Monday, February 18, 2013

Starlight and Time - Dr. Russell Humphreys



Many people naturally think that since stars are billions of light-years away this is an obvious refutation to the young Earth creation view. Not so. Dr. Humphreys not only provides a biblically and scientifically sound theory he also provides some excellent evidence to support his theory. Learn how practical physics using Einstein's relativity explains how light could be seen on Earth during Creation week.
Also see Starlight & Time Revisited

D. Russell Humphreys, Ph.D.

Creationist physicist

Biography

Dr Humphreys was born on 2 February 1942 in Wyandotte, Michigan, U.S.A., and was raised in a scientifically aware but non–Christian household. Not surprisingly, Russell himself always had a love for science, and in 1959, he was one of the 40 winners of the Westinghouse National Science Talent Search.

He received a B.S. degree in physics at Duke University, 1959–1963. After this, he moved to Louisiana State University (LSU) to study postgraduate physics. In 1969, while doing his dissertation research for LSU in the mountains of Colorado, he committed his life to Christ. In 1972, he was awarded a Ph.D. in physics, on cosmic rays and ultrahigh energy nucleon–nucleon interactions, by which time he was a fully convinced creationist due to both the biblical and scientific evidence. For the next 6 years he worked in the High Voltage Laboratory of General Electric Company, designing and inventing equipment and researching high–voltage phenomena. While there, he received a U.S. patent and one of Industrial Research Magazine’s IR–100 awards.

Dr Humphreys has been married since 1963, and they have three children.

Research

Beginning in 1979 he worked for Sandia National Laboratories (New Mexico) in nuclear physics, geophysics, pulsed-power research, and theoretical atomic and nuclear physics. In 1985, he began working with Sandia’s ‘Particle Beam Fusion Project’, and was co-inventor of special laser-triggered ‘Rimfire’ high-voltage switches, now coming into wider use.

The last decade at Sandia saw greater emphasis on theoretical nuclear physics and radiation hydrodynamics in an effort to help produce the world’s first lab–scale thermonuclear fusion. Besides gaining two other U.S. patents, Dr Humphreys has been given two awards from Sandia, including an Award for Excellence for contributions to light ion–fusion target theory.
Overall, Dr Humphreys’ reseach has been very wide-ranging:
  • Designed and theoretically analyzed thermonuclear fusion targets using radiation hydrodynamic codes.
  • Designed key high-voltage parts of Sandia’s 100-Terawatt Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator II and conducted fusion power experiments on it. Same designs are in use today on Sandia’s Z machine.
  • Research on low-temperature solids and studies on superconductors.
  • Nuclear weapons projects, including stockpile engineering for W87 firing set.
  • Helped design new inkjet printer component and shared patent on it.
  • Developed high repetition-rate neutron tube driver and gamma-ray spectrometer for borehole logging applications. Patent on high-voltage power supply for it.
  • Patents on wide-bandwidth electric field sensor and high-voltage neutron tube supply. Designed lightning current waveform recorder which won IR-100 Award.
  • Studied electric fields and ion currents under ultrahigh voltage DC transmission lines.
  • Theoretical studies of relativistic velocity dependence of nuclear forces.

Creationist work full-time

Dr Humphreys retired from Sandia in 2001 to work full-time for the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) where he was appointed an Associate Professor of Physics. In this time, he operated mainly from his home office in Albuquerque, NM, USA, while still continuing to write for Journal of Creation (formerly TJ) and assisting several other creationist organisations with questions and information concerning physics, astronomy and cosmology.

In August 2008 he resigned from ICR and now works as an independent researcher.
Dr Humphreys has been a longtime member of the Creation Research Society and is on its Board of Directors.

