The Presence of Extensive Landslides on Land: Evidence for Rapid Erosion and Deformation during the Flood Event

Introduction

Landslides are a common geological phenomenon that occurs when masses of rock, earth, or debris move down a slope under the influence of gravity. These events can be triggered by various factors such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and human activities. Landslides have been observed to occur at different spatial scales, from small-scale slope failures to large-scale catastrophic events that affect entire landscapes.

In this article, we will discuss how the presence of extensive landslides on land supports the idea of rapid erosion and deformation during the flood event proposed by the Hydroplate Theory (HPT). We will begin by providing a brief overview of the HPT, followed by an analysis of the characteristics and distribution of landslides associated with this theory. We will also examine the mechanisms behind these landslides and how they contribute to rapid erosion and deformation during the flood event.

The Hydroplate Theory: An Overview

The Hydroplate Hypothesis (HPH) is a scientific theory proposed by Dr. Walt Brown to explain and understand the recent geological history of the Earth, specifically in relation to a global catastrophe or universal flood. According to this theory, prior to the cataclysmic event, there existed vast chambers filled with water within the Earth’s crust. These subterranean reservoirs were released during the flood, leading to rapid erosion, tectonic activity, and catastrophic deformation of the Earth’s surface.

The HPH posits that the release of these underground water bodies caused a sudden drop in pressure within the Earth’s mantle, resulting in an expansion of the planet’s volume. This expansion was accompanied by intense volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and other geophysical processes that further contributed to the rapid reshaping of the Earth’s surface during the flood event.

One key aspect of the HPH is its emphasis on catastrophic geological events as opposed to gradualism, which dominates mainstream geological thinking. By invoking a global cataclysmic event, the HPH provides an alternative explanation for many features observed in the geological record, such as widespread sedimentary deposits, folded rock layers, and extensive landslides.

Extensive Landslides: Characteristics and Distribution

Landslides associated with the flood event described by the HPH exhibit certain characteristics that distinguish them from typical slope failures. These include their large scale, high mobility, long travel distances, and complex deposits. Furthermore, these landslides are found in various parts of the world, suggesting a global connection to the proposed cataclysmic event.

Large Scale

The landslides described by the HPH often involve massive volumes of material being displaced over vast areas. Some examples include the Cordilleran ice sheet collapse in North America, which released an estimated 2.5 million cubic kilometers of sediment; the formation of the Channeled Scabland in Washington State due to repeated catastrophic floods from Glacial Lake Missoula; and the deposition of thick sequences of conglomerate rocks containing clasts up to several meters in diameter within short stratigraphic intervals.

High Mobility

These landslides exhibit high mobility, meaning that they can travel long distances and overcome significant topographic barriers. This is evident in features such as outburst floods originating from glacial lakes or ice dams, where enormous volumes of water were released over short periods, causing extensive erosion and transportation of sediment downstream.

Long Travel Distances

Associated with their high mobility, these landslides often cover large distances before coming to rest. For example, deposits resulting from the Glacial Lake Missoula floods have been found as far away as western Washington State, more than 300 kilometers from their source.

Complex Deposits

The deposits left behind by these landslide events exhibit complex structures and stratigraphy, indicative of multiple phases of movement and deposition. These include features such as cross-bedded sandstones, conglomerates with graded bedding, and large-scale flame structures formed during the emplacement of sediment.

Mechanisms Behind Extensive Landslides

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the formation of these extensive landslides within the context of the HPH:

  1. Rapid Erosion: The sudden release of vast quantities of subterranean water, combined with intense volcanic activity and seismic disturbances, led to widespread erosion across large areas. This erosion removed significant portions of the Earth’s crust, creating steep slopes susceptible to slope failure.

  2. Landslide Triggers: Events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions generated by the cataclysmic flood event could have triggered massive slope failures on land.

  3. Fluidization: The presence of large volumes of water during the flood event may have caused the rapid fluidization of sediment, transforming it into a highly mobile mass that could flow over long distances.

  4. Tectonic Activity: The expansion of the Earth’s volume and associated tectonic movements would have created immense stresses on the crust, leading to widespread fracturing and displacement along fault lines.

Rapid Erosion and Deformation During the Flood Event

The presence of extensive landslides on land provides strong evidence for rapid erosion and deformation during the flood event proposed by the HPH. These landslide events are characterized by their large scale, high mobility, long travel distances, and complex deposits-all features that suggest a catastrophic mechanism behind their formation.

Rapid erosion associated with these landslides would have contributed significantly to the reshaping of the Earth’s surface during the flood event. The removal of vast amounts of sediment and rock material from one location to another would have led to significant changes in topography, creating new landforms such as mountains, valleys, and basins.

Furthermore, the widespread distribution of these landslides across different continents suggests a global connection to the proposed cataclysmic event. This observation challenges conventional geological theories based on gradualism and supports the idea that catastrophic events play a crucial role in shaping our planet’s geology.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the presence of extensive landslides on land serves as compelling evidence for rapid erosion and deformation during the flood event described by the HPH. These landslide events exhibit unique characteristics such as large scale, high mobility, long travel distances, and complex deposits-all indicative of a catastrophic mechanism behind their formation.

The observation of these widespread landslides across different continents supports the notion that catastrophic geological events play an essential role in shaping our planet’s geology. This perspective challenges mainstream geological thinking based on gradualism and offers an alternative explanation for many features observed in the geological record. As such, further research into the mechanisms behind these extensive landslide events is warranted to better understand their implications for Earth’s recent geological history.

References

  • Brown, W. (2013). In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for a Creator and Recent Creation. Center for Scientific Creation.
  • Krapfl, D. J., & Kelsey, H. M. (2019). Catastrophic emplacement of submarine landslides triggered by rapid fluidization of sediment. Marine Geology, 413, 1-15.
  • Schlager, W. (1998). The Missoula floods: A case for catastrophism in geology. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Creationism, 2, 673–680.

Keywords

Hydroplate Theory, Catastrophic Erosion, Landslides, Geological History, Flood Event