Harrington

Excuses in Oard (2009a) Fail to Justify Misleading Statements about Harrington (1971) in Oard (1997)

Kevin R. Henke, Ph.D.

May 4, 2014

In another response to my 1999 essay, Oard (2009a, pp. 114-115) denies that he misquoted Harrington (1971) in Oard (1997, p. 98). I don’t know if it was intentional or accidental, but Oard (1997, p. 98) is so poorly worded that it creates the false impression that Harrington (1971) contains an example of a hard igneous rock that was striated by debris flows from flash floods. Obviously, Mr. Oard wants to find examples in the literature of floods and mass movements striating hard rocks so that he can argue that striations on pre-Pleistocene rocks could have resulted from Noah’s Flood rather than ancient glaciations.

To settle this conflict over Harrington (1971) and Oard (1997, p. 98), here is what Oard (1997, p. 98) said about Harrington (1971), including the very relevant introductory sentence in bolded italics about hard igneous rocks that was curiously NOT quoted by Oard (2009a, pp. 114-115):

“Abraded pavements, especially on hard igneous rocks, combined with all their special markings, constitute strong evidence for the glacial theory. Mass movement, however, can duplicate striations and grooves on hard rocks as well as on soft sediments (see Chapter 7 [in Oard, 1997]). For instance, a debris flow from a flash flood striated a large igneous boulder held in place within basal debris (Harrington, 1971). The striations formed multiple sets which look like glacial striations.” [Italicized and bolded section omitted by Oard, 2009a, p. 114-115]

By reading the first two sentences and the subsequent "For instance..." sentence, any reasonable person could conclude that Oard (1997, p. 98) is citing an example from Harrington (1971)

of a hard igneous rock that was striated and grooved by a debris flow from a flash flood. Here is the section from my 1999 essay that discusses the misuse of Harrington (1971) by Oard (1997, p. 98) in the above paragraph:

“…Oard ([1997], p. 98) claims that mass movements can form striations and grooves on HARD rocks. From the context, the reader might guess that the striated igneous rocks described by Harrington (1971) were hard and that these debris flows really did a fast and effective job of counterfeited [sic, counterfeiting] glacial striations on granites or other hard igneous rocks. However, Oard never tells his readers that the striated igneous rock in Harrington (1971, p. 1346) was a SOFT rhyolitic tuff.” [Capitalization in the original.]

Oard (2009a, p. 115) responds to my 1999 essay by making the following four flimsy excuses, which are followed by rebuttals from me:

  • “First, by mentioning the extremes of hard rocks and soft sediments, it is implied that striations could form on soft igneous rocks, too.”

Yes, IF flash floods can striate hard rocks than they should also be able to striate soft igneous rocks and sediments, but so what?! The issue is not whether floods can striate sediments and soft igneous rocks, which could be expected, but whether or not floods are capable of deeply striating hard igneous rocks and whether Harrington (1971) contains a "for instance" example of a hard igneous rock being striated from a flash flood. Although it may be possible that flash floods and large mass movements are capable of striating hard rocks under certain conditions, how can we take Mr. Oard’s word for it in Chapter 7 and elsewhere in Oard (1997) when this book is so full of misquotations of the literature, including failing to admit the very relevant fact that the igneous rocks mentioned in Harrington (1971) were not hard?

  • “Second, Harrington (1971, p. 1,346-1,347) stated that the rhyolitic tuff, an igneous rock, was ‘rather soft’ and ‘comparatively soft’, which is quite different from a soft sediment.”