Education

  • B.S., Duke University, Durham, NC, 1963
  • Ph.D., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 1972

Honors/Awards/Associations

  • Creation Science Fellowship of New Mexico, board member and past President
  • Two of Industrial Research Magazine’s IR-100 awards
  • Award for Excellence for contributions to light ion-fusion target theory
  • Adjunct professor of the Institute for Creation Research in San Diego
  • Board member of the Creation Research Society
  • Member, American Geophysical Union

Publications

Web articles


Secular science publications and awards

  • Recently measured helium diffusion rate for zircon suggests inconsistency with U-Pb age for Awards Fenton Hill granodiorite (lead author is Humphreys), Eos, Transactions of the American and Geophysical Union 84(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V32C-1047 (December 2003). Poster at .
  • The enigma of the ubiquity of 14C in organic samples older than 100 ka (lead author is J. R. Baumgardner), Eos, Transactions of the American Geophysical Union 84(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V32C-1045 (December 2003). Poster at .
  • U.S. Patent No. 6,350,015 (26 Feb 2002) Magnetic drive systems and methods for a micromachined fluid ejector.
  • Sandia National Laboratories Award for Excellence 1995.
  • Comparison of experimental results and calculated detector responses for PBFA II thermal source experiments, Review of Scientific Instruments 63(10), October 1992.
  • Sandia National Laboratories Award for Excellence in developing and executing new and innovative light ion target theory, 1990.
  • Inertial confinement fusion with light ion beams, 13th Internat. Conf. on Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, Washington, D.C. 1–6, October 1990.
  • Reducing aspect ratios in inertial confinement fusion targets, JOWOG 37 Conference, Albuquerque, NM, January 1990. (Contents classified).
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,808,368 (28 Feb. 1989) ‘High voltage supply for neutron tubes in well-logging applications.’
  • Sandia National Laboratories Exceptional Contribution Award, for Rimfire laser-triggered gas-insulated switch, 1988.
  • Progress toward a superconducting opening switch, Proceedings of the Sixth IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, Arlington, Virginia, 1987, pp. 279–282.
  • Scaling relations for the Rimfire multi-stage gas switch, Proceedings of the Sixth IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, Arlington, VA, 29 June – 1 August 1987.
  • Industrial Research Magazine IR-100 award to PBFA-II project, 1986.
  • Rimfire: a six megavolt laser-triggered gas-filled switch for PBFA-II, Proceedings of the Fifth IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, Arlington, Virginia, 10–12 June 1985, pp. 262–269.
  • PBFA II, a 100 TW pulsed power driver for the inertial confinement fusion program, Proceedings of the Fifth IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, Arlington, Virginia, 10–12 June 1985.
  • Uranium logging with prompt fission neutrons, International Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 34:261–268, 1983.
  • Scientific creationism, Physics Today 35:84–86, June 1982.
  • Uranium logging with prompt fission neutrons, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, NS–28 (1981) 1691–1695.
  • Pulsed neutron gamma ray logging for minerals associated with uranium, 6th Conf. on Small Accelerators in Research and Industry, Denton, TX, November 3–5, 1980. Sandia National Laboratories document no. SAND80-1531.
  • Industrial Research Magazine IR-100 award for lightning waveform recorder (to D. R. Humphreys and two others), 1978.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,054,835 (18 Oct. 1977) ‘Rapid-response electric field sensor.’
  • Wide-range multi-channel analog switch, Nuclear Instruments and Methods 121:505–508, 1974.
  • The 1/γ velocity dependence of nucleon-nucleus optical potentials, Nuclear Physics A182 (1972) 580.
  • Studies of hadron interactions at energies around 10 TeV using an ionization spectrometer–emulsion chamber combination, Proc. 11th Int. Conf. on Cosmic Rays, Budapest 1969, in Acta Physica Acad. Sci. Hungaricae 29 (1970) 497–503.
  • Wide-range multi-input pulse height recording system, Review of Scientific Instruments 38 (1967) 1123–1127.

