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 SiO 2 -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.
After the discovery of Waqf as Suwwan Impact Crater [
The following quotations are thought to meet the methodological and conceptional attitude relevant to this paper:
“The failure to make a clear distinction between the terms ‘impossible’ and ‘improbable’ is a fatal mistake in a science such as Geology. To relegate the ‘improbable’ into the realm of the ‘impossible’ constitutes the coward’s approach on part of the modern scientist. It is caused by the realization that the acceptance of the ‘Rare Event’ as a viable geological agent forever removes part of Geology from the fetish of the twentieth century: rigid scientific analysis” [
“No matter how unorthodox the reasoning process or how unpalatable the conclusions, there is no excuse for any attempt to suppress new ideas, least of all scientists committed to the free exchange of ideas” [
Uncommon geologic occurrences in Jordan, Iraq, and Palestine are as follows (
-Circular/oval ring-like structures in Jordan and westernmost Iraq, hitherto discussed as of “crypto-volcanic” origin [
-Disharmonic folding, horizontal stylolites, and slickensides on transverse faults hosted in chert-bearing Upper Cretaceous carbonate rocks in Jordan [
-Surface-related contact-metamorphic transformation of more or less bituminous Upper Cretaceous carbonate rocks to marbles of the Sanidine-Hornfels-Facies covering parts of an area about 50 × 180 square kilometers ranging, northwest/southeast-striking, from Central Jordan [
The relevant target areas are predominantly built up of Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene, partly chert-bearing limestones and marlstones. The formation ages of all phenomena fall into the period post-Eocene to early Holocene.
Widespread plateau-basalts in north Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria rather marginally situated to the phenomena listed above, effused during the same time span [
Furthermore, the authors do not hesitate to oppose myths of the Near and Middle East to recent scientific data, not for ascertainment, but for contemplation and valuable information.
Since carbonate rocks dominate the target area, the spectrum of impact indicators as found in silicate rocks
(Figures 3(a)-(b), [
However, relating to the abundance of carbonate rocks, shatter cones are the most useful tool for proving im-
pact evidence in Jordan. Therefore, reaction products are to be expected from de-carbonatization (above 870˚C) in connection with partial melting of intercalated chert (~1714˚C).
As the case of Jebel Waqf as Suwwan Structure, the following structures have also been considered by former authors as of “crypto-volcanic” origin.
The southwest/northeast-striking anticline of Zakimat Al Hasa is situated some 70 kilometers southwest of Jebel Waqf as Suwwan (
The structure was interpreted as of tectonic (transpressional) origin by re-activation of a Paleozoic fault-sys- tem that separated the Bayir-Block from the Jafr-Block. A “crypto-volcanic” origin could not be excluded [
The barite-cemented quartz grains do not show impact features (i.e., PDF). However, searching for shatter cones still makes sense.
This structure measuring 7 kilometers in diameter is located in chert-bearing Paleogene/Neogene limestones and marlstones. The Desert Highway Amman-Bagdad and the Iraqi oil pipeline cross its Central Uplift which owns a diameter of 2.5 kilometers and is surrounded by dune-covered ring-like wadis and flat hilly ridges of circular arrangement [
Northwest-striking faults run across the area. Plateau basalts and basalt dikes crop out in 70 kilometers distance west of the Ring Structure interpreted as of “crypto-volcanic” origin, too.
A modern study provides additional data of the geologic setting and remote sensing, still without any evidence of impact features [
Located 42 kilometers southeast of the Jordan/Iraq Border Ring Structure at Wadi Shueib al Walej, the structure measures 3.3 kilometers in diameter and was also interpreted as of “crypto-volcanic” origin [
This huge post-magmatic structure localized in northwesternmost Saudi Arabia, measures some 60 kilometers in diameter, situated about 100 kilometers southwest of Jebel Aniza amidst widespread plateau basalts [
The plateau basalts extend over hundreds of kilometers southeastward into Saudi Arabia and northwestward into Syria [
The alkali-basalts of Upper Mantle provenance were extruded along deep faults in an intra-cratonic setting of the Arabian Plate. They relate to the opening of the Red Sea and the Jordan Rift System [
Regarding Mitschel’s “Collapsed Caldera”, such large volcanic craters of alkali-basalt signature can never be found on a craton. However, volcanic craters of tens of kilometers in diameter are typical in volcanic arcs above subduction zones revealing a calc-alkali signature [
Therefore, if this structure was verified as a crater, the probability for a major impact would be very high, as Price [
The Suffield Tests ([
According to Landsat-Images across northwest Jordan, an abundance of circular and oval structures (~100) are densely distributed in mainly Upper Cretaceous carbonate rocks [
Several northwest-verging local fold-belts definately indicate a uniform compressional stress vector directed from east/southeast to west/northwest direction. Certainly, many of the smaller circular structures are sinkholes generated by Karst processes. However, the majority of the oval structures do not seem related to Jordan Rift tectonics that stands for left side transform-faulting [
Consequently, since there only exists one main stress vector directed towards west-northwest/northwest, seismic surface waves (Raleigh-Love-) have to be considered as of having caused the deformation of the oval
structures in northwest Jordan. This is to be more analyzed in the following Ch. 2.2, where the same deformation patterns are relevant for several other uncommon phenomena.