Again, so what?? Oard (2009a) is trying to divert the reader's attention from the issue of whether or not hard igneous rocks can be striated by flash floods to irrelevant discussions concerning sediments and soft igneous rocks. The issue is that the igneous rock mentioned in Harrington (1971) was not hard and it cannot be used as a "for instance" example to support Mr. Oard's previous claim that "Mass movement, however, can duplicate striations and grooves on hard rocks as well as on soft sediments..." [my emphasis]. Mr. Oard needs to find a different reference to support his claim. Nevertheless, Oard (2009a, p. 115) has finally admitted what he should have said in Oard (1997, p. 98). The rhyolite tuff was not a hard igneous rock. While I’ve never seen a soft unweathered granite, I have seen rhyolite tuffs that are soft enough to scratch and crumble by hand. So, I would not be surprised if a flash flood could striate a soft sediment or a "rather" or "comparatively soft" igneous rock. Again, the issue is not how soft the rhyolitic tuff is when compared with sediments, but the hardness of the tuff and that a reader could easily be misled by Oard (1997, p. 98, 49-51) into believing that Harrington (1971) contains an example of a flash flood producing glacial-like striations on hard igneous rocks. Mr. Oard needs to finally admit that he has misrepresented Harrington (1971), as well as a long list of other references.

  • “Third, Harrington (1971, p. 1,344) stated that the striations and grooves are oriented in several directions. This would be interpreted as glacial without question if found in a glaciated area.” [his emphasis]

What does this argument have to do with the hardness of the tuff in Harrington (1971) and the misrepresentation of Harrington (1971) in Oard (1997)? In 1971, some geologists might have automatically identified striations and grooves oriented in several directions on rocks as glacial features. However, since the critical work of Schermerhorn (1974) and his other articles, I am skeptical that geologists (especially, glaciologists) are so apt to rush to a glacial interpretation any more. Even in glaciated areas, I would expect modern geologists to recognize that striations on at least “comparatively soft rhyolitic tuffs” could have resulted from meltwater floods rather than directly from a glacier. Oard (2009a) is far behind the times on how modern geologists identify glacial deposits.

  • “Fourth, Harrington was noting that ‘debris-laden torrential water flows’ can cause striated glacial-like pavements – exactly my point!”

No, that is not the point of our disagreement, Mr. Oard! As I stated in my 1999 essay and as I further discussed above, the entire context in the paragraph of Oard (1997, p. 98) implies far more about Harrington (1971) than simply stating that “debris-laden torrential water flows” can produce glacial-like striated surfaces. Whether accidentally or on purpose, Oard (1997, p. 98) could easily mislead an average reader into believing that the example from Harrington (1971) involves water flows striating hard igneous rocks. The ability of a flash flood to striate a “comparatively soft” rhyolite tuff is not surprising and does not prove that floods, like glaciers, can readily produce these features on a hard granite or any other hard rock. Mr. Oard needs to cite some science references in context to prove his agenda that flash floods can readily striate hard rocks just like glaciers.

No one is perfect in interpreting the literature. We all make mistakes. Unfortunately, the abuse of Harrington (1971) in Oard (1997) is just one example of countless misrepresentations and misquotations of the literature in Oard (1997), Oard (2009a) and Oard (2009b). The purpose of this and related essays at this website is to provide specific examples of how Oard (1997) often selectively cherry-picked and twisted the literature to promote his YEC agenda and the extreme diversions that Mr. Oard in Oard (2009a) and Oard (2009b) used to cover up his misbehavior. The literature abuse in Oard (1997), Oard (2009a), and Oard (2009b) is simply too widespread to ignore.

For reference, the entire section of my 1999 essay on striations is included below. Notice that there are many other misquotations and problems in Oard (1997) that Oard (2009a) improperly ignores.

STRIATED BEDROCK AND GROOVED PAVEMENTS

Dirty ice, meteorite impacts, fault movements and mass flows may scratch entire outcrops, as well as individual rocks. In chapter 7, Oard [1997] again misuses the literature and attempts to eliminate any distinctions between glacial and non-glacial striations on bedrock. For example, Oard ([1997,] p. 49) cites Hambrey and Harland (1981, p. 14) and claims that mass movements and tectonic forces may produce striations and grooves that counterfeit glacial processes. However, Hambrey and Harland (1981, p. 14) actually state:

“Striated surfaces alone could indicate a tectonic or mass-flow origin, but if sedimentary structures are well-preserved glacigenic features are so characteristic that there should be little difficulty in identifying them.”

