When you read this thread keep in mind that the objective is to evaluate the potential of water as a method
to simulate much more intense conditions that might be released as the forces upon a solid object turns it
to a thermalized jell, if i can call it that,, "it" being a plasmoid, if that be the right name
for what i'm thinking about.
Additionally, this evaluation will compare the results against what we see at meteor crater where the
last body of water there has been named Hopi Lake.
Now i must first address the skeptics that doubt the presence of this and other bodies of water which
preceded hopi lake and how the involvement of water cannot be entirely dismissed in what happened to form
the Grand Canyon and its tributaries. Without starting at a phase when the land, which is now the Colorado
plateau, was liquified and settling/sorting itself into the layered structure we see now, a person might
overlook some important details.
I think we can all agree that the stratification we see now was the result of a luqified mass of material
emerging out of solution. What might be a point of disagreement is how quickly. The absence of large
or should i say thick biological boarders between layers may resolve that detail. But lets move on and settle
that latter. Time is not as important as are the details, and should never become a vale to block focus on
details. If we can agree on the detail of material in solution then we must address the processes that occurs
next, dehydration. Unless that material remains saturated it must become bone dry, and this can occur
rapidly, but the most important aspect of the drying process to be focused on here is the formation of
cracks and the warping of material that has become dry as a bone.
Has anyone ever considered that the first cause for the formation of a drainage path could have been the
cracking of the dried out land, and we must not forget the uplifting forces as the weight of that moistened
material is reduced dramatically by drying out thoroughly. We must also consider subterranean pathways that
that never gave way totally to the drying process. And, of course,there was certainly so much more going
on in the region that could account for stresses, deep upon the mantel, that had influence at the surface.
But lets return for a moment back to the presence of water and the experiment for simulating crater
formation. To answer the water issue consider the limestone, the Great Denudation, the layering and the
picture below from Walter Browns Book, figure 107. Unusual Erosion.
This image shows the point where the Little Colorado flows into the Colorado River
just south of Marble canyon. The captions points out the smooth land to the east which
is 2000ft below the Kaibab Plateau.
If you look closely you might see two separate events. One of them
put mud and on top of Nankoweap Mesa and one carved Nankoweap
Canyon far below the root of the Mesa and at right angle to it.
Close examination of this photo should reveal the sequence.
Lloyd has mentioned one version from the source of this image.
From looking at this image, what do you think?
I will offer some observation for consideration. d...z
I am certain much of this has been covered else where here
so please help put those pieces together as links and clips here.
