Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Sullivan Knoll is a quarter of a MILLION years in AGE, and has GRAVELS on its south side which are older than Ivin Knoll- which is 1 m.y.



PHOTOS made 26 Mar/2013:







Photo above exhibits COLUMNAR JOINTING, which surrounds a LAVA TUBE from the older IVIN KNOLL EXTRUSION of 1 m.y. The BAKED CIRCULAR SURFACE of the tube attests to the INTERACTION of hotter interior MELT with the COOLER WALLS. Interestingly, the tube- which represents a PATH of flowing rock (similar to a creek path following an ARCUATE SHEARING-ROTATING TRACE). Also (seen at the hike) there is a VERTICAL PROTRUSION of uneroded cobbles ALIGNED with the basalt COLUMNS' EDGES (hexagon boundaries). This hints at a HARDENING along a VERTICAL PATH (FRACTURE) where shearing should have exhibited the REVERSE- ERODING. This CIRCUMSTANCE indicates an ANOMALY more than a simple lava tube:
 
The COLUMNAR JOINTING is commonly thought to be a result of COOLING- creating STRESS CRACKS, as the Lava shrinks. We now can see that it occurs where there is an INFLECTION in the TRACE- resulting in a RE-ARRANGEMENT of the POLYGONS. Below is a case in the Virgin River banks, where the JOINTING accompanies SLICKENSIDES, VERTICAL SHEARING, and a small ANALEMMA:
This occurs at an INFLECTION in the river PATH, where the river "S" is traversed by an ARC separating the Jn sandstone from the FAULTED BASALT. The occurrence of a FORWARD "S" for a sinking (eroding) area infers a SIGNIFICANT ANOMALY. Normally, a forward S is associated with  RISING:
 

 


Solving this anomalous HARDENING requires that the LARGER PICTURE be analyzed. Below are shown several photos of the SURROUNDING REGIONS -all belonging to ACTIVITIES of the last 2 m.y:

VIRGIN OCTAGON above, and the Virgin VOLCANIC DAM at the Hurricane Golf MEANDER, below:



MYSTERY SOLVED! The VERTICAL arrangement of TERTIARY COBBLES (less eroded than neighbors) is a LINEAR aligned with the CENTER LINE of the Lava Tube- where the FIGURE 8 TUBE (only half can be seen) has been arranged VERTICALLY-GRAVITATIONALLY by the CIRCULATORY downhill flow of the previously-HOT LAVA! This ENTIRE SECTION of crust was previously an UPLIFT, which has been subsequently raised sufficiently to INCUR SHEARING along the small ANTICLINAL AXIS (similar to the nearby Quail Anticline), and to develop the SIDE CANYON DRAINAGE. In other words, the side drainage has eroded away the top of the small hill via SHEARING during the last 16,000 years! This is supported by the dip measurements of the GRAVELS on either side of the tributary- they form a hill, now eroded in the middle (similar to many anticlines in the COLORADO PLATEAU).



 The POLYGON surrounding the Basin and Range province has un-measured north side segments, so that the total count of segments cannot be determined. Should the POLYGON have 16 sides, as appears likely (from estimation of the possible 256 km lengths which will fit), the TOTAL PERIMETER DISTANCE would be 256 km x 16= 4096 km- an approximate CIRCUMFERENCE. The DIAMETER is near 4096/17.48 km per m.y.= 147.763 m.y. (equivalent to 3.6 TILT CYCLES of 41 m.y. each).



Since the Basin and Range TRIANGLE has emphasized that the equation for Mars: {(360- x)/x= (360- 120)/120= 2} is indicated, we must determine which PROPERTY of Mars is creating this SINK. The closest property is that of the ratio of ORBITS: Mars/Earth= 687/365.24= 1.88. This involves a 6% variation, so is on the border of ACCEPTABILITY!

There is now a modified SERIES- 64/50, 64/40 (1.6 ratio), 64/32 (2 for Mars), 64/25.6- which last ratio is NOT a whole number for Jupiter, but which does fit the series:125/50 (2.5); 125/40, for Saturn, etc. The INFLECTION in the trend occurs at Jupiter- which is the 1st planet after the FORBIDDEN zone of the Asteroids! Again, the asteroid belt represents the DIVIDER in 3D- equivalent to the CRUSTAL DIVIDER in 2D. This is a zone of DISRUPTION, where ARC REVERSAL occurs.

