Nail

Failing to Hit the Nail on the Head 

Kevin R. Henke, Ph.D.

May 5, 2014, Updated June 7, 2019

Rather than recognizing and properly dealing with the numerous and serious mistakes in Oard (1997), Oard (2009a) and Oard (2009b) often contain absolutely trivial complaints about my 1999 essay. As an example, I used the term “nailhead striae” instead of “nailhead-like striae” in my 1999 essay when I referred to discussions of Petit (1987) in Oard (1997, p. 53):

“Traditionally, striations in the shape of nailheads were uniquely identified with glacial deposits (Hambrey and Harland, 1981, p. 15). Not surprisingly, Oard [1997] has made a concerted effort to locate any references that might indicate that nailhead striations could form from non-glacial processes. Oard ([1997], p. 53) claims that Petit (1987) found crescentic fractures and nailhead striae on fault surfaces. Petit (1987) discusses the formation of “striations due to a ploughing element,” but he never refers to them or any other fault features as “nailhead striations,” and he never makes any comparisons with “nailhead striations.” While Petit (1987, p. 599) did find crescentic fractures, nothing was found that resembled glacial chattermarks, as classically defined by Harris (1943).” [my 2011 emphasis in bold]

Here is what Oard (1997, p. 53) actually said about the striations in Petit (1987):

“Petit (1987) reports crescentic fractures, similar to glacially caused fractures, and nailhead-like striae on fault surfaces. [my emphasis in bold]

Oard (2009a, p. 115) objects to the omission of the word “like” in my summary of Oard (1997, p. 53). Looking back, I should have paid more attention to the word “like.” On the other hand, what difference would it really make if I used Mr. Oard’s “nailhead-like” rather than just say “naihead”? Petit (1987) never used either of these terms. Mr. Oard probably came to his “nailhead-like” conclusion by looking at the sketch in Figure 2a of Petit (1987) and reading Petit’s description. He then mixed this conclusion into a section of Oard (1997) entitled “Mass Flow Can Duplicate Exotic Features on Striated Bedrock”, which also discusses actual nailhead striae. The context of Oard (1997, p. 53) clearly indicates that Mr. Oard wants his readers to believe that the non-glacial processes of Noah’s Flood produced features that could not be distinguished from ones produced by glaciers.

After complaining about how I misquoted him because I omitted the word “like”, it becomes obvious in the following quotation from Oard (2009a, p. 115) that Mr. Oard is confused about whether he believes the features in Petit (1987) are actual nailhead striae or just something that looks quite similar to them:

“Furthermore, had he [Dr. Henke] had read more thoroughly, he would have noted that while Petit (1987) does not use the term ‘nailhead striae’, his description is the same: ‘During friction it forms deep striae (grooves) terminated at the final ploughing element position” (Petit 1987, 599). Petit even provides a picture (his figure 2a) showing the feature – quite similar to nailhead striae.” [my emphasis]

In the above quotation, Oard (2009a, p. 115) initially drops all pretenses to the word “like” and equates the description in Petit (1987) with nailhead striae by saying that "his description is the same." That is, Oard (2009a, p. 115) clearly states that the description in Petit (1987) is the same as nailhead striae. However, in the very next sentence he retreats by simply stating that the features in Petit (1987) are “quite similar to nailhead striae”: So, what difference does the word “like” really make, Mr. Oard? What is the real difference between believing that the features in Petit (1987) are actual nailhead striae produced by non-glacial processes and saying that the “description is the same” as nailhead striae? Are the features in Petit (1987) “nailhead-like striae” as stated in Oard (1997, p. 53) and “quite similar to nailhead striae” as mentioned in Oard (2009a, p. 115) or - in subtle contrast - is the description in Petit (1987) the very same thing as saying nailhead striae as initially indicated in Oard (2009a, p. 115)? That is, how does Mr. Oard distinguish between actual “nailhead striae” and “nailhead-like striae”, when Oard (1997, p. 53) uses one description and Oard (2009a, p. 115) makes little or no distinction between the features in Petit (1987) and actual nailhead striae? While Mr. Oard decides how he really wants to describe the feature in Petit (1987), I made the following statements about non-glacial nailhead striations in my 1999 essay:

“The physics of impacts may indeed create chattermarks and nailhead striations and maybe, eventually, they will be found. Since Oberbeck et al. are making predictions about these features occurring in impact deposits, I will make some predictions of my own. Since impacts and mass flows are typically much faster and more violent than glaciers, I will predict that any nailhead striations or chattermarks from impacts and mass flows will have characteristics that are very distinguishable from the more slowly created markings in glacial deposits.”

“While features, such as nailhead striations, might eventually be found in deposits from meteorite impacts or tectonism, when they’re currently found in abundance in the same area with other glacial-related features, such as eskers and drumlins, the probability is very certain that the deposits are glacial. A collection of multiple, reliable glacial indicators at a site, strengthens the case of glaciation beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Meanwhile, Oard (1997, p. 53) and elsewhere in Oard (1997) contain far more serious errors and misquotations of the literature than his petty accusations against me in Oard (2009a) and Oard (2009b). Below, I include the entire section on nailhead striations from my 1999 essay. My essay provides a number of specific examples of how Oard (1997) and even his “uniformitarian” references misrepresent the literature, which all together accumulate to create serious doubts about the trustworthiness of the quote mining in Oard (1997).

