The following is a descriptive list of the major
scientific discoveries and insights of J. Marvin Herndon with links to
download relevant papers and links to WebPages that give more detailed
descriptions. For additional information see Home Page NuclearPlanet.com.
For at least fifteen years the U. S. Government has
been increasingly and covertly spraying particulate matter of
unspecified composition into the air we breathe. This activity is also
taking place in Western Europe and in some other countries. J. Marvin
Herndon has provided the first scientific evidence that the tanker-jet
sprayed material is coal combustion fly ash, a toxic waste product of
coal burning utilities that is an environmental hazard that must be
stored in lined ponds because many poison elements, including aluminum,
are extracted by water. Herndon suggests that the covert spraying may be
an underlying cause for the dramatic increases in autism, Alheimer's and
other neuralogical diseases. [Herndon, J. M.
(2015) Aluminum poisoning of humanity and Earth's biota by clandestine
geoengineering activity: implications for India. Current
Science, 108(12), 2173-2177(click here for pdf)].
On the basis of data discovered in the 1960’s, J.
Marvin Herndon deduced the composition of the inner core as being
fully-crystallized nickel silicide, not partially-crystallized nickel-iron metal as proposed by
Francis Birch in 1940. This means that Earth’s deep interior is like an
enstatite chondrite meteorite, rather than an ordinary chondrite
meteorite as presumed by Birch. One principal implication is that the
Earth’s core contains radioactive elements, including uranium, which
would otherwise not have been expected [Herndon,
J. M. (1979) The nickel silicide inner core of the Earth. Proceedings of the RoyalSociety of London,
A368, 495-500(click here for pdf)].
By fundamental ratios of mass, J. Marvin Herndon
showed that the core and lower mantle of the Earth are chemically
analogous to the two main components of the Abee enstatite chondrite. This
provides evidence that the deep interior of the Earth is indeed like an
enstatite chondrite meteorite and it means that one can estimate the
abundances of the elements in the Earth’s core and lower mantle from
measured abundances in corresponding parts of the Abee meteorite [Herndon,
J. M. (1980) The chemical composition of the interior shells of the
Earth. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London,
A372,
149-154 (click here for pdf); Herndon, J.
M. (2005) Scientific basis of knowledge on Earth's composition. Current Science,
88, 1034-1037 (click
here for pdf); Herndon, J. M. (2011)
Geodynamic basis of heat transport in the Earth. Current Science,
101, 1440-1450.(click here for pdf)].
With an understanding that the
Earth’s core contains uranium, J. Marvin Herndon applied Fermi’s nuclear reactor theory to
demonstrate the feasibility of a natural nuclear fission reactor at the
center of the Earth, called the georeactor. Unlike other major, natural,
Earth energy sources, which might change only gradually, the georeactor
is capable of variable energy output including stopping (because of
fission product accumulation) and re-starting again (as the light
fission products migrate radially
outward and uranium settles downward). Variable deep-Earth energy production may have important, not
yet appreciated, implications on geomagnetic field variability and on
planetary change [Herndon,
J. M. (1993) Feasibility of a nuclear fission reactor at the center of
the Earth as the energy source for the geomagnetic field. Journal of
Geomagnetism and Geoelectricity,
45, 423-437
(click here for pdf); Herndon, J. M.
(1994) Planetary and protostellar nuclear fission: Implications for
planetary change, stellar ignition and dark matter. Proceedings of
the Royal Society of London, A455, 453-461
(click here for pdf)].
Daniel F. Hollenbach and J. Marvin Herndon
demonstrated, from numerical simulations made at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, that a deep-Earth nuclear fission reactor will produce both
light-helium, He-3, and heavy-helium, He-4, precisely within the range
of values observed from deep-source lavas. The helium found in oceanic
lavas, first observed over three decades ago, is evidence that a
planetary-scale, natural nuclear fission reactor operates at the center of the
Earth [Hollenbach, D. F. and Herndon, J. M. (2001)
Deep-earth reactor: nuclear fission, helium, and the geomagnetic field.