Now, the INFLECTION at the Asteroid belt yields a change of mathematical series: requiring WHOLE NUMBERS (INTEGERS) to exhibit the results. The ratio 125/64 = 1.953125 is within 4% of the expected 2.0 ratio for Mars! Since this is “on-the-edge” of the planetary MATHEMATICAL INFLECTION, this may be as good as we can get with my OVERALL ERRORS of 5%!

 


Nearby SAND HOLLOW-MOUNTAIN "TIT", above, and the VOLCANIC FLOWS of Crater Hill and that near Sand Hollow RESERVOIR, below:



SHEAR (FRACTURES) LINES viewing eastward from the Virgin meander, above, enlarged for the "BIG PICTURE" below:

FRACTURE LINES above the MEANDER- showing their ARCUATE DEVELOPMENT (illustrating the SHALLOW GRAVITATIONAL MOVEMENTS:




Finally, the greater REGION surrounding the GRAVELS of approximate 4 m.y. AGE:

Below is the Oct/2010 analysis- which will have to be UPDATED, in view of RECENT FINDINGS:

There is a scarp on the south west side of the structure, which has puzzled me; it is a scarp increasing in height to the south- near the Sand Hollow Lake east dam.

This scarp must pertain to the original flow from Ivins, and relate to the shrinking and CW-rotating base of Ivins (since it increases in height in the direction of Ivins’ south side, and not in relation to Sullivan).
This Ivins scarp is shear, making it difficult to scale. But on the edge near hiway 9, there is an access road where ancient Virgin gravels outcrop. The general rule is: the higher the basalt elevation, the older the flow; this pertains to this corner of the rotation, and I enclose a photo of the contact of the gravels with the basalt scarp (obviously older also, since they are also much higher than the present Virgin rim):

NOTICE THAT THE WASH ALIGNS WITH THE BREACH IN SULLIVAN KNOLL. THIS CONFIRMS THAT THE NW-SE FRACTURE HAS BEEN SLICING THE UNDERLYING IVINS, AS WELL AS THE YOUNGER SULLIVAN KNOLL. IT CONTINUES, SINCE THE CREEK HAS A TRIBUTARY- INDICATING ANOTHER ANOMALY.

ABOVE IS THE LOCATION MAP OF THIS EASY-TO-HIKE FORAY INTO THE MARGINS OF SULLIVAN AND IVINS KNOLLS. PARK ACROSS FROM WAL-MART TRAFFIC LIGHT, IN THIS FENCED BUT "FOR SALE" AREA, TO ACCESS OPEN FIELDS AND CANYONS WITH MORE DIFFICULT SLOPES.THE GRAVELS ARE LIMESTONE AND SOME HARD-AS-QUARTZITE SILICATES, INDICATING AN AGE OF PALEOZOIC OR OLDER. THESE ARE THE HIGHEST IN ELEVATION WELL-CEMENTED RIVER GRAVELS I HAVE FOUND NEAR SULLIVAN KNOLL:

NOW WE CAN RE-ASSESS THE SHEAR AND ROTATIONS OF SULLIVAN KNOLL, WHERE THE NW CORNER HAS DRAINAGE ANOMALIES CREATED FROM SHEAR OF THE CRATER ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE OF THE IVINS BASALT SCARP. NOTICE THE SULLIVAN SHEAR CIRCLES, WHICH CAN BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE BROADER-REACHING IVINS SCARPS. THE SCARP STRETCHES ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTH TO THE SAND HOLLOW DAM- INDICATING THAT IT IS A MUCH LARGER FEATURE THAN SULLIVAN KNOLL.
The finding that these conglomerates lie below the basalt flow and above the Mesozoic Jn tells a story of Pre-vulcanism history. They likely came from the east- from the rising Hf drainage, as there are Permian limestones outcropping there now. This indicates that at 1 million years or less, there was a scarp and separation of Pz and Mz rocks. This is in agreement with my previous findings that Hf started rising, again, in Pleistocene time- as dated by the vulcanism in Zion NP.
Drainages near Sullivan Knoll
The NW to W trends of drainages on the NW side of the crater are a new finding. 
These do not match any of the expected N-S or arcuate traces, but they do indicate parallel arrangements with Gould’s Wash, a faint scarp on the south side of the youngest extrusion, and orthogonality with fractures at Sand Mountain. These are shown on the following Google photo for NW Sullivan knoll:




