Virgin River Drainage, from St. George to Zion National Park
I have been using the following three factors to appraise the rotation and shearing, by Coriolis Tectonics, of the Crust under continents:
1. Laterally-striated slickensides, which are found near circular patterns of rivers;
2. The circular portions of creeks and rivers and the drag direction shown on the mapped view of these rivers- relative to the nearby land borders; and,
3. The lateral shear of artificial concrete slabs and horizontal fixtures attached to the Earth.
We will use the three state region from AZ, NV, and UT to explore whether there is a disqualification of any of this type of information, when relating Coriolis cells and their rotation to appraise the movement and location of Crustal features. So far, I have found confirmation of cell rotation or HEAT production from shear in the following areas:
a. Pah Tempe hot springs, which occurs on the south shore of the Virgin River, near the Hurricane Fault (Hf) in Hurricane, Utah;
b. Slickensides on the north wall, in vertical Mesozoic sedimentary rocks- oriented horizontally, facing the
Virgin river (at Hf, by the abandoned power plant on the Laverkin side of the river);
c. Slickensides on the north and south walls of circular canyons near the AZ-UT border;
d. Hot springs and a young volcanic cone at Diamond Valley and Santa Clara vicinity;
e. Arcuate-shaped basaltic dikes near Overton Arm of Lake Mead; and,
f. Warm water (80F) emerging from a domestic well NE of the town of Virgin, from a subsurface river gravel covered by basalt from nearby Crater Hill.
The above Google Earth Photo, at the top of this presentation, presents some of the field and analysis work done in the tri-state area.
Comments on direction of movement, cell boundary determination, and cells which overlap within a study area:
A. Coriolis Force and rotation react to an independent movement- either thermal contraction or expansion, meteoric strikes, or other mechanical entity occurring first (such as collision of landmasses, subduction, or that due to density-thickness contrasts of adjoining Crustal blocks);
B. Adjoining or concentric Coriolis cells must agree with direction of movement, or else there is shear and heat production. That is, for two adjoining cells, such as the Colorado Plateau, CP, and Basin and Range, B&R, there must be oppositely-rotating movements or else shear will produce hot springs or volcanoes;
C. Whenever adjoining cells do not agree in rotation direction- both rotating similarly- then there must be a local heat expression, or the principle is violated. For example, for the case of cooling Haleakala and adjoining volcano on the Island of Maui, there must be a heat expression between them, due to the fact that both are rotating in the same clockwise (CW) direction. Indeed, there is such a volcanic cone- named Waikapu-adjacent to the local drainage; and,
D. Cells within cells, due to variations of elevation of a mountain range within its PHOTOED presentation, must agree with rotation direction also, or else there must be a thermal expression. That is, the Pine Valley Mountains (PVM) must agree with the rotation of the larger B&R cell- CW- or else there must be hot springs or vulcanism at the zone of interference.
We will use field work to appraise these conditions and caveats.
Below is shown the area where there are potential conflicts- where the arrows indicating movement do not mesh on a large scale (the B&R CW direction possibly conflicts with the Virgin River boundary CW rotation):
Now we interpret the various rotations, and find that we are "off the hook" because there is a buffer cell north of the Virgin River which rotates congenially with both the B&R cell to the north and the Virgin River cell to the south (the arrows agree in both cases, allowing rotation without sufficient shear to create hot springs or vulcanism).
However, there is one "fly in the ointment" where we find that there are at least two cones in the zone to the SE of Leeds- which are young, rotating in their own sphere, and possibly indicating shear near the Hurricane fault, Hf.
Where do the continental basalt cones originate?
Using Coriolis Rotation applications, continental basalt must derive from melting caused by the frictional heat and shear of brittle rocks. Mantle rock is assumed to be somewhat plastic- not subject to grinding and shearing at the Temperatures and Pressures at the depths where it is static (fluids or plastic solids flow, while brittle solids grate against each other). By this analogy, the entire column of rotating CRUST generates heat by friction with neighboring brittle rock from the Earth’s surface to the top of the zone of plastic rock- assumed again to be the Mantle. However, the composition of basalt is found NOT to be similar to that in the crust. There is less silicate, more iron, and more magnesium, comparatively. The way out of this dilemma is via heat transferred from the deep crust into the zone below, where there is plastic rock of different composition. The rotating column of shearing and grinding rock creates heat which is transferred to a deeper zone, where the composition is different and which has plastic flow. This fluid or plastic rock begins to rise through the crust, eventually emerging as lava, along with wall-scraping or exotic rock from surrounding crust. Hence, the basalt may originate deeper than the heat which caused it to rise.
This action creates vulcanism which transports basalt from the base of the zone of brittle rocks (the Crust) to the surface of the Earth. Using this analogy, we find basalt cones in continents wherever there is heat created by Coriolis rotation. The heat must come first, by the Coriolis concept, and it must originate from an independent mechanical or thermal event. Hence, there must have been a moving fault surface or meteoric strike or other action, upon which Coriolis differential spin velocity can begin to cause rotation of the further north or highest protruding mass, relative to the thinnest or further south portion.