NAILHEAD STRIATIONS

Traditionally, striations in the shape of nailheads were uniquely identified with glacial deposits (Hambrey and Harland, 1981, p.15). Not surprisingly, Oard [1997] has made a concerted effort to locate any references that might indicate that nailhead striations could form from non-glacial processes. Oard ([1997] p. 53) claims that Petit (1987) found crescentic fractures and nailhead-like striae on fault surfaces. Petit (1987) discusses the formation of “striations due to a ploughing element,” but he never refers to them or any other fault features as “nailhead striations,” and he never makes any comparisons with “nailhead striations.” While Petit (1987, p. 599) did find crescentic fractures, nothing was found that resembled glacial chattermarks, as classically defined by Harris (1943).

Oard ([1997] p. 53, 99) discusses a Precambrian pavement in Brazil with crescentic cracks and nailhead striations and claims that Frakes (1979, p. 79) “insists” that the pavement was produced by a mass flow rather than a glacier. In reality, Frakes does not “insist” on anything. He (p. 79) presents both sides and expresses uncertainty about whether the pavement was produced by glaciation or mass flows. Of course, it's possible that both processes influenced the pavement at different times.

Oberbeck et al. (1993a, p. 11) claim that Chao (1976) found “nailhead” striations in debris from the Ries impact crater in Germany. Uncritically, Oard ([1997] p. 53, 99) repeats this claim. Chao (1976, p. 615) mentions earlier studies at the Ries impact site that found striations, gouges, and scour marks in some of the sedimentary ejecta resulting from the impact. Some of these marks were up to a few centimeters wide and deep (Chao, 1976, p. 615). However, the striations and scour marks discovered and discussed by Chao are MICROSCOPIC, usually less than 50 microns wide and only a few hundred microns in length. These microstriations are much smaller than the MACROSCOPIC nailhead striations found in glacial pavements (Hambrey and Harland, 1981, p. 15, for example). Chao (1976, p. 616) even states that these microstriations are not anything like striations produced by other geological processes. So according to Chao, Oberbeck et al. and Oard should not be concerned that these microstriations could be confused with glacial and other non-impact striations. Chao (1976, p. 616) states that some of these microstriations have “pinhead-shaped indentations.” However, contrary to claims in Oberbeck et al. (1993a, p. 11) and Oard ([1997] p. 53, 99), Chao (1976) NEVER makes any direct comparisons with glacial nailhead striations.

Oberbeck et al. (1993a, p. 11) expect impacts to create chattermarks and nailhead striations. However, they admit that chattermarks have not yet been found in any impact deposits. The physics of impacts may indeed create chattermarks and nailhead striations and maybe, eventually, they will be found. Since Oberbeck et al. are making predictions about these features occurring in impact deposits, I will make some predictions of my own. Since impacts and mass flows are typically much faster and more violent than glaciers, I will predict that any nailhead striations or chattermarks from impacts and mass flows will have characteristics that are very distinguishable from the more slowly created markings in glacial deposits.

Oard [1997] also attempts to minimize the number of nailhead striations that are found in pre-Pleistocene glacial rocks. Obviously, the fewer glacial features that are present in these rocks, the easier it is to pass them off as mass flows, faults, and meteorite impacts associated with “Noah's Flood.” For example, Oard ([1997] p. 98) cites von Brunn and Stratten (1981, p. 75) and claims that nailhead striae, chattermarks and crescentic gouges are relatively “rare” in the Late Paleozoic glacial Dwyka Group of South Africa. In reality, von Brunn and Stratten (1981, p. 75) simply state that several striated pavements have these features. They give no indication of how rare the features are. [Capitalized words indicate my 1999 emphasis; 2014 addition in red.]

In my 1999 webessay, I admitted that nailhead striations may eventually be found in impact deposits:

“The physics of impacts may indeed create chattermarks and nailhead striations and maybe, eventually, they will be found." (see full quotation above).

Rampino (2017, p. 157) now claims that nail-head striations have been found in impact deposits. We'll see if geologists are able to distinguish them from nailhead striations in glacial deposits.

References

Chao, E.C.T. 1976. “Mineral-Produced High-Pressure Striae and Clay Polish: Key Evidence for Nonballistic Transport of Ejecta from Ries Crater,” Science, v. 194, pp. 615-618.

Frakes, L.A. 1979. Climates thoughout Geologic Time, Elsevier, New York.

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

Harris, S.E. 1943. “Friction Cracks and the Direction of Glacial Movement,” Journal of Geology, v. 51, pp. 244-258.

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.

Oard, M.J. 2009b. “Do Varves Contradict Biblical History?”, chapter 8 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. 125-148.

Oberbeck, V.R., J.R. Marshall and H. Aggarwal. 1993a. “Impacts, Tillites, and the Breakup of Gondwanaland,” Journal of Geology, v. 101, pp. 1-19.

Petit, J.P. 1987. “Criteria for the Sense of Movement on Fault Surfaces in Brittle Rocks,” Journal of Structural Geology, v. 9, pp. 597-608.

Rampino, M.R. 2017. Are Some Tillites Impact-Related Debris-Flow Deposits?, Journal of Geology, v. 125, pp. 155-164.

Von Brunn, V. and T. Stratten, 1981, “Late Palaeozoic Tillite of the Karoo Basin of South Africa,” in M.J. Hambrey and W.B. Harland (eds.) Earth’s Pre-Pleistocene Glacial Record, Cambridge University Press, London, pp. 71-79.