Culture Café Talks: “From garnets to gannets, exploring the Lonely Isles”

“From garnets to gannets, exploring the Lonely Isles”

Speakers: Dr Anna Bird and Dr Eddie Dempsey

The Lonely Isles are a series of well exposed, yet extremely remote islands that give a unique and previously unknown insight into the ancient geology of northern Scotland. These rocks are part of the Precambrian basement that underlies much of northern Scotland, including Orkney and Shetland, and parts of Greenland.

In November 2018, a team of geologists from the University of Hull and Durham University went to the Flannan Isles, North Rona and Sula Sgeir. The team, Dempsey, Bird and Armitage, (funded by Prof Holdsworth of Durham University) are the first geologists to examine the Flannan Isles since 1933 or North Rona since 1958. Many geological fundamental concepts have been developed or refined (including plate tectonics) in this time. This talk will show the highlights of the expedition and some of the initial findings of this study as well as future research and fieldwork plans.

Dr Anna Bird is a lecturer in metamorphic geology who also works on Quaternary sediments. Her main interests are isotope geochemistry and geochronology: to establish timing(s) of orogenic events at high levels of precision and accuracy. Using geochronology of single mineral grains as a provenance indicator. Measuring and modelling isotopic ratios as a tracer of sediment provenance, crustal and mantle geological processes. Orogenic processes and climate: using geochemistry to evaluate the interplay between tectonics and climate on sediment deposition and provenance.

Dr Eddie Dempsey is a lecturer in Structural Geology at the University of Hull in the UK. Eddie uses evidence of deformation in the Earths crust such as faults, folds and fractures to reconstruct tectonic environments and changes to regional stress fields through time. Eddie also uses U-Pb and Re-Os isotope geochronology to accurately establish the timing of events such as fault zone development and ancient earthquakes. Eddie is passionate about geology and can usually be found talking about rocks either at an outcrop, in the lecture theatre, on the phone, online or over a pint. Eddie was recently nominated for a University Excellence Award for his external engagement work.

Cost: Free Admission – All welcome but online booking is required.