Proceedings of theNational Academy of Sciences USA,
98,
11085-11090 (click here for
pdf); Herndon,
J. M. (2003) Nuclear georeactor origin of oceanic basalt 3He/4He,
evidence, and implications. Proceedings of theNational Academy of
Sciences USA, 100, 3047-3050 (click here
for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon demonstrated, from numerical simulations made at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, that a
deep-Earth nuclear fission reactor, the georeactor, will produce
sufficient helium with precisely the range of ratios as observed from
deep-source oceanic basalt lavas. Moreover, the ratio of He-3 to He-4
increases over the lifetime of the georeactor. The high ratios observed
in Icelandic and Hawaiian basalts suggest that the end of the georeactor
lifetime is approaching, perhaps within the next billion years, perhaps
much sooner; the time-frame is not yet known. Presumably, soon
thereafter the geomagnetic field will begin its final collapse [Herndon,
J. M. (2003) Nuclear georeactor origin of oceanic basalt 3He/4He,
evidence, and implications. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences USA, 100, 3047-3050 (click here
for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon set forth a fundamentally new
concept related to the generation of Earth's geomagnetic field.
Previously, he had considered the nuclear reactor at the center of the
Earth, the georeactor, only as the energy source for the dynamo
mechanism which generates the geomagnetic field that is thought to arise
from convective motions of an electrically conducting fluid in a
rotating body. Since 1939, the operant fluid has been thought to be the
Earth’s fluid iron-alloy core. He suggested instead that the operant
fluid may be contained within the georeactor as the fluid fission
product and radioactive decay product sub-shell surrounding the actinide
sub-core. He thus extended the georeactor concept by suggesting that the
georeactor is both the energy source and the dynamo mechanism for
generating the geomagnetic field. He pointed out the reasons why
long-term, sustained convection appears more feasible within the
georeactor sub-shell than within the Earth's fluid core [Herndon,
J. M. (2007) Nuclear georeactor generation of the earth's geomagnetic
field. Current Science,
93, 1485-1457
(click here for pdf)].
Since 1939 convection has been assumed to occur in
the Earth's fluid core. J. Marvin Herndon realized that, because
of compression, the matter at the base of the fluid core is too dense to
float to the top as a result of thermal expansion. Moreover, heat loss
from the top of the core is inhibited as the core is wrapped in a
thermally insulating blanket, the mantle. Thermal convection under those
circumstances is physically impossible. Herndon also discovered that the
Rayleigh Number, often used to justify convection, is inappropriate for
both the core and the mantle, as the Rayleigh Number was derived for an
incompressible fluid, a fluid of constant density except as modified by
thermal expansion at the bottom. [Herndon, J.
M. (2009) Uniqueness of Herndon's georeactor: Energy source and
production mechanism for Earth's magnetic field. arXiv:0903.4622
(click here for pdf);
Herndon, J. M. (2011) Geodynamic basis of heat
transport in the Earth. Current Science,
101, 1440-1450.
(click here for pdf)].
From observations of matter, J. Marvin Herndon
deduced the basis and reasons for understanding planetary formation in
the Solar System mainly as the consequence of "raining out" from within
giant gaseous protoplanets, leading to initial Earth formation as a gas
giant Jupiter-like planet, a concept consistent with observations of
close-to-star gas giant exoplanets in other planetary systems [Herndon,
J. M. (2006) Solar System processes underlying planetary formation,
geodynamics, and the georeactor. Earth, Moon and Planets,
99,
53-99 (click here for pdf)].
From our planet's early formation as a
Jupiter-like gas giant, J. Marvin Herndon has deduced: (1) Earth's
internal composition and highly-reduced oxidation state; (2) Powerful
new internal energy sources, protoplanetary energy of compression and
georeactor nuclear fission energy; (3) Georeactor geomagnetic field
generation; (4) Decompression-driven geodynamics that accounts for the
myriad observations attributed to plate tectonics without requiring
mantle convection, and; (5) Fold-mountain formation that does not
necessarily involve plate collisions. [J. M. Herndon (2011) New
Indivisible Geoscience Paradigm. arXiv:1107.2149(click
here for pdf); Herndon, J. M. (2011)
Geodynamic basis of heat transport in the Earth. CurrentScience, 101, 1440-1450.(click here for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon set forth the principles of
Whole-Earth Decompression Dynamics which unifies elements of plate
tectonics theory and Earth expansion theory into a uniquely new
self-consistent vision of global geodynamics, obviating the assumption
of mantle convection [Herndon, J. M. (2005)
Whole-Earth decompression dynamics. Current Science,
89,
1937-1941 (click here
for pdf); Herndon, J. M. (2004) Protoplanetary Earth formation:
further evidence and geophysical implications. arXiv:astro-ph/0408539
(click here for pdf)]. Herndon described, as one of the
consequences of Whole-Earth Decompression Dynamics, an unrecognized,
different energy source for driving geodynamics, the stored energy of
protoplanetary compression augmented by georeactor nuclear fission
energy, and proposed a new mechanism for
transporting heat within the Earth, called Mantle Decompression
Thermal-Tsunami, which emplaces heat and pressure at the base of the
crust, producing volcanoes and causing earthquakes [Herndon,
J. M. (2006) Energy for geodynamics: Mantle decompression
thermal-tsunami. Current Science,
90, 1605-1606
(click here for pdf)].