The Suffield Tests, explosive TNT experiments (500 tons), conducted in Alberta, Canada (Snowball Crater: 87 meters in diameter) evidenced that the maximum principle stress during explosion acted radially generating series of peripheral folds of small wave length and amplitude [
Related to northwest Jordan, the deformation of former circular structures to such of oval shape, in combination with high gliding mobility of overlying competent limestones moving over clay-bearing incompetent marlstones, is convincing in this area (see more cratering mechanic details in Ch. 2.2). The abundance of circular structures being not of karst origin, challenges their mapping by shatter cones.
In the northwestern part of Jordan, between Karak and Irbid, the Upper Cretaceous Silicified Limestone Unit exhibits disharmonic folding of a 30-meter-thick sequence of alternating cherts and carbonate rocks (
The folds spontaneously appear north of Karak, near Madaba, northwest of Amman, and south of Irbid [
Adequate disharmonic folding does also appear in early Tertiary chert layers radial-symmetrically and concentrically related to the Jordan/Iraq Border Ring Structure located about 45 kilometers northeast from the occurrences in the Wadi Abu Tarifi and Wadi er Ruwaishid (
Such phenomena were interpreted as of synsedimentary gliding or as of gravitational gliding from the uplifted Trans-Jordanian Block respectively from the Arabian Swell [
According to Sander [
competent Maastrichtian/Tertiary limestones have moved west-northwestward on the incompetent folded sequence (
We follow Wiesemann’s concept [
In the same area of northwest Jordan, as indicated by disharmonic folding, horizontal stylolites (
All features hitherto discussed, may be explained by seismic surface waves (
Raleigh waves occur in the case of strong earthquakes respectively as major impacts. They immediately start after the impact as elastic transversal surface waves from the crater rim by ring-like extension. On top of the waves a foreword movement initiates a gliding process. The velocity of the Raleigh wave (~50 meter/s) only
decreases in the first order of distance, and it develops to the strongest wave with increasing distance from the impact site. However, by possessing ellipsoidal wave movement, the rock deformation is rather low [
In contrast, Love waves create horizontal rock movement (
Thus, the effect of Love waves may explain features like disharmonic folding, deformation of circular structures, horizontal stylolites and slickensides in the Upper Cretaceous sequence where alternating competent limestones (and cherts) and incompetent marlstones provide excellent conditions for relevant deformation.
Also relating to the Suffield Tests [
Moreover, since the explosion caused permanent compressive volumetric strain, circumferential stress near the surface is the least principal stress generating vertical strike-slip faults, slicken-sides, and what is new: horizontal stylolites. Fractures and folds originate within seconds and minutes during explosion [
As described from the Suffield Tests, there appears widespread convolute bedding and intrusions of semi- consolidated sandstones of Lower Cretaceous age into the overlying marls and clays that requires, in addition to pore water overpressure, a regional triggering agent, possibly caused by shock waves.
Nevertheless, the Jordan Rift System may be of concern in relation to the transpressional structures as disharmonic folding and horizontal stylolites (see Ch. 5, Conclusions).
