Rapid Changes in Oxygen Isotope Content of Ice Cores Caused by Fractionation and Trajectory Dispersion near the Edge of an Ice Shelf | The Institute for Creation Research

 
Rapid Changes in Oxygen Isotope Content of Ice Cores Caused by Fractionation and Trajectory Dispersion near the Edge of an Ice Shelf

Download PDFDownload Rapid Changes in Oxygen Isotope Content of Ice Cores Caused by Fractionation and Trajectory Dispersion near the Edge of an Ice Shelf PDF

Published in Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal, volume 11 (part 1), pp. 52–60, 1997.

© 1997 Creation Science Foundation, Ltd. A.C.N. 010 120 304. All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

Oxygen isotopes in ice cores extracted from polar regions exhibit a decreasing trend in the ratio of the heavy to light isotopes from the beginning of the “Ice Age” to its end, at which point the trend reverses sharply and then remains fairly constant for several thousand years. This trend has been interpreted by the conventional climate community to have occurred over about 100,000 years and is due primarily to changes in oceanic and atmospheric temperatures as the lighter isotope of oxygen is preferentially transferred slowly from the oceans to ice during glaciation and the rapid transfer back to the ocean during deglaciation. This paper will explore an alternative explanation for this trend. The growth of ice shelves during the “Ice Age” is shown to cause a decreased isotopic ratio at long distances from the edge of an ice shelf because of the fractionation of isotopes as a function of the vertical temperature distribution in the atmosphere and the dispersion of snow by crystal type, fall velocity, and wind fields. If ice shelves grew slowly during the “Ice Age” and melted rapidly during deglaciation, the trend observed in ice cores can be explained in thousands of years, consistent with a short interpretation of earth history.

Keywords

Ice Cores, Oxygen Isotopes, “Ice Age”, Sea-Floor Sediments, Greenland Ice Shelves, Precipitation Projectories, Ice Crystals, Fractionation, Horizontal Dispersion

For Full Text

Please see the Download PDF link above for the entire article.

The Latest
NEWS
April 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things...

NEWS
Human Evolution and the Inner Ear
The vain attempt by evolutionists to make an evolutionary connection between people and ape-like ancestors continues. This time, it is in regard to...

CREATION PODCAST
Defending the Faith with a Rocket Scientist | Creation.Live Podcast:...
How do engineering principles, biological complexity, and a solid understanding of apologetics work together to further the cause of Christ? Why...

NEWS
Aerobic and Anaerobic Hot Spring Bacteria
God designed a domain of prokaryotes called Archaea that thrive in harsh and extreme environments. In 1969, two microbiologists, Thomas Brock and Hudson...

CREATION PODCAST
The Soulless Hominid Theory: A Fatal Flaw in Old Earth Creationism...
Welcome to the second episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit...

NEWS
Humpback Whale Calls Echo Creation
There is nothing simple about the system of communication called language, whether animal or human.1 Human language is a very sophisticated...

NEWS
Mary Parker, Creation Ministry Partner of Dr. Gary Parker, Is...
Mary Parker, the wife and co-laborer of Dr. Gary Parker, went home to be with her Lord on March 20, 2025. Dr. Parker was a popular and effective...

NEWS
Plants Rely on Quantum Mechanics
Scientists will probably never fully understand photosynthesis as additional research uncovers even more fascinating mysteries.1,2 ICR’s...

NEWS
Martian Polar Ice Cap ''Surprisingly Young''?
A team of German planetary scientists has concluded that a three-kilometer-thick northern polar ice cap on Mars has a “surprisingly young”...

NEWS
''Blood Worm Moon'' Total Lunar Eclipse 2025
Barring cloud cover, about 75% of the country saw the total lunar eclipse, aka the “Blood Worm Moon.” Texas had good weather conditions...