Cambrian Tapeats Sandstone How was it deposited Research by Arthur Chadwick PhD Collaborators from Geoscience Research Institute and Loma Linda University Research approach A good theory in science is one that successfully predicts the outcome of untried experiments ID: 601581
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Grand Canyon" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Grand CanyonCambrian Tapeats Sandstone:How was it deposited?
Research by Arthur Chadwick, PhD
Collaborators from Geoscience Research Institute and Loma Linda UniversitySlide2
Research approach:A good theory in science is one that successfully predicts the outcome of untried experimentsBible can be used to give direction to research efforts in a manner that will yield better results than the standard modelScientists following the Standard Model (millions of years
of evolutionary time) have suggested a layer of sandstone in Grand Canyon – the
Tapeats
Sandstone - was deposited
in shallow water over millions of years
Biblical model suggests
Tapeats
may have been deposited in deep water rather quicklySlide3
Events at the Grand Canyon 1. Deposit the Tapeats Sandstone
Slow, or rapid?
2. Deposit
the
rest of the sediments
3. Cut
the Canyon
Standard model – many millions of years
Biblical model – could have been rapidSlide4
Cambrian Sediments in Grand Canyon Uppermost Cambrian - Muav Limestone
Below this - Bright Angel Shale
Below this -
Tapeats
Sandstone
= lowest
Cambrian sediment in the
Grand Canyon
region
Coarse-grained quartzose sand
100
meters thick
Described as
Middle CambrianSlide5
Standard model explanation of the Tapeats: Shallow
transgressing sea
Getting deeper and moving shoreward; suggested multiple cycles of deeper, then shallower
Based upon “shallow water”
sedimentary structures
Based
in large part on comparisons with modern environmentsSlide6
Locations of our observations
10 miSlide7
The surface the Tapeats Sandstone was deposited upon was mostly flat, but one very large cliff was presentSlide8
Below the cliff (background) the Tapeats was deposited with or upon a thick layer of angular rocks (breccia)Slide9Slide10
PrecambrianBreccia
Cliff
Relationship between Precambrian cliff and breccia prior to
Tapeats
depositionSlide11Slide12Slide13Slide14Slide15Slide16
If it had taken millions of years for the advancing sea to deposit the Tapeats, the sea waves would have destroyed the breccia and the cliff as well Slide17
The water had to be deep enough to cover the entire breccia slope all during the deposition of Cambrian sediments – to protect the breccia and the cliff from destruction Slide18
Comparison of the models: 1. Standard model – slow, shallow marine
deposition
in
advancing sea
2. Revised model – rapid deposition in deep waterSlide19
Standard modelSlide20Slide21Slide22Slide23
Revised modelSlide24Slide25Slide26Slide27Slide28Slide29
Conclusions :Tapeats was not deposited in a shallow setting.Deposition was in deep water, and was rapid. Sedimentary structures used to define
Tapeats
as shallow marine need to be reevaluated in the light of these findings.Slide30
Conclusions :Research motivated by a biblical worldview resulted in notice of features not recognized by other geologistsCareful geological research confirmed the revised interpretation