> ...Isochron dating is based on the assumption that decay rates are
> constant. Statistical evidence based on only a hundred years of
> observations is not sufficient support for such an assumption...
There are 3 different kinds of decay used in radiometric dating:
alpha, beta, and electron capture. Electron capture is the inverse of
beta decay, so there are 2 fundamentally different kinds. Alpha decay
occurs when an alpha particle tunnels out of the nucleus. Its frequency
depends on the strength and range of the strong force (which holds the
nucleus together despite the electromagnetic repulsion between protons)
Beta decay occurs when a neutron emits an electron and turns into a
proton. It depends on the weak force.
So not only are you assuming that two of the four fundamental forces
are changing over time, you're also assuming that they're changing
together in such a way that two different methods used to date a rock
will give the same date.
Also note that any change in the fundamental forces would screw up
cosmologists' calculation of the abundance of the light elements,
which just happens to match observations.
Note too that if the strong force changes, then the rate of fusion in the
Sun changes, probably making life on Earth impossible. Oops, I forgot:
You don't believe that fusion is the source of the Sun's energy. I
guess we can all rest easy; those H-bombs obviously don't work, since
nuclear physicists don't know what they're talking about.
Rich Daniel rwdaniel@dnaco.net http://www.dnaco.net/~rwdaniel/