Strongly brecciated, partly bituminous Upper Cretaceous/Paleocene carbonate rocks covering an area of some 50 kilometers in width and 180 in length are widespread in between Central Jordan and the Western Mountain Range at Suweileh/Amman [
Mineral neoformations like i.e., spurrite, perowskite, garnet, and many others indicate formation temperatures higher than 870˚C, thus presenting the Sanidine-Hornfels-Facies [
This spectacular rock complex is also well known as “Mottled Zone” from Palestine [
As found in the Jordanian “Mottled Zone”, green apatite does also occur at Suweileh/northwest of Amman in connection with a westward-verging flexture zone [
Referring to Waqf as Suwwan Impact Crater and other “crypto-volcanic” structures of the surrounding areas mentioned above, a late Pleistocene age cannot be excluded for both “Mottled Zones” of Jordan and Palestine [
Marble occurrences all over the area do not show any contact with magmatites. Since the features of the “Mottled Zone” cannot be explained neither by magmatic nor by tectonic processes on the stable Jordanian Cra-
ton, self-combustion of the Upper Cretaceous bituminous marlstones was proposed [
Furthermore, the temperature of really self-combusted bituminous matter does not exceed the p/t-conditions of the Pyroxene-Hornfels-Facies. Dependant on the partial CO2-pressure, the Sanidine-Hornfels-Facies commences at ~870˚C by the transformation of quartz to α-tridymite [
In order to realize the process that provides temperatures beyond common terrestrial contact metamorphism of huge extension, theoretical aspects with regard to the Ries Crater, Germany ( 20 kilometers in diameter) will be helpful for comparison as follows [
In case of an oblique impact, the gas cloud still keeps the horizontal impulse (direction) of the impact body while in contrast, the shock waves spherical-concentrically spread out into the sub-ground [
At incidence angles of 10˚ - 20˚, a ricochet situation is given (
Thus, both in combination, Love waves [
A result of such a crash would be the apatite crystal-lattice deformation, recognized in phosphorites at Baq’a Structure, Suweileh [
Thus, post-Paleogene impact events onto the Arabian Plate may have caused not only Jebel Waqf as Suwwan Impact Structure, but also other circular structures (“crypto-volcanic”), disharmonic folding, horizontal stylolites, slickensides, and last not least the “Sanidine-Hornfels-Impact Facies of the “Avenue of Ricochet-Impact-Ther- mo-Cataclysm” between Central Jordan and Palestine along a significant west-northwest/east-southeast-striking axis.
The “Mottled Zone” of Jordan exhibits a broad variety of travertines overlying and genetically relating to the highly affected marbles (
The overlying massive and bedded travertines consist of several alternating facies types differing in crystal size, porosity, and texture (
The rock sequence at Jizha, Central Jordan reveals the following genetic and temporal sequence under ricochet impact conditions:
-Sanidine-Hornfels-Impact Metamorphism of the upper 20 meters of more or less bituminous limestones at temperatures higher than 870˚C accompanied by processes of brecciation, cracking, and de-carbonatization (CaCO3→CaO + CO2), like below [
-Explosive eruptions of tremendous volumes of groundwater and formation water, generation of calciumhydroxide (CaO + H2O→Ca(OH)2).
-Low temperature mineralization along fractures and dikes, voids and caverns by green apatite, green smectite, opal-CT, carbonate minerals and others (retrograde mineralization).
-Ascending hydrothermal groundwater led to the formation of dikes (
Since a genetic relationship of both marble and travertine does exist, the concept of self-combustion cannot be applied at temperatures above 870˚C where the travertine would underlay de-carbonatization.
The Suffield Experiments make evident that the formation of the “Avenue of Ricochet-Impact-Thermo-Cata- clysm” demands an oblique impact (
original water table [
Though this structure has been well investigated by geologic and geophysical methods [
Furthermore, a Lower Cretaceous sandstone sample recovered at the rim of the Central Uplift, incorporates the complete cooling process after having passed the SiO2-melting point (1714˚C) [
Whereas coesite is placed in the same p/t field like shatter cones, stishovite appears together with PDF in quartz (Figures 3(a)-(b)). However, in order to verify the existence of both SiO2-minerals, chemical concentration by hydrofluoric acid for X-ray analysis is necessary as done with silicate rocks of the Ries Crater [
Fall-back samples recovered from the rim of the Central Uplift contain angular chert fragments still sticking in holes of the same size and shape within the limestone. They obviously hit the latter during excavation and air transport, when their temperature was yet above that of de-carbonatization (870˚C). This impact feature seems unique, probably never seen before. We term it “Chert-Carbonate-Impact-Chess Game” (
Obviously, fall-back material derived from the zone between Central Uplift and Inner Ring, promise high p/t- conditions of impact metamorphism (Figures 3(a)-(b)) as well known from the Ries Crater [
The recent drilling project focused on the zone between Inner and Outer Ring without finding any impact deformation features and, at all, very little, more or less brecciated and reworked limestones and cherts, rather wadi sediments than as fall-back [
The evidence of melted Kurnub-Sandstone (above 1714˚C) allows approximately calculating the volume of vaporized carbonate rocks in a model by using the thickness of the overlying Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene strata (Figures 23(a)-(b)).
