Great Missoula Ice Dam by sazzart
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Description
Bryce6.1 design & settings: www.sazzart.com
Reposting this introduction commentary for viewers who didn't look at "Sun Death."
On PBS tv recently, in conjunction with the University of Minnesota Geophysics department; there was a show about an area of country known as the Scablands, known for it's unusual terrain features, and how it got that way was determined by a lot of research, computer & actual lab modeling.
The unusual name caught my attention & I quit surfing, which is why I'd missed the beginning of the show.
Because of the geological factor named "Great Missoula Ice Dam," which existed 15,000 years ago, I'm assuming Scablands is in the Montana - Washington area.
Anyway; in a nutshell, here's the story behind the inspiration for Sun Death and some other upcoming designs:
At the near end of the Ice Age, 15,000 years ago, in a canyon area, the retreating ice had formed a natural dam. University of Minnesota Geophysicists called it the "Great Missoula Ice Dam."
This natural dam was comprised of 3+ Trillion tons of ice; which if melted, it would've been equal to 1/2 of Lake Michigan's water volume.
Rivers formed from melting glaciers were blocked, resulting in massive lake formation. Supercooled water at the base of the dam circulated into cracks & fissures, eventually causing a rupture in the center, releasing a wall of 6 Trillion gallons of water & massive Ice chunks traveling an estimated 60 mph West to the Pacific.
The natural inundated terrain caused high speed vortexes. Underwater tornadoes resulting in unusual massive bedrock pothole formations, as well as "bubble hammers" which were formed by water currents hitting rock obstacles, which caused unique erosion features. These are still visible today at Scablands.
Thanks for viewing.
Semper Fi
~SAZ~
Comments (7)
myquad
This is a beautiful follow-up to Sun Death! WTG, Sweetie!
jocko500
real cool train of thought with images with the thoughts
debz
Great image and super terrain work Sazz! Great work!
angelbearzs
that is aweosme :)
photostar
Great render portraying this geologic happening. And when that thing burst it carried rocks the size of a house with it as they litter the landscape everywhere out there.
TheBryster
I actually saw the same program on TV. It was excellent. And your rendering of it is pretty cool too!
skiwillgee
Wow, I haven't seen that PBS showing yet. I hope I haven't missed it. Cool image, pun intended.