ISSN 0126-5539 PERSATUAN GEOLOGI MALAYSIA NEWSLETTER OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF MALAYSIA KANDUNGAN (Contents) CATATAN GEOLOGI (Geological Notes) Robert B. Tate: A new Earth theory for the new Millennium 73 PERTEMUAN PERSATUAN (Meetings of the Society) Dynamic Stratigraphy & Tectonics of Peninsular Malaysia: Third Seminar 77 - The Mesozoic of Peninsular Malaysia - Report Programme 78 Abstracts of Papers 80 Peter Hobbs: Measurement of shrinkage limit 85 Malam Geologis Muda IIIIYoung Geologist Nite III 86 Abd. Rasid Jaapar: Soil and rock description for civil engineering 88 purposes: overview on current practice in Malaysia and the need for geological institutions involvement Tajul Anuar Jamaluddin and Mogana Sundaram: Excavatability 93 assessment of weathered rock mass - case studies from Ijok, Selangor and Kemaman, Terengganu Laporan Seminar Setengah Hari "Penggunaan Geofizik dalam Kajian 95 Geoteknik" Peter Boles: DLIS and archival of interpreted petrophysical data 97 BERITA-BERITA PERSATUAN (News of the Society) . Keahlian (Membership) 99 Pertukaran Alamat (Change of Address) 99 Current Addresses Wanted 100 Pertambahan Baru Perpustakaan (New Library Additions) 100 BERITA-BERITA LAIN (Other News) Kalendar (Calendar) 105 Majlis (Council) 2000/2001 Presiden (President) Abdul Ghani Rafek N aib Presiden (Vice-President) Mohd. Shafeea Leman Setiausaha (Secretary) Ahmad Tajuddin Ibrahim Penolong Setiausaha (Asst. Secretary) Nik Ramli Nik Hassan Bendahari (Treasurer) Lee Chai Peng Pengarang (Editor) TehGuanHoe Presiden Yang Dahulu (Immediate Past President) : Ibrahim Komoo Ahli-AhliMajli.':(~unciliors) 2000-2002 2000-2001 Abdul Rahim Samsudin Hamdan Hassan Azmi Yakzan Liew Kit Kong M. Selvarajah Mogana Sundaram Tajul Anuar Jamaluddin Tan Boon Kong Jawatankuasa Kecil Pengarang (Editorial Subcommittee) Teh Guan Hoe (Pengerusi/Chairman) Fan Ah Kwai Ng Tham Fatt J.J. Pereira Lembaga Penasihat Pengarang (Editorial Advisory Board) Aw Peck Chin FooWahYang Mazlan Madon Tan Boon Kong Azhar Hj. Hussin C.A. Foss Ian Metcalfe Tan Teong Hing K.R. Chakraborty N.S. Haile S. Paramananthan Teoh Lay Hock Choo Mun Keong C.S. Hutchison Senathi Rajah H.D. Tjia Chu Leng Heng Lee Chai Peng Shu Yeoh Khoon Wan Hasiah Abd. Denis N.K. Tan Leong Lap Sau P.H. Stauffer Yeap Cheng Hock The Society was founded in 1967 with the aim of promoting the advancement of earth sciences particularly in Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region. The Society has a membership of about 600 earth scientists interested in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian regions. The membership is worldwide in distribution. Published by the Geological Society of Malaysia. Department of Geology. University of Malaya. 50603 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 603-7957 7036 Fax: 603-7956 3900 E-mail: [email protected] Printed by Art Printing Works Sdn. Bhd.. 29 Jolon Riong. 59100 Kuala Lumpur. A new Earth theory for the new Millennium ROBERT B. TATE c/o The Orchard, Hatton Lane Hatton, Warrington WA44DA Cheshire, U.K. Are you dissatisfied with Plate Tectonics at the start of processes which lead to the because the theory does not explain every Quaternary Ice Age. The spasms occur when problem? Do not despair! As a change from the Earth's axis is out of alignment with the looking down a microscope or hammering astronomical (celestial) axis (see Fig. 1); when exposures, take a look at a new theory which both axes coincide, the Earth is stable. has been devised by Professor Karsten M. Polar magnetic curves imply relative Storetvedt, a geophysicist at the University of motion of the continents and only small Bergen, Norway. rotational adjustment is required to explain the known polar-wandering curves. Working in conjunction with the late Reorientation of continents does not occur until Professor S.K. Runcorn, Professor Storetvedt Alpine time. Submarine trenches occur mostly has, during the past 25 years, developed an around the Pacific rim and there are no alternative theory to Plate Tectonics. Noting subduction sinks around Antarctica. Although that the rocks in Antarctica were deposited in several tectonic plates appear to be moving warm water over a long period of time, Professor towards Antarctica, Antarctica is not under Storetvedt questions the validity of polar-derived compression. Africa and Antarctica are tilloids in South America, South Mrica, India stationary but they should be moving apart and Australia. The glacial rocks are thought according to the spreading centres between to have been deposited in a cold spell rather them! The trenches are largely empty of than prolonged polar glaciation. The Ordovician sediments and those which are found are often South pole was located in central Africa (for flat lying and undeformed. The heat flow at example, tilloids are reported from the late ocean ridges is considered not to be excessive. Precambrian in Nigeria and Angola) and gradually migrated - in a series of jerks - In the early Paleozoic, the continents were towards its present position in Antarctica. Thus formally covered by the sea; much ofN America in the geological past, the Earth's orientation was under water in the Ordovician and between in space was at 90 degrees to its present position. then and the late Permian, the sea receded to Paleo-equators from 450 million years ago cover only 20% before returning during the through to present have moved in short-lived Upper Mesozoic. Today there is more dry spasms with intervening long periods of stability. continent exposed than at any time since the These tectonic spasms cause widespread Cambrian. Water is coming to the surface of volcanism with eruption of plateau basalts. the Earth continuously during the volcanic There have been seven distinct spasms since process and the total amount of water in the the Precambrian, the paleo-South pole eventually Earth's system has increased, yet the continents reaching Antarctica about 35 million years BP have become drier. ISSN 0126-5539 Wal'ta Geologi, Vol. 26, No.3, May-fun 2000, pp. 73-75 74 ROBERT B. TATE .. ____Tidal_ attract_ IOn· Moon Figure 1. Spasms occur when the Earth's axis is out of alignment with the astronomical (celestial) axis. As planet Earth cooled, a massive re­ in the surface layers with injection and eruption organisation of the Earth's interior has resulted of basalt. These phenomena are apparent in in oceanisation being greater in the southern the Basin and Range Province in N America, hemisphere; the oceanic basins are secondary in Tibet where there is no mantle but up doming features and the density of the core is lower is beginning. In the Peruvian-Bolivian Altiplano than expected. The mantle under the continents - the largest inland region of drainage in is lighter than under the oceans and this is South America which includes Lake Titicaca confirmed by seismic thermography. Mantle - there is collapse but as yet no basalt and in upwelling creates oceanic crust which is stable the Mediterranean where up doming took place whereas the continents become unstable in the Lower Cenozoic followed by a two-stage although continents were initially stable when collapse, with the formation of salt basins in the Earth was first formed. the Upper Cenozoic and final collapse in the Qua ternary. The oceanic crust rises and falls periodically; whenever there is a rise, there is Many continental fragments remain in increased volcanism and when a fall increased the oceanic crust provide evidence in support sedimentation. Continental crust varies a great the oceanisation theory. Iceland sits astride deal in thickness and basins develop where the the mid-Atlantic ridge MORB basalts yet the crust is thinner. Chemical erosion explains basalts contain granite pebbles and in other thinning of the crust largely along the continenti ridges, blocks of quartzite and thermo­ ocean margins. The erosion process begins at metamorphic rocks have been found within the Earth's core and causes a phenomenon oceanic basalts. The Pre-Cambrian greenstone termed oceanisation, a theory developed by belts in Mrica represent the beginnings of Beloussov in the Fifties. Fluids from the core oceanisation; the oceanisation process does not have destroyed the early Pan-continental sialic start fully until the Cretaceous. Prior to the crust which has broken down. As the crust Lower Cenozoic· there were no deep ocean becomes thinner, up doming and collapse occur basins. Warta Geologi, Vol. 26, No. 3, May-J!m 2000 A NEW EARTH THEORY FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM 75 Some ofthe more contentious conclusions wandering but are formed by changes in involve tectonics and include mountain building susceptibility and induction. The planet Venus which is thought to be a recent phenomenon today is similar to the Earth in Archean time; and is the last most important phase in Earth however, carbon dioxide originating from the evolution. The Mesozoic was flatter with almost Earth's core has combined with calcium to form no topography and high mountains did not limestones which has enabled the Earth to appear until the late Miocene. There are two cool. Venus, closer to the Sun, remains hot. great circles of tectonic activity at right angles, the Circum Pacific and the Alpine belt. In the A detailed exposition of the above theory Alpine belt, the tectonic zones young from N to is given in Professor Storetvedt's 1997 book S which is explained by changes in speed of entitled "History of the Earth - a chain of rotation and the Coriolis effect (see diagram). related phenomena. The Earth is a System" During Alpine time, there was compression published by and available from the University towards the equator and rotation of continents. of Bergen Press, P.O. Box 4213, Nygardstangen, In the Hercynian, magmatic extension was N5028 Bergen, Norway. Price US$70. As in caused by deceleration; acceleration causes Plate Tectonics, it helps to have an inflatable compression and injection/uplift of ophiolites Earth globe to understand Professor Storetvedt's into pods along tectonic weakness lines. Another theory. tectonic belt lies at right angles and includes, The above account is written from hastily for example, the Urals and the Rhine graben.