Re: craters (part of YEC defined)

Allen Roy (allen@infomagic.com)
Sat, 13 Mar 1999 22:15:23 -0700

> From: Massie <mrlab@ix.netcom.com>
> I would challenge all the YEC people to give us a back of the envelope
> calculation of the energetics of all this. That is, you postulate a
> great deal of very energetic processes during the 150 days or more of
> the flood. This is a humongous amount of energy to be dissapated on the
> absolutely shallow crust of the earth and the water. Others have of
> course noted this but I have never seen a response in terms of Joules
> per meter square per second divided into for example the energy per
> meter square of water to evaporate the water. Lets see some numbers and
> of course we need to see the same for the proposal of the plate
> tectonics which are supposed to have occured in this very small time and
> so forth.

In my reading on asteroid impacts, I have seen no one do any calculations
along this line. About the most calculated is the size of the explosion in
megatons.

Let's see if we can make a list of where the released energy would go.

1. Atmosphere:

A. Within a unknown radius of the explosion an unknown amount of air
molecules will be reduced to single elemental atoms absorbing an unknown
amount of energy.

B. A conic volumn of known size of the atmosphere will be physically
blasted into space absorbing an unknown quantity of the energy. An unknown
quantity of the conic volumn will be lost into space. The rest will be
attracted back to the planet.

C. Shock waves and sound waves will carry away through the atmosphere
an unknown quantity of the force.

D. Winds of unknown force and duration will disipate futher unknown
amounts of energy

E. Heat of the blast will heat the near by atmosphere carrying away an
unknown quantity of the energy.

2. Ocean:

A. Within an unknown radius of the explosion an unknown amount of water
is reduced to single elemental atoms absorbing an unknown amount of energy.

B. An unknown amount of the water will be evaporated into the
atmosphere using up an unknown quantity of the energy.

C. A series of mega-tsunami will carry away an unknown quantity of the
force.

3. Crust of the earth:

A. Within an unknown radius of the explosion an unknown amount of rock
and soil is reduced to single elemental atomes abosrbing an unknown amount
of energy.

B. Within an unknown radius of the explosion the crust is greatly
fractured absorbing an unknown amount of energy.

C. An unknown quantity of dust, pebbles, cobbles, boulders, etc. are
blasted into space and atmosphere absorbing an unknown quantity of the
energy.

D. P and S waves carry away an unknown quantity of the force through
the crust and mantle.

4. Other:

A. Within an unknown radius flamable objects will catch fire from the
heat of the blast

B. In the atmosphere unknown quantites of water vapor condenses on the
dust releasing some more of the energy into the atmosphere.

Now, If anyone can quantify some of these unknowns I'd sure appreciate the
help.

If are some factors I've missed please add it to the list.

Allen