Friday, January 6, 2017

Catastrophic Geology: Case 12 - Rock Erosion

Rock erosion occurs much faster than previously conceived or perceived.  Very steep slopes or vertical faces (bluffs) are inherently unstable over time.  And no it does not take "millions of years".  The rock formations we see today are constantly experiencing rock mass wasting (erosion) due to weathering processes.  Catastrophic collapses routinely occur, altering our landscape.

"London Bridge"  on the Australian coastline collapsed in 1990, stranding 2 tourists on the outcrop who had to be rescued by helicopter.  Images were presented in the 2015, No. 2 issue of Creation Magazine.










In 2009, the "Island Arch" collapsed.  The rock formations you look at today are not "millions of years old" or exhibits of "timeless eternal looks", they have changed significantly since their initial exposure.










In 2005, one of the "12 Apostles" suddenly disappeared:




















The rate of rock mass wasting observed is one of the many pieces of evidence that refutes the concept that the earth could be "millions of years" old.

Arches National Park in Utah also exhibits rapid rock mass wasting.  In 2008 the famed "Wall Arch" collapsed.  The famed "Landscape Arch" will collapse at any moment, with some progressive collapses already observed.  Since 1970, 43 of the park's arches have collapsed, providing evidence of relatively rapid changes to rock geomorphology.