A geophysical approach to the granite batholith under the eastern Southern Uplands,Scotland

From our interpretation of the Bouguer gravity and aeromagnetic anomalies in south-east Scotland, we conclude that a massive granite batholith underlies the greater part of the eastern Southern Uplands. The granite model which we computed earlier from gravity anomalies in the Tweeddale area fits the observed magnetic anomalies closely, if a normal magnetization of 0.095 A m^–1 is assigned, similar to values found for exposed local granites. Further gravity modelling shows that, apart from the Tweeddale boss, the granite shallows to less than 1 km near Lammer Law in East Lothian and extends north of the Lammermuir Fault. A model for the East Lothian volcanics was computed from their aeromagnetic anomalies, then their gravitational effect was combined with that estimated for the Devonian and Carboniferous sediments and the result stripped off the observed gravity field. The residual gravity anomalies were used to generate a two-dimensional model for the granite north of the Lammermuir Fault. The expected tectonic consequences of a massive granite batholith in the eastern Southern Uplands are compared with the known development of faults and sedimentary basins around its margins.