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The Earth's Shifting Crust by Charles Hapgood - wire of information

The Earth's Shifting Crust by Charles Hapgood - wire of information

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252<br />

EARTH'S SHIFTING CRUST<br />

their direct and indirect effects in Asia as in North America,<br />

and, indeed, everywhere. <strong>The</strong> effect o volcanic dust, as we<br />

have seen, is to chill the atmosphere. In the last chapter I<br />

presented indirect evidence that the volcanism during the<br />

displacement was at times massive enough to produce major<br />

lowering <strong>of</strong> the average temperature, and continuous enough<br />

to keep it low for long periods. In addition, I presented di-<br />

rect evidence that many volcanoes were active during the<br />

period in areas that are now quiet.<br />

I can form no idea as to just how many volcanoes might<br />

have been active simultaneously at any time during that dis-<br />

placement <strong>of</strong> the crust. An educated guess is apparently not<br />

possible. I will assume, however, that during any displacement<br />

the average quantity <strong>of</strong> volcanism annually would be<br />

considerably greater than at present.<br />

sumption.<br />

This seems a safe as-<br />

I will assume, secondly, that at intervals during the 10,000-<br />

year period <strong>of</strong> the displacement, volcanism would reach a<br />

higher point than the average for the whole period. This has<br />

already been suggested (Chapter VII). Such periods would be<br />

likely to occur while the crust was moving at its greatest speed,<br />

that is, during the middle part <strong>of</strong> the period (Chapter XI).<br />

<strong>The</strong>se would be periods <strong>of</strong> readvance <strong>of</strong> the dwindling continental<br />

icecap. <strong>The</strong>y would be <strong>of</strong> varying length, but some<br />

<strong>of</strong> them would last a long time.<br />

My third supposition will be that occasionally, during<br />

periods <strong>of</strong> very active volcanism, there would occur a conjunction<br />

<strong>of</strong> several major volcanic explosions in the same<br />

year. <strong>The</strong> mathematical probabilities would favor this occurrence.<br />

It would be strange indeed, considering the stresses<br />

and strains to which the crust <strong>of</strong> the earth would be subjected<br />

during its displacement, if this did not happen now<br />

and then.<br />

Let us now look at the consequences <strong>of</strong> this. Let us suppose<br />

five explosions in one year <strong>of</strong> the magnitude <strong>of</strong> the<br />

explosion <strong>of</strong> Mt. Katmai (or a larger number <strong>of</strong> lesser ex-<br />

plosions). According to Humphreys, this would produce

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