Model (a) applies some ~1000 meters overburden of carbonate rocks [
The high thickness difference between both Models (a) and (b) lies in the uncompleted sedimentary sequence in the crater vicinity, whereas Bender [
Nevertheless, there undoubtedly “disappeared” a gigantic volume of carbonate rocks as gas and rock vapor. Consequently, it is not surprising we are missing impact features in the core materials in between Inner and Outer Ring of JWS Impact Structure.
Moreover, such impacts produce huge volumes of ash and dust that may contribute to Holocene “loess-like” deposits in Jordan [
From Jebel Waqf as Suwwan comes a further confirmment that shatter cones may have a broad variety of structures. In addition to
tiatiform remarkable length in a limestone sample recovered from near the rim of the Central Uplift.
It should be stressed that, on our first field trip to this structure, an ejecta fan of chert-breccia deposited close to the Inner Ring, left the spontaneous impression as the impact event would just has occurred “a few days ago”: there is not any evidence of following sedimentologic processes like reworking, sorting, and transport. So, that hints on a Holocene age.
The Suffield Tests confirm the following features of the Jebel Waqf as Suwwan Impact Crater except the Peripheral Graben of the Snowball Crater, corresponding to the concentric realm between Inner and Outer Rim of JWS. Low angle thrust and shear fractures as results of post-explosion excavation relate to the brecciated zone in
When one let wandering his view along the target area hitherto regarded, one may continue towards southeast, to Saudi Arabia (
It seems that a northwest/southeast-striking zone between the Arabian Sea and Palestine may be occupied by possible impact sites and according impact features.
In this paper the calculated age-data are generally given by radiocarbon yr.cal.B.P. Some of the reference data
relate to yr B.C.* to be transformed to yr B.C.* + 2000 yr = B.P.*. The latter value is 50 years higher than primary B.P. data from other references since based on yr 1950 A .D. by international agreement.
If one asks for reasons of RCC, Earth’s orbital and solar activity variations, mega-volcanic outbreaks, and major impacts as well, are the most relevant factors.
Hoyle [
Climate variability during Holocene has been excellently analyzed by some 50 globally distributed records [
In addition, Case 1 relates to the Middle/Upper Pleistocene boundary as a hiatus/discordance that separates mid-Pleistocene basalts (
Atmospheric methane and d18O-data analyzed from Grip ice-cores of Greenland, define the last glaciation period, Younger Dryas (12,700 - 11,500 yr B.P.), as the end of the Pleistocene [
As
In a pre-agricultural stage, the early ABU HUREYRA CULTURE, Syria ( 14C , 13,000 - 11,500 yr B.P.) approximately coincides with the Younger Dryas period. Food consisted of wild animals and a broad variety of cereals [
Around the end of the Younger Dryas, shortly prior to the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary, a drought occurred in the Near East that caused a higher salinity in the Red Sea and led to the precipitation of aragonite layers [
While the early stage of the ABU HUREYRA CULTURE vanished at that time for about 500 yr, the temperatures significantly increased continuously during the Pre-Boreal (11,500 - 10,000 yr B.P.) [
Plato (427 - 347 yr B.C.) reported on a Cataclysm-Event in connection with the destruction of “ATLANTIS”, 9000 yr before his time [
Just around 11,000 yr B.P. Hoyle’s Comet 2 re-appeared while the ABU HUREYRA CULTURE re-devel- oped [
After the Pre-Boreal, as the first interval of the Holocene [
B.P.*, [
Hoyle’s Comet 3 coincides with the median value of the data provided above.
The Natufian Culture related to Jericho, also meets this time.