From our planet's early formation as a Jupiter-like gas giant and
resulting changes in surface curvature, J. Marvin
Herndon has deduced a new concept for the formation of mountains
characterized by folding that does not necessarily require continent
collisions. [J. M. Herndon (2012) Origin of
mountains and primary initiation of submarine canyons: the consequences
of Earth's early formation as a Jupiter-like gas giant.Current
Science, 102, 1370-1372. (click here for
pdf)].
Descriptions of phenomena, events, or processes made
on the basis of problematic paradigms can be unreasonably complex (e.g.
epicycles) or simply wrong (e.g. ultraviolet catastrophe).
Supercontinent cycles, also called Wilson cycles, are, as J. Marvin
Herndon asserts, artificial constructs, like epicycles. Herndon provides
the basis for that assertion and describes published considerations from
a fundamentally different, new, indivisible geoscience paradigm which
obviate the necessity for assuming supercontinent cycles. [J.
Marvin Herndon (2016) Fictitious Supercontinent Cycles, Journal
of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International,
7(1), 1-7. (click here for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon predicted low-density,
high-temperature Earth core precipitates [CaS and MgS] floating atop the
fluid core at the core-mantle boundary. These are an expected
consequence of the enstatite-chondrite-alloy-like core, originally
containing some calcium and some magnesium dissolved in the iron alloy
and are responsible for the seismic "roughness" observed there [Herndon,
J. M. (1993) Feasibility of a nuclear fission reactor at the center of
the Earth as the energy source for the geomagnetic field. Journal of
Geomagnetism and Geoelectricity,
45, 423-437
(click here for pdf); Herndon, J. M.
(1996) Sub-structure of the inner core of the earth.Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences USA,
93, 646-648
(click here for pdf); Herndon, J. M. (2005)
Scientific basis of knowledge on Earth's composition. Current
Science, 88, 1034-1037 (click here for pdf);
Herndon, J. M. (2011) Geodynamic basis of heat transport in the Earth.
Current Science,
101, 1440-1450.
(click here for pdf)].
Since the 1931 convection has been
assumed to occur in the Earth's mantle. J. Marvin Herndon has discovered
that, because of compression, the matter the base of the mantle is too dense to float to the top as
a result of thermal expansion. The mantle is not devoid of viscous
losses, as evidenced by earthquakes to depths of 660 km. Convection is
physically impossible under those circumstances. Herndon also discovered that the Rayleigh Number,
often used to justify convection, is inappropriate for the mantle, as the Rayleigh Number was derived for an incompressible
fluid, a fluid of constant density. [Herndon, J.
M. (2009) Uniqueness of Herndon's georeactor: Energy source and
production mechanism for Earth's magnetic field. arXiv:0903.4622
(click here for pdf);
Herndon, J. M. (2011) Geodynamic basis of heat
transport in the Earth. Current Science,
101, 1440-1450.(click here for pdf)].
= Enhanced prognosis for abiotic natural gas
and petroleum =
J. Marvin Herndon pointed out that the prognosis for
vast natural resources from abiotic natural gas and petroleum resources,
which depends critically on the nature and circumstances of Earth
formation, has for decades been considered solely within the framework
of the now-discredited, 'standard model of solar system
formation'. Within the context of recent advances related to the
formation of Earth, initially as a Jupiter-like gas giant, that
prognosis is greatly enhanced for several reasons [Herndon,
J. M. (2006) Enhanced prognosis for abiotic natural gas and petroleum
resources. Current Science,
91, 596-598
(click here for pdf)].
