Painted Hills

Posted 15 August 2009 by Matt Young

Photograph by Michael Klaas. Photography contest, finalist in the "Minerals" category.

14 Comments

Quidam · 15 August 2009

Pretty

Paul Burnett · 15 August 2009

Essentially the same picture with the viewpoint slightly to the left at http://www.gcollier.com/John-Day-Fossil-Beds.html - another one zoomed back at http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1210973-Painted_Hills_of_Oregon-Painted_Hills_State_Park.jpg

There's what looks like a road just out of the picture to the left, so this picture's scale is probably one or two thousand feet wide.

Dornier Pfeil · 15 August 2009

If there is voting for a winner by readers then this one gets mine.

GvlGeologist, FCD · 15 August 2009

My entry (sadly but understandably, given the 6 finalists, not a finalist) showed, among other features, some faults. In this photo, in addition to the sedimentary and volcanic beds, I think I also see a pretty cool reverse fault in the background. Note the way that the two reddish beds, the 3 thin black beds below, and the tan beds between them are offset, with the ones on the right being pushed up and over the ones on the left.

Michael Klaas, am I seeing this correctly?

I love visible geologic structures like this. Really shows the power of the moving Earth.

The Curmudgeon · 15 August 2009

It wuz teh Flud what did it.

Chris Nedin · 15 August 2009

I wanna complain.

There's a fault in this image!

colluvial · 15 August 2009

For me, the most impressive features in this photo are the preserved soil horizons. The reddish layers are probably ancient Oxisols (or lateritic soils) formed under subtropical conditions. The first one was buried and then another formed on top of it. The dark layers below may be organic horizons formed in a swampy environment. Gives one a feel for the long, varied history preserved in this view.

Altair IV · 15 August 2009

GvlGeologist, FCD said: Note the way that the two reddish beds, the 3 thin black beds below, and the tan beds between them are offset, with the ones on the right being pushed up and over the ones on the left.

Wow. That's cool. And quite obvious once it's it's pointed out. I like the way the lower bands on the right line up perfectly with the upper layers on the left.

GvlGeologist, FCD · 15 August 2009

What are you talking about? These were all deposited during the Flood! Seriously, this kind of observation is kind of hard to explain in a Diluvian framework, isn't it! When some of our resident YECs (or other creationists) complain about "same facts, different viewpoints (as was discussed in another thread), this is the kind of thing I think of.

colluvial said: For me, the most impressive features in this photo are the preserved soil horizons. The reddish layers are probably ancient Oxisols (or lateritic soils) formed under subtropical conditions. The first one was buried and then another formed on top of it. The dark layers below may be organic horizons formed in a swampy environment. Gives one a feel for the long, varied history preserved in this view.

Michael Klaas · 16 August 2009

GvlGeologist, FCD said: My entry (sadly but understandably, given the 6 finalists, not a finalist) showed, among other features, some faults. In this photo, in addition to the sedimentary and volcanic beds, I think I also see a pretty cool reverse fault in the background. Note the way that the two reddish beds, the 3 thin black beds below, and the tan beds between them are offset, with the ones on the right being pushed up and over the ones on the left. Michael Klaas, am I seeing this correctly? I love visible geologic structures like this. Really shows the power of the moving Earth.

Wow. Thanks for pointing that out. I have to admit that I had even missed it, but you're absolutely correct. I went back to my photos to see if I have another one with more detail, but this is the only one I have of that feature. Cool!

Paul Burnett · 16 August 2009

Michael Klaas said: I went back to my photos to see if I have another one with more detail, but this is the only one I have of that feature.

The two pictures I pointed out above (second message) show the same offset fault. Here's a much higher resolution oblique view from the left, but there isn't as obvious a fault line: http://www.searchpictures.net/nature_scenes/national_parks/painted_hills,_john_day_fossil_beds_national_monument,_oregon_2.jpg Here's more where the offset is more obvious: http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/70006803.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=392C4237FEAE45417F00A75723E810DDE30A760B0D811297 http://geography.howstuffworks.com/united-states/john-day-fossil-beds-national-monument.htm http://ranbo.smugmug.com/gallery/5521355_h6gXf/1/364239355_UmJz2#364239355_UmJz2

Frank J · 17 August 2009

The Curmudgeon said: It wuz teh Flud what did it.

Yup. Last Thursday was one busy day. ;-) Seriously, one thing I can't emphasize enough is to mention when all these geological and biological events occurred. We have dates for countless events, and the uncertainties are steadily decreasing, while the scam artists' and their trained parrots steadily backpedal from even speculating when events might have occurred. These days nothing puts them on the defensive better than forcing them to take a position on the "whens."

peter jobrey · 17 August 2009

you should have a contest on galaxy photos,they ar a buety on their own.

Travis · 18 August 2009

GvlGeologist, FCD said: Note the way that the two reddish beds, the 3 thin black beds below, and the tan beds between them are offset, with the ones on the right being pushed up and over the ones on the left.

I have to chime in and also add my thanks for pointing that out. I would have not noticed it, I would have seen the bands and looked past what they meant, but seeing that greatly adds to the photo for me.