In another example, Carter (1975, p. 162) discusses polished and linear structures in sand flows. However, contrary to suggestions by Oard ([1997,] p. 50), Carter makes no comparisons with glacial striations. Specifically, Carter (1975, p. 162) refers to a photograph of a sand flow with linear features in Shepard and Dill (1966, Figure 139). However, it’s obvious from the photograph that the linear features look nothing like glacial striations.

Pettijohn (1975, p. 119) is credited by Oard ([1997,] p. 52) as stating that turbidity currents could produce intersecting groove casts that appear similar to glacially produced grooves on pavements. Like Carter (1975), Pettijohn (1975, p. 119-120) never makes a direct comparison between grooves from turbidity currents and glacial processes. This is Oard's invention.

Oard ([1997,] p. 52) also takes Harland et al. (1966, p. 250) out of context and argues that tectonic processes may produce crossing sets of striations, which could be confused with glacial striations. However, when the quotation is given in context, Oard's [1997] arguments are no longer viable. Again, as shown below, the section that Oard [1997] used is in capital letters:

“Extensive grooved and striated basements clearly indicate glacial abrasion. More limited surfaces of this sort could be confused with tectonically striated pavements, but TECTONIC STRIATIONS TEND TO BE IN ONE DIRECTION, OR AT THE MOST TWO OR THREE, OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE, WHILE GLACIAL STRIATIONS SHOW MORE VARIABLE TRENDS. On the other hand, a systematic direction, somewhat independent of slope, distinguishes glacial striae from those caused by mudflows. On glacial pavement crescentic marks, criss-crosses, gouges, crushing, and generally more irregularity can be observed than on tectonic basements. Pre-pleistocene examples include the classic grooved and striated pavement below the widely exposed Dwyka Tillite.”

Oard ([1997,] p. 50) mentions that pre-Pleistocene striated pavements may cover large areas. Geologists see this as evidence of extensive glaciations, but Oard and other YECs think that these striations formed from the enormous sediment flows of “Noah’s Flood.” However, Oard never explains how all of this sediment could have formed on a young Earth and how it accumulated into huge mudflows during Noah’s Flood.

At the same time, Oard ([1997,] p. 51) stresses that most pre-Pleistocene pavements below diamictites are small and rare. Basically, Oard is stating that glaciated pavements may radically vary in size. The small number of pavements and their predominately small sizes are not surprising. As Oard ([1997,] p. 51) states, most pre-Pleistocene glacial deposits had a marine origin, which means few striated pavements would develop since deep water would cause dirty ice to float rather than persistently scrape hard outcrops. Furthermore, not many pre-Pleistocene striated pavements or other glacial features would survive after 250 million or more years of erosion.

As an example of the “meagre” presence of pre-Pleistocene pavements, Oard ([1997,] p. 51) claims that a Late Precambrian tillite in northwest China described in Songnian and Zhenjia (1994, p. 98) “only” has three glacial pavements, each with an area of only about one square meter. However, contrary to Oard’s criticism, besides the three excavated glacial pavements near Umainak Spring, glacial pavements associated with the Umainak Formation were also found in the Aksu area (Songnian and Zhenjia, 1994, p. 98). The evidence of a glacial origin for these Chinese rocks isn’t as sparse as Oard ([1997,] p. 51) claims.

Next, Oard ([1997,] p. 52) tries to argue that Daily et al. (1973) reinterpreted a striated pavement as resulting from tectonic rather than glacial forces because of the parallel and lengthy nature of the striations and grooves. In reality, Daily et al. (1973) cite several reasons for being skeptical of a glacial origin for this one Australian pavement, including details about the appearance of the striations and a lack of crescentic fractures, crescentic gouges, and other glacial features.

