Allen,
Thanks for the reference. Trouble is, I don't have ready access to the
CRSQ.
To me, the Oklo phenomenon can only be explained if one assumes that the
earth much older than YEC's would claim. Briefly, a nuclear chain reaction
can only be sustained if 1)the 235/238U is higher than at present (~2%
compared to the current <0.8%) or 2) a moderator such as D2O is present. The
U deposit at Oklo shows unmistakable signs of fission: rare earth fission
products show an isotopic signature closer to that of fission products,
there is eveidence of 99Tc (which is only produced in the fissioning
process), and the 235U is depleted considerably, to values as low as 0.3%.
If the fission process did take place, the 235/238U must have been much
higher than present, in the order of 2% and that can only have been the case
~10^9 years ago because the half life of 235U is shorter than that of 238U.
The Cigar Lake U deposit is younger and never had a sufficiently high
235/238U ratio.
This, to me, clearly swings the evidence to an old earth but, as a
scientist, my mind is open for alternative interpretations.
Shalom,
Chuck
-----Original Message-----
From: Allen Roy [mailto:allenroy@peoplepc.com]
Sent: Thursday August 23, 2001 8:18 PM
To: Vandergraaf, Chuck
Subject: Re: Response to Why YEC posting
I personally don't know much about the Oklo reactor, however I found an
article by a YEC on the topic.
"Oklo Uranium Reactor Examined From a Creationist's Viewpoint"
appears in the Creation Research Society Quarterly Vol.19, No.1 (June, 1982)
pgs32-35 by Eugene Chaffin
Allen
----- Original Message -----
From: Vandergraaf, Chuck <vandergraaft@aecl.ca>
To: 'Allen Roy' <allenroy@peoplepc.com>
Cc: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 12:34 PM
Subject: RE: Response to Why YEC posting
Allen,
Please explain, using a "young earth model," how natural fission reactors,
e.g., @ Oklo, Gabon, could have operated while other U deposits with high
[U], e.g., Cigar Lake, did not.
Thanks,
Chuck Vandergraaf
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