Coconino sandstone is a geologic formation named after its exposure in coconino county, arizona. The coconino sandstone is one of the more wellknown permian sandstones of the western united states. One of the problems that the young earth model encounters in the grand canyon is the coconino sandstone. Coconino sandstone, sand waves, sandstone petrology, dolomite ooids, muscovite, compaction of sandstone, large crossbeds, high angle crossbeds, grand canyon, frosting, rounding. Features in the coconino, including large swooping lines that look like pulled taffy, tell us that 260 million years ago this part of arizona was covered with windblown desertcoastal dunes. Kaibab limestone toroweap formation coconino sandstone hermit shale supai group kaibab limestone surprise formation pensanan cambrian miss. Typically less than 5% of the grains in class 2 or 3 rocks have planar features. The coconino sandstone and the creationists youtube.
We bushwhack our way to the head of crazy jug canyon armed with a few waypoints from the book grand canyoneering by todd martin. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. Review of helium production and potential in arizona. The grand canyon tells one of the worlds greatest geologic stories. The coconino sandstone figure 1a, whose buffcolored sand piles up as thick as 300 feet 90 m in the grand canyon area and 1,000 feet 300 m in other areas, is one of the most common evidences raised against the genesis flood. The quality of water from the coconino sandstone in this area is unknown.
Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Jan 24, 2003 the coconino is considered by all geologists to be a desert sandstone except the young earth creationist variety, of course. Ive already discussed this in another article, so let me only summarize here. We find the trail pretty easily in the hermit shale but getting through the coconino looks like a challenge. Because mica occurs in books it often appears as a long thin strand. The coconino sandstone is typically buff to white in color. The coconino sandstone geological formation in the grand canyon from a hikers perspective. Fast researchers participating in the coconino sandstone project are documenting the sandgrain composition, the sandgrain texture, and largescale current structures in sandstone in the southwestern united states.
Locate the coconino sandstone po highlighted by can you now make about the problem 5 placemark. What is the oldest body of rock in the grand canyo. This formation spreads across the colorado plateau province of the united states, including northern arizona, northwest colorado, nevada, and utah. Rock layers formed during the paleozoic era are the most conspicuous in the grand canyon s walls. The coconino sandstone, the origin of which is conventionally attributed to desert sand dunes, was deposited by water. The coconino sandstone is a pure sand made of quartz grains, so it is a gleaming white where a fresh surface has been exposed by a rock fall. Coconino samples from the breadth and depth of the formation and. The permian coconino sandstone is one of the most prominent layers of rock in the grand canyon and is important to.
Coastal environments and several marine incursions from the west between 550 and 250 million years ago deposited sandstone, shale and limestone layers totaling 2,400 to 5,000 feet thick. Standard thinking cites the coconino sandstone as perhaps the most difficult formation to reconcile within the flood model of earth history. Move your cursor over the photographs to highlight the featured layers. Arizonaupper layers are interbedded from the edge of the continent, intruded by ocean marine formations, from the west, en. The highest coconino cliffs are along the south rim in the eastern portion of the park. Locate the bright angel shave cba highlighted by 5 differential weathering grand canyon np,az. The rock layers in the grand canyon supergroup have been tilted, whereas the other rocks above this set are horizontal. It employs a wealth of basic facts about the grand canyons coconino sandstone to obliterate the flaccid arguments of. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It consists almost entirely of large crossbeds fig. But desert sand dunes tend to have a higher angle, often exceeding 30 degrees. It was a windblown dune desert that stretched from presentday arizona all the way to canada. This is a classic application of the strawman fallacy present a statement as if reflects the current science, then tear it down.
Thinking of the geologic record as a book is helpful to understand each page of earths history. A methodology for disaggregation and textural analysis of. Coconino sandstone and hermit shale bruce was showing us t. Shock metamorphism of the coconino sandstone at meteor crater. Second, the footprints in the coconino sandstone are quite distinct individual toe marks are often visible. Click the coconino sandstone and the toroweap formation in the diagram for details on their formation. Environments in which sandstones form include beaches, sand bars, deltas and dunes. The beginning of the story starts at the bottom of the. Geologists have stated that this formation of 315foot thick sandstone was created by a desert environment, and is a deposition of wind. The coconinos starring role in the creationistgeologist.
Comparisons are made between them and similar structures observed in the modern dunes of the navajo country. This stratum of sandstone formed during the permian period, over 200 million years ago and is one of the thickest sandstones on earth. No erosion between rock layers david rives david rives ministries. Water in trie coconino sandstone for the snowflakehay hollow area navajo county, arizona by phillip w. Their argument is that deposits like this would be impossible to form in the midst of a global flood as described in genesis. How did the soft coconino sandstone manage to resist erosion for vast eons of time. The hermit formation forms a red slope below the coconino sandstone cliff. The top of the coconino sandstone was used as the datum for the stratigraphic sections plates 4 and 6 because. What is the oldest body of rock in the grand canyon. Coconino sandstone and hermit shale bruce was showing us the fault and the difference between the hermit shale and the coconino sandstone. Looking west from the summit of the tallest dune, perhaps you could have seen the distant shimmer of panthalassa, the world ocean of the time of pangaea. The authors bring up some good points about the composition of the limestone. May 27, 20 of all my videos about geology and creationists, i think this is my favorite. The coconino sandstone is a widespread formation that crops.
