Ocean Circulation Velocities over the Continents during Noah's Flood | The Institute for Creation Research

 
Ocean Circulation Velocities over the Continents during Noah's Flood

Download PDFDownload Ocean Circulation Velocities over the Continents during Noah's Flood PDF

by Raj Prabhu, M.S., Mark F. Horstemeyer, Ph.D., and Wesley Brewer, Ph.D.

In A. A. Snelling (Ed.) (2008). Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Creationism (pp. 247–254). Pittsburgh, PA: Creation Science Fellowship and Dallas, TX: Institute for Creation Research.

Abstract

This paper focuses on numerical experiments that qualitatively explore the velocities and patterns of ocean circulations that could have risen when the earth’s continental surface was mostly flooded during the catastrophic event of Noah’s day. Velocities and flow patterns are observed resulting from the earth’s rotation and gravity and other pertinent parameters: change in latitude, water depth, supercontinent size, number of days, and mesh size. This parametric study can provide insight into the water velocities that carried Noah’s Ark and insight regarding the hydraulic mechanisms that transported millions of cubic kilometers of sediment during Noah’s Flood. The hydraulic sedimentation may explain many present-day geological formations, which reveal sudden and catastrophic formation. In many cases the sedimentary distributions horizontally extended hundreds and thousands of kilometers and accomplished a vast amount of geological work in a matter of months. The geological conditions were assumed to be similar to that of late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic era, when the Pangea supercontinent existed. The numerical calculations employ two codes, one written by National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the other by Dr. Baumgardner (1994). Both codes solve the 2-D shallow water equations on a rotating sphere with surface topography. The calculations from Dr. Baumgardner’s code showed a surprising yet persistent result with high velocities of the ocean currents over the Pangean-like continental configurations. The magnitudes of these velocities were around 40–80 m/s at higher latitudes. Catastrophic cavitation occurs for water velocities around 20-30 m/s and for free stream conditions lead to vaporous cavitation (Brennen, 1995; 2005, p. 142; Brewer, 2002, p. 4). This depends on the cavitation number for the prevailing conditions. Around such velocities, one would expect severe and rapid erosion to be associated with any major transgression of the continents by the ocean currents. Such currents would be expected to arise in the context of the scripture “all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered with water” (Genesis 7:19). The NCAR code results showed some slightly lower velocities ranging up to the mid-20 m/s range. Even with these velocities, which are lower than those of the Dr. Baumgardner’s code results, the velocities are still sufficiently large to induce a global movement of sedimentation. As such, these types of calculations strengthen the evidence for Noah’s Flood and the associated consequences on the geological history of sedimentary rocks.

Keywords

Genesis Flood, Ocean currents, Sediment transport, Sedimentation patterns, Shallow water equations, Current velocities, Cavitations.

For Full Text

Please see the Download PDF link above for the entire article.

The Latest
NEWS
July 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome...

NEWS
Valued Longtime ICR Employee Mary Smith Retires
Mary Morris Smith, an employee of the Institute for Creation Research for many years, has retired. The second daughter of ICR founder Dr. Henry M. Morris...

NEWS
Man of Science, Man of God: George Washington Carver
Who:  George Washington Carver What: Father of Modern Agriculture When: 1864 or 1865 – January 5, 1943 Where: Diamond Grove,...

ACTS & FACTS
The Scopes Monkey Trial: A Battle of Worldviews
Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, and its statue of William Jennings Bryan Image credit: M. Mueller The Scopes Monkey...

ACTS & FACTS
Long Non-Coding RNAs: The Unsung Heroes of the Genome
Evolutionary theory holds that all living things came about through random, natural processes. So conventional scientists believe the genome has developed...

ACTS & FACTS
Yosemite National Park, Part 1: Tiny Clues of a Grand Picture
Yosemite National Park in California is a sure source of stunning scenery. It’s no wonder that American naturalist John Muir persuaded President...

ACTS & FACTS
From Inference to Theory: A Common Design Case Study
Without a doubt, humans, chimpanzees, and other organisms share similar features. An early explanation was that these features reflect similar designs...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Kids: T. rex
by Michael Stamp and Susan Windsor* You're never too young to be a creation scientist and explore our Creator's world. Kids, discover...

ACTS & FACTS
Entering By The Door
Recently, I hosted a visiting pastor from a large church at ICR’s Discovery Center. As I guided him through our Dallas museum, one conversation...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Mission in Fiji
Michele discusses pages from Explore the World with boys at an orphanage Image credit: Brian Thomas In 2024 my wife, Michele,...