Small basaltic cones, such as are found near known fault lines or near active geological features, are simply derived by frictional heat and are not necessarily related to events occurring in the Mantle. Larger composite volcanoes are more complicated and we will investigate them when I am near Flagstaff, the White Mountains, AZ, or Mt. Taylor, NM.
But what about oceanic basalts? They have a slightly different composition compared to continental basalts, and they are generally not simple cones. These are called tholeiitic basalts (the plagioclases are more Calcic, and there are less alkalies), and we will refer to the blog on the Hawaiian Islands for further information.
Armed with this elaboration, we will now investigate the simple basalt cones SE of the town of Leeds, UT, to see how they fit within this scheme, and whether they originate from rotation of separate Coriolis cells near the Hurricane fault, Hf.
Before hiking north of the Virgin River, look at a photo of a portion of disrupted Jurassic Navajo formation to see what shearing of these fossil dunes looks like- they have been rotated CW on the north side of the river by the action of Coriolis Force upon the upwardly and later downwardly-moving basalt magma:
A view of the opposite direction- to the west- shows that a trench has opened along a portion of the west side of the Grass Valley-Virgin rotation, allowing more easy access of drainage to erode through the Pleistocene gravels and Dam. The shear valley should be memorized as a type-locality for recognizing shear vs normal faulting. The movement represents just a few feet per shear action, so that field geologists looking for displacement will fail to measure it.
Below is a scene looking south across the meander bar, showing a trench made upon draining of the volcanicly-dammed lake of Pleistocene times:
Virgin River Drainage, from St. George to Zion National Park
I have been using the following three factors to appraise the rotation and shearing, by Coriolis Tectonics, of the Crust under continents:
1. Laterally-striated slickensides, which are found near circular patterns of rivers;
2. The circular portions of creeks and rivers and the drag direction shown on the mapped view of these rivers- relative to the nearby land borders; and,
3. The lateral shear of artificial concrete slabs and horizontal fixtures attached to the Earth.
We will use the three state region from AZ, NV, and UT to explore whether there is a disqualification of any of this type of information, when relating Coriolis cells and their rotation to appraise the movement and location of Crustal features. So far, I have found confirmation of cell rotation or HEAT production from shear in the following areas:
a. Pah Tempe hot springs, which occurs on the south shore of the Virgin River, near the Hurricane Fault (Hf) in Hurricane, Utah;
b. Slickensides on the north wall, in vertical Mesozoic sedimentary rocks- oriented horizontally, facing the
Virgin river (at Hf, by the abandoned power plant on the Laverkin side of the river);
c. Slickensides on the north and south walls of circular canyons near the AZ-UT border;
d. Hot springs and a young volcanic cone at Diamond
Valley and Santa Clara vicinity;
e. Arcuate-shaped basaltic dikes near Overton
Arm of Lake Mead; and,
f. Warm water (80F) emerging from a domestic well NE of the town of Virgin, from a subsurface river gravel covered by basalt from nearby Crater Hill.
The above Google Earth Photo presents some of the field and analysis work done in the tri-state area.
Comments on direction of movement, cell boundary determination, and cells which overlap within a study area:
A. Coriolis Force and rotation react to an independent movement- either thermal contraction or expansion, meteoric strikes, or other mechanical entity occurring first (such as collision of landmasses, subduction, or that due to density-thickness contrasts of adjoining Crustal blocks);
B. Adjoining or concentric Coriolis cells must agree with direction of movement, or else there is shear and heat production. That is, for two adjoining cells, such as the Colorado Plateau, CP, and Basin and Range, B&R, there must be oppositely-rotating movements or else shear will produce hot springs or volcanoes;
C. Whenever adjoining cells do to agree in rotation direction, both rotating similarly- then there must be a local heat expression, or the principle is violated. For example, for the case of cooling Haleakala and adjoining volcano on the Island of Maui, there must be a heat expression between them, due to the fact that both are rotating in the same clockwise (CW) direction. Indeed, there is such a volcanic cone- named Waikapu-adjacent to the local drainage; and,
D. Cells within cells, due to variations of elevation of a mountain range within its presentation, must agree with rotation direction also, or else there must be a thermal expression. That is, the Pine Valley Mountains (PVM) must agree with the rotation of the larger B&R cell- CW- or else there must be hot springs or vulcanism at the zone of interference.
We will use field work to appraise these conditions and caveats.
Where do the continental basalt cones originate?
Using Coriolis Rotation applications, continental basalt must derive from melting caused by the frictional heat and shear of brittle rocks. Mantle rock is assumed to be somewhat plastic- not subject to grinding and shearing at the Temperatures and Pressures at the depths where it is static (fluids or plastic solids flow, while brittle solids grate against each other). By this analogy, the entire column of rotating CRUST generates heat by friction with neighboring brittle rock from the Earth’s surface to the top of the zone of plastic rock- assumed again to be the Mantle. However, the composition of basalt is found NOT to be similar to that in the crust. There is less silicate, more iron, and more magnesium, comparatively. The way out of this dilemma is via heat transferred from the deep crust into the zone below, where there is plastic rock of different composition. The rotating column of shearing and grinding rock creates heat which is transferred to a deeper zone, where the composition is different and which has plastic flow. This fluid or plastic rock begins to rise through the crust, eventually emerging as lava, along with wall-scraping or exotic rock from surrounding crust. Hence, the basalt may originate deeper than the heat which caused it to rise.
This action creates vulcanism which transports basalt from the base of the zone of brittle rocks (the Crust) to the surface of the Earth. Using this analogy, we find basalt cones in continents wherever there is heat created by Coriolis rotation. The heat must come first, by the Coriolis concept, and it must originate from an independent mechanical or thermal event. Hence, there must have been a moving fault surface or meteoric strike or other action, upon which Coriolis differential spin velocity can begin to cause rotation of the further north or highest protruding mass, relative to the thinnest or further south portion.
Small basaltic cones, such as are found near known fault lines or near active geological features, are simply derived by frictional heat and are not necessarily related to events occurring in the Mantle. Larger composite volcanoes are more complicated and we will investigate them when I am near Flagstaff, the White Mountains, AZ, or Mt. Taylor, NM.
But what about oceanic basalts? They have a slightly different composition compared to continental basalts, and they are generally not simple cones. These are called tholeiitic basalts (the plagioclases are more Calcic, and there are less alkalies), and we will refer to the blog on the Hawaiian Islands for further information.
Armed with this elaboration, we will now investigate the simple basalt cones SE of the town of Leeds, UT, to see how they fit within this scheme, and whether they originate from rotation of separate Coriolis cells near the Hurricane fault, Hf.
There are basalt flows on both sides of the Virgin River, and I am beginning to suspect that these are all related to the rotation of the Grass Valley anomaly, as it in turn rotates about a portion of Hf. Keep in mind that there must be an initial independent movement, such as the demonstrated movement of the CP- CCW along the Hurricane fault. This cell might have other rotations within it, but for the moment we will concentrate upon what we know. The Grass valley circular feature continues from the Town of Virgin (where there is an abandoned oilfield) to the Washington Fault, in the city of Washington, UT. We will work on the perimeter of this feature where it is presented by the Virgin River canyon walls and anomalies. There are several features which are anomalous, and I will categorize them, and add them to the hopper for inclusion in the
General Theory of the Rotation of the Crust about the Hurricane town Portion of Hf:
a. Several basaltic cones adjacent or within the shear zone of the Virgin, which is seen in the previous Photo as several hundred meters in width;
b. A vertical bed presentation of weathered Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, by the power plant on the Laverkin side of the river, with laterally-striated slickensides shown facing south;
c. The basaltic cones are the normal black or brown, except for the Cinder Cone by the river (in the middle of the trio of cones within the city). This one has a lot of red, indicating more oxidized iron, and had more air borne ash than the others;
d. Some of the flows blocked the river, as shown in the above meander study, and the Virgin later moved through the same flow path (where the “going was tougher”, indicating a fracture or fault-induced opening);
e. Quail Lake resides beside the river, but is an artificial reservoir, and has been created by damming the Quail Creek coming from the north in an anomalous canyon (defined by another Coriolis cell portion);
f. Quail Lake has an obvious thrust fault on the NW side of the lake- which appears to be thrusting to the NE- which would fit in with the general CW movement along the Virgin River. This makes it likely that the shear and thrust zone is several hundred meters in width;
g. The entrance of Quail creek through the anticline there is another anomaly- indicating that there was a fractured or faulted path through which the creek flowed;
h. The anticline, which was probably N-S oriented originally, as are most of the anticlines in this portion of the CP, now orients NE-SW. This indicates that it has been rotated CW- the opposite of the Virgin rotation (hinting that there is another small cell, which contains the thrust fault and Quail creek opening;
i. Quail creek originally flowed south through the center of the anticline- abdicating that it found the centerline fault of the conjectured small cell there; and,
j. There are several anomalous openings in the SE limb of the anticline- one noticeably opening from the general area of the Quail drainage, into the Virgin, but which does not show any drainage there.
The 3 Photos above show various anomalies located near Quail Lake and Creek. We will digest these, remembering that all vectors shown have to be compatible or else there must be a HEAT ANOMALY. We have found no hot spring or vulcanism immediately in the environment, so that they MUST BE COMPATIBLE (or my Coriolis presentation will have a puncture in it- and not just from shear)!
Above is a photo of the questionable (no striations, but a silicate surface, not grainy, not able to scratch with a knife) slickensides. I have found that silicate is not the only identifier for slicks- there is iron stain, from iron oxide (Fe+++, not Fe++), and DARK MANGANESE.
This is a work in preparation, which will be augmented as we get information in the field, from weekly hikes. We will investigate the cones near Leeds, the actual trace of the B&R CW-rotating large regional fault (which is now isolated and located to within a mile or so), and the foothills of PVM- which will yield slickensides to indicate the shear zone and direction of rotation.
