Dr Brian Bell
- Honorary Lecturer (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)
email:
Brian.Bell@glasgow.ac.uk
R509 Level 5, Geographical & Earth Sciences, Molema Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Research interests
The natural laboratory for the Earth Sciences is in the field, where you find rocks. This is where most of my research starts. Much of my research has involved the Palaeogene lava fields on the North Atlantic Igneous Province, for example, in NW Scotland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Here, I am attempting to understand the complex interplay between volcanism, sedimentation and tectonism. At present, more money is spent exploring the volcanic prone NE Atlantic Margin for oil and gas than anywhere else in the UK.
My main research interests are: 1.The evolution of continental flood lava sequences and their temporal and spatial relationships with rift basins; 2. Mechanisms of emplacement of minor intrusions and subvolcanic central complexes; 3. The thermal influence of minor intrusions on host strata.
Current research
- Tephra provenance in the North Atlantic Igneous province;
- Thermal influence of sills on oil reservoir sandstones;
- The early evolution of the Mull Lava Field, NW Scotland;
- Volcaniclastic sedimentation in continental flood lava fields;
- Emplacement mechanisms of minor intrusions;
- The interplay of lavas, hyaloclastites and basin dynamics.
Publications
2018
Larsen, M., Bell, B., Guarnieri, P., Vosgerau, H. and Weibel, R. (2018) Exploration challenges along the North Atlantic volcanic margins: the intra-volcanic sandstone play in subsurface and outcrop. Geological Society, London, Petroleum Geology Conference Series, 8, pp. 231-245. (doi: 10.1144/PGC8.13)
2017
Bell, B. R. and Williamson, I. T. (2017) Fossil trees, tree moulds and tree casts in the Palaeocene Mull Lava Field, NW Scotland: context, formation and implications for lava emplacement. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 107(1), pp. 53-71. (doi: 10.1017/S175569101700007X)
2013
Bell, B. R. and Williamson, I. T. (2013) A Palaeocene intracanyon-style lava emplaced during the early shield-building stage of the Cuillin Volcano, Isle of Skye, NW Scotland. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 104(02), pp. 205-230. (doi: 10.1017/S1755691013000509)
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2013) The emplacement of a large, chemically zoned, rheomorphic, lava-like ignimbrite: the Sgurr of Eigg Pitchstone, NW Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society, 170(5), pp. 753-767. (doi: 10.1144/jgs2012-147)
2012
2009
Jolley, D., Bell, B., Williamson, I. and Prince, I. (2009) Syn-eruption vegetation dynamics, paleosurfaces and structural controls on lava field vegetation: An example from the Palaeogene Staffa Formation, Mull Lava Field, Scotland. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 153(1-2), pp. 19-33. (doi: 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2008.06.003)
Brown, D.J., Holohan, E.P. and Bell, B.R. (2009) Sedimentary and volcano-tectonic processes in the British Paleocene Igneous Province: a review. Geological Magazine, 146(3), pp. 326-352. (doi: 10.1017/S0016756809006232)
2007
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2007) Debris flow deposits within the palaeogene lava fields of NW Scotland: evidence for mass wasting of the volcanic landscape during emplacement of the Ardnamurchan Central Complex. Bulletin of Volcanology, 69(8), pp. 847-868. (doi: 10.1007/s00445-007-0114-9)
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2007) How do you grade peperites? Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 159(4), pp. 409-420. (doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2006.08.008)
2006
Brown, D.J. , Bell, B.R. and McLeod, G.W. (2006) A re-interpretation of the 'Centre 3 screens' of Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 42(1), pp. 83-85. (doi: 10.1144/sjg42010083)
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2006) Intrusion-induced uplift and mass wasting of the Palaeogene volcanic landscape of Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society, 163(1), pp. 29-36. (doi: 10.1144/0016-764905-016)
2002
Bell, B. (2002) Genesis and age of the Erlend Volcano, NE Atlantic Margin. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 197(1), pp. 95-109.
Davies, R., Bell, B., Cartwright, J. and Shoulders, S. (2002) Three-dimensional seismic imaging of Paleogene dike-fed submarine volcanoes from the northeast Atlantic margin. Geology, 30, pp. 223-226.
1999
Dempster, T.J. , Preston, R.J. and Bell, B.R. (1999) The origin of Proterozoic massif-type anorthosites: Evidence from interactions between crustal xenoliths and basaltic magma. Journal of the Geological Society, 156(1), pp. 41-46.
