Episode #058: Intense Rainfall Events in the Southern Appalachians

Summary

In this episode, Randall Carlson explores the geological history of the southern Appalachian Mountains, discussing how perceptions of massive blockfields and sediment fans have shifted from gradualist to catastrophic interpretations. He highlights the significance of rare pluvial events in shaping the landscape and challenges established uniformitarian views. By analyzing geological deposits, Carlson emphasizes the need to reevaluate past theories about Earth's climatic changes.

Key takeaways

• 1Studies beginning in 1960 analyze the causes of blockfields and sediment fans
• 2Transition from gradualist 'periglacial' effects to catastrophic rainstorm events
• 3Evidence of rare pluvial outbursts affecting regions from Virginia to North Carolina
• 4Discussion of features like boulder-choked creeks and giant potholes
• 5Recognition that modern processes are eroding rather than building these features
• 6Breaches in the 'gradualist' model highlight the need for new geological perspectives

Glossary terms

Source

Transcript excerpt

That's ancientnutrition.com, code protein. This is Cosmographia, the Randall Carlson Podcast. And welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to Cosmographia, the Randall Carlson Podcast. This is episode 58, and the first episode we're recording of 2021. So welcome, guys, to the new year. And you. Happy New Year. Yeah. Thank you, thank you. And everybody out there. That's right. We are, yeah. We made it. Barely. Barely. We made it. I don't know what that might mean, but ever the optimist, I got to believe it bodes something good. Yep. Dragged into it, fly out of it. You know. Did you guys set anything on fire? Any fireworks? No explosions? No, not this year. Wow. Low-key season for me, big time. Or little time. We blew some stuff up and set some things on fire. It was classic. Yeah. Normal Texas. We're still thawing out over here. If you don't have video, it didn't happen. Oh, well. There you go. Fixer, it didn't happen. Somebody has video of it. Well, we had some fireworks around here. Just small stuff. Yeah. Neighborhood type stuff. Yeah. Neighborhood fireworks. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And there are neighborhood fireworks. You can hear New Year's Eve. In the occasional gunfire. Yeah. Well, I mean, this is Texas. So most of it's probably gunfire. This is urban Georgia. So most of it's probably gunfire there, too, as well. Yeah. Next neighborhood over for Mike. Yeah. I was walking New Year's a couple of years ago, taking a New Year's Day, taking a walk around the neighborhood and found a.45 caliber slug on the sidewalk from somebody just shot up in the air. Really? Wow. That was me, Mike. Remember when we were working in your garage over there? You thought that was the power-actuated nailer? I was... ...

Excerpt from Kosmographia, Jan 25, 2021. Rights remain with the original creators. Hear the full episode at the source.