Origin of Fjords

Fjords and Disintegration Theory

In this theory, fjords formed by the in situ disintegration mechanism which formed the drift as the continents were raised after the flood. The disintegration process was often controlled by the presence of joints or faults. Uplift of the land caused flood waters to be spilled into the oceans along the coasts. As disintegration occurred, rock was converted to unconsolidated drift. The currents eroded the drift, and exposed fresh rock surfaces to decreased pressure, which were also subject to disintegration. The disintegration and erosion by currents formed deep channels along the coasts.

The process of disintegration was enhanced by continued erosion. This can explain the great depths of fjords, as well as their irregular basins of varying depth, that are problematic in the glacial interpretation. The process of pothole formation, apparently associated with the origin of some fjords, is also characteristic of the disintegration.

Fjords occur in areas where the land rises steeply from the sea. Their origin is associated with differential uplift, erosion by catastrophic currents, and the disintegration mechanism which formed the drift. For more information about the mechanism of disintegration see:

Erosion Aided by Disintegration