Scotland’s volcanoes – Eigg and Rum

Volcanic activity in the past has shaped Scotland as we see it today. Join Angus Miller for a series of three linked online talks exploring the volcanic activity of different areas of Scotland, linking the volcanic rocks from ancient eruptions to what we know about how volcanoes work from the study of recent eruptions around the world. Volcanoes on Rum and Eigg, the Inner Hebrides. The ‘Small Isles’ to the south of Skye have dramatic and varied scenery, related to volcanic activity between 60 and 55 million years ago. There are three contrasting volcanic episodes here: basaltic lava flows erupting from fissures, which covered the entire area; a large central volcano on the island of Rum, with evidence of large explosive eruptions, and a variety of magma intrusions; and finally, the story of the formation of the spectacular ridge of An Sgùrr on Eigg, illuminated recently by detailed work by David Brown and Brian Bell from Glasgow University.