UNIFORMITARIANISM

James Hutton (1726-1797)

Made observations on his land of unconformities Traveled to other parts of Europe to observe glaciation and other processes Published Theory of the Earth, which introduced the idea of uniformity Also gave us the Rock Cycle and Ice Ages

Principles of Geology

THEORY of the EARTH; or an INVESTIGATION of the Laws observable in the Composition, Dissolution, and Restoration of Land upon the Globe. By JAMES HUTTON, M.D. F.R.S. EDIN. and Member of the Royal Academy of Agriculture at Paris

UNIFORMITARIANISM
The geologic past can be interpreted and explained by referring to present day processes, given enough time.

UNIFORMITARIANISM
The present is the key to the past

UNIFORMITARIANISM
Natural laws dont change with time

F=ma D=rt

UNIFORMITARIANISM
It is not necessary to invoke catastrophes or the supernatural to explain the rock record of the past

UNIFORMITARIANISM
Charles Lyell (1797-1875)
Popularized Huttons ideas in a textbook of Geology, The Principles of Geology (1830) Traveled widely and made many geologic observations including rise and lowering of sea level in the past Greatly influenced Charles Darwin.

Georges Cuvier

The Deluge

PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION PRINCIPLE OF ORIGINAL HORIZONTALITY

Nicolaus Steno (1638-1686)
Observed layered rocks tilted and folded in the Alps Observed fossils in the rocks, suggesting they were once marine deposits Published a paper indicating original horizontality and superposition

Fossils

PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION
Rocks are hardened layers of sediment once laid down under water (Sedimentary rocks only). Layers of rock were laid down sequentially, oldest at the bottom. In an undisturbed sequence of layered rock, the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest at the top.

PRINCIPLE OF ORIGINAL HORIZONTALITY

Sedimentary rock layers form from sediment laid down under water. Sediment is laid down under water essentially horizontally. Rock layers were originally laid down horizontally. Any tilting or folding of rock layers indicates they have been moved from their original horizontal position.

Original Horizontality

PRINCIPLE OF FAUNAL SUCCESSION

William Smith (1769-1839)
Created first geologic map Discovered fossils varied systematically in rock layers Fossils indicated the order of the rock layers as well as identifying them

Swiss

Alps

First Geologic Map

By

PRINCIPLE OF FAUNAL SUCCESSION

Fossils occur in an orderly sequence such that a layer of strata may be identified and positioned in the sequence according to its fossil content.

William Smith
Each color represents a unit of rock of a certain type and with characteristic fossils in it.

Trilobite Biostratigraphy

Conclusions
Uniformitarianism Superposition Original Horizontality Faunal Succession These and other principles guide the continual inquiry of geologist worldwide.