The Natufian sites of Beidha, Basta and Ba’ja located near of Petra, Jordan, brought evidence of cataclysm probably caused by earthquakes [
After two acid events correlating with the end of the ABU HUREYRA CULTURE, the first Holocene RCC (9000 - 8000 yr. B.P.) presents a wide-spread significant climate change: ice-sheets were still existing in the Northern Hemisphere, ice-rafting, increased atmospheric circulation, glacier retreat in the European Alps, and frequent polar northwesterly outbreaks over the Aegean Sea were typical [
The early Neolithic Cultures mentioned under Case 5, disappeared at the end of the first RCC. There is an approximate coincidence of the so-called “8200 yr B.P. Event” [
The second RCC (6000 - 5000 yr B.P.) reveals the co-occurrence of high latitude cooling and low latitude aridity in the Northern Hemisphere, while ice-rafting, alpine glacier advance and strengthened westerlies existed over the Atlantic, a long-term trend of increasing rainfall variability dominated the Near and Middle East.
Maxima of 14C- and 10Be-data give a reliable evidence of solar output decline [
The Neolithic UBAID CULTURE, Mesopotamia appeared at 7000 yr B.P. [
A spectacular example of climate influence on human cultures is the end of export of excellent stone adze and axe raw material (AHS = actinolite-hornblende schist) from northwest Bulgaria (High Balkan Mts. and other related sites) to Central Europe [
Furthermore, the consequences of this hazardous climate change are to be found in a one thousand years lasting missing of cultural remnants in northwest Bulgaria [
Hoyle’s Comet 5 may be possibly taken into account as initiator of the second RCC.
Immediately after the end of RCC 2, the Sumerian Culture developed in Mesopotamia, Iraq, where the Kingdom of Gilgamesh existed from 4750 - 4600 yr B.P.* [
The “Gilgamesch Epos”, as eldest written dating in “Cuneiform” character deals with the “Deluge” on claystone Tablet 11 [
“The weather looked terrible...The Annunaki raised up their torches to inflame the country by their horrible brightness…Because of Adad, the sky fell into oppression, all brightness changing in darkness…The country, the wide, broke like a pot…The southern storm blew for one day going to immerge the mountains into water…Like a battle to subject human beings…Nobody can sea each other…By this Deluge the deities frightened…Remained weeping…Six days and seven nights continues the wind, the Deluge, …The hurricane eroded the country…On the approaching seventh day the hurricane stopped the Deluge…Calm and quiet was the sea…The bad hurricane stopped as did the Deluge…Looking around for one day there was silence…And mankind was completely transformed into soil”.
One can read the evidence of wildfire [
The Old Empire of Egypt lasted throughout the interval 5000 - 4000 yr B.P. whose end coincided with the appearance of Hoyle’s Comet 6 just at the same time when the UGARIT CULTURE [
The RCC 3 (4200 - 3800 yr B.P.) was less widespread. Generally speaking, it brought temperature fall in Eurasia, glacier retreat in Europe, and arid conditions at lower attitudes with a distinct migration of the intertropical convergence zone [
The end of the AKKADIC CULTURE and the beginning of RCC 3 was originated by an extreme and long-lasting drought in the Near and Middle East [
The UGARIT CULTURE and the SUMERIAN CULTURE continued into the realm of RCC 4 after the drought when the Middle Empire of Egypt arose.
The interval between the Old and Middle Egyptian Empire coincides with the drought maximum, whereas the interval between Middle and New Empire coincides with the interval between RCC 3 and RCC 4 which is the time of Hyksos Invasion.
The RCC 4 (3500 - 2500 yr B.P.) shows similar climate distribution patterns in the Northern Hemisphere like RCC 2. 10Be- and 14C-data give evidence on a decline of solar output, too [
Its beginning coincides with the rise of the New Egyptian Empire, the Jews’ immigration, and the outbreak of the mega-volcano of Santorini, Greece that exploded and threw out tremendous masses of ashes, also encountered in the Nile Delta, Egypt [
Modern excavations show amazing evidence on Echnaton’s Amarna [PHOENIX TV-Transmission 2014, 6.7]. During this chaotic time, Amarna seemed a place of wealth and food abundance (i.e. 800 tables of sacrifice in the Aton-Temple), however it reveals suffering of population. There are clear indications on severe diseases like anemia, parasites infections, genetic defects (spinal cord) with an extremely high death rate (60% children, 18% adults).
Echnaton’s wife Nofretete disappeared in the 12th Century of reign, her daughter followed two years later. Echnaton died in the 17th year of rule, and his corpse was never found.
There is an extreme high probability to relate the hazardous New Egyptian Empire to the Santorini mega- outbreak (~3640 yr cal. B.P.) whose aerosols, ashes, acid pollution etc. brought unimaginable destruction and death over Egypt and the whole Mediterranean, see also [
After the UGARIT CULTURE had passed the RCC 3-period, it had its cultural climax and end about mid of the RCC 4 coinciding with Hoyle’S Comet 7. This culture used character-writing as precursor of the ancient Hebraic writing [
The Jewish deportation by the Assyrians took place in 2587 yr B.P.* and might have been a delayed chance to be re-faced with the subject of “Deluge” [
Regarding the geoscientific phenomena discussed, there results a northwest/southeast-striking distribution pattern where RCCs and duration of Neolithic and Bronze Age Cultures offer a complex interchange.
On account of impact effects for the Neolithic and Bronze Age Cultures of the Near/Middle East, the temperature/time relationship of impact products is important for evaluation. According to data of the Chicxulub Impact which happened at the K/T-boundary in Yucatan, Mexico, there exist the following estimations: fall-back ejecta work hours to days. Ash, soot, and aerosols (NOx, SO2) remained weeks to decades circulating in the atmosphere and stratosphere causing a significant decrease of temperature (sintwinter). The green house effects mainly originated by H2O and CO2, endure over many decades or even longer, causing increasing temperatures ([
Concerning the frequency of impacts, there are some rough data available: impact craters like the Arizona Crater ( 1.6 kilometers in diameter), may be generated once per 1000 yr [
are to be expected throughout the recorded human history [
“The intuitive spirit is a holy gift and the rational intellect his faithful servant. We have generated a society that adores the servant and has forgotten the gift”.
Albert Einstein (Transl.: Sch.)
Compilations of three Austrian authors [
In spite of the mythologic language, the text of the myths surprisingly appears realistic: starting with the ob- servation of approaching extraterrestrial bodies, mentioning the impact, the following earthquakes and faulting, super cyclonic whirlstorms (wildfires), the effect of hot/melted ejecta over long distances, destruction of fauna and flora (including human beings and cities), and finally long-lasting flooding, darkness as well as environ- mental pollution, as follows (Transl.: H.P. Koch, Sch.).
“…and the stars in the sky fell to Earth, as late figs drop from a fig-tree when shaken by a strong wind” [Apc. 6, 13]. “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from Heaven,…His face was like a sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars” [Apc. 10, 1].
“A giant star, blazing like a torch, fell down from Heaven, on one third of the rivers and on the springs of wa- ter” [Apc. 8, 10]. “A gigantic mountain looking like a huge rock boulder, that burst in fire storms…” [Apc. 8, 8].
For further reading, the “Revelation of John” points generally to seven major “trumpets” (extraterrestrial bo- dies), in every case accompanied by a “firework” of smaller fragments.
“But then, the angel took the pan, filled it with glowing fire from the altar, threw it to the ground. What a noise and quaking” [Apc. 8, 5].
“…as this star received a key that opened the door to the springs of the abyss. Smoke ascended from the spring, so as coming through the chimney of a gigantic furnace, and darkening the sun and the sky…” [Apc. 9, 1-2].
“. …and that happened at the hour when the earth commenced to quake. One tenth of all houses broke down, 7000 people were killed…” [Apc. 11, 13].
“…thunder noise and a tremendous earthquake occurred, as has never been since human beings live on earth…” [Apc. 16, 18].
“The islands changed their position, coastlines disappeared, mountains were never found” [Apc. 16, 20].
Referring these quotations of the Apocalypse to our field experience along the “Avenue of Ricochet-Impact- Thermo-Cataclysm”, the consequences of the impact are documented by: 1) The typical features of shock me- tamorphism (like shatter cones), the brecciation of the “Mottled Zones” of Jordan and Palestine, the disharmonic folding of the Upper Cretaceous Silicified Limestone Unit of northwestern Jordan, and finally the reactivation of the pre-impact fault system and the formation of horizontal stylolites as well as lateral slicken sides on faults and joints.
“A third of the Earth was burnt up, a third of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up...” [Apc. 8, 7]…“to let human beings burn. They dried out in the heat...” [Apc. 16, 8].