The geology of planet Earth according to Herndon's
Whole-Earth Decompression Dynamics (WEDD) is primarily the consequence
of two processes: (1) The progressive formation of
surface cracks to increase surface area in response to
decompression-increased planetary volume, and; (2) The
progressive adjustment of surface curvature in response to
decompression-increased planetary volume.
Crustal fragmentation, called rifting, provides all of the crucial components
for petroleum-deposit formation: basin, reservoir, source, and seal. Rifting
causes the formation of deep basins, as presently occurring in the Afar triangle
of Northeastern Africa. Augmented by georeactor heat channeled upwards from deep within the
Earth, uplift from sub-surface swelling can sequester sea-flooded lands to form
halite evaporite deposits, can lead to dome formation, and can make elevated land
susceptible to erosion processes, thus providing sedimentary material for
reservoir rock in-filling of basins. Moreover, crustal fragmentation potentially
exposes deep basins to sources of abiotic mantle methane and, although still
controversial, methane-derived hydrocarbons..[Herndon, J. M.
(2010) Impact of recent discoveries on petroleum and natural gas
exploration: emphasis on India. Current Science,98,772-779(click here for pdf);
Herndon, J. M. (2016) New concept on the origin of
petroleum and natural gas deposits. Journal of Petroleum
Exploration and Production Technology, 6(20), 1-12
(click here for pdf)].
= Potentially Significant Source of Error in Magnetic
Paleolatitude Determinations =
Magnetic paleolatitude measurements, as J. Marvin Herndon has shown, may
be subject significant errors if the magnetization was emplaced when the
Earth's radius was smaller than at present. Moreover, paleo-pole
calculations are meaningless for such a circumstance [J.
M. Herndon (2011) Potentially significant source of error in magnetic
paleolatitude determinations. Current Science,
101, 277-278. (click here for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon presents a new, indivisible
planetary science paradigm, a wholly self-consistent vision of the
nature of matter in the Solar System, and dynamics and energy sources of
planets which differs profoundly from the half-century old, popular, but
problematic paradigm. This is a new foundation from which much
development is possible. The differences between the inner planets are
primarily the consequence of different degrees of protoplanetary
compression. The internal composition of Mercury is calculated by
analogy with Earth. The rationale is provided for Mars potentially
having a greater subsurface water reservoir capacity than before
realized. [Herndon, J. M. (2013) New indivisible
planetary science paradigm. Current Science, 2013,
105(4), 450-460.(click here for pdf)]
= Origin of planetary magnetic fields =
Currently active internally generated magnetic fields
have been detected in six planets (Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, and Neptune) and in one satellite, Jupiter’s moon Ganymede.
Magnetized surface areas of Mars and the Moon indicate the former
existence of internally generated magnetic fields in those bodies. Based upon the commonality of matter in the Solar System and
common operating environments, J. Marvin Herndon suggested that
planetary and satellite magnetic fields arise from the same
georeactor-type assemblage which he suggested powers and provides the
operant fluid for generating by dynamo action the Earth’s magnetic field
[Herndon, J. M. (2009) Nature of Planetary Matter
and Magnetic Field Generation in the Solar System. Current Science,
96,
1033-1039. (click here for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon showed that only three processes,
operant during the formation of the Solar System, are responsible for
the diversity of matter in the Solar System and are directly responsible
for planetary internal-structures, including planetocentric nuclear
fission reactors, and for dynamical processes, including and especially,
geodynamics [Herndon, J. M. (2006) Solar System
processes underlying planetary formation, geodynamics, and the
georeactor. Earth, Moon and Planets,
99, 53-99
(click here for pdf)].
With knowledge of the ancient remains of the natural
nuclear reactors discovered at Oklo in the Republic of Gabon in Africa
in 1972, J. Marvin Herndon demonstrated the feasibility of
planetocentric nuclear fission reactors as energy sources for the gas
giant outer planets [Herndon, J. M. (1992) Nuclear
fission reactors as energy sources for the giant outer planets. Naturwissenschaften79, 7-14].