Creationist publications

Dr Humphreys is the author of Starlight and Time, in which he proposes a model that the universe may only be thousands of years old even though light from distant stars appears to have taken billions of years to reach Earth (available also as a DVD). He is also author of Evidence for a Young World (available as a booklet). Dr Humphreys has written many articles and papers on creation issues:
  • The Creation of Cosmic Magnetic Fields, Proc. Sixth International Conference on Creationism (ICC), 3–7 August 2008, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pp. 213–230. Proceedings, PowerPoints, and DVDs available from .
  • Creation cosmologies solve spacecraft mystery, Acts & Facts 16(10):10–12, October 2007. HTML version archived at .
  • A tale of two hourglasses, ICR Impact No. 402, December 2006. Archived at .
  • Helium pressures Henke, True Origins Internet article, 5 January 2006. Archived at .
  • Young helium diffusion age supports accelerated nuclear decay, in Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth, Vol II: Results, Vardiman, Snelling, and Chaffin, editors, Institute for Creation Research/Creation Research Society, El Cajon, CA, chapter 7, pp.25–100, 2005.
  • Evidence for a young world, ICR Impact No. 384, June 2005. Archived at .
  • What the ASA doesn’t want its readers to know, Creation Matters 13(2):1–2, March/April 2008.
  • Helium evidence for a young world remains crystal-clear, True Origins Internet article, 27 April 2005. Archived at .
  • Isochrons made easier, Creation Matters 9(6):1–2, November/December 2004. Archived at .
  • 14C — The creationists’ friend, Creation Matters 9(6):5,2, November/December 2004. At .
  • Mercury’s messenger, Creation Matters 9(4):1,9, July/August 2004. Archived at .
  • Helium diffusion age of 6,000 years supports accelerated nuclear decay (lead author is Humphreys), Creation Research Society Quarterly (CRSQ) 41(1):1–16, June 2004. Archived at CRSQ
/articles/41/41_1/Helium.htm>.


