Palaeomagnetism and radiometric dating of the British Tertiary Igneous Province: Muck and Eigg

Abstract

Summary. The lavas, dykes and other intrusive bodies of Muck and Eigg have been sampled for palaeomagnetic purposes. All the bodies are reversely magnetized except for four dykes of Muck which are normally magnetized. The lavas show variations of direction of magnetism believed to be a record of secular variation. The radiometric dates support the geological evidence that the lavas of Eigg and Muck predate parts of the Rhum central igneous complex, the lavas of Rhum and Canna and some of those of Skye. The combined evidence shows that most of the activity took place during an R‐N‐R‐N sequence between 63 and 58 Ma. The younger R‐N sequence is the same as the first part of the R‐N‐R sequence found in Mull but the Sgurr pitchstone of Eigg and parts of the Eastern Redhills of Skye belong to later reversed intervals and correspond to Chron 26r and Chron 26. The igneous activity occurred over a 10 Myr period from about 63 Ma and can probably be associated with Chrons 27r to 23r of the Harland et al. time‐scale. Copyright © 1986, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved