The original Coriolis rotation for the Hurricane, Utah location encompassed a region from the CIRCULAR PORTION OF THE VIRGIN RIVER TO THE AZ BORDER. Within this circle , there were several arcuate canyons, all of which I assumed to be part of the one large rotation. As I have expanded this investigation of Coriolis influence on the entire earth, I realized that the original case was much too simplified (by me). I now will return to the “EYE OF THE HURRICANE” to expand the discovery. The concept has not been tarnished, but it is necessary to explore the limits of the discovery. There are several constraints, which must now be incorporated:
1. There must be harmony between a rotating Coriolis cell and its surroundings, otherwise there will be a local GEOTHERMAL anomaly, e.g. a hot spring or volcano. HEAT FROM BRITTLE FRICTION WITHIN THE CRUST RESULTS WHENEVER TWO BLOCKS ARE ROTATING IN THE SAME DIRECTION (CW VS. CW). Usually, nature has offset this by rotating a smaller block between the two “uncongenial” cells, but occasionally there is direct conflict, resulting in vulcanism for longer periods, and hot springs for the intermediate term;
2. The Hurricane fault is moving in three dimensions (3D), as shown by diagonal slickensides along its Laverkin graben. Consequently, part of the vertical movement is shown in adjoining Coriolis rotations, and this results in blocks of crust contrasting vertically with respect to each other (dipping and faulting). This results in smaller local horizontally-rotating cells which can be seen on Google Earth photos; and.
3. Local faulting disrupts the local topography and this introduces a dynamic about which new rotation occurs. Dynamic Linears, such as the 40N latitude of Mendocino, CA, have both horizontal and vertical rotation occurring about them. Not only that, but each surge of motion introduces a new rotation, and if the new one is laterally-displaced from the old, a new circular feature occurs within the older one.
These rules have been noticed as I complete more cases of known geology, and by extrapolation, there will probably be more refinements as I expand the work.
Below is shown a more detailed view of the Coriolis rotation near the Hurricane fault, Hf, at Hurricane Utah:
Notice that all anomalies which can be seen in local fieldwork produce small cells of rotation (within larger cells); this introduces a complication, where fieldwork must be used to separate the various movements. This yields much more information than I originally supposed, but it also requires that all details be incorporated. For example, the dip and strike I measured at the AZ border of the Grass Valley cell are pertinent for a local movement, but care must be used in extrapolating the extent to features kilometers distant; the subsurface movements may not necessarily be those under investigation.
It now appears that all topographical and elevation changes are associated with Coriolis rotations. This is extremely valuable, since anomalies of all sorts will be accompanied by rotations which can be seen on Google Earth photos. It also requires more analysis, since all hills and associated valleys introduce circular rotations. It will be necessary to perform fieldwork to separate the various features noticed on the photos.
Judgment will have to be exercised, in order to start an analysis useful for economic geology. START WITH THE SMALL FEATURES FIRST, WHICH ARE KNOWN TO REPRESENT SOMETHING ALREADY UNDERSTOOD. THEN PROCEED WITH LARGER CIRCULAR FEATURES, TO SEE HOW THEY FIT WITH THE KNOWN MOVEMENTS!
WE WILL RE-DO THE GRASS VALLEY CELL, TO SEE HOW IT FITS WITH THE OLDER DIVIDE CELL. BELOW IS THE CELL WHICH ROTATES ABOUT Hf:
DETAILS MAY BE SORTED BY NOTICING THE DIRECTION OF DRAG (EDGES OF CELLS SLIDE FROM AWAY DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT). WASHES AND SINKS, WHICH ARE ACCOMPANIED BY CW ROTATION INSIDE THE CELL, MAY YIELD CLUES TO START. Use elevation information to determine which are low points in the topography, if a stream is not present. A mesa- which is a promontory- has risen and MUST HAVE ROTATED CCW IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. Conversely, a graben or sink will have rotated oppositely- CW.
NOTICE THAT THERE ARE 5 SIGNIFICANT ARCUATE PRESENTATIONS ON THE GRASS VALLEY PLAN VIEW (AS SEEN BY GOOGLE EARTH). Sorting these will require location of faulting and any other anomalies (such as springs, uplifts, and arcuate valleys) in the field. You ask “This requires more field work than a GEOLOGIC MAPPER would perform?” Yes, but the understanding is much more amendable to extrapolation and one can eliminate most of the area to be investigated in advance- by just looking at the Google photo!
ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONCLUSION FROM THIS LATEST FINDING IS THAT THERE IS NO WORRY ABOUT THE MANTLE BEING PENETRATED BY THESE LOCAL LARGE CELLS- SMALL LOCAL CELLS ADJUST WITHIN THE CRUST TO OFFSET THE GREATER DEPTH NECESSARY TO PROPOGATE THESE LARGE SCALE LATERAL AND VERTICAL ROTATIONS. For example, for the Oregon cells which are noticeable for several hundred kilometers, the rotation of small cells within that distance propagate the movement far away from the origin!
We will now redraw the GRASS VALLEY CELL, FORMING A DIAGRAM:
The above models simplify previous attempts, since there is no CONFUSION ABOUT PENETRATION INTO THE MANTLE; small Coriolis cells have insufficient extent to reach below that influence, and only HEAT OF BRITTLE FRICTION FROM THE CRUST CREATES EXPANSION OF THE MANTLE INTO THE CRUST- TO SEND BASALT INTO THE SHALLOWER DEPTHS.
Let’s compare the above diagrams with previously-drawn ones, taken from a field trip to the SE corner of the Grass Valley circular feature. Near the AZ border on the high side is a dry wash with a limestone floor, which has Pk bed sloping down to the SE, with a dip of 15 degrees. This is in a creek which has laterally-striated slickensides above it to the west. This creek is the one seen on the Google map, north of the AZ border (out of 3, shown on the map), and it drains into Ft. Pierce wash- which makes an arcuate trace to drain into the Virgin at St. George, Utah. On the diagram above, this is the fartherest north cell of those three reaching the Virgin River. These three cells pertain to the rotation about the Grass Valley extrusion- which is near the highest elevation on the road south of Hurricane, Utah going towards AZ along Hf.
Incorporating all of the CONCLUSIONS FROM various case studies made on North American Coriolis cells, the 3 circular features are TIME-SPACED. My assessment is that the older and larger extrusion of Grass Valley has emerged to the west of Hf, at 1 m.y. year or less, and later been sliced by faulting. Much later, a rejuvenation cone has arisen, emerging from HEAT OF FRICTION OF BRITTLE SPIRALLY-ROTATING ROCKS. This occurs due to the CW movement of sinking and shrinking-cooling magma chambers as they subside. The later rejuvenation cones are smaller, since the heat of friction is much less than the original Crustal melting feature. Hence one of the circles inscribed within the original feature is younger and pertains to rejuvenation. What is not clear is the relation of the Divide Vulcanism, which extruded after Hf had sliced the original magma. WA County mappers have radio-dated the three features and find that the ages are:
1. Grass Valley: 1.47 m.y. (oldest ONE OF INTEREST);
2. Ivins Knoll, near Hurricane and south of Sullivan’s Knoll: 1 m.y.;
3. Washington lava: 870 k.years;
4. Divide basalt: 410 k.years (younger ONE OF INTEREST);
5. Gould Wash: 400 k.years:
6. Leeds-East Reef: 350 k.years;
7. Little Creek Mountain, atop mesa; 345 k.years (last ERUPTION IN THE AREA INVESTIGATED):
8. Crater Hill: 310 k.years;
9. Volcano Mountain; 258 top and 333 k.years, base;
10. Cinder Pits: 240 k.years;
11. Radio Tower: 140 k.years; and,
12. By my assessment, Divide flow, Hf has sliced the flow and displaced it to the south, and in the interim allowed the basalt to flow over the rim. The sliced part to the south should be the same age, even though it has moved from its original position.
THE QUESTION REMAINING IS: HOW HAS A CROSS-SECTION FOUND AT THE AZ BORDER (LAST DIAGRAM) NOTED A ROTATION OF THE GRASS VALLEY CELL ALL THE WAY TO THE HURRICANE CLIFFS, NEAR TOWN OF HURRICANE, AND YET A VIEW AT THE LITTLE CREEK MESA SHOWS NONE OF THIS? ITS AS IF ONE SLICE OF THE CRUST SHOWS A VERTICAL ROTATION ON THE EAST SIDE OF Hf, AND OTHERS SHOW NONE OF THIS. SEE THE BELOW PHOTO OF THE DIPPING BEDS EAST OF Hf:
THIS IS ANOTHER PUZZLE TO BE SOLVED! SEE BELOW FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE DIPPING BEDS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROTATING CELL, WHICH OCCUR OVER A KM DISTANCE ALONG HIWAY 59, AND FOR 100 METERS ALONG THE ARROYO:
BELOW IS SHOWN THE REASON FOR THE DIPPING LIMESTONES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE GRASS VALLEY CELL. THERE ARE JUNCTIONS ALONG WASHES AND DRAINAGES, WHICH CREATE SMALL CORIOLIS ROTATIONS- THESE MAKE LOCAL ANOMALIES, WHICH ARE RELATED MAINLY TO THE SHEAR AND ROTATION ADJACENT TO THEM. THIS IS NOT A 30 KM PHENOMENON, BUT IS DUE TO LOCAL SHEAR:
BELOW PHOTO SOLVES SOME OF THE MYSTERY OF THE VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY ROTATING CELLS- WHERE THE LOCAL SHEARING AND SPIRALING OF THE MONOCLINE IS NOTED
BELOW IS SHOWN A SPIRAL OF SEDIMENTARY PALEOZOIC LIMESTONE ALONG THE Hf AT THE AZ BORDER, WHICH HAS SLICKENSIDES FOR A CELL OF ONLY 300 m. DIAMETER:
NOTE THE UPLIFT HAS STRIATIONS AT A GREATER DIP ANGLE THAN THE BEDDING PLANE ANGLE OF THE PALEOZOIC:
