Created a World- wide Flood - Interpreting Google Maps Data to Conclude that a Comet Impact
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Interpreting Google Maps Data to Conclude that a Comet Impact Created a World-‐wide Flood
The purpose of this presentation is to answer a question:
how did so many river systems (like those in the Google
Maps image of the Monterey Canyon off ĂůŝĨŽƌŶŝĂ͛Ɛ coast)
and other topographic features become submerged?
To answer that question, we need some data and other background information. 
Background fact: rivers create oxbows ͞dŚĞ KdžďŽǁ͟ by Thomas Cole, is on display in the Hudson River School section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. The featured oxbow was carved by the Connecticut River and is located near Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts.
͞dŚĞKdžďŽǁ͟today, viewed from above via Google Maps (satellite view).
Data: Google Maps (satellite view) image
(MC)
(S)
(t)
(t) (C)
(o)
(l) (t)
(d)
(t)
(st)
The topography of the ocean floor in Monterey Canyon (MC) is shown in the Google Maps (satellite view)
images (annotated on right). Tributaries (t), including the presently flowing Salinas River (S) and Carmel River
(C), formed a river drainage system that eventually flowed into a collection basin near the ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͛Ɛ terminus
(st). A prominent oxbow (o) five miles in diameter is located approximately 40 miles offshore at a depth of
nearly 2 miles below present sea level. A river delta (d) is also evident in the image, as is the straight trail left
by a landslide (l) caused by the collapse in the ŽdžďŽǁ͛Ɛ southwestern wall. Note that the landslide fell straight
down the gravitational gradient whereas the submerged river beds have characteristic meanders formed as
waters followed the path of least resistance while flowing down the gravitational gradient. 
Data: Google Maps (satellite view) image
(t) (t)
(t)
(t)
The topography of the ocean floor in the Gulf of Alaska is shown in this Google Maps (satellite view) image.
The submerged river beds and tributaries (t) in this image can be traced back to presently flowing drainages,
just as the Salinas River and the Carmel River flow toward the now submerged canyons they created. Note
that the now submerged river bed in the lower right of the image wound its way between hills or volcanoes.
Note also that the scale indicates that the submerged rivers once flowed hundreds of miles from the
continental shelf. It is impossible that subsurface currents could remain focused and energetic over such
distances to create such topographic features. 
Data: Google Maps (satellite view) image
(t)
(t)
(st)
(t)
(st)
In the center of this image is a prominent drainage system and its tributaries (t), found in the Celtic Sea
southwest of Ireland. The upper portions of the tributaries begin at a depth 2000 feet below present sea level,
and the ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͛ terminus (st) is 10000 feet deeper. 
Data: Google Maps (satellite view) image
(t)
The north coast of the Big Island (Hawaii) had a river drainage system with many tributaries (t). Note that
newer portions of the island created by lava flows from Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa and now submerged in the
Pacific Ocean do not manifest similar erosion, so the newer lava flows submerged off Hawaii cannot be
confused with erosions caused by flowing water. Note the prevailing cloud cover over the northern part of the
island that created the precipitation which then carved the formerly exposed drainage system. 
Data: Google Maps (satellite view) image
(t) (t) (t) (st)
The submerged topography off the coasts of Oahu and Molokai show river drainage systems with many
tributaries (t). The details of the drainage system off the north coast of Molokai allow for the identification of
the ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͛Ɛ terminus at a depth of nearly 18,000 feet below present sea level. Many of the tributaries
originated on presently exposed landscapes where flowing waters carved steep gulches and canyons that can
be found on the ŝƐůĂŶĚƐ͛ coasts. In some cases, the continuity of the gulches is lost in littoral regions, but it can
be inferred by images such as that on the next slide. 
Off of the north coast of Molokai is a submerged
drainage canyon system whose source can be traced
through a gulch to headwaters on the island.
The deep gulch (right) was formed by headwaters that eventually created
the now submerged drainage system (center, left images). Arrows indicate
corresponding locales as image scales increase to the left. Analysis Google Maps and Google Earth allow us to observe former river drainage systems in ocean basins at depths of over two miles below present sea level. Many of them are adjacent to presently flowing drainage systems. The diffusivity of subsurface currents could not remain focused over the distances involved to erode and create such features. Therefore, the identified drainage systems were created by once flowing, exposed rivers. Thus, for the substantial period of time required for flowing water to carve the now-‐ submerged drainage systems, the Earth had substantially less water than it presently has. The data suggests that the now-‐submerged river systems are well preserved, meaning that they were covered in a short period of time. The volume of water required to cover the river systems by filling the ocean ďĂƐŝŶƐǁŝƚŚŽǀĞƌϮŵŝůĞƐŽĨǁĂƚĞƌĐĂŶŶŽƚďĞƐƚŽƌĞĚŝŶĨƌŽnjĞŶĨŽƌŵĂƚƚŚĞƉůĂŶĞƚ͛Ɛ poles ʹ there is insufficient room.
