Leona Marshall Libby

Isotopic tree thermometers.

Evidence is summarised here that trees store a record of atmospheric temperature in their rings. In each ring, the ratios of the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen vary with the air temperature prevailing when the ring was formed. We have shown that the temperature records in three modern trees seem to follow the local mercury thermometer records, and have found that a Japanese cedar indicates a temperature fall of ∼1.5°C in the past 1,800 yr.

Primaeval melting of the Moon

There is evidence that the Moon melted completely 4,400 Myr ago, and between 4,000 Myr and 3,200 Myr ago had an internal magnetic field. But gravity could not have provided the heat of melting, and it must have come from short lived radio elements. Theory suggests the transuranics with atomic numbers between 114 and 126 may be relatively stable, and it is shown that these ‘superheavy elements’ fit the requirements of the early heat source in the moon.

Climate periods in tree, ice and tides

Ten climate periods found in stable isotope ratios of oxygen and hydrogen, measured in 1,800 yr of Japanese cedar rings, agree with climate periods found in 800 yr of Greenland ice and with periods computed from the tidal stresses of the Sun–Moon–Earth system, and with periods found in the 14C record of the bristlecone pine sequence of southern California. The Greenland oxygen ratios have previously been found to have opposite phase to the 14C ratios of the bristlecones, and we have found also an opposite phase between oxygen and hydrogen ratios in the Japanese cedar on the one hand and 14C in bristlecones on the other hand.

The possibility of superheavy elements in iron meteorites

The possible role of superheavy elements in the early Moon is reviewed. The siderophilic superheavy elements (possibly Z = 114, 115, 116) may have been the heat source in the Moons iron core needed to generate the ancient lunar magnetic field. It is suggested that in the search for present day evidence of the existence of these hypothetical elements, iron meteorites may be a key. The available data on their trace elements are reviewed and future work to determine whether they are in part fission products from metallic superheavy elements is suggested.

Periodicities in blue crab population of Chesapeake Bay

Analysis of the annual blue crab catch in Chesapeake Bay for the years 1922–1976 shows that there are variations with periods of 18.0, 10.7, and 8.6 years. Analysis of Philadelphia air temperatures shows periods of 17.5, 9.8, and 7.4 years. The periods of 18.0 and 17.5 years agree with the 18.6 year period of the Earth-Moon-Sun tidal force, and the periods of 8.6 and 7.4 years agree with the 8.8 year period of the Earth-Moon-Sun tidal force, within experimental error. The periods of 9.8 and 10.7 years, for the temperatures and crabs, respectively, are probably related to the 10.5 year sunspot cycle within experimental error.

A solar breeder to explain constant luminosity and the lack of neutrinos

A breeder supplying energy in the sun runs for billions of years. Instead of solar neutrinos, it produces antineutrinos from fission products and actinide decays. It gives the sun constant luminosity as required by archaen biology. This follows because reactors are negatively thermostatted.

MELTING THE MOON WITH SUPERHEAVY ELEMENTS

ABSTRACT We discuss the evidence for the moon to have once been melted throughout and to have had an internal magnetic field, the inability of gravity to have provided the heat of melting, the heating of the moon by the known radioelements, and the theory of stability of the transuranics and the consequent potentiality that they could have been an important heat source.

WORLD PRIORITIES—ENERGY RESOURCES AND ARRANGEMENTS: GROUP REPORT 2

It can be said that energy use is a prime component of the high standard of living to which all people aspire. Thus, the improvement of man’s material well-being has been accompanied by a rapid rise in the rate at which he uses energy. In the past, abundant supplies of readily accessible fossil fuels have been available at low cost and these have flowed relatively freely across national boundaries. Thus, our use of energy has grown exponentially; in the post-World War I1 period this growth has exhibited a doubling time of about 14 years. Although this growth has occurred throughout most of the world, it has not lessened the vast inequality in energy use between rich and poor regions. The United States, with 6 percent of the world’s population, uses 33 percent of the world’s ‘energy; the per capita consumption in the energy-poor countries is only about 1 percent of that in the United States. We identify the major elements of the energy situation in the present and near-term future to be: (1) In regions of the highest use, the absolute magnitude of growth has outstripped the capacity of the fossil-fuel industry to keep pace with that growth. For a variety of reasons the number of refineries built in recent years has been insufficient. (2) Our growing awareness of the adverse environmental impact of fossil energy sources has introduced an additional impedence into the nations’ planned programs of energy expansion. (3) From the large spectrum of technological possibilities only one new energy technology has been developed since World War 11-nuclear energy -and the rate of its development and introduction into the energy economy has been slower than had earlier been anticipated, because of both technical and environmental problems. (4) Recent international events have included both sharp increases in * Chairperson. t Rapporteur.