J. Marvin Herndon discovered a fundamental
relationship using published whole-rock chondrite molar Mg/Fe and Si/Fe
ratios. This relationship admits the possibility that ordinary chondrite
meteorites are derived from two components: one is a relatively
undifferentiated, primitive component, oxidized like the CI or C1
carbonaceous chondrites; the other is a somewhat differentiated,
planetary component, with oxidation state like the highly reduced
enstatite chondrites. Such a picture would seem to explain for the
ordinary chondrites, their major element compositions, their
intermediate states of oxidation, and their ubiquitous deficiencies of
refractory siderophile elements. Herndon suggested that the
planetary component of ordinary chondrite formation consists of planet
Mercury’s missing complement of elements [Herndon,
J. M. (2004) Ordinary chondrite formation from two components: Implied
connection to planet Mercury. arXiv:astro-ph/0405298
(click here for pdf); Herndon, J. M. (2004)
Mercury's protoplanetary mass. arXiv:astro-ph/0410009
(click here for pdf) ; Herndon, J.
M. (2004) Total mass of ordinary chondrite material originally present
in the Solar System. arXiv:astro-ph/0410242 (click here for pdf); Herndon, J.
M. (2007) Discovery of fundamental mass ratio relationships of
whole-rock chondritic major elements: Implications on ordinary chondrite
formation and on planet Mercury's composition. CurrentScience,
93, 394-399 (click
here for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon showed that Mercury's origin by condensing at high
pressures and high temperatures would lead to incorporation of vast
quantities of hydrogen in Mercury's core which would be released upon
solidification producing the observed pits and reducing an iron compound
to iron metal yielding the highly-reflective material observed. [J.
M. Herndon (2012) Hydrogen Geysers: Explanation for observed evidence of
geologically recent volatile-related activity on Mercury's surface.
Current Science, 103, 361-362. (click here for pdf)]
Thermonuclear fusion reactions, thought to power the
Sun and other stars, require temperatures on the order of one million
degrees Celsius for ignition. Since the mid-1930s the assumption has
been that such temperatures were obtained during the in-fall of dust and
gas during star formation, but there are problems. In 1994, J. Marvin
Herndon suggested that stellar fusion reactions may, in fact, be ignited
by a central fission reactor in the same manner that a fusion bomb is
triggered by a fission bomb. Rather than stars automatically igniting
during formation, non-ignition may occur in absence of actinide
elements, leading to the possibility of dark stars, dark matter,
particularly surrounding luminous galaxies [Herndon,
J. M. (1994) Planetary and protostellar nuclear fission: Implications
for planetary change, stellar ignition and dark matter. Proceedings
of the Royal Society of London,
A455, 453-461
(click here for pdf)].
J. Marvin Herndon has suggested that the diverse
luminous galaxy structures can be understood in a logical and causally
related manner if heavy element synthesis is related to galactic jets
which jet heavy nuclear matter from the galactic core into the galaxy of
dark stars where it seeds the dark stars it encounters with fissionable
elements turning dark stars into luminous stars [Herndon,
J. M. (2006) Thermonuclear ignition of dark galaxies.
arXiv:astro-ph/0604307(click
here for pdf); Herndon, J. M. (2008) Maverick’s Earth and Universe, Vancouver:Trafford Press, ISBN:
978-1-4251-4132-5]; Herndon, J. M., (2009) New concept for internal heat
production in hot Jupiter exo-planets, thermonuclear ignition of dark
galaxies, and the basis for galactic luminous star distributions. Current Science,
96, 1453-1456(click here for pdf)].
= Planetary interfacial thermonuclear fusion
=
J. Marvin Herndon has suggested that hot Jupiter
exoplanets, which have densities less than Jupiter, may derive much of
their internal heat production from interfacial thermonuclear fusion
ignited by nuclear fission [Herndon, J. M. (2006)
New concept for internal heat production in hot Jupiter exoplanets.
arXiv:astro-ph/0612603 (click here for
pdf); Herndon, J. M. (2008) Maverick’s Earth and Universe,
Vancouver:Trafford Press, ISBN: 978-1-4251-4132-5; Herndon, J. M.,
(2009) New concept for internal heat production in hot Jupiter
exo-planets, thermonuclear ignition of dark galaxies, and the basis for
galactic luminous star distributions. Current Science,
96, 1453-1456(click here for pdf)].
= Evidence against planetary migration =
J. Marvin Herndon has presented evidence against the
astrophysical concept of planetary migration based upon evidence that
Earth was at one time a close-to-Sun gas giant similar to Jupiter in
mass and composition [Herndon, J. M. (2006)
Evidence contrary to the existing exoplanