Geological Environments and Processes

© Tas Walker  May 05

The different environments and geological processes operating in history

We will now consider each geologic phase to decide what characteristics would be expected for rocks deposited during the phase. We will examine the biblical model from a process and environment point of view, drawing on our understanding of geological processes. Our guiding question will be "What processes would we expect to have occurred and what geological characteristics would they produce?" Such predictions will be the key by which the rocks in the field will be classified. The features discussed with each phase are not exhaustive, nor should the predictions be taken as final, because specific factors, as yet unknown, may over-ride general expectations. The phases and stages considered are:

• Creation Event
• Foundational Rocks
• Formative Rocks
• Lost-World Era
• Lost-World Rocks
• Flood Event
• Inundatory Rocks
• Recessive Rocks
• New-World Era
• Residual Rocks
• Modern Rocks

Foundational Rocks

Since the Foundational action involved the creation of the earth, it is expected that Foundational rocks would be of world scale and extremely thick.

The processes used to create the earth are now finished and not operating today so the nature of Original rocks cannot be exactly known. As previously discussed, metaphysically we would not immediately suggest an instantaneous creation of sedimentary rocks as this would imply an inbuilt history of once having been deposited from water. Similarly, an instantaneous creation of metamorphic rocks would imply a change from some pre-existing type of rock. Is possible to envisage the instantaneous creation of crystalline rocks can be envisaged. Indeed, Gentry 1 suggested that the Precambrian granites are primordial (or Genesis) rocks, although this is not universally accepted by creationists.

Being the first rocks formed, the Original rocks should show signs of being disturbed by the Formative action and Flood event. If the Original rocks were hard and solid when created they would should show signs of being broken, faulted, and eroded by the Formative action on Day 3 and again by the Flood event some 1700 years later.

Ensuing rocks formed while the earth was totally covered with water and should show evidence of being deposited or precipitated in a marine environment. Ensuing rock structures should be large scale and show evidence of rapid, continuous deposition.

Ensuing rocks were disturbed by the Formative action and Flood event. It is likely that the Formative action occurred while the Ensuing rocks were still soft and pliable. Ensuing rocks therefore should show signs of plastic deformation and erosion. Since the Flood event occurred some 1700 years later allowing time for the sediments to lithify, Ensuing rocks should show signs of brittle deformation by being broken and faulted.

Since life had not been created at the time of the Foundational action, no trace of life should be found in Foundational rocks.

Formative Rocks

Since the Formative action raised the Lost-World continents from the sea, it is expected that Formative rocks would be of continental size and thick. The scale would not be as large as the Foundational rock structures. Formative rocks should show signs of being deposited under intense hydraulic conditions in a marine environment, perhaps deep sea, but thicker at the margins of the Lost-World continents.

Formative rocks would have been derived from material eroded from the Foundational rocks, and from material still dissolved and in suspension in the water over the earth. One could expect material so eroded from Original rocks to produce conglomerates or boulders, whereas material eroded from the soft, pliable Ensuing rocks would exhibit a fine texture. Derivative rocks presumably would contain a far greater proportion of material eroded from the Foundational rocks than Biotic rocks.

Biotic rocks would continue to form as sediments settled, but would contain a lesser proportion of material derived from Foundational rocks. They would not show such severe hydraulic action, and their texture should be finer.

Since Formative rocks resulted from the Formative action, they would not be further disturbed before they consolidated. Consequently there should not be signs of plastic deformation. However Formative rocks should show signs of being disturbed by the Flood event. Given suitable physical conditions lithification would have ample time to occur, so fractures and faulting would be anticipated.

As the model stands Derivative rocks would not contain any signs of life. Biotic rocks would contain microscopic marine life, (and perhaps bacteria and stromatolites) created either on Day 3 or Day 5 and, trapped while the rocks were depositing. (If as Wise 2 suggested it was found necessary to move the Biotic phase to Day 2, then in this case Derivative rocks would also contain microscopic marine life.)

Lost-World Rocks

The geologic processes and depositional environments of the Lost-World era may have been similar to the processes and environments experienced today. Therefore the quantity of material formed during the Lost-World era would have limited area and thickness. In addition, Lost-World rocks would have been destroyed by the Flood event. Lost-World rocks which survived would be limited in area and thickness and show signs of disturbance by the Flood event.

It is possible that Lost-World rocks may contain fossils, perhaps due to such conditions as landslides or collapsing river banks, or stromatolites.

