1961-1962 ends
(Webmaster and Author Clarke born in 1961 by
1968 has first book about Atlantis)
The Geological History of Atlantis, By Dr.
Th. Zhirov (cont. 3) cont. 1961-62 end.
In the Pliocene era the ridge reached its maximum height
and arose above the surface of the ocean. Then, towards the end of the Pliocene
and beginning of the Quaternary period, the ocean waters began to cool off, due
to the increased surface and height of the land, which formed obstructions
impeding the penetration of warm waters to the polar regions. Consequently,
climatic contrasts between latitudes began to increase, and the cold waters
began to flow from the poles to the equator. The ocean bottoms begins to chill
sharply and to shrink. Consequently, in the region of the ridge sundering
forces are developed and a meridional crack is formed-the middle trough. The
flow of magma out of this crack in the presence of lateral pressures leads to
the formation of the second parallel chain. Thereafter, alternating
processes of freezing and interglaciation cause temperature changes in the
bottom waters and, accordingly, greater or lesser constriction of the earth
crust at the ocean bottom. Together with this, as the cooling processes always
prevailed in the Pleistocene, in the ridge area the predominating processes
were of constriction, splits and subsidences, in the majority of cases
occurring catastrophically, that is sudden stages. Thus was created the most
complicated topographic picture we see today. The picture described above
is drawn mainly on the basis of data available concerning the North
Atlantic ridge. To a considerable extent, it can probably be
applied also to the South Atlantic ridge. But,
with regard to the latter, we do not yet know how deep are the central
subsidences (apparently there are two), nor to what extent does its topography
resemble that of the northern ridge. There is some basis for assuming that the
processes of formation and subsidence of the South Atlantic ridge occurred
rather differently and not in syncronization with those in the north. Available
bathymetric data leads to the general conclusion that the South Atlantic ridge
is a mountain range of greater magnitude than the northern one. Perhaps this may
be due to the southern ridge beginning to rise, probably, earlier than the
northern one, and that in it the processes of fold formation predominated over
the processes of splitting. There is also substantial evidence that in the
formation of the South Atlantic ridge a considerable role could have been
played by sialytic materials. Evidence of this is afforded by the discovery of
sialytic materials in its branches (Whale Ridge) on Ascension Island . In
general, the possibility cannot be excluded that part of the ridge arose out of
splinters of the former continent of Gondwanaland. We do not consider it
impossible that a portion of the southern ridge could have been above sea level
(Southern Atlantis) in the Quaternary period, and even indications of this may be
found in the myths of the earliest inhabitants of Africa, the Hottentots and
Bushman, concerning the great land that once stretched to the west from Africa.
S. N. Bubnov notes the essential differences in the structure of the South
Atlantic. He considers that it differs only in an significant degree from the
type of continental subsoil, and he finds a great similarity between the
polygonal structure of the African Continent and the distribution of basins and
ridges of the South Atlantic. We quote: "Thus, the great structure in the
Atlantic Ocean and in the continental subsoils adjacent to it is similar, and
the only difference is that the average level of the Atlantic subsoil lies
several thousand meters lower". Many geologists considered that the Central
Atlantic ridge was of Mesozoic origin. Possibly this opinion has some basis as
regards the South Atlantic ridge. Most likely the process of raising the
Central Atlantic ridge did not occur simultaneously in both northern and
southern hemispheres, but proceeded, and was afterwards followed by
subsidences, in the direction from south to north. In this connection, it is
useful to note some general considerations on the sequence of subsidences of
continental masses in the North and South Atlantic. N.M. Strakhov indicates
that the disintegration of the huge continent of the southern
hemisphere-Gondwanaland began in the Permian, continued in the Triassic, the
Jurassic, the Cretaceous, and came to an end in the Paleogene. But as regards
an analogous process-taking place on the northern continent, the North Atlantic
Plateau, he considers the question less clear than for Gondwanaland. On the
basis of all the data and considerations available to us, we believe that it
would not be a great mistake to assume that the process of disintegration for
the northern plateaus must have begun considerably later than for Gondwanaland,
and they also finished much later. Indirect confirmation of this opinion is
provided by the slight seismality of the South Atlantic, the smaller volcanic
development, the distribution of endemic plants, etc. Therefore there are some
reasons for believing that the break up for the north began at least a couple
of geological periods later than Gondwanaland. If one may be allowed to draw
some sort of analogy between these two processes, and likewise to presume that
they were both governed by the same law, then this leads to the conclusion that
