Archive 2659

1951

The Theory of Tides and the Problem of Atlantis, By Prof. N. Boneff

This paper constitutes an amplification of a theory put forth in Oct. 1949, Vol. 2, No. 4.

It was originally published in the U. of Sofia in French in the proceedings of the Faculty of Science, in Vol. XLV; this is the summarized translation.

In a pervious paper, the writer postulated that the lunar craters were probably of organic origin, though certain of them may have been caused by meteorites. It is now submitted that the loss of Atlantis may have been due to extra-terrestrial causes. The Atlantis story is mainly based on the two dialogues of Plato: the Timaeus and the Critias, and although Aristotle distrusted their authenticity such writers as Posedonius and Strebo were fully conviced. While it is possible that the details of the social and political life of Atlantis corresponded to the ideals of Plato himself, there seems no doubt the story of the catastrophe corresponds largely to historical truth, as ferquently happens in cases where the popular imagination has been inspired by great manifistations of natural forces. For example, although the origin of Meteor Crater in Arizona occurred 5,000 years ago, the Indians of the district still have a legend of the visit of a fire god from heaven many years ago. Such stories as those of Sodem and Gomorrah, and the Legend of Phaeton, the son of Helios, may be traced to similar resources. In the opinion of the writer, the physical explanation of the disaster described by Plato lies in the theory of the tides, as put forward by Mach, in his work on Mechanics ( or La Mecanique-Paris-1904).

If, at the time of the Atlantean disaster, the earth had been approached by an Asteroid, it might have been sufficient to cause a tide of a magnitude such as to swamp the Atlantean Continent, and to break open the Pillars of Hercules, and to flood the Mediterranean basin: particularly if the asteroid itself were to have plunged into the earth instead of passing off at a tangent. The Mid-Atlantis Ridge and the varying depths in the Atlantic Ocean confirm the opinion of Stille (The Growth and Decay of Continents-1935), who says that the Atlantic appears as “als ein grosses Destruktions feld, ein Fekd der Funsenkung und des Einbruchs”: an area of great destruction, a field of sinkings and of breakings in. The writer considers that the Ridge is the backbone of Atlantis, and that the body of the continent and of the asteroid are scattered over the bed of the Atlantic Ocean, and on them rests the organic ooze (Globigerinenschlamm)-E. Kayser, Lerbuch der allgemeinen Geologie, p. 620-22.

PLUS

An Asteriod as the Possible Cause of the Atlantis Catastrophe,

By Prof. N. Boneff (a summary)

1949- Research Mag.-Boneff was a chair of Astronomy at U. of Sofia.

“The present essay will endeavor to show that even the catastrophe of Atlantis could well have been due to extra territorial causes. We have naturally supposed that the Atlantis Myth is not totally without historical basis”

The basic source of the writings of Plato’s Timaeus and the Critias on Atlantis. It appears Aristotle did not believe it, while Posidonius felt Plato’s story could be based on facts. The tradition may be not based on ficiton for the Egyptian Priests interrogated by Solon having certified to him of an Island that formerly had this name of Atlantis existed. Modern writers Astronomer Bailey, and Termier the geologist considered Atlantis beyond and to the west of the Columns of Hercules.

Deep Lonigtudinal ditches border the east and west coasts of the Atlantic as if a vast sinking had taken place. The Azores, Maderia, Canary, and Cape Verde Islands of which a continental fauna origin being simaler to Antillia and Senegal coast, are now believed to be vestiges of Atlantis.

The manifestation of myths near events like the Atlantis one can be summarized similar to the Arizona crater’s Indian myth. A iron meteor fell 5,000-6,000 years ago or more and the Indians called it the

‘God of Fire’ (not for volcano reasons) who came a long time ago from heaven i.e. sky. Story of Sodom and Gomorrah a similar story in that the town was destroyed by some meteor like the one that fell in Siberia on 30th of June 1908 or February 13th 1917.

The story of Phaethon who harnessed his father’s chariot driving it to earth burned up in flames, as a meteor would do.

The physical cause would lie in the loss of Atlantis noted by Plato as an extra territorial cause. It has always seemed strange that a catastrophe should result in earthquakes, and we ourselves (Boneff) that the cause was the tidal theory of Mach, due to the close passage of one of the larger asteroids which may have even brushed the earth as it passed. Assuming Ceres passed the earth six times the radius of the earth, its influence would be ten times that of the moon as it is now. Boneff believed this passing of the Ceres Asteroid would account for the level of destruction on Atlantis just by a bare collision, or just missing earth. It is an interesting note that there is at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean a longitudinal ridge called the Dolphin Ridge in the shape on an ‘S’. The water on top is 500 meters deep, as compared with 4,000 on either side. This may constitute the path of the debris left from its path in the form of mud thrown up and mountains leveled.

Hoerbiger update message from Web master, this theory first in his cosmic ice theories 1908.