A comet approximately 1500 miles in diameter
impacted in what is now the Southern Ocean
Effects
Rapid event (in geologic terms) preserves evidence in bathymetry
Upon melting added over two miles to ocean depths
The ocean waters displaced atmosphere upward from the basin; this increases
interglacial temperatures at present landscapes, including the poles
Additional water leads to extensive glaciations; heat storage; ocean currents
The ͞ĚĂLJ͟ŝƐůŝŬĞůLJƚŽŚĂǀĞďĞĞŶůĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ
Likely to have affected Earth and Moon orbits (increased mass)
Likely to have been an extinction event; adaptations continue to present.
Evidence
Comet impact location, size, damage (Google Earth, Google Maps)
Well-‐preserved, now-‐submerged terrain features
Magnetic anomaly features. The Comet Impact Location
A Google Maps Image of the Comet Impact Site
Comet Impact Site Analysis The ĚŝĂŵĞƚĞƌŽĨƚŚĞĐŽŵĞƚ͛ƐƌĞŵŶĂŶƚƐis on order of 1500 miles (2500 km). Likely similar to Tempel1 (Deep Impact), this comet was porous and an amalgamation of ice and rock. Thus, the impact causes its disintegration and less damage to the planet than might otherwise be expected from such a massive object.
Comet Impact Site Analysis Comet impact scours are not aligned with scours from an earlier Earth event.
Comet Impact Site Analysis
Topographic
distortions
caused by
impact are
Impact causes an parallel to
approximately comet
150 km impact
northeasterly ƐĐŽƵƌƐ͛
direction.
shift in local
topography. Comet Impact Site Analysis: Magnetic Anomalies Caused
by Comet Strike Corroborate Impact Site
Comet impact site.
Note the obvious
magnetic anomalies. Comet equivalent water volume estimate:
-‐ Assume that the irregularly shaped comet had a volume equivalent to
that of a sphere ~1300 miles (2200 km) in diameter.
-‐ A sphere with 1100 km radius has volume = 5.58*109 km3.
-‐ Assume comet was similar in composition to Tempel1 (porous; ~25%
ice).
-‐ ŽŵĞƚ͛ƐĞƋƵŝǀĂůĞŶƚǁĂƚĞƌǀŽůƵŵĞǁŽƵůĚďĞϭ͘ϮϵΎϭϬ9 km3 (this
accounts for the volumetric difference between ice and water).
-‐ ĂƌƚŚ͛ƐŽĐĞĂŶƐĐŽǀĞƌϯ͘ϲϮΎϭϬ8 km2.
-‐ Comet volume yields an ocean depth of 3.57 km, which is very close
ƚŽĞƐƚŝŵĂƚĞƐŽĨƚŚĞ ĂƌƚŚ͛ƐƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂǀĞƌĂŐĞŽĐĞĂŶĚĞƉƚŚ;ϰ͘ϯŬŵͿ͘ With more than two miles of water removed, the
ĂƌƚŚ͛ƐŽĐĞĂŶƐǁĞƌĞƐŵĂůůĞƌĂŶĚƵŶĐŽŶŶĞĐƚĞĚ
Blue: extent of oceans and seas prior to the comet impact.
Dark tan: exposed landscapes prior to the comet impact. Having established that a comet impacted in what is
ŶŽǁƚŚĞ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶKĐĞĂŶ͙
When did it occur?
Conjecture 1: occurred ~ 470,000 years before present
Conjecture 2: occurred ~ 60,000 years before present, deepening & prolonging
previous glacial period
Additional evidence
ĂƌƚŚ͛Ɛtemperature record from last 800,000 years
ƵůƚƵƌĂůůLJŝŶĚĞƉĞŶĚĞŶƚ͕ƵďŝƋƵŝƚŽƵƐĂĐĐŽƵŶƚƐŽĨ͞dŚĞ&ůŽŽĚ͟;ĐŽƵůĚŽƌĂůŚŝƐƚŽƌLJ
survive 470 kyrs?)
Human mitochondrial evolutionary history, multiregional model
ĂƚĂ͗dŚĞ ĂƌƚŚ͛ƐdĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞZĞĐŽƌĚ
Temperature (oC )
͚ZĞĐĞŶƚ͛/ŶƚĞƌŐůĂĐŝĂůƉĞƌŝŽĚƐ
10
Present
temperature
5
800 000 600 000 400 000 200 000
5
Recent Glacial periods
The chart depicts the EpicaDome 800,000 year temperature record (degrees Celsius), where
present time is to the right (t = 0). Note the abrupt increase in interglacial maximum
temperatures that began approximately 430,000 years before present. This will become an
important piece of evidence for conjecturing when the comet impact occurred. Conjecture 1: Displaced atmosphere, new ocean currents, and
water vapor increase inter-‐glacial temperatures Temperature (oC )
10
4o-‐5o C increase
5
Time (years)
800 000 600 000 400 000 200 000
5
Antarctica was at least two miles above sea level prior to the comet impact. Thus,
the atmosphere above it would have been much less dense than it is at present.
