Shock Dynamics - An alternative to Plate Tectonics, driven by a potentially singular impact event

I searched around here, but couldn't find much on this theory. Here is a link: www.newgeology.us...

Basic idea is that something smashed into the earth near Madagascar many years ago which created a very large shockwave which propagated radially outward (which is one of the quirks of the movements of the plates which is unexplained by plate tectonics as far as I understand), causing the continents to drift to their current positions.

I already read this article that somebody linked to from ATS, which states that the tectonic plates might stop moving eventually. If they move because of magma flowing below the crust, according to plate tectonics, then it is my understanding that the plates themselves would only stop moving if the core of the planet cooled off and stopped moving. So if the plates are slowing down (or rather, subduction is slowing and has been shown to completely stop at times), then they were likely set in motion by some huge event/impact/release of energy, which has been slowly dissipating.

Our planet will eventually die off, its core will eventually freeze over just like the sun will eventually "burn out". And at that time, of course the plates will stop moving. But we are talking about here the plates ceasing drift on much smaller time scales than the whole life span of the planet.

Perhaps the plates have started and stopped drifting over time because of various asteroid impacts? Maybe we started with Pangea, which was split up by a first huge asteroid, then eventually the continental drift stopped as the impact shockwave dissipated. Later, another asteroid hits and starts up some continental drift again, only for it to slow down/stop again.

Maybe these asteroid impacts were the cause of certain mass extinctions as well?

Here's another theory that has been posted already in the past on ATS: www.tmgnow.com...

The expanding earth idea is that the earth was once about 55% to 60% of its present size, and over time the earth has literally expanded its diameter. The continents initially were joined as Pangea with NO OCEAN SURROUNDING IT - the Pangean continent in this theory would completely surround the earth. Something then caused the earth to expand, and so the continents spread out as the earth grew. This is another acceptable reason for the RADIAL nature of continental drift.

Pretty neat ideas. Please do let me know if a topic on Shock Dynamics already exists... I searched but only found the Expansion theory and that article I linked to above.

First up, the website refers to 'creation geology' - never a good sign!

Current plate movements (and there's no dispute that they are moving thanks to good ol' GPS) do not fit with an supposed single impact either within the last million or 4 billion years. We also have to take into account previous continental configurations that existed before the continents merged to form Pangea. Such things are not in doubt.

Basically this looks like creationist nonsense which ignores 95% of known geology and assumes any readers know even less.

However....

There is a valid theory that impact events may have some bearing on specific plate movements. I have a copy of Neville Price's book Major Impacts and Plate Tectonics - though it's not an easy read for the layman and to be honest I've only ever skimmed through it. I'm not sure the idea has much support but does seem worth considering as a contributiry factor.


Edit: Ted Nield's Supercontinent is an excellent read and thoroughly explains the evolution of plate tectonics theory. Highly recommended

reply to post by Essan


Why is "creation geology" bad? I understand that just refers to the geology of the creation of our planet. "Real" geologists, non-mainstream geologists, and religious fanatics all have the right to think about creation geology.

I'm no creationist in the current sense of the word. Can you point me to any sources which explain how radially-directed continental drift does NOT point to a singular event which started the continents spreading outward from a central point? Cause this site in great detail explains (according to the theory of course) how the continents spread apart, explains discrepancies between coastlines and continental shelves, etc.

The cause of this movement being a singular asteroid impact is the least important or convincing part of this theory, IMO. It could have been some huge volcano or a geomagnetic pole reversal/wander. The point is that it shows how all the continents got to be where they are today, their orientations, their coastline, etc. all consistent with the radially directed continental drift we observe today.

If you dismiss an idea before you get to the actual idea itself, you're doing yourself a disservice... Creation geology is relevant and can be considered scientifically, because our planet has geology, and at one point in the past, our planet was created.

Never heard this theory before. Thanks for posting

For a good Expanding earth thread visit this one : The Expanding Earth hypothesis. ,

Feel free to leave a reply.

Originally posted by tetsuo
reply to post by Essan

 

I'm no creationist in the current sense of the word. Can you point me to any sources which explain how radially-directed continental drift does NOT point to a singular event which started the continents spreading outward from a central point?

Check any geology text book. Plate movements are not conducive to a single radial point - how example does this theory expain the African rift?

Besides, it takes as a starting point the break-up of Pangea with no consideration to the plate movements that ed to the formation of Pangea in the first place.

www.scotese.com...