The proposed young earth creationism model to explain the deposition of the coconino sandstone during the short time of noahs flood completely erodes away when you examine it closely. It is part of familiar cliff exposures in places like grand canyon and sedona, arizona fig. Note the strong, narrow white layer of coconino sandstone near the top, composed of 260million yearold sand dunes. On a mohs hardness scale, quartz has a hardness of 7 in comparison to talc 1, calcite 3 feldspar 6, and diamond 10. The coconinos starring role in the creationistgeologist battle.
Gas produced from the coconino sandstone averaged 90% nitrogen, 810% helium, and 1 % carbon dioxide figure 12. The coconino sandstone has an average crossbedding angle of 25 degrees, which is consistent with the angle for sandwaves deposited by water. Broad, flat area of windswept sand and little vegetation record by the coconino sandstone toroweap formation. Correlation with type coconino based on stratigraphic position beneath kaibab limestone. The composition sandstone and presence of stromatolites indicate that this area was previously a very shallow sea. The nearest exposures out side the crater are 24 km to the south. What is deposition in ancient coastal sand dunes i. Coconino sandstone permian period, 280 million years old, 350 feet thick tan to nearly white prominent vertical cliff.
Looking west from the summit of the tallest dune, perhaps you could have seen the distant shimmer. In the third stage of shockmetamorphism, the rocks. The permian coconino sandstone is one of the most prominent layers of rock in the. Data that give understanding for the origin of the coconino sandstone. Origin of the coconino sandstone in the grand canyon csun. Johnson contributions to the hydrology of the united states geological survey watersupply paper 1539s prepared in cooperation with the arizona state land department united states government printing office, washington. This second edition of the leading book on grand canyon geology contains the most recent discoveries and interpretations of the origin and history of the canyon. Arizonas coconino sandstone a deposit seen in the grand canyon and elsewhere plays a central role in the creationist argument that the upper rocks of the grand canyon were deposited during noahs flood. Coconino sandstone is a geologic formation named after its exposure in coconino county. Kaibab limestone above younger, and toroweap formation below older. Origin of the coconino sandstone in the grand canyon. We present a new methodology for disaggregating quartzdominated sandstones cemented by quartz overgrowths, with application to the permian coconino sandstone of northern and central arizona, usa.
The left portion of stratigraphic section shows geologic eras to which layersareassigned and corre. The nearly 40 major sedimentary rock layers exposed in the grand canyon and in the grand canyon national park area range in age from about 200 million to nearly 2 billion years old. Pdf a new trace fossil from the permian coconino sandstone of. Rock layer of the grand canyon deposited during the permian period, records cross bedding formed by large scale wind blown dunes. It is composed primarily of a sandy limestone with a layer of sandstone below it. Coconino of swell may contain equivalents of supai formation, hermit shale, coconino sandstone, and kaibab limestone of the grand canyon. The coconino sandstone here, and in most places, forms a sandstone cliff. Sandstone was a popular building material from ancient times. Based on the rocks, how might the climate of the area have changed between deposition of the hermit shale and the coconino sandstone. The coconino sandstone leonardian is found in northern arizona in places like sedona and grand canyon. The coconino sandstone was a saharalike sand sea, called an erg. Water in the coconino sandstone for the snowflakehay hollow. Coconino sandstone is proposed for the crossbedded gray to white sandstone of aubrey group, which is so conspicuous in walls of grand canyon. All these are soft, fine grained sedimentary rocks, weathering to form gentle slopesas in this photo of isis temple with coconino sandstone at the top.
The article makes the claim that the coconino sandstone was deposited as underwater sand waves. It consists primarily of fine well sorted quartz grains, with minor amounts of potassium feldspar grains deposited by eolian processes winddeposited approximately 275 million years ago. The coconino sandstone is not as extensively exposed in the streambed of sulphur creek as it is in the streambed of the fremont river. Jul 01, 2015 the coconino sandstone figure 1a, whose buffcolored sand piles up as thick as 300 feet 90 m in the grand canyon area and 1,000 feet 300 m in other areas, is one of the most common evidences raised against the genesis flood. Some coconino fills deep mudcracks in the underlying hermit shale 38 and the desert that created the coconino lasted for 5 to 10 million years. Sandstone has been used for domestic construction and housewares since prehistoric times, and continues to be used. Coconino sandstone formed about 275 million years ago as the area dried out and sand dunes made of quartz sand invaded a growing desert see 6b in figure 1.
Our worksheet ef sedimentary rock differential weatheringgrand canyon np, az. In some places sandstone and shale also exists as its upper layer. Distribution of ejecta lunar and planetary institute. The permian coconino sandstone consists oflightcolored, mostly finegrained cross bedded sandstone and overlies the supai formation throughout the holbrook basin. Geologic map of the eastern quarter of the flagstaff 30 x. Textural parameters of the disaggregated sand were measured using a laser diffraction particle analyzer. Chemical analysis of sample of the coconino sandstone source.
