Bob Gooday, an expert on Arran geology, in particular the Ard Bheinn area, gave an informative presentation to a packed meeting of the Arran Natural History Society earlier this month, writes Jim Cassels.
Bob is currently working on the Arran Geopark project which aims to attain UNESCO Geopark status for Arran. Using both still and moving images, not only from Arran but from around the world, he gave a vivid description of Arran’s past spanning almost half a billion years. From its location some 60 degrees south of the equator, he mapped its movements north through consecutive geological periods each with an impact on the developing area that would become Arran. The impact of the volcanic past was highlighted.
From the floors of ancient oceans to ash clouds that blocked out the sun, geologists have been studying the volcanic rocks on the island for more than two centuries. Active research is still ongoing, including his own work in the Ard Bheinn area. From the questions from the audience, he had successfully generated interest in these strange past environments, Arran’s place in the history of volcanology, and the new thoughts on what the island can still tell us.