Hutton's Unconformity 2 Carboniferous

sandstones
This short walk takes you to one of the most very steep – almost vertical. Ahead of you, you can see
historically important geological outcrops
in the world. The observations that James
Hutton made on Arran were crucial to forming s
a modern understanding of geology and the
age of the Earth.
So far, the rocks you have been walking over have
been the grey Dalradian schists. At this point they are
Gentl
y-slop
ing sa
ndsto
layers of brown Carboniferous sandstone, which are nes
sloping gently towards the sea. It is this difference in
‘dip direction’ that shows an unconformity is nearby.
ist
3 Hutton's Unconformity
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James Hutton was an eighteenth century Scottish ng
pi
geologist who visited Lochranza in 1787. At that time ip
y-d
it was thought that the Earth was around 6,000 years pl
ee
old. He noticed that the gently‐sloping sandstones lay St
directly on top of the steeply‐dipping schists. It is this Hutton's Unconformity is the junction where Dalradian
contact between the two that is the famous ‘uncon‐ schists meet Carboniferous sandstone.
formity’. He reasoned that such a structure must have
taken millions of years to form.

From his observations on Arran, Hutton New Red Sandstone Dalradian schist
showed that the Earth must be a great
These rocks have been deformed and folded Carboniferous sediments Dykes
deal older than previously thought, and 3
by tectonic processes deep in the Earth.
introduced the concept of ‘deep time’ to
Walk start/finish
the scientific community.
1 Folded Dalradian schists
The Dalradian schists are the oldest rocks on Arran. 500 m
The events that occurred in the formation N 2
They were formed as sediments on the ocean floor
of the unconformity are shown below.
around 540 million years ago. As tectonic plates
collided, they were metamorphosed and deformed Newton
by intense heat and pressure deep within the Earth.
On the shore here, you can see how much they have
been folded. Imagine the pressures involved in
deforming these solid rocks like toffee!

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The story of Hutton's Unconformity

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1

las
1 540 million years ago, 2 Collision of tectonic 3 As the landscape
sediment was plates caused eroded away, these
deposited in an ocean immense heat and rocks were brought
and compacted to form pressure, which to the surface.
Lochranza
sedimentary rock. folded and tilted
these rocks.

4 350 million years ago, 5 Once again, these 6 Erosion at the

this landscape was rocks were tilted surface has shaped
covered by a shallow and uplifted to the the outcrop into Geopark
sea. More layers of Earth's surface. what it looks like
Interpretation Centre
sedimentary rock today!
formed on top.
Unconformity