Inundatory Rocks

The Inundatory stage commenced with the world densely populated with people [Gen 6:1], animal life and vegetation. It involved the breaking-up of the Earth's crust, immense volcanism, the pouring out of water from under the ground, and intense rainfall. Huge sediment laden rivers scoured the earthquake shaken Lost-World continents depositing sediments in the ocean and inland basins. Water levels on the earth would have risen rapidly. The continental landform would have changed quickly due to severe erosion, deposition and tectonic movements. The oceans and seas would have mixtures of fresh and salt water, hot and cold water, and solutions and sediments of various compositions. Vegetation would have washed down the swollen rivers and floated on the oceans and lakes. Life would have been catastrophically destroyed. Some marine life would have been buried by the rivers of slurry. Air breathing animals would have been herded together on the ever decreasing land areas. In the final phases of the Inundatory stage the crowded islands of animal life would have been overwhelmed. The corpses would have formed floating graveyards, perhaps being caught in vegetation rafts on the ocean.

It is expected that the structures formed during the Inundatory stage would be of continental scale. These sediments would be laid unconformably over the Creation rocks and show evidence of strong hydraulic action. The stratigraphic layers should be evident.

Inundatory rocks would have been disturbed by subsequent tectonic action during the Inundatory and Recessive stages. The disturbance would not be as great as for Creation rocks. Inundatory rocks should generally exhibit a plastic response. Inundatory rocks would also show signs of severe erosion during the Recessive stage, the present day landforms providing a guide.

There would be abundant fossils and buried vegetation. Marine fossils should be plentiful, particularly during the early stages. Fossils of vertebrate land animals would be less abundant. Footprints could be expected because life still existed at this time. There should also be evidence of rain.

The earliest rocks in the Inundatory sequence, Eruptive rocks, would be expected to rest unconformably on Creation rocks. The latest in the sequence, Zenithic rocks, would be anticipated in the central plateau regions of today's continents and to display features characteristic of the Flood zenith such as flat topped topography with relatively fine surface texture. No clear criteria are currently proposed to differentiate between Ascending rocks and the other two phases, apart from the condition that Ascending rocks lie in the middle. It is envisaged that distinct criteria for the top and bottom boundary of Ascending rocks will be identified as the model is applied in the field.

Recessive Rocks

The Recessive stage occurred as a result of crustal movements which formed ocean basins and mountain ranges and saw the water flow off the land. It would also have been a time of volcanism. Vegetation rafts would have continued to beach on the continents. Erosion of soft Inundatory sediments occurred during this time. The carcasses of the animals would have been dumped on the continents.

Regional scale sediments would be expected during the Abative stage as the floodwaters began to move in large sheets from the continents. Local scale sediments would be formed during the Dispersive stage as the receding waters separated into complexes of lakes and ponds connected by flowing water courses.

Recessive sediments would exhibit less disturbance than any previous sediments. Coal buried during the Recessive stage would probably be different from that deposited during the Inundatory stage. This is because the extra months that the vegetation was exposed to the floodwaters would affect the composition and degree of impurities within the coal.

It is to be expected that there would be animal graveyards, particularly in Dispersive sediments. The fossils would be poorly preserved. There would be no footprints of land animals.

Today's landscapes and drainage basins would help understand where the water flowed during the Recessive stage and the location of Recessive deposits. Abative sediments would be expected mainly at the edges of the continents but to a lesser extent in basins of large inland seas. Dispersive sediments would be found in ancient lakes and water courses.

Residual Rocks

At the start of the New-World era the land would have been freshly deposited and eroded. Continents would include many inland lakes. Vegetation debris, together with the carcasses of animals would be scattered over the land, and floating on the oceans and lakes which would also contain some living sea creatures. All other surviving animal, bird and human life would be located in the region of Mt Ararat.

With time the animal, human, fish, and bird population would multiply and spread over the earth. Vegetation would possibly start growing in situ from vegetation and seeds deposited on the land.

During the Residual stage the water would continue to flow off the land. The scale of volcanism, erosion and deposition of sediments would be larger than today but reduced compared the Flood event. Oard has suggested that ice sheets covered parts of the continents at this time.¹ The inland seas would have gradually drained, perhaps with occasional breaching of lake rims. During this time changes in sea level would have produced raised and lowered beaches. Local scale structures would be expected, but not as large as Recessive structures. There would be minimal disturbance of the structures which formed.

Fossils could be formed at this time due to residual catastrophism such as landslides, breached lakes, or collapsing river banks. Fossil fragments could also be eroded from earlier sediments and redeposited.

Landscapes and drainage patterns would control the location of deposits.

Reference

1. Oard, M. J. 1986. An ice age within the biblical time frame. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Creationism. Vol. II. R. E. Walsh (ed.). Creation Science Fellowship. Pittsburgh. pp. 157-166.

Modern Rocks

The Modern phase saw the continued geographic dispersion of animal and human life. There would be limited volcanism, erosion and deposition of sediments.

Modern rocks would be of limited scale, located in river courses, river deltas, desert areas, ocean basins, and inland seas. Minimal disturbance of sediments is expected. Fossils can occasionally form when conditions are suitable. Fossil fragments can be eroded from earlier deposits.

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