1997
Bell, B.R. and Jolley, D.W. (1997) Application of palynological data to the chronology of the Palaeogene lava fields of the British Province: implications for magmatic stratigraphy. Journal of the Geological Society, 154(4), pp. 701-708.
Articles
Larsen, M., Bell, B., Guarnieri, P., Vosgerau, H. and Weibel, R. (2018) Exploration challenges along the North Atlantic volcanic margins: the intra-volcanic sandstone play in subsurface and outcrop. Geological Society, London, Petroleum Geology Conference Series, 8, pp. 231-245. (doi: 10.1144/PGC8.13)
Bell, B. R. and Williamson, I. T. (2017) Fossil trees, tree moulds and tree casts in the Palaeocene Mull Lava Field, NW Scotland: context, formation and implications for lava emplacement. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 107(1), pp. 53-71. (doi: 10.1017/S175569101700007X)
Bell, B. R. and Williamson, I. T. (2013) A Palaeocene intracanyon-style lava emplaced during the early shield-building stage of the Cuillin Volcano, Isle of Skye, NW Scotland. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 104(02), pp. 205-230. (doi: 10.1017/S1755691013000509)
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2013) The emplacement of a large, chemically zoned, rheomorphic, lava-like ignimbrite: the Sgurr of Eigg Pitchstone, NW Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society, 170(5), pp. 753-767. (doi: 10.1144/jgs2012-147)
Williamson, I.T. and Bell, B.R. (2012) The Staffa lava formation: graben-related volcanism, associated sedimentation and landscape character during the early development of the Palaeogene Mull Lava Field, NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 48(1), pp. 1-46. (doi: 10.1144/0036-9276/01-439)
Jolley, D., Bell, B., Williamson, I. and Prince, I. (2009) Syn-eruption vegetation dynamics, paleosurfaces and structural controls on lava field vegetation: An example from the Palaeogene Staffa Formation, Mull Lava Field, Scotland. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 153(1-2), pp. 19-33. (doi: 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2008.06.003)
Brown, D.J., Holohan, E.P. and Bell, B.R. (2009) Sedimentary and volcano-tectonic processes in the British Paleocene Igneous Province: a review. Geological Magazine, 146(3), pp. 326-352. (doi: 10.1017/S0016756809006232)
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2007) Debris flow deposits within the palaeogene lava fields of NW Scotland: evidence for mass wasting of the volcanic landscape during emplacement of the Ardnamurchan Central Complex. Bulletin of Volcanology, 69(8), pp. 847-868. (doi: 10.1007/s00445-007-0114-9)
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2007) How do you grade peperites? Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 159(4), pp. 409-420. (doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2006.08.008)
Brown, D.J. , Bell, B.R. and McLeod, G.W. (2006) A re-interpretation of the 'Centre 3 screens' of Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, 42(1), pp. 83-85. (doi: 10.1144/sjg42010083)
Brown, D.J. and Bell, B.R. (2006) Intrusion-induced uplift and mass wasting of the Palaeogene volcanic landscape of Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society, 163(1), pp. 29-36. (doi: 10.1144/0016-764905-016)
Bell, B. (2002) Genesis and age of the Erlend Volcano, NE Atlantic Margin. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 197(1), pp. 95-109.
Davies, R., Bell, B., Cartwright, J. and Shoulders, S. (2002) Three-dimensional seismic imaging of Paleogene dike-fed submarine volcanoes from the northeast Atlantic margin. Geology, 30, pp. 223-226.
Dempster, T.J. , Preston, R.J. and Bell, B.R. (1999) The origin of Proterozoic massif-type anorthosites: Evidence from interactions between crustal xenoliths and basaltic magma. Journal of the Geological Society, 156(1), pp. 41-46.
Bell, B.R. and Jolley, D.W. (1997) Application of palynological data to the chronology of the Palaeogene lava fields of the British Province: implications for magmatic stratigraphy. Journal of the Geological Society, 154(4), pp. 701-708.
Supervision
James Westland (PhD candidate)
Teaching
- Level 1: Igneous geology, economic geology, Earth history;
- Level 2: Igneous geology, geochemistry;
- Junior Honours: Igneous geology, map interpretation, field skills, economic geology;
- Senior Honours: Map interpretation, economic geology.