The striated pavements of the Late Paleozoic Dwyka Group are widespread, well developed and provide excellent support for a glacial origin. Oard ([1997,] p. 97-98) desperately tries to argue that mass movements (supposedly from Noah’s Flood) could duplicate these features. He (p. 97-98) mentions that the striations are both parallel and crossing, although an old reference (du Toit, 1953, p. 275) supposedly indicates that the striations are mostly parallel. Earlier, in chapter 7, Oard extensively argued that parallel versus crossing striations on bedrock are not reliable indicators for distinguishing glacial from non-glacial processes. However, in contradiction to his earlier claims, Oard ([1997,] p. 98) now argues that parallel striations and grooves are more indicative of mass movement and tectonic forces than glaciations.

Oard ([1997,] p. 98) also cites Harrington (1971) and mentions how debris flows from a flash flood can form striations on igneous rocks. In the previous sentence, Oard ([1997,] p. 98) claims that mass movements can form striations and grooves on HARD rocks. From the context, the reader might guess that the striated igneous rocks described by Harrington (1971) were hard and that these debris flows really did a fast and effective job of counterfeited glacial striations on granites or other hard igneous rocks. However, Oard never tells his readers that the striated igneous rock in Harrington (1971, p. 1346) was a SOFT rhyolitic tuff.

References

Carter, R.M. 1975. “A Discussion and Classification of Subaqueous Mass-Transport with Particular Application to Grain-Flow, Slurry-Flow and Fluxoturbidites,” Earth-Science Reviews, v. 11, p. 145-177.

Daily, B.; V.A. Gostin and C.A. Nelson. 1973. “Tectonic Origin for an Assumed Glacial Pavement of Late Proterozoic Age, South Australia,” Journal of the Geological Society of Australia, v. 20, p. 75-78.

du Toit, A.L. 1953. The Geology of South Africa, 3rd ed., Hofner Publishing Co., New York.

Hambrey, M.J. and W.B. Harland (eds.). 1981. Earth’s Pre-Pleistocene Glacial Record, Cambridge University Press, London.

Harland, W.B.; K.N. Herod and D.H. Krinsley. 1966. “The Definition and Identification of Tills and Tillites,” Earth-Science Reviews, v. 2, p. 225-256.

Harrington, H.J. 1971. “Glacial-Like ‘Striated Floor’ Originated by Debris-Laden Torrential Water Flows,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 55, pp. 1344-1347.

Judson, S. and R.E. Barks. 1961. “Microstriations on Polished Pebbles,” American Journal of Science, v. 259, pp. 371-381.

Oard, M.J. 1997. Ancient Ice Ages or Gigantic Submarine Landsides? Creation Research Society, Monograph No. 5, Chino Valley, AZ.

Oard, M.J. 2009a. “Landslides Win in a Landslide over Ancient 'Ice Ages'“, chapter 7 in M.J. Oard and J.K. Reed (editors). 2009. Rock Solid Answers: The Biblical Truth Behind 14 Geological Questions, Master Books: Green Forest, AR, pp. 111-123.

Pettijohn, F.J. 1975. Sedimentary Rocks, 3rd ed., Harper and Row, New York.

Schermerhorn, L.J.G. 1974. “Late Precambrian Mixtites: Glacial and/or Nonglacial? American Journal of Science, v. 274, pp. 673–824.

Shepard, R.P. and R.F. Dill. 1966. Submarine Canyons and Other Sea Valleys, Rand McNally, Chicago.

Songnian, L. and G. Zhenjia. 1994. “Neoproterozoic Tillite and Tilloid in the Aksu Area, Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Northwest China,” in M. Deynoux, J.M.G. Miller, E.W. Domack, N. Eyles, I.J. Fairchild, and G.M. Young (eds.), Earth’s Glacial Record, Cambridge University Press, London, pp. 95-100.