Top Ten Discoveries Of 2004

Number 10

Antarctic Ice Core

Summary:

Analysis of deep ice cores in Antarctica demonstrate that humans were created at the ideal time in geological history and provide a powerful refutation of young-earth creationism.

• Who
  • EPICA – European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica
  • 8 year project
  • 10 European countries
• Where
  • Antarctica – Dome C (see map)
  • Low snowfall area
  • -40 C (-40F) in summer/ -90C (-130F) in winter
• What
  • 3+ km (2 mile) drilling depth
  • 740,000 year continuous record
  • 100 meters left to drill as of 12/04
  • Hope to hit base rock and extend record to 900,000+ years
• How
  • 3.5 meter tube (10ft)
  • 10 cm wide (6 inches)
  • every 2 cm (1 inch) thickness = approx 1 seasonal layer of ice
  • cores shipped to European labs – quarter size sample stays in case of accident
• Data Analysis
  • Layer counting / temperature & irradiation dependant - similar to tree ring counting
  • O18 / O16 isotope analysis
  • An isotope is an atom with the same chemical composition but different mass
  • Water molecules composed of O16 evaporate less rapidly and condense more readily than water molecules composed of O18
  • Thus, each annual layer starts O18 rich, becomes O18 poor, and repeats.
  • Visibly appears as darker and lighter layers
  • Deuterium / Hydrogen ratio acts the same way (see chart)
  • Comparison to ocean sediment samples / other ice cores (Greenland)
  • Air bubbles (see picture) atmospheric CO2 & methane content (greenhouse gases)
  • Volcanic eruption markers / Acidity washed out of atmosphere
  • Milankovitch markers (see last science article) Precession/Eccentricity/Tilt
• Some Findings
  • 8 ice ages & 8 warmer periods in past 740,000 yrs
  • CO2 in atmosphere greater during warm periods (currently)
  • Present warm period 10,000 yrs old / Avg warm period over last 400,000 = 10,000 yrs
  • However, current orbit (Milankovitch) is similar to one 400,000 yrs ago (stage 11) which lasted 28,000 yrs.
  • Human influence may be helping to delay next ice age
  • No evidence for global flood
  • Multiple cross-reference dating methods highlight accuracy of ice core dating
• Science Articles
  • http://www.nature.com/news/2004/040607/pf/429596a_pf.html
  • http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/11/1110_041110_antarctic_ice.html
  • http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/news/2004/070104-icecore.shtml
  • http://www.secretsoftheice.org/icecore/warming.html
  • http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de/GPH/EPICA/
  • http://www.homepage.montana.edu/~geol445/hyperglac/time1/milankov.htm
• EPICA Ice Core Data
  • http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/icecore/antarctica/domec/domec_epica_data.html
  • http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/trends/temp/domec/domec.html
• YE Claims
  • http://www.icr.org/pubs/imp/imp-226.htm
  • http://www.icr.org/pubs/imp/imp-361.htm
• YE Rebuttals
  • http://www.answersincreation.org/icecore.htm
  • http://www.answersincreation.org/greenlandair.htm