The British mainland was formed from the collision of non two, exactly 3 ancient continental nation masses, according to novel research.
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| Credit: European Space Agency |
However, geologists based at the University of Plymouth straight off believe that a 3rd nation majority - Armorica - was also involved inward the process.
The findings are published inward Nature Communications together with follow an extensive report of mineral properties at exposed stone features across Devon together with Cornwall.
They give away a clear boundary running across the 2 counties, amongst areas northward of it sharing their geological roots amongst the residuum of England together with Wales exactly everything due south beingness geologically linked to French Republic together with mainland Europe.
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| This graphic shows how the ancient nation masses of Laurentia, Avalonia together with Armorica would have collided to practice the countries of England, Scotland together with Wales [Credit: University of Plymouth] |
The research's Pb author, Lecturer inward Igneous Petrology Dr Arjan Dijkstra, said: "This is a completely novel agency of thinking nearly how Great Britain was formed. It has ever been presumed that the edge of Avalonia together with Armorica was beneath what would look to last the natural boundary of the English linguistic communication Channel. But our findings advise that although in that place is no physical job on the surface, in that place is a clear geological boundary which separates Cornwall together with due south Devon from the residuum of the UK."
For the research, Dr Dijkstra together with Masters educatee Callum Hatch (now working at the Natural History Museum) visited 22 sites inward Devon together with Cornwall that were left exposed next geological events, such every bit hush-hush volcanic eruptions. These took house closed to 300 i thou 1000 years agone together with brought magma from depths of 100 km to the Earth's surface.
They took stone samples from each site, subjecting them to detailed chemic analysis inward the lab using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.
This animation explains novel query from the University of Plymouth into how 3 ancient land
masses collided to shape the British Isles [Credit: University of Plymouth]
The samples were also hence dissolved inward acid inward club to bear a to a greater extent than intensive isotopic analysis, amongst scientists examining the levels of 2 elements - strontium together with neodymium - to sympathise the total history of the rocks.These findings were hence compared amongst previous studies elsewhere inward the U.K. together with mainland Europe, amongst the results showing the clear boundary running from the Exe estuary inward the East to Camelford inward the west.
"We ever knew that closed to 10,000 years agone you lot would convey been able to walk from England to France," Dr Dijkstra added. "But our findings demo that millions of years earlier that, the bonds betwixt the 2 countries would convey been fifty-fifty stronger. It explains the immense mineral wealth of South West England, which had previously been something of a mystery, together with provides a fascinating novel insight into the geological history of the UK."
Source: University of Plymouth [September 14, 2018]
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