"Debate exists over the pre-Flood continental configuration, with some creation geologists
advocating for an initial created supercontinent called Rodinia.
However, we chose a slightly modified Pangaea because it has the most empirical geological evidence supporting it, including the best fit of the continents. We placed a narrow sea (300 km) between North America and Africa/Europe, allowing for limited plate subduction, an early Flood closure of the pre-Atlantic, and the formation of the Appalachian/Caledonian Mountains. The width of this pre-Atlantic is based on subducted plate remnants that diminish beneath the Appalachians below 300 km, supporting this narrow-sea interpretation.
Another reason we favored Pangaea over Rodinia is that our current ocean floor was evidently created when the original creation week seafloor was consumed by subduction during the Flood event. It was the density contrast of the heavy, cold, original ocean crust (the lithosphere) that allowed the runaway subduction process to begin and continue. The density difference served essentially as the “fuel.” Geophysicist John Baumgardner described it as “gravitational energy driving the motion” of the plates. The “runaway” process continued until the original oceanic lithosphere was consumed. There was no geophysical means or reason to stop the rapid plate motion until the density contrast was fully alleviated. At that moment, the newer, more buoyant lithosphere ceased subducting, bringing plate motion to a virtual standstill. As a consequence, today we only witness small, residual plate motions of centimeters per year.
A pre-Flood world that resembled Rodinia would require the consumption of nearly all the pre-Flood ocean crust twice. The first time would be while the continents from Rodinia moved into the configuration of Pangaea, and then a second time when Pangaea split into the present global configuration.
Geophysically, the first breakup of Rodinia and reconfiguration into Pangaea would be possible, but it would also consume all of the dense pre-Flood ocean crust. A second move would then be rendered impossible since any significant amount of new ocean crust created while splitting up Rodinia would not have enough density contrast to fuel a second episode of subduction. As mentioned above, it is the consumption of the cold, more dense pre-Flood ocean crust that caused runaway subduction in the first place. Therefore, if there had been a Rodinia, we would still be in a Pangaea continental configuration today." ICR
.....the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up,
and the windows of heaven were opened.
Genesis 7:11
However, we chose a slightly modified Pangaea because it has the most empirical geological evidence supporting it, including the best fit of the continents. We placed a narrow sea (300 km) between North America and Africa/Europe, allowing for limited plate subduction, an early Flood closure of the pre-Atlantic, and the formation of the Appalachian/Caledonian Mountains. The width of this pre-Atlantic is based on subducted plate remnants that diminish beneath the Appalachians below 300 km, supporting this narrow-sea interpretation.
Another reason we favored Pangaea over Rodinia is that our current ocean floor was evidently created when the original creation week seafloor was consumed by subduction during the Flood event. It was the density contrast of the heavy, cold, original ocean crust (the lithosphere) that allowed the runaway subduction process to begin and continue. The density difference served essentially as the “fuel.” Geophysicist John Baumgardner described it as “gravitational energy driving the motion” of the plates. The “runaway” process continued until the original oceanic lithosphere was consumed. There was no geophysical means or reason to stop the rapid plate motion until the density contrast was fully alleviated. At that moment, the newer, more buoyant lithosphere ceased subducting, bringing plate motion to a virtual standstill. As a consequence, today we only witness small, residual plate motions of centimeters per year.
A pre-Flood world that resembled Rodinia would require the consumption of nearly all the pre-Flood ocean crust twice. The first time would be while the continents from Rodinia moved into the configuration of Pangaea, and then a second time when Pangaea split into the present global configuration.
Geophysically, the first breakup of Rodinia and reconfiguration into Pangaea would be possible, but it would also consume all of the dense pre-Flood ocean crust. A second move would then be rendered impossible since any significant amount of new ocean crust created while splitting up Rodinia would not have enough density contrast to fuel a second episode of subduction. As mentioned above, it is the consumption of the cold, more dense pre-Flood ocean crust that caused runaway subduction in the first place. Therefore, if there had been a Rodinia, we would still be in a Pangaea continental configuration today." ICR
.....the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up,
and the windows of heaven were opened.
Genesis 7:11
