Memoir, their recent work has led to proposal that the base of the PAF on Garbh Eileach be a candidate GSSP (Golden Spike) for the Cryogenian world-wide. Evidence for and against a ‘Snowball Earth’ during PAF times will also be discussed.
Biography
David Webster graduated with a geology degree from Oxford University in 1976 and then worked in the oil industry. He undertook a Master’s in Environmental Management from Strathclyde University and subsequently worked in local government in Scotland. On retiring he obtained a Master’s Degree on the geology of Islay from Stockholm University and has continued to research the geology of Islay, Jura and Colonsay; writing two guidebooks on the geology of these islands.
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