Erosion layer

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Massively eroded surface:

There is an extraordinarily, widespread erosion surface between the Precambrian and the Cambrian layers, which is known as:
The Great Unconformity.

This picture shows rock layers at Frenchman Mountain, near the Grand Canyon.
The two red lines indicate the position and direction of the Great Unconformity, which was originally horizontal, but has been tilted by rock movements.
To the right of this and below, is the older Precambrian layer of Granite and Schist.
To the left and above, is the younger Cambrian layer of Sandstone.

Throughout the world, immediately above this erosion surface, in the Cambrian layer, there are often sediments consisting of a basal conglomerate or boulder bed, then this is followed by sandstones, and then shales and limestones. (See diagram below ***)
These sediments point to them being laid down in deep water. [3]

Here is a quote from a geologist describing the violence at that time which left this erosion surface:

"The continental nuclei at that time were largely stripped down to the crystalline basement.
Ancient mountain systems were worn down to their roots reducing the continents more nearly to a plain than they have ever been before or since." [4]

The resulting erosion surface – the so called Great Unconformity – marks the destructive power of the massive flood waters.

The Lower Palaeozoic period (Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian) was a time when the ocean waters swept over the continents, levelling the land as it went.
Remember that these layers could have been formed very quickly by the action of the water sweeping in. (See the previous article: Quickly formed layers).

Also notice that these sediments are marine deposits, (see diagram below).

Each ~ on the diagram represents approximately 25 metres above current sea level, as an average. [5]

Eustatic sea levels:

The belief that the continents were under water during the Early Palaeozoic period is reinforced by Eustatic sea levels.

The Eustatic sea levels are marked on the diagram above, where each ~ represents approximately 25 metres above current sea level, as an average. [5]

Eustatics is the study of [uniform world-wide] sea level changes.

Eustatic graphs represent ‘global ocean volume’ which has a major control on sea levels. ( There are other things that affect sea levels).

So one conclusion from these things, is that there was catastrophic flooding at the end of the Precambrian, which rapidly laid down the Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian sediments – say up to 100 years.

Then there must have been other catastrophic events after that period of massive flooding. This is all possible – it′s not the stuff of fantasy.

But we need to look at some more evidence.

Go to next article:

Millions of years gaps in the layers

References:

Thanks to Paul Garner for his lecture delivered at the autumn meeting of The Genesis Agendum at Baden-Powell House, London on Saturday, 30 November 1996.
[1] Calais R (1989), Duelling dinosaurs die in diluvial disaster, Creation Ex Nihilo 11(3), 44-5
Halstead, L B (1975), The Evolution and Ecology of the Dinosaurs, Peter Lowe
[2] Liddell, W D (1975), Recent crinoid biostratinomy, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 7, 1169 Meyer, D L (1971), Post mortem disarticulation of recent crinoids and ophiuroids under natural conditions, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 3, 645-6
[3] Ager, D V (1981), The Nature of the Stratigraphical Record, Second Edition, Macmillan.
[4] Olson, W S (1966), Origin of the Cambrian-Precambrian unconformity, American Scientist 54, 458-64
[5] Adapted from Hallam, A (1984), Pre-Quaternary sea-level changes, Annual Reviews of Earth and Planetary Science Letters 12, 205-43