Recent studies of time variations of natural electromagnetic fields in Scotland

A series of geomagnetic induction studies has been undertaken in Scotland since 1973. It includes the operation of two geomagnetic arrays, one over northern Scotland and the other over southern Scotland, subsequent individual station and small-scale geomagnetic array studies, and three sets of magnetotelluric soundings which traverse Scotland from the Lewisian Foreland to the English border. The problems associated with the interpretation of induction data from an island located in the subauroral region are discussed qualitatively and the manner in which both coast and source field effects can be accounted for, is described. The geomagnetic deep sounding data (GDS) from all the observation sites have been collated, and examples of hypothetical event contour maps and traverses across the Great Glen and of individual events from the northern array are presented. They indicate that significant lateral variations in electrical conductivity structure within the crust and upper mantle are associated with the major geological faults in the region. Examples of the results of the magnetotelluric soundings are also presented, together with an outline of the procedure used for one- and two-dimensional modelling. Models of the geo-electric structure in both northern and southern Scotland have been obtained. These show distinctive features which are compatible with the qualitative interpretation of the magnetovariational data. For example, the major granitic blocks are highly resistive while regions of relatively low resistivity exist at upper crustal depths near the Great Glen, Highland boundary and Southern Uplands faults. A zone of low resistivity exists at lower crust-uppermost mantle depths throughout much of the region, the lowest value occurring under the Southern Uplands.