Does The Earth Harbors a Huge, Natural Nuclear Reactor at its Core -New Discovery Proves "No"

The Daily Galaxy ^ | 3/30/2010 | The Daily Galaxy

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Using a delicate instrument located under a mountain in central Italy, two University of Massachusetts Amherst physicists are measuring some of the faintest and rarest particles ever detected, geo-neutrinos, with the greatest precision yet achieved. The data reveal, for the first time, a well defined signal, above background noise, of the extremely rare geo-neutrino particle from deep within Earth.

The small number of anti-neutrinos detected, however, only a couple each month, helps to settle a long-standing question among geophysicists and geologists about whether our planet harbors a huge, natural nuclear reactor at its core.

Geo-neutrinos are anti-neutrinos produced in the radioactive decays of uranium, thorium, potassium and rubidium found in ancient rocks deep within our planet. These decays are believed to contribute a significant but unknown fraction of the heat generated inside Earth, where this heat influences volcanic activity and tectonic plate movements, for example. Borexino, the large neutrino detector, serves as a window to look deep into the Earth's core and report on the planet's structure.

Borexino is located at the Laboratorio Nazionale del Gran Sasso underground physics laboratory in a 10 km-long tunnel about 5,000 feet (1.5 km) under Gran Sasso, or Great Rock Mountain, in the Appenines and operated by Italy's Institute of Nuclear Physics. The instrument detects anti-neutrinos and other subatomic particles that interact in its special liquid center, a 300-ton sphere of scintillator fluid surrounded by a thin, 27.8-foot (8.5-meter) diameter transparent nylon balloon. This all "floats" inside another 700 tons of buffer fluid in a 45-foot (13.7-meter) diameter stainless steel tank immersed in ultra-purified water. The buffering fluid shields the scintillator from radiation from the outer layers of the detector and its surroundings.

[bruinbirdman]

Lava oozing out onto the earth's surface means the innards are cooling. When the core gets too cold, we're doomed.

The question is, will the core cool before the universe atrophies or will the Hadron God Machine consume us first?

yitbos

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I like the HRC that it could make interstellar travel possible by creating wormholes or in the “Strangelovian world” a doomsday device.

[bruinbirdman]

At least these guys say they are catching a few geo-neutrinos/month..

There are some guys in Africa trying to catch an anti-mater particle. No dice, yet. They should put their net next to the God Machine which is trying to create one.

yitbos

[LukeL]

Does this find in anyway contradict the age of the earth? If the amount of nuclear decay isn’t as much as predicted that could mean the age of the earth may be a little off.

[rmh47]

Does this find in anyway contradict the age of the earth? If the amount of nuclear decay isn’t as much as predicted that could mean the age of the earth may be a little off.

In a word, no. This "find" doesn't speak to the question of the Earth's age. It neither confirms nor denies the current estimates.

[bruinbirdman]

"Does this find in anyway contradict the age of the earth? If the amount of nuclear decay isn’t as much as predicted that could mean the age of the earth may be a little off."

No. It proves Al Gore was wrong when he said the center of the Earth was hotter than the sun.

yitbos

[Gamecock]

Nuclear core!?!

Nonsense. Everyone knows that the earth is hollow.

P-Marlowe has actual drawings.

[backhoe]

“Everyone knows that the earth is hollow.:

Darn right it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellucidar

[James C. Bennett]

LOL, we’re still waiting for them!

[aruanan]

Lava oozing out onto the earth's surface means the innards are cooling.

A good example of ignoratio elenchi. Juice oozes out of the top of an apple pie when its innards are heated, not when it's cooling.

[calex59]

A good example of ignoratio elenchi.

Snort, snicker:)

[Tainan]

“Symmes Monument” in Symmes Park on Third Street in Downtown Hamilton commemorates Captain John Cleves Symmes and his “Hollow Earth Theory”.
The theorist, who died in 1829, was a nephew of Judge John Cleves Symmes (1741-1814) who promoted settlement in this region after buying land north of the Ohio River between the Little Miami and Great Miami Rivers.
Captain Symmes performed daring feats of bravery in the Battles of Lundy's Lane. As a Philosopher and the originator of Symmes Theory of Concentric Spheres and Polar Voids, Captain Symmes contended that the Earth is hollow and habitable within.
Although he was generally ridiculed for his beliefs, Admiral Byrd and Sir Edmund Haley shared them.
The monument was erected in the 1840's by Americus Symmes to mark the gravesite of his father. At the abandonment of Hamilton's old burial ground, only the monument to Captain Symmes remained. It's restoration in 1991 was a bicentennial Gift to the City of Hamilton from Historic Hamilton, Incorporated. Restoration was completed by Edgar Tafur, Sculptor.

One of Hamiltucky, Ohios' few claims to fame.

[backhoe]

Appreciate the info, and the picture- that’s actually a cool-looking sculpture.

[Caipirabob]

The question is, will the core cool before the universe atrophies or will the Hadron God Machine consume us first?

Only our insect overlords who follow us will know...

Hail Ants...

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks sonofstrangelove! Relevant keyword:

• jmarvinherndon

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