Subsequently, the atmosphere has been displaced upward by the ĐŽŵĞƚ͛Ɛ waters,
and this warms the poles during interglacial periods. Conjecture 1: Displaced atmosphere, new ocean currents, and
water vapor increase inter-‐glacial temperatures Temperature (oC )
10
4o-‐5o C increase
5
Time (years)
800 000 600 000 400 000 200 000
5
Hearty (2002) ͞dŚĞ Ka'ena Highstand of O'ahu, Hawai'i: Further Evidence of Antarctic Ice
Collapse During the Middle WůĞŝƐƚŽĐĞŶĞ͟; estimated between 350,000-‐550,000 years
before present. The Hearty ice collapse is likely to have been either part of the melting
comet or an Antarctic event caused by the newly introduced ocean waters. Conjecture 2: Comet impact prolonged most recent glacial
Temperature (oC )
10
5
Time (years)
800 000 600 000 400 000 200 000
5
The temperature record indicates that the last glacial period deepened abruptly approximately
60,000 years before present. Accompanying the abrupt temperature decline were the coldest
temperatures of the record. Assuming the ubiquitous accounts of a world wide flood recount
the effects of the comet impact, then perhaps the subsequent survival of the account through
oral history are somewhat more plausible than 470,000 years. Verification Ocean floor sediment layers should contain materials borne by the comet impact. Cores and sediment samples taken from the vast region identified in the oval, above, could be obtained and analyzed for extra-‐terrestrial origin.
Verification
(MC)
(S)
(C)
(o)
(l)
(d)
(st)
The period during which the comet melted would have seen vastly increased flows in the Salinas and Carmel River drainage
systems. The cause: as the comet waters rose, and as the ĂƌƚŚ͛Ɛ relative humidity increased, prevailing winds uplifted two
miles by the continental shelf condensed and increased local rainfall. The sediments carried by the swollen Monterey
Canyon system flowed into the rising waters and created the delta (d). This location is important to substantiating the
comet water hypothesis: if there is organic matter corresponding to species in upland-‐California in core samples taken from
the delta region (analyzed, dated), then the hypothesis could be supported or refuted. Furthermore, as the comet melt
waters raised the sea levels to that of the oxbow, the flowing waters likely breached the ŽdžďŽǁ͛Ɛ bed, creating the
prominent landslide (l). Verification (MC)
(S)
(C)
(o)
(d)
This topographic map of the Monterey Canyon captures the drainage system at a point when the rising ocean waters
approached the California coast (light blue regions, lower left and bottom center, correspond to the rising ocean water;
dark blue colors = highest MC system elevations, dark red = lowest). Increased precipitation in upland California caused
the MC drainage system to swell and carry sediments into the rising ocean waters. The sediment deposits created the
delta in the region (d) shown on the previous slide. Primary implication:
Most of human history is buried under more than two miles of water.
Along with effects of glacial periods, the comet-‐borne water explains why
human activity seems to have appeared so suddenly and recently.
Human activity in presently-‐inhabited landscapes is not likely to pre-‐date
400,000 years before present: at two miles above former sea level, the cold
would have made survival difficult if not impossible.
Rising waters would have forced survivors to formerly uninhabited heights
where they had to search for new and different sources of food and shelter.
/ƚŝƐůŝŬĞůLJƚŚĂƚƚŚĞƚƌĂƵŵĂŝŶĚƵĐĞĚƚŽŚƵŵĂŶƐďLJƚŚĞĐŽŵĞƚ͛ƐƌŝƐŝŶŐǁĂƚĞƌƐ
ƉĞƌƐŝƐƚƐĨŽƌŽǀĞƌϰϬϬ͕ϬϬϬLJĞĂƌƐďĞĐĂƵƐĞƚŚĞĐŽŵĞƚ͛ƐǁĂƚĞƌƐƐŽƌĂĚŝĐĂůůLJĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ
the world as it was known.
Atlantis might have been submerged by the comet waters.
͞ůůƚŚĞƌĞŝƐƚŽƚŚŝŶŬŝŶŐŝƐƐĞĞŝŶŐ
ƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐŶŽƚŝĐĞĂďůĞ͙
which makes you see something
LJŽƵǁĞƌĞŶΖƚŶŽƚŝĐŝŶŐ͙
which makes you see something
You can observe a lot by just watching.
ƚŚĂƚŝƐŶΖƚĞǀĞŶǀŝƐŝďůĞ͘͟
-‐ Y. Berra
-‐ Norman Maclean
͞/ŵĞĂŶƚŽƐĂLJƚŚĂƚƚŚŽƐĞǁŚŽ
then escaped [the great deluge]
would only be hill shepherds -‐
small sparks of the human race
preserved on the tops of
ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶƐ͙͘͟
-‐ Plato, Laws, Book III
(depth = 3.25 miles) You can also read
