#braided stream

As the ice melts, future rocks are being born

One thing that the gradual melting of the cryosphere is going to contribute to the geological record is a pulse of sediments that will take a variety of forms, from stones dropped by melting icebergs (and originally named dropstones) to the fine grained rock flour that is being carried into the sea by these braided rivers and waterfalls at the edge of Iceland's icecap. We can even see from way up in space that some braids of the lower streams are draining an area containing more sediment than the others. The plumes of sediment diffract the light nicely as they diffuse, giving the water its eerie bluish colour.

These sediments will reach the sea floor in time and will slowly turn into rock as further layers are piled above and the resulting heat and pressure expels the water and induces chemical reactions such those producing the common calcite or silica cements that bind many sedimentary particles together into rock. They will then sit for an indefinite time, until either some kind of tectonic uplift (such as a buoyant granite intruding below or a rise in the crust induced by a particularly hot bit of mantle passing under the plate) or a continental collision and attendant mountain building event exhume it back under the sky into the world of moving air and water again..

The particles of sediment were of course eroded by ice, wind and rain from the volcanic rocks that form the island (due to its position both on the Mid Atlantic ridge and above a probable mantle plume (see http://bit.ly/1FibMgN for an explanation)). Every rock has been through at least one, and often various iterations of this cycle in various forms. Some old high grade metamorphic rocks in cratons (see http://bit.ly/2n8hXhu) have been repeatedly overprinted by geological adventures, the information only teased out with complex and time consuming analysis.

As the world continues to warm with likely difficult consequences for us and much of the higher life with which we are (not)sharing the planet with over the next centuries followed by the millions years recovery time from a mass extinction, it's comforting to think that whatever happens, the rock cycle will endure for a good old time to come...

Loz

From Earth Science Picture of the Day; April 2, 2018:

Braided River System Near Glenorchy, New ZealandPhotographer: Simon Williams; Summary Authors: Simon Williams, Jim Foster

The photo above showing a braided stream system (the Dart River) near Glenorchy, South Island, New Zealand, was captured from a helicopter. In the distance, flanked by the Southern Alps, is glacier-gouged Lake Wakatipu, the 3rd biggest lake in New Zealand -- 52 miles (83 km) long. A characteristic of braided drainage systems is that they occur in streams or rivers having low slopes and often high sediment loads, such as streams approaching the inflow of large lakes or flowing from the base of a glacier. Nearly all braided streams have banks that easily erode, thus forming wide, shallow channels.

Because rain and clouds are such prominent features of the South Island's west coast, rarely are views here so clear. This area was featured in the "Lord of the Rings" movies as Isengard. Photo taken on December 14, 2017.

Glenorchy, New Zealand Coordinates: -44.85, 168.383333

Related Links

Dendritic Drainage, Braided Channels and Self Similarity

Student Links

Glacial sediment

Earth Observatory

Check out those braided stream and fjord views

Most people think of time as a line, or a "big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff." But after 27 years of architectural planning, I’ve built something different.

Project Kronosphere (v0;02 Beta) is a 100,000-word Hard Sci-Fi manuscript exploring the Braided Stream model of temporal mechanics.

The Physics of Healing

In this model, time has a capacity for self-repair. Like human skin, small nicks in the timeline fade away. But a massive rupture? That leaves a scar. The larger the cut, the deeper the trauma to the stream, and the longer it takes to knit back together.

Would you be happy with what you become?

The stream isn't just about physics; it’s about agency. The future emerges from the intersection of all sentience. It begs the question: if you could look down the stream at the person you are destined to become, would you recognize them? Would you even like them?

The Credentials

To keep the science "Hard," I’ve spent:

• 13 years leading a science reading group to track theoretical physics.

• 16 years running a professional writing critique group in Reston.

Seeking "Science-Chasers"

As a non-binary creator, I’ve built an inclusive stream—including a historically-grounded, subtly bisexual Cleopatra—but I need auditors to stress-test the technical integrity. I need people to hunt for logic gaps, temporal paradoxes, and systemic failures in the narrative physics.

No "timey-wimey" hand-waving here. Just rigorous logic.

The Audit:

• Status: v0;02 Beta

• Word Count: 100k

• Platform: Private Discord

Ready to step into the stream? Fill out the intake form here:

Project Kronosphere Intake Form