Helium diffusion experiments give nuclear evidence for a young world

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Calvin Anderson
6 years ago
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1 RATE project Helium diffusion experiments give nuclear evidence for a young world 1.5 billion years of nuclear decay occurred between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago Updated! D. Russell Humphreys, Ph.D. Institute for Creation Research

2 Tiny zircon crystals in the Earth s continental crust are radioactive Zirconium Silicate, ZrSiO 4 75 µm Contain Uranium and Thorium atoms

3 The radioactivity makes helium U-238 Eight helium atoms Nuclear decay in zircon Pb-206

4 The helium is still in the zircons Radioisotope age: 1.5 Billion years Helium retained in Zircons % of 1.5 Billion year s worth: Sample Depth (meters) Temp. (ºC) Helium (%) Fenton Hill, New Mexico Los Alamos geothermal site

5 The helium diffuses out of the zircons Lightweight Fast-moving Slippery Helium Atom Crystal Atoms Wiggles through crystal Leaks through cracks around crystals

6 The hotter the crystal, the faster the diffusion Typical Arrhenius plot: Diffusion rate vs. temperature Hot Pure Crystal Temperature ( Kelvin) Infinity Cold 333 We needed rate data for zircon Diffusion Rate Defects Inverse Temperature, 1000 / T

7 Before 2001, only one measurement of helium diffusion in zircon was in print Magomedov (1970) Study of the mechanism of radiogenic product migration in zircon, Geokhimiya 2:

8 Magomedov s data were ambiguous What does mean?

9 Interpreting ln D makes a big difference D (cm 2 /sec) Russian zircon interpretations ln e D In 2000 we assumed this very fast diffusion ln e (D/a 2 ) log 10 D / Temperature (ºK)

10 Zircons are embedded in biotite, a dark mica Biotite might slow down diffusion Helium-in-biotite rates had not been measured Biotite Zircon So in 2000 we commissioned experiments on biotite

11 We developed two theoretical models Predicted biotite rates required to retain observed helium for: years (Creation) Biotite Zircon Billion years (Uniformitarian)

12 We published the predictions in the year 2000

13 In 2001 we found zircon was more important Biotite data 10 x above Creation model D (cm 2 /sec) 10 6 Russian zircon interpretations 10 4 ln e D 2001 zircon data agreed with lowest Magomedov interpretation 10 8 ln e (D/a 2 ) So we started zircon experiments and changed models to zircon Nevada Zircons log 10 D / Temperature (ºK)

14 Published zircon data approached creation model Zircon creation model within 0.5% of biotite D (cm 2 /sec) Still needed Jemez zircon measurements Russian re-interpreted 2001 Nevada Defect line Creation Model 100,000 x difference Uniformitarian Model / Temperature ( K)

Jemez Granodiorite 750 meters & 1500 meters Los Alamos National

15 We extracted minerals from core samples Core samples from same borehole & depths Crushed, sieved, separated Fenton Hill site GT2 Jemez Granodiorite 750 meters & 1500 meters Los Alamos National Laboratory ICR Geology Laboratory, and Activation Laboratories, Ontario

16 Extracted zircons were like Gentry s

17 An expert measured the helium diffusion rates Didn t know sponsors, goals, or sites

18 Our new zircon data strongly support creation New! July, 2003 Lengths µm Lower temperatures Data 2003 Data Jemez Zircon Data Shown in ICC paper D (cm 2 /sec) Creation Model Uniformitarian Model / Temperature ( K)

19 New data give a more accurate diffusion age Sample Temp. Helium Measured D Age (ºC) (%) (cm 2 /s) (years) Estimated Age: 5680 ± 2000 years

20 Loophole # 1 Cooler formation? Would require refrigeration! D (cm 2 /sec) Gyr requires: > 140 C cooler most of the time C 249 C Model extrapolation Data extrapolation Uniformitarian Model +105 C 141 C / Temperature ( K) 36 C To 100 C

21 Loophole # 2 Much helium outside zircons? Data say no Helium at 1490 meters: zircon: 1320 nmol / cc biotite: 7 nmol / cc Zircon Biotite C zircon >> C biotite Diffusion always from greater to lesser C 4 He diffusing out of zircons

22 Loophole # 3 Big Gentry error? Our data support his Sample Depth (meters) Temp. (ºC) Helium (%) ~ Helium Retention % Our 2003 Data Temperature ( C)

23 Loophole # 4 Closure temperature? Low and not relevant Temperature Helium Closure T closure Opening Closure Interval << 1.5 Gyr Time Time D (cm 2 /sec) C 197 C Jemez zircon closure temps 128 C -170 C 105 C / T ( K)

24 Summary Two zircon clocks disagree by millions Helium diffusion: 4000 to 8,000 years Nuclear decay: 1.5 billion years We suggest nuclear decay rate change in past

25 Conclusion RATE helium diffusion experiments support the young world of Scripture 5680 years ± 2000 years

Issues of the Age of the Earth Parts 1 & 2

Issues of the Age of the Earth Parts 1 & 2 Why is Age such an issue? Incomprehensible ages make evolution seem possible. In billions of years anything can happen Impossible to test possible to construct