  • New RATE data support a young world, ICR Impact No. 366, December 2003. Archived at .
  • Helium diffusion rates support accelerated nuclear decay (lead author is Humphreys), Proc. Fifth ICC, 4–9 August 2003, Geneva College, Beaver Falls Pennsylvania, pp. 175–208. Archived at .
  • Radioisotopes and the age of the earth, (lead author is L. Vardiman), Proc. Fifth ICC, 4–9 August 2003, Geneva College, Beaver Falls Pennsylvania, pp. 337–348. Archived at .
  • Measurable 14C in fossilized organic materials: confirming the young earth creation-flood model, (lead author is J. R. Baumgardner), Proc. Fifth ICC, 4–9 August 2003, Geneva College, Beaver Falls Pennsylvania, pp. 127–142. Archived at .
  • Gray clouds in the heavens, CRSQ 39(4):278, March 2003.
  • Carbon 14 is the creationist’s friend, Creation Science Fellowship Newsletter 14(1), Insert, pp. 1–4, (January 2003), CSF of New Mexico, P.O. Box 6212, Albuquerque, NM 87107.
  • Nuclear decay: evidence for a young world, ICR Impact No. 352, October 2002. Archived at .
  • Gray clouds, CRSQ 39(2):137, September 2002.
  • The battle for a cosmic center, ICR Impact No. 350, August 2002. Archived at .
  • The Earth’s magnetic field is still losing energy, CRSQ 39(1):3–13, June 2002. Archived at CRSQ
    • /articles/39/39_1/GeoMag.htm>.
  • The Earth’s magnetic field: closing a loophole in the case for its youth, Creation Matters 7(2):1–4, March/April
    • 2002. Archived at .
  • Seven years of Starlight and Time, ICR Impact No. 338, August 2001. Archived at .
  • Accelerated nuclear decay: a viable hypothesis? in Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth, Vol. I, Vardiman, Snelling, and Chaffin, editors, Institute for Creation Research/Creation Research Society, El Cajon, CA, chapter 7, pp. 333–379 (2000). Book Archived at (free 2.8 MB PDF file).
  • Evidence for a young world, Creation Matters 4(4):1–4, July/August 1999. Archived at .
  • Mars Global Surveyor confirms creation, Creation Matters 4(3):8, May/June 1999. Archived at .
  • Catastrophic flood on Mars? Creation Matters 2(5), September/October 1997. Archived at .
  • Creation wins some more in New Mexico, Creation Matters 2(3), May/June 1997. At .
  • It’s just a matter of time, CRSQ 34:32–34, March 1997.
  • Can evolutionists now explain the earth’s magnetic field?’ CRSQ 33:184–185, Dec. 1996.
  • Was Mars ‘infected’ by life from Earth? Creation Matters 1(5), September/October 1997. Archived at .
  • How we can see a young universe: a reply to Conner and Page, Bible-Science News 33(7):12–19, September 1995.
  • There you go again, Dr. Ross! Bible-Science News 33(6):6–7, August 1995.
  • No good reasons to oppose relativity, Bible-Science News 33(5):9, July 1995.
  • Seeing distant stars in a young universe: a new creationist cosmology, Bible-Science News 33(4):14–17, May 1995.
  • An open letter to Hugh Ross, Bible-Science News 33(4):21–22, May 1995.
  • God created relativity, Bible-Science News 33(3):10–11, April 1995.
  • Starlight and Time, Master Books, Green Forest, Arkansas, 1994.
  • Towards a young-earth relativistic cosmology, Proc. Third ICC, 29 July – 4 August, 1994, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pp. 267–286.
  • Award, 1994 International Conference on Creationism. (For cosmology paper above.)
  • A Biblical basis for creationist cosmology, Proc. Third ICC, 29 July – 4 August 1994, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pp. 255–266.
  • The Earth’s Magnetic Field is Young, ICR Impact No. 242, August 1993. Archived at .
  • Bumps in the Big Bang, ICR Impact No. 233, November 1992. Archived at .
  • Physical mechanism for reversals of the Earth’s magnetic field during the Flood, Proc. Second ICC, 29 July – 4 August 1990, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, pp. 129–142.
  • The sea’s missing salt: a dilemma for evolutionists, (co-authored with Steven A. Austin), Proc. Second ICC, 29 July – 4 August 1990, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, pp. 17–33.
  • 2nd Prize, Best Technical Paper award, 1990 ICC. (Shared with Steven A. Austin).
  • 3rd Prize, Best Technical Paper award, 1990 ICC. (For "Reversals" paper.)
  • Good news from Neptune: The Voyager 2 magnetic measurements, CRSQ 26:15–17, June 1990.
  • New evidence for rapid reversals of the Earth’s magnetic field, CRSQ 26:132–133, March 1990.
  • Beyond Neptune: Voyager II supports creation, ICR Impact 203, May 1990. Archived at .
  • Reply to Bowden, CRSQ 26:33, June 1989.
  • Inadequate defense of c-decay hypothesis, CRSQ 26:30–32, June 1989.
  • The mystery of the earth’s magnetic field, ICR Impact No. 188, Feb. 1989. Archived at .
  • Has the Earth’s magnetic field ever flipped?" CRSQ 25:130–137, Dec. 1988.
  • Has the speed of light decayed recently?" CRSQ 25:40–45, June 1988.
  • Creation’s tiny mystery (book review), Ministry 60:28–29, July 1987.
  • The magnetic field of Uranus, CRSQ 23:115, Dec. 1986.
  • Reversals of the Earth’s magnetic field during the Genesis flood, Proc. First ICC, 4–9 August 1986, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, pp.113–126.
  • Best Technical Paper award, 1986 ICC. (Shared with Steven A. Austin and John D. Morris).
  • ¿Son contemporaneos los hombres y los dinosaurios?, el Centinela, Año 89(2)11–13, Feb. 1985. Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1350 North Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83563.
  • The creation of planetary magnetic fields, CRSQ 21:140–149, Dec. 1984. Archived at CRSQ
    • /articles/21/21_3/21_3.html>.
  • The creation of the Earth’s magnetic field, CRSQ 20:89–94, Sept. 1983.
  • Dinosaurs lived with men, Moody Monthly 83:44–46, May 1983.
  • Is the Earth’s core water? Part one: the Biblical evidence, CRSQ 15:141–147, Dec. 1978.
  • Using the Second Law more effectively, CRSQ 14:209–210, March 1978.

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