TheCentral Skåne Volcanic Province was a site of volcanic activity in theScania region of Sweden during theMesozoicEra of the Earth's geological history. The volcanism began with a first and main phase inlate Sinemurian toToarcian times around 191 to 178 Ma. Then volcanism continued sporadically for another 80 million years.[1] More than one hundredvolcanic necks ofbasaltic composition exist in Scania evidencing this volcanism. In central Scania, volcanism was in the form of avolcanic field ofcinder cones that hadStrombolian eruption styles.[2] These cones producedtuffite deposits made largely oflapilli with rarevolcanic bombs.[2][3]Pyroclastic materials were subsequentlypalagonitized or largely altered toclay minerals.[2] While eruptions occurred on land the sea was likely very close to the area.[2][3] Besides purely pyroclastic sediments,lahar deposits have also been identified around the remnants of the volcanoes.[4]
Beneath alahar deposit at Korsaröd (Djupadal Formation),Early Jurassicplant fossils including wood,pollen andspores have been exceptionally well preserved.[5] The degree of preservation is such thatcell-scale features likeorganelles andchromosomes have been identified in the fossils. At this location plants grew in a substrate with extensivehydrothermal alteration.[4]
The volcanism is possibly the result ofdecompression melting of thelithospheric mantle beneath.[1] The volcanism is linked to arift flankfault along theSorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone, which is a failed rift associated withextension in theNorth Sea and the opening of theNorth Atlantic.[1][2][4] The background to the volcanism is the break-up ofPangea, and thus it is analogous to the much more voluminousKaroo-Ferrarflood basalts of Southern Africa.[1]
55°59′35″N13°31′15″E / 55.992928°N 13.520970°E /55.992928; 13.520970