The permian coconino sandstone is one of the most prominent layers of rock in the grand canyon and is important to creationists because it has often been used by conventional scientists to discredit the bible since it is a supposed windblown eolian deposit. However, the chemical analyses of the two recharge sources fremont river and sulphur creek are given in table 2. Here, he cites mckee, who in 1934, published the coconino sandstone its history and origin1. The coconino is considered by all geologists to be a desert sandstone except the young earth creationist variety, of course. Is a massive, crossbedded buff to white sandstone 715 ft thick. Our worksheet ef sedimentary rock differential wea. It has been eight decades since the eminent grand canyon geologist edwin mckee published his monograph on the coconino sandstone 1934. Coconino sandstonethe most powerful argument against the flood. Grand canyon geology 2nd edition, 2003 online research. Its distinctive features allow researchers to piece together the history of this unique location, one of americas treasures and a unesco world heritage site. Coconino sandstone, the result of a permian age coastal dune field. His primary interests are fossil fish taphonomy, the green river formation. Intraformational parabolic recumbent folds in the coconino. The coconino sandstone a response to john whitmores ten.
Evidence for this in addition to the character of fossil footprints therein includes crossbedding angles of only 25 degrees, not the 3034 degrees one expects from desert dunes. Kaibab limestone to supai formation hit the trail at. Lithostratigraphic correlation of the coconino sandstone. No erosion between rock layers david rives youtube. Kaibab limestone to supai formation hit the trail at grand.
The petrology of the coconino sandstone permian, arizona. Although violent storms may send flash floods gouging down narrow side canyons, the lack of steady moisture has created a stark landscape of mostly naked rock. Photograph of coconino sandstone alongside simplified stratigraphic section of grand canyon, with inset showing the crossbedding seen throughout the formation. Coconino sandstonethe most powerful argument against the. In fact, the posters presented by students and faculty of cedarville university at the 2010 annual meeting of the geological society of america gsa in denver, colo. Coconino sandstone in various states of the southwest usa, and the en. You can see the coconino sandstone is white and forms steep cliffs. Creation science rebuttals, creation magazine, the coconino. North rim of grand canyon showing coconino sandstone white.
A chemical analysis of a representative rock sample of the coconino sandstone showed that its composition was as follows. The coconino sandstone figure 1a, whose buffcolored sand piles up as. Harder, erosionresistant rocks such as the coconino sandstone and the redwall limestone have eroded into bold cliffs. Coconino sandstone and hermit shale bruce was showing us. It underlies entire coconino plateau, as well as the extensive plateau country north of grand canyon. Animal tracks, mud cracks and raindrop imprints prove that the hermit was often exposed to air. Arizona red, flagstaffs distinctive sandstone, played a pivotal role in the citys economy as well as its architecture. Intraformational parabolic recumbent folds in the coconino sandstone permian sedona, arizona usa 23 bryant and miall 2010 and other types of deformation related to seismic processes alsop and. The petrology of the coconino sandstone permian, arizona, usa. Also note in the center of the photo the 500foottall cliff of redwall limestone formed on a seabottom 300400 million years ago. The dechelly is unusual among permian eolianites in yielding a specimen of the lacertoid track dromopus cf.
In most places the coconino forms a very steep, impassable cliff, up to 500 feet in height. An analysis of crosslamination the coconino sandstone jstor. Fossils, footprints, and trackways are found in the sandstone. Kaibab limestone this layer averages about 250 million years old and forms the surface of the kaibab and coconino plateaus. Either the kaibab limestone or toroweap formation overlies the coconino sandstone. The coconino sandstone is the first great barrier you encounter as you descend into the grand canyon. Petrology of the coconino sandstone answers in genesis.
Both invertebrate and vertebrate traces indicate that the substrate was for the most part, very dry though it is clear that light rainfall or dew periodically moistened the dune surfaces. The conventional view is that the coconino sandstone represents ancient windblown desert sand dunes, which would have. Coconino sandstone, sand waves, sandstone petrology, dolomite. Johannsen, manual of petrographic methods new york. It has been widely used around the world in constructing temples, homes, and other buildings. Creation science rebuttals, creation magazine, the. The geology of the grand canyon area includes one of the most complete and studied sequences of rock on earth. The researchers believe the evidence verifies the notion that the grains, textures, and structures were formed. The crossbedded coconino sandstone arizona is perhaps one of the bestknown formations in this collection of sandstones, many of which contain large crossbeds and thus are often interpreted as eolian in origin mckee and bigarella 1979. The sediments and trace fossils of the coconino sandstone record the advance and passage of a major eolian sand sea. The coconino is composed of cliffforming, finegrained, wellrounded quartz sand and small amounts of feldspar, cemented primarily with silica. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. The coconino sandstone differs from most of the rest of the grand canyon sediments in this way.