in the northern hemisphere the end of the break up of ancient plateau and the
formation of mountains must come in the Quaternary period and even continue to
the present day. The sinking of Atlantis is also one of the stages of this
process. As regards the North Atlantic Ridge, however, the conclusions
concerning its Mesozoic origin appear to have insufficient basis and to be
drawn on the grounds of analogy rather than available facts. The completion of
the geo-synclinal process, and consequently, the formation of the
"young" continent of Atlantis, occurred only towards the end of the
Miocene and finished in the Pliocene. Our ideas on the later date for the
formation of Atlantis are completely borne out by the factual data mentioned
above, and with the views of V.V. Belousov on the formation of the Central
Atlantic ridge in the late Tertiary period. All the paleo-botanical data
provides incontestable evidence that in the Miocene times a considerable part
of the North Atlantic was dry land. In support of the Miocene dating is the
testimony of the Miocene age of the minerals dredged up from the foot of the
North Atlantic ridge. But the presence of Miocene limestone on the Azores
Islands proves that in Miocene times in that area there was a shallow sea. This
meansthat in the Miocene period, though a large part of the ridge had already
been formed, the land areas adjoining it were regions of shallow waters, thus
the maximum extent of Atlantis is related to a period later than the Miocene,
i.e., most probably to the Pliocene. Evidently, the increasing contrast between
land and sea to the west of the North Atlantic ridge began with the Eocene, but
reached its maximum only in the Miocene in connection with the beginning of the
formation of the North Atlantic ridge and the deepening of the basins. The sea
bottom in the eastern part of the future ocean also began to sink. The whole process
reached its maximum in the Pliocene when the contrast became its greatest also
for the areas east of the ridge. At this time Atlantis was separated from
Europe by a series of inter-communicating sea basins, of which not all,
however, were deep waters. Consequently, a communication with northern waters
is created, and cold ocean currents can penetrate southwards along the eastern
shores of Atlantis. The greatest area of Atlantis was during the Pliocene,
probably forming a large peninsula of the northern continent, including
Greenland, Iceland, and certain parts of North America, and possibly also of
Europe. Thus Atlantis begins to resemble its reconstruction according to H.E.
Forrest. To this same period, in the opinion of R. Malaise, must be related the
beginning of the formation of the great river which flowed in the place where
the Central Atlantic canyon lies now. In general, Pliocene Atlantis differed
from the Miocene by the different distribution of land areas adjoining the
central ridge-larger areas belonged to the northern sectors, whereas for
Miocene Atlantis, it must be acknowledged that the more southern areas
predominated. However, there already existed considerable expanses of water
between Atlantis and neighboring "old" continents. In the course of
the whole history of Atlantis, these expanses were very changeable and
inconstant, owing to the unceasing tectonic activity. If Miocene Atlantis
still had direct connection in the south with America, as well as Europe and
Africa, then Pliocene, and afterwards Quaternary Atlantis had connections with
both continents of the east and the west only from time to time in the north,
most likely along the line of the present submarine bridge of Wyville Thompson
which, apparently, repeatedly dried out and changed its contours above water
level right up to historical times.
In the Quaternary period comes the Great Quaternary
Transgression, and the principle part of the continent of Atlantis submerged.
The hypothesis of the Great Transgression will be dealt with in a subsequent
article. The paleo-geography of Atlantis in the course of the whole Quaternary
period has been more thoroughly expounded by R. malaise, whose monograph
"Atlantis en geologisk vertighet" (1951) is the only serious work on
this subject, "
The writer Zhirov concludes in complete agreement with Dr.
Malaise on Atlantis History in geologic possibilities. Also Dr. Zhirov noted
the new book by Gleb Golubev published in Moscow in 1960, entitled
"Nerasgadannye Tainy" (Unresolved Secrets). Also a Soviet film on
Atlantis was released and noted in the cinema magazine "Pionera", the
producer was Mrs. D. Mussatova, and scientific advisor was Dr. N. Th Zhirov.
Webmaster Notes- It is clear that Russians were in
agreement with theories from sources outside of the Soviet block, and that Dr.
Malaise as related to his note of scientists in other parts of Europe to make
the presented picture of Atlantis extremely plausible. It is to bad the Crete
theory exploiters did not look at this information close enough!!!!!!
Of 1962
articles I have in possession only a few journals, of which, one was focused on
'Life on other planets', by Sykes and the other was the Opera 'Atlantida'
review and for this reason 1962 is not included on this site only by name. So, we
start with 1963 which 1962 begins and ends here.
Atlantic and Pacific
Cultural Origins, by Egerton Sykes -1963 begins
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