Flashback log generation with select statements

There is a question on OTN Forums about excessive flashback log generates with select statement . Basically OP says there are flashback logs generated when they do select only.

there are different answers in the thread which can be true or false,  but when I first read the question I immediately think if delayed block cleanout have the similar effect on flashback log generation as well, so I tested.

I initially thought v$sesstats counters might reveal something but no luck and then I checked v$flashback_database_stat for the generated flashback_data_size and I think I hit the jackpot.

HR@ORACOS> select * from v$flashback_database_stat;

BEGIN_TIME        END_TIME          FLASHBACK_DATA    DB_DATA  REDO_DATA ESTIMATED_FLASHBACK_SIZE
----------------- ----------------- -------------- ---------- ---------- ------------------------
20100527 15:32:53 20100527 15:50:16      875266048 1207132160 2038729728                        0
20100527 14:32:50 20100527 15:32:53      248160256  127295488  450139648               1.3215E+10
20100527 13:32:48 20100527 14:32:50       10452992   15646720    4400640               1.5549E+10
20100527 12:32:43 20100527 13:32:48      745693184  948461568 1311620608               2.2789E+10
20100527 11:25:56 20100527 12:32:43     1262026752 1984741376 2358546432               2.7212E+10

HR@ORACOS> set autotrace traceonly statistics
HR@ORACOS>  update base_table_np set y='INVALID';
 commit;

4021808 rows updated.

Statistics
----------------------------------------------------------
       2512  recursive calls
    8341430  db block gets
    4069140  consistent gets
     120569  physical reads
 1908471980  redo size
        848  bytes sent via SQL*Net to client
        793  bytes received via SQL*Net from client
          3  SQL*Net roundtrips to/from client
          1  sorts (memory)
          0  sorts (disk)
    4021808  rows processed

HR@ORACOS> set autotrace off;
HR@ORACOS> select * from v$flashback_database_stat;

HR@ORACOS>
BEGIN_TIME        END_TIME          FLASHBACK_DATA    DB_DATA  REDO_DATA ESTIMATED_FLASHBACK_SIZE
----------------- ----------------- -------------- ---------- ---------- ------------------------
20100527 15:32:53 20100527 16:00:36     1236664320 2021974016 4019910656                        0
20100527 14:32:50 20100527 15:32:53      248160256  127295488  450139648               1.3215E+10
20100527 13:32:48 20100527 14:32:50       10452992   15646720    4400640               1.5549E+10
20100527 12:32:43 20100527 13:32:48      745693184  948461568 1311620608               2.2789E+10
20100527 11:25:56 20100527 12:32:43     1262026752 1984741376 2358546432               2.7212E+10

HR@ORACOS> set autotrace traceonly statistics
HR@ORACOS> select * from base_table_np;
4021808 rows selected.

Statistics
----------------------------------------------------------
        139  recursive calls
          0  db block gets
      53908  consistent gets
       4404  physical reads
    1652384  redo size							------->DELAYED BLOCKS CLEANOUTS
  175008833  bytes sent via SQL*Net to client
      88996  bytes received via SQL*Net from client
       8045  SQL*Net roundtrips to/from client
          4  sorts (memory)
          0  sorts (disk)
    4021808  rows processed

HR@ORACOS> set autotrace off
HR@ORACOS> select * from v$flashback_database_stat;    ------>CHECK THE increase in FLASHBACK_DATA
HR@ORACOS>
BEGIN_TIME        END_TIME          FLASHBACK_DATA    DB_DATA  REDO_DATA ESTIMATED_FLASHBACK_SIZE
----------------- ----------------- -------------- ---------- ---------- ------------------------
20100527 15:32:53 20100527 16:01:11     1305264128 2054594560 4021728256                        0
20100527 14:32:50 20100527 15:32:53      248160256  127295488  450139648               1.3215E+10
20100527 13:32:48 20100527 14:32:50       10452992   15646720    4400640               1.5549E+10
20100527 12:32:43 20100527 13:32:48      745693184  948461568 1311620608               2.2789E+10
20100527 11:25:56 20100527 12:32:43     1262026752 1984741376 2358546432               2.7212E+10

I am still not %100 convinced because I have no idea what is going on behind the scenes and I don’t have Julian Dyke (ppt file ) wisdom/time to go more deep into the issue and  I stopped here.

If you have something to say about the issue  comments are welcomed.

Tested on 11.2.0.1 with single active instance