Uncommon and Impact-Suspicious Geologic Phenomena across Jordan and Adjacent Areas, Arabian Plate

Werner Schneider¹, Elias Salameh²

¹Im Ziegenforth 15, D-38108, Braunschweig, Germany.
²Faculty of Science, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

DOI: 10.4236/ojg.2014.412051                

Abstract

For the discovery and analysis of Jebel Waqf as Suwwan (JWS) Impact Crater, Jordan pushed the authors to consequently focusing on other unusual geologic phenomena such as circular/oval structures (some of “crypto-volcanic” origin), disharmonic folding, horizontal stylolites, and a broad stripe of Sanidine-Hornfels-Facies, all of them hosted in Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene carbonate rocks exposed across Jordan and adjacent areas. Shatter cones are the most useful tools during field work in the realm of circular structures. In addition to the impact-geologic data of JWS Impact Structure hitherto available, the cooling process of melted Lower Cretaceous Kurnub-Sandstone could be verified by microscopically identified SiO₂-modifications between the melting point (1714°C) and low temperatures. In comparison with the Suffield 500 tons explosion tests [20] and with the Ries Impact Crater, Germany, excavation and vaporization processes of target rocks demand drilling between Central Uplift and Inner Ring of the JWS Impact Structure (“Chert-Carbonate-Impact-Chess Game”). In a scenario: “Impacting meets Plate Tectonics”, phenomena like disharmonic folding, horizontal stylolites, and an abundance of circular/oval structures of high diameter variation through northwest Jordan are discussed under aspects of gravitational gliding, effects of seismic surface waves (Love-), transpressional structures related to Jordan Rift-Tectonics, and possible impact processes of unknown number occurred on the Arabian Plate in southeastern direction with northwest-directed impulse. The so-called “Mottled Zone” of Jordan and Palestine owning a high number (~100) of mineral neoformations with formation temperatures up to ~1120°C(pseudo-wollastonite = β-CaSiO₃), is to be interpreted as of “Sanidine-Hornfels-Impact Facies” under ricochet conditions along an “Avenue of Ricochet-Impact-Thermo-Cataclysm”. Marble-related travertines represent a low temperature facies of the impact event. The temporal projection of patterns like Rapid Climate Change (RCC), astrophysical data [Hoyle’s Comet: 47], acid events in ice-cores, tektite fall, Rise and Fall of Neolithic/Bronze Age Cultures, reveals an amazing “Ensemble” of coincidences among all of these parameters since the Middle/Upper Pleistocene boundary throughout Holocene. Ten short Interval Cases are discussed as being “Rare Event”- suspicious. Myths like the “Gilgamesch Epos” and “John’s Apocalypse” surprisingly provide realistic hints on impact events comparable with modern observations and experiments, which are: approach of extraterrestrial bodies, impact cratering, earthquakes and faulting, supercyclonic whirl-storms (wildfires), effects of hot ejecta, destruction of fauna, flora, and cities, long-lasting flooding, darkness caused by ashes and dust circulating in atmosphere and stratosphere (sintwinter), and environmental pollution. Such hints were handed down in myths of ~180 ethnic peoples around the globe. “High probability Cases” focus on impact events on ~9600 yr B.P and on ~6000 yr B.P. Other “Rare Events” may have possibly occurred about ~8000 yr B.P. and on ~3200 yr. B.P. (all radiocarbon yr.cal.). Core-drilling in the pull-apart basins of the Jordan Rift System (Dead Sea, Lake Tiberias) as traps having possibly preserved volcanic and impact ejecta would be a challenging international and interdisciplinary project.

Keywords

Impact-Suspicious Phenomena, Ricochet Impact, Impact-Related SiO₂-Modifications, Sanidine-Hornfels-Impact Facies, Rapid Climate Change, Holocene, Hoyle’s Comet, Rise and Fall of Neolithic/Bronze Age Cultures, Coincidence of Natural and Cultural Evidence, Jordan

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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