The offshore continuation of the Moine Thrust north of Shetland as deduced from basement isotopic ages

Synopsis Caledonian isotopic ages from the southern section of the Scotland–Norway Basement Ridge effectively separated the Archaean–Proterozoic Lewisian Complex and the Lofoten-Vesterålen Complex forming the SW and NE ends of the ridge. The distribution of Caledonian and Lewisian age data to the north and west of Shetland confirm suggestions that the Moine Thrust merges generally within the region of the west margin of the Caledonian mobile belt, as seen on east Greenland. The Moine Thrust between Orkney and Shetland is offset in a dextral sense by c. 25 km. The Walls Boundary Fault intersects the West Shetland Platform edge to the north of Shetland, with the basement displaying an apparent c. 15 km sinistral offset.