Geochronology and geodynamics of Scottish granitoids from the late Neoproterozoic break-up of Rodinia to Palaeozoic collision

Thirty-seven granitoids from Scotland have been dated using the sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe zircon method. Granitoids were intruded during: (1) crustal stretching at c. 600 Ma after Rodinia broke up (A-types); (2) the Grampian event of crustal thickening when the Midland Valley Arc terrane collided with Laurentia at c. 470 Ma (S-types); (3) erosion and decompression of the over-thickened Laurentian margin at c. 455 Ma (S-types); (4) subduction of Iapetus Ocean lithosphere under Laurentia starting at 430 Ma (I-types); (5) roll-back beginning at 420 Ma (I-types); (6) bilateral slab break-off and lithospheric delamination at 410 Ma (I- and S-type granites) when Baltica hard-docked against the Northern Highland terrane and Avalonia soft-docked against the Grampian Highland terrane. Far-field Acadian events at 390 Ma were recorded by I-type granites intruded along active sinistrally transpressive faults. I-types formed in lower crustal hot zones above subduction zones, whereas S-types formed in lower crustal hot zones above lithospheric windows through which hot asthenosphere had risen.