Strathclyde Group
Strathclyde Group (SYG), Carboniferous, Midland Valley of Scotland
Name
Previously Upper Oil Shale Group (URO); Lower Oil Shale Group (LRO); Oil-Shale Group; Calciferous Sandstone Measures (CSM)
Lithology
Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone and seatrock, with some coal seams, ironstones and limestones; non-marine faunas common; marine faunal bands rare except in top part.
Stratotype
Glasgow area, Strathclyde, Scotland. (Reference Sections: See Type Sections of components: Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation, Kirkwood Formation, Lawmuir Formation, Gullane Formation, Aberlady Formation, West Lothian Oil-Shale Formation, Arthur’s Seat Volcanic Formation and Garleton Hills Volcanic Formation). Reference Section: coastal sections, east Fife: Pathhead Beds, Sandy Craig Beds, Pittenweem Beds, Anstruther Beds, Fife Ness Beds.
Lower and upper boundaries
Definition of Lower Boundary: In west at base of Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation; in east at base of Gullane Formation or Arthur’s Seat Volcanic Formation . Conformable or (locally) unconformable. Definition of Upper Boundary: Conformable at base of Lower Limestone Formation.
Thickness
To c.1500m.
Geographical limits
Midland Valley of Scotland.
Age
Chadian Age (CI) — Brigantian Age (CX).
References
Paterson, I B and Hall, I H S, 1986. Lithostratigraphy of the late Devonian and early Carboniferous rocks in the Midland Valley of Scotland. British Geological Survey Report, 18/3.
Chisholm, J I, MacAdam, A D, Brand, P J. 1989. Lithostratigraphical classification of Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous rocks in the Lothians. British Geological Survey Technical Report, WA/89/26.
Forsyth, I H and Chisholm, J I, 1977. The geology of east Fife. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain.
McGregor, A G, 1960. Divisions of the Carboniferous on Geological Survey Scottish maps. Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, No.16, p.127-130.
Formal subdivisions
Western Midland Valley of Scotland:
Laggan Cottage Mudstone Formation
Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation
Fife:
West Lothian:
Arthur’s Seat Volcanic Formation
West Lothian Oil Shale Formation
East Lothian:
Garleton Hills Volcanic Formation