This finding relates that there were shear patterns NW-SE before vulcanism started. Hf forms N-S linears, Sand Mountain has N60E fractures, and the Virgin anticline orients NE-SW; these do not relate to the drainage displaying Pz conglomerates. Keep in mind the major premise: drainages follow the shear and its movements- which allow more easy erosion. A conglomerate in a linear pattern indicates that there was NW-SE shear BEFORE the vulcanism, and that the creeks followed this pattern. This was on top of Mz sandstones, and I did not find any dominant fractures in the few outcrops of Jn photoed. The NW-SE movement continues, since the breach of Sullivan was post-eruption, and the wash was formed by the weaknesses in the conglomerate- formed by shear in that direction. The canyon walls are steep- a further indication of little erosion since the canyon was cut. Shear patterns are formed by Coriolis rotation, which senses any linear thrust caused by earth tides, asteroids, or vertical movements. I conclude that there exists a fault or fracture pattern which is on-going, but which was in effect before vulcanism was initiated. This is not insignificant, since the conglomerates and their continuity indicate a drainage which persists- indicating an un-catalogued shear and movement. This can explain why I do not find a regularity in the shear rotations surrounding Sullivan Knoll. The outstanding question remains: WHAT HAS CAUSED THE NW-SE DRAINAGES AND SHEAR INDICATIONS? There is one hint not previously mentioned: there is a tilt to the conglomerates- down toward Sullivan Knoll. This could be related to the sinking of Sullivan knoll as it cools, causing a tilting of the surrounding Ivins (older) basalts. Ivins would have sunk and re-adjusted long ago, and now be influenced by the younger Sullivan sinking.
ALL OF THIS DEMONSTRATES THAT I HAVE FOUND AN ANOMALY WHICH PERTAINS TO THE LATEST RISE OF Hf- WHICH IS YOUNGER THAN 1 MILLION YEARS. THE DRAINGAE IS YOUNGER, BUT PART OF AN ON-GOING MOVEMENT WHICH HAS BREACHED SULLIVAN KNOLL, LAID BARE GRAVELS FROM EAST OF Hf, AND SLICED THE BASALTS LYING ABOVE THE CONGLOMERATE. THIS WILL HAVE TO BE TREATED IN A SUBSEQUENT SUBMISSION ABOUT Hf (AN ANALYST'S WORK IS NEVER DONE- THE EARTH IS MOVING FASTER THAN ONE MAN CAN FOLLOW IT!):PROCEEDING INTO THE CANYON WITH THE ANOMALOUS DRAINAGE, THERE OCCURS A TRIBUTARY. NOTICE THAT THE GRAVELS ARE LIGHT-COLORED (INDICATING CARBONATES AND SILICATES- BUT NOT BASALTS), AND THAT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE OF DIP OF THE CONGLOMERATE AT THE JUNCTION OF THE CREEKS (EVERY JUNCTION LOCATES A GEOLOGICAL ANOMALY OF SOME SORT):
THE SOLUTION TO THE ANOMALOUS NW-SE SHEAR LINES IS FOUND IN THE ANALYSIS OF 3 SEPARATE FLOWS, 2 OF WHICH ARE OLDER THAN THE PROMINENCE NOW DISPLAYED (SULLIVAN). WE'LL SAVE THIS FOR A SEPARATE BLOG, BUT FOR NOW, THERE ARE SHEAR CIRCLES WHICH HAVE BEEN INTERDICTED BY THE YOUNGEST, AND WHICH WERE DETERMINED BY THE STRESSES PRODUCING THE NW-SE PARALLEL SHEAR LINES:

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