Although published only since 1965, the Scottish Journal of Geology has a long pedigree. It is the joint publication of the Geological Society of Glasgow and the Edinburgh Geological Society, which prior to 1965 published separate Transactions: from 1860 in the case of Glasgow and 1863 for Edinburgh.
The Scottish Journal of Geology (SJG) is available online via the Lyell Collection. Please see subscription rates for access entitlements.
Traditionally, the Journal has acted as the focus for papers on all aspects of Scottish geology and its contiguous areas, including the surrounding seas. The publication policy has always been outward looking, with the Editors encouraging review papers and papers on broader aspects of the earth sciences that cannot be discussed solely in terms of Scottish geology.
The diverse geology of Scotland continues to provide an important natural laboratory for the study of earth sciences; many seminal studies in geology have been carried out on Scottish rocks, and over the years the results of much of this work had been published in the Journal and its predecessors.
The Journal fully deserves its high reputation worldwide and intends to maintain its status in the front rank of publications in the Earth sciences.
The Journal is abstracted and/or indexed in:
- Current Contents
- Science Citation Index
- GeoArchive, Geobase
- Petroleum Abstracts
- Geological Abstracts
- Mineralogical Abstracts
- IBZ/IBR
Early Career Research Collection
Following the success of the Special Issue for Early Career Research, the Scottish Journal of Geology will continue to celebrate the contribution to knowledge of early-career researchers, by extending this special issue into an ongoing collection of early career research. We invite high-quality papers on any aspect of Scottish geology and geomorphology, and international papers from Scottish-based researchers.
This collection welcomes submissions based on MSc, PhD and postdoctoral research, and from geologists within five years of their first professional appointment. Types of contribution may include:
- Original research papers
- Short communications
- Review papers offering new perspectives
The submission must have an early career author either as single or lead author. If you have any queries please contact the Journal Manager at [email protected].
For more information, see the early career section on our author information page.
Recent highlights
Facies analysis of the Greywacke Conglomerate Formation, Glenbuck, Scotland
By A.J. Mitten, A. Gough, A.G. Leslie, S.M. Clarke and M.A.E. Browne
The early Devonian Greywacke Conglomerate Formation of the Lanark Basin, southwestern Midland Valley of Scotland, has been exposed by a new road cut in the Glenbuck area, East Ayrshire, enabling a high-resolution sedimentological analysis of this unusually high-quality section. This study provides a facies analysis of the sedimentary rocks exposed in the Glenbuck area, and comparison with contemporaneous bedrock sections from across the Lanark Basin and adjacent Southern Upland High. Eleven lithofacies are identified, grouped into five associations: aggradational talus cone, progradational talus cone, debris flow lobe, fan surface aqueous-alluvial deposits, and gravel barform deposits. These comprise medial and proximal alluvial fan deposits, controlled by autogenic scour and avulsion along with general fan progradation. Contemporaneous sediments are present around Silurian inliers in the Lanark Basin and adjacent regions of the Southern Upland High. Whilst deposits in the Lanark Basin are genetically similar, contemporaneous deposits of the Southern Upland High preserve a distinctly more angular clast assemblage, indicating textural immaturity relative to those in the Lanark Basin.
Read the full paper in the Lyell Collection
New information on the Early Devonian acanthodian Mesacanthus mitchelli from the Midland Valley of Scotland
By Carole J. Burrow, Jan L. den Blaauwen and Michael J. Newman
Mesacanthus mitchelli is an important taxon in elucidating relationships amongst stem chondrichthyans, being the best known and most abundant of the oldest known acanthodiform acanthodians. Here we note some newly recognised morphological features and describe the histological structure of the endoskeleton and dermal elements. The jaws are preserved as a single layer of irregularly tessellate bone-like mineralisations. A mandibular bone is not present, contrary to previous descriptions. Fin spines have a wide central cavity that is more than half the width at mid-spine level. Prepelvic spines have a very narrow leading edge ridge and a wide open pulp cavity. Head sensory lines are enclosed by a pair of tesserae with a smooth crown, flat base and concave sides, bordering the sensory line canal. The tiny body scales have a relatively large pulp cavity in the embryonic zone. The large size of the eyes relative to the head and body size in Mesacanthus mitchelli, the structure and small size of the scales relative to those of other acanthodians of a similar size, and the wide central pulp cavity in the spines, all indicate that the species is likely to have undergone paedomorphism.
Read the full paper in the Lyell Collection