Questions for Uniformitarianists

[otseng]

Uniformitarianism is one of the most important unifying concepts in the geosciences. This concept developed in the late 1700s, suggests that catastrophic processes were not responsible for the landforms that existed on the Earth's surface. This idea was diametrically opposed to the ideas of that time period which were based on a biblical interpretation of the history of the Earth. Instead, the theory of uniformitarianism suggested that the landscape developed over long periods of time through a variety of slow geologic and geomorphic processes.

The term uniformitarianism was first used in 1832 by William Whewell, a University of Cambridge scholar, to present an alternative explanation for the origin of the Earth. The prevailing view at that time was that the Earth was created through supernatural means and had been affected by a series of catastrophic events such as the biblical Flood. This theory is called catastrophism.

Source: PhysicalGeography.net

Uniformitarianism is a geological doctrine. It states that current geologic processes, occurring at the same rates observed today, in the same manner, account for all of Earth's geological features. Thus, it assumes that geological processes are essentially unchanged today from those of the unobservable past, and that there have been no cataclysmic events in earth's history. As present processes are thought to explain all past events, the Uniformitarian slogan is, "the present is the key to the past."

Source: Uniformitarianism.net

Some questions for uniformitarianists:
Why are there distinct lines between the sedimentary layers?
Why are they parallel to each other?
How did the stratas get formed?
Where did all the material come from to form the stratas?
Where do we see evidence of stratas being formed now?
Why do the majority of faults split through multiple layers?
Why do sedimentary stratas generally start in the Cambrian layer? Why are there none before that?
Do sedimentary layers exist older than 500 MYA?
Why are there little to none sedimentary stratas on top of shields (exposed cratons)?
Why are there relatively little sediments on the ocean floors near the ridges?
Why are there gaps in time in the stratas?
If those layers got eroded away, how did it happen?

[youngborean]

Does this logic deny the Ice Age? I do find it very interesting that Gradualism preceded evolution philosophically according to the site you posted.

[Nyril]

Why are there distinct lines between the sedimentary layers?

Changes in conditions. If a river pours silt onto a bed (which is becoming rock) but for 3 months out of the year rains flood the region upstream so that the river waters become sheets of mud, the sediment laid down will have strikingly different consistencies then the pure silt layers, and lines will be observed.

Although this is likely not the case for every single line we can observe on the planet, simply think of a conditional change that would cause different consistencies of sediment to be laid down, such as winter, floods, fall, fires, etc... Although the specific event may not happen very often, when you're laying down sediment onto the rock, it will happen often enough to leave lines.

Why are they parallel to each other?

It has to do with how the silt gets there. If I pour out a bucket of sand on the ground and let the wind blow over it (or water run over it, or one of a thousand other means of deposition), the level of sand will soon be flat. Any peaks in the sand will be leveled by weathering or some other sort of erosion, and once a layer is formed the next layer will simply form on top of it.

How did the stratas get formed?

Time. Lots of it.

Where did all the material come from to form the stratas?

The Earth. But I suppose more specifically, the weathering of rocks.

Where do we see evidence of stratas being formed now?

Everywhere.

Why do the majority of faults split through multiple layers?

Because the strata happen first, and the fault happens after the dirt is neatly stacked. In my geology class I had on Monday, the teacher showed us how to create one by using a box filled with various colors of sand, and a metal plate (it was a divider going through the entire box) attached to a crank. As pressure was put in the sand (the side was clear), you could very clearly see faults forming as the Earth compressed.

Why do sedimentary stratas generally start in the Cambrian layer? Why are there none before that?

Because when you stack enough sedimentary layers on one another, the pressure causes the rock (over time) to stop being sedimentary, and transform into metamorphic rock.

Do sedimentary layers exist older than 500 MYA?

Possibly, I don't personally know of any though. Does it matter? If I found one that was 510MYA, would you then ask if I could produce any 550MYA?

Why are there little to none sedimentary stratas on top of shields (exposed cratons)?

Erosion. You place sand atop of hard rock, and then have it rain on the sand, and then have wind blow across the sand, and pretty soon you don't have much sand left.

Why are there relatively little sediments on the ocean floors near the ridges?

Which ridges in particular? If you mean the trans-atlantic, that would be because there's active volcanism around it. If you mean ridges in general, it's for the same reason you don't see much on the top of shields, the water moved it away.

Why are there gaps in time in the stratas?

Erosion. Sand mud and dirt isn't a perfect medium.

If those layers got eroded away, how did it happen?

Erosion.

[YEC]

Poly-strate fossils show a rapid deposit of sediment...like the flood would predict.

[YEC]

Recumbent folds in layers of strata indicate that the strata was still soft when folded.
Think about it...if the rocks were hard...they would snap, crackle and pop....not bent in half.

I think the uniformatarian model needs some work.

[Nyril]

Since we're into one-liners.

http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CC/CC331.html

Claim CC331:

Polystrate fossil trees show tree trunks passing through many layers and several meters of sediments. Obviously, the sediments must have been laid down suddenly, not at the gradual rates proposed by uniformitarian geology.

Response:
Sudden deposition is not a problem for uniformitarian geology. Single floods can deposit sediments up to several feet thick. Furthermore, trees buried in such sediments don't die and decay immediately; the trunks can remain there for years or even decades.

[jwu]

Why do sedimentary stratas generally start in the Cambrian layer? Why are there none before that?
Do sedimentary layers exist older than 500 MYA?

An image of the Vishnu Schist:
http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/1996.html
It's precambrian rock and clearly consists of strata.

Why are there relatively little sediments on the ocean floors near the ridges?

Because it's newer ground than the ocean floor far away from the ridges. This is perfectly consistent with conventional geology.

jwu

[Dilettante]

Wait a minute...are there any uniformitarianists alive today? I don't have enough knowledge of geology to make a minimally significant contribution to this thread, but I read somewhere that the current theory is actualism, which, if I understood correctly, basically states that gradual processes (like erosion) and also natural catastrophes (such as volcanic eruptions) have shaped our planet. Maybe uniformitarianism is a straw man.

[YEC]

Since we're into one-liners.

http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CC/CC331.html

Claim CC331:

Polystrate fossil trees show tree trunks passing through many layers and several meters of sediments. Obviously, the sediments must have been laid down suddenly, not at the gradual rates proposed by uniformitarian geology.

Response:
Sudden deposition is not a problem for uniformitarian geology. Single floods can deposit sediments up to several feet thick. Furthermore, trees buried in such sediments don't die and decay immediately; the trunks can remain there for years or even decades.

It makes one wonder how many instances of strata deposition there is that don't contain polystrate fossils which were actually laid down quickly...but given long time frames by the evo minded.

But as you pointed out...polystrate fossils are a great example of flood deposit. Ask Noah about the flood.

[juliod]

polystrate fossils are a great example of flood deposit. Ask Noah about the flood.

That there have been floods is not an issue. That there was a Great Flood is definitively known to be false.

Note, BTW, that creationists have made zero contribution to geology over the last, say, 100 years.

DanZ