This heat storm brought temperature conditions of the Sanidine-Hornfels-Facies over the Upper Cretaceous bituminous marlstones and limestones in the “Mottled Zone”. Even the melting of diverse ores at temperatures of more than 1100˚C should be taken into account as ancient Persians surrender: “All the metal from the mountains has been molten and it flowed down over the Earth as glowing stream” (Ziegler and Oppenheim 1921, [
“…and a gigantic hail including boulders of hundred weight came down from heaven over human beings…” [Apc. 16, 21].
“…and out of the soot fell grasshoppers, giant vermin, down to Earth”…[Apc. 9, 3]…“The bodies of the grass-hoppers looked like the bellies of wild horses that rush into a battle” [Apc. 9, 7].
“…Red and black dust like the soot from the furnice was raised over the whole land of Egypt” … “and the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt” … “The stones that fell upon Egypt were hot … Hail and fire were intermingled…” … “The hail was accompanied by a rolling thunder, and it smashed every thing that was in the open country, every man and animal and every thing growing in the field, and it stripped every tree” [2. Mose, Ch. 9, 23 - 25].
“…out of their mouths came fire, sulfur and smoke, all of them raging on Earth and snatching away one third of mankind. Burnt! Etched! Suffocated!” [Apc. 9, 17-18].
Up to now, ejecta have only been found at the Ring Structure of Jebel Waqf as Suwwan as fall-back and as fall-out close to the crater rim. But there is more ejected material to be expected in the realm of the “Avenue of Ricochet-Impact-Thermo-Cataclysm” and Ricochet-Impact-Thermo-Cataclysm in northeastern Jordan. Fur- thermore, we expect impact material intercalated with Pleisto-/Holocene sediments within the Jordan Rift Sys- tem.
“…break up all springs of the deep abyss…” [1. Mose, Ch. 7, 11].
“…at this hour the Lord opened the springs of the abyss” (Gorion, 1913).
This process is realized by the widespread travertines overlying the marbles of the Jordanian “Mottled Zone”, i.e. at Jizha (Figures 13-15).
“…Jehova let rain down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah out of the Heaven. Thus he overthrew these cities and the entire plain, and also the vegetation in the land, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land like from a furnice” [1. Mose, Ch. 19, 24-25].
“…and a rain came on earth 40 days and 40 nights” [1. Mose, Ch. 7, 12].
“…and the water became abundant and grew up so much on Earth that all high mountains were covered beneath the whole sky” [1. Mose, Ch. 7, 19].
“…and oh, Heaven keep back your rain” [Koran, 11, 45].
The biblical quotations cited above, appear surprisingly realistic, despite of their mythologic terminology. They represent prehistoric sources orally surrendered down to the first Sumerian writing of Cuneiform character in the Gilgamesch Epos. The observers of the hazardous Apocalypse did obviously not have a vision directing into future, they describe realistic impact processes on Earth and relating consequences in the language of their time and ethnologic position.
Comparing the high number (~180) of “Deluge” sources [
It is amazing how human spirit diverges in the interpretation of “John’s Revelation”. So the German theologian and psychotherapist Drewermann [
According to the frequency of impacts on Earth [
“The recognition of the sedimentologic consequences of ‘Convulsive Events’ poses a special challenge to Sedimentary Geologists. Meeting this challenge will almost certainly demonstrate that ‘Convulsive Geologic Events’ have greater relevance to the sedimentary record than has been previously recognized.
Why there is no physical evidence for such impacts other than the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary clay? Part of the problem undoubtedly lies with preservation.
But the effects of major impacts are likely to be of such broadly regional, even global, extent that one would intuitively expect at least fragmentary preservation of its consequences.” [
Since the supplementary data of JWS Impact Structure reconfirm the melting of the top parts of the Lower Cretaceous Kurnub-Sandstone (above 1714˚C), the cooling down process could be verified via all SiO2-modifi- cations to low temperature β-quartz. Core-drilling is to be recommended between Central Uplift and Inner Ring in hoping on recovery of chert glass and sandstone-derived glass for fission tracking the impact age.
Regarding the primary total sedimentary sequence of the target area it makes evident that a gigantic volume of carbonate rocks had been vaporized (above 870˚C), thus excavation analysis only relates to the different phases of chert and Kurnub-Sandstone (see i.e. “Chert-Carbonate-Impact-Chess Game”).
Evidence of highest temperature mineral neoformations (up to 1200˚C) verifies the “Mottled Zone” of Jordan and Israel as an area of Ricochet-Impact-Thermo-Cataclysm.
In a scenario: “Impacting Meets Plate Tectonics”, the Jordan Rift System cannot be totally excluded as motor for north-northeast-striking disharmonic folding and the evidence of horizontal stylolites hosted in Upper Cretaceous carbonate rocks of the Western Mountain Range east of the Rift system (Figures 31(a)-(b)). Like the Palmyrian fold system, the folds fit to the transpressional features of the Rift System as the transtensional Dead Sea and Lake Tiberias pull-apart basins do. However, the west-northwest-verging folds rather indicate the energy impulse area in the east-southeastern parts of the Saudi Arabian Craton.
Accepting an analytical error of ±100 yr for 14Ccal B.P. measurements, there appears an amazing abundance of approximate coincidences of the parameters applied:
a) Hoyle’s Comet re-events correlate with RCCs.
b) RCCs correlate with Rise and Fall of Neolithic/Bronze Age Cultures in the Near/Middle East.
c) Aerosols verified through RCC 1, obviously relate to preceding acid events (major event ~9640 yr B.P.*).
d) RCC 2, 4 correlate with periods of decreasing solar activity (10Be).
e) Tektite ages coincide with Mammoth extinction, Köfels Impact, Austria, acid in ice cores, and hazardous events at Natufian sites of Jericho, West-Bank, Beidha, Basta, Ba’ij and all other cities in Southern Jordan.
f) Santorini outbreak, Aegean Sea (3627 - 3600 yr B.P.*) coincides with the beginning of RCC 4 and with the end of Hyksos rule in Egypt, probably initiating the religious revolution by Echnaton (3364 - 3347 yr B.P.*). He replaced the traditional deities by the Sun (Aton) as only God after a long period of darkness caused by circulating ashes and aerosols in the stratosphere and atmosphere.
g) Stop of rock trade (AHS = actinolite-hornblende schist, most valuable raw material for stone axes) from the High Balkan Mts. to Central Europe because of glacier advance in the source areas. Contemporaneous hazardous flooding events (Deluge?) in the Near/Middle East, Mesopotamia .
h) Droughts (Case 2, 3, 8) led to the extinction of early Neolithic Cultures and of the Akkadic Kingdom, Mesopotamia as well.
General statement: Hoyle’s repeatedly returning Comet (1 - 10) and following relating RCCs mostly directed Rise and Fall of Neolithic/Bronze Age Cultures.
As the “Gilgamesh Epos” and “John’s Revelation” reveal, these myths provide realistic information of processes which happened in Nature and are worthy to be taken as seriously by modern scientists. The myths’
contents are x-fold reconfirmed and handed down by other ~180 ethnic peoples around the globe [
According to the data submitted, possible impact events of high probability may have occurred around 9640 yr B.P.* and ~6000 yr B.P.* “Rare Events” of lower probability might have happened in Case 6 (~8000 yr B.P.) and in Case 10 (~3200 yr B.P.).
Most of all uncommon geologic phenomena across Jordan and adjacent areas genetically fit together and realize more or less an “Impact Ensemble” originated by an unknown number of “Rare Events”.
“The distortion of the view of sight owning the disciplinary scholar does not only consist on methodological or substantial one-sidedness, …but also in a methodological refuse applied to transitional phenomena.”
The drawer principle-the black/white painting-is therefore not adequate to meet the challenges of present time. If there is a “Science of Effects at the Whole”, there will be a need to be a science of recording such transitional phenomena.
“In that lies an important criterion for interdisciplinary research”. (A.M.K. Müller [
Since the pull-apart basins of the Jordan Rift System host some 6000-meter-thick Cenozoic sediments (mostly evaporites), which represent excellent traps for volcanic and impact ejecta and ashes, core-drilling of the Dead Sea pull-apart basin would be an endeavor of challenge in modern Geosciences, apart from the former well Al Lisan-1 [
Many thanks are addressed to Prof. Dr. H. Khoury, University of Jordan, Amman, who introduced us to the “Mottled Zone” of Jordan at a quarry near Jizha, Central Jordan.