Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 May 2009
In the British Tertiary intrusive centres emplacement of cone-sheets, ring-dykes and related magmatic bodies followed in shape and sequence the pattern of Hertzian fracture produced in the country rock by the magmatic diapir. In Ardnamurchan doming of the country rock, conic fracture and intrusion of cone-sheets started the development of the intrusive centre. Following that, pressure was reduced and strain relaxation occurred which resulted in arcuate and median fractures. These fractures were later on intruded by magma, hence ring-dykes (curved flanges) were formed. Resumption of pressure initiated the second cycle of cone fractures (and inner cone-sheets of centre 2).