Iconic Arch collapses at Arches National Park in Utah, IPTI scienist thinks it might be related to "Tectonic Implosion"
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, Utah - One of the largest and most photographed arches in Arches National Park has collapsed.
Paul Henderson, the park's chief of interpretation, said Wall Arch collapsed sometime late Monday or early Tuesday. The arch is along Devils Garden Trail, one of the most popular in the park. For years, the arch has been a favorite stopping point for photographers. He said it's the first collapse of a major arch in the park since nearby Landscape Arch fell in 1991. No one has reported seeing it fall.
But Elmer Beauregard from th IPTI said the arch may have been a victim of a new theory called 'Tectonic Implosion'. "That arch was created over billions of years from wind and rain erosion, but ever since we've been drilling for more and more oil especially in the west, a lot of these arches are collapsing."
The most famous is the nearby Landscape Arch which fell in 1991.
A new study done by the newly created International Panel on Tectonic Implosion (IPTI) reports that there could be a correlation between oil pumped out of the earth and increased number of arches collapsing.
Another negative effect is reducing oil’s natural lubrication of shallow earthquake faults. When the oil was in the crust, it helped fault lines slowly slide along, now tectonic pressure builds until it snaps. This results in less frequent but larger quakes. This is a real danger in places like California where seismic activity is normal but the recent rise in oil prices have resulted in increased oil extraction.
Comments (11)
As an associate (IPTI) scientist I was busy developing an alternate theory based on crustal compression caused by oil removal shrinkage. However, once I saw your startling graph I realized the collapse rate was far to high for a mere crustal compression explanation and am now concerned that increasing windmill vibration coupled with your loss of lubrication theory may in fact be the major causal force. This begs for much deeper research into windmills and I will be doing some reading about a Spanish guy that knows alot about windmills, Don Q something.
Posted by RVN68MIKE | August 11, 2008 11:30 PM
Posted on August 11, 2008 23:30
'Windmill Vibration' that's a good one.
And what about all those birds killed by windmills every year?
Posted by Elmer Beaureguard | August 12, 2008 8:53 AM
Posted on August 12, 2008 08:53
You people are complete morons....
Posted by JoAnn Larson | August 13, 2008 2:43 AM
Posted on August 13, 2008 02:43
My wife is happy, I am finally a complete something. Oh, wait, she says I should complete something around the house, my sorry.
Posted by RVN68MIKE | August 14, 2008 3:33 PM
Posted on August 14, 2008 15:33
RE: Windmills & Birdkill
I think my damn cat alone kills more birds every year than all the windmills in the USA. And what about road kill, how many of our little furry friends get flattened every year and you can bet we're not getting rid of motor transport. Oops! almost got serious there for a moment.
Posted by RVN68MIKE | August 14, 2008 3:42 PM
Posted on August 14, 2008 15:42
RNV68MIKE, can I borrow your cat? I have roughly 8,000 starlings nesting in my front yard, which would be great except that they're not toilet trained.
Elmer, I am quite skeptical of this "tectonic implosion" phenomenon. If you really believe in such a thing wouldn't you live in a dwelling with a dampened suspension that would mitigate the effects of tectonic implosion? Unless you live in a mobile home, I don't believe you!
Posted by FreddyB | August 16, 2008 8:53 PM
Posted on August 16, 2008 20:53
FreddyB;
1. I have have tried a thousand times to relocate my cat but she must be the source of that famous book: But the Cat Came Back
2. Elmer does live in a motorhome as testified by his excellent documusical: The Global Warming Song
Say, were you pulling my leg?..yeaaa
Mike
Posted by RVN68MIKE | August 16, 2008 10:32 PM
Posted on August 16, 2008 22:32
FreddyB;
We used to have a starling problem but I solved it by feeding peanuts to the local Blue Jays. The Jays are much bigger and extremely greedy and they ran the starlings off within a couple days. Of course you get the occasional crow sneaking in for a peanut but hey, they also hate starlings!
Mike
Posted by Anonymous | August 16, 2008 10:44 PM
Posted on August 16, 2008 22:44
Hey, Mike, if the peanut thing works I'll dance the jig!
Posted by FreddyB | August 18, 2008 9:22 AM
Posted on August 18, 2008 09:22
This is absolutely brilliant! I fully expect to see scientists talking about tectonic implosion on the news in a couple months.
Posted by Dan | August 18, 2008 11:06 PM
Posted on August 18, 2008 23:06
Could this fall simply be the result of gravity? and nothing more than nefarious than that?
Posted by Rebecca | August 28, 2008 8:35 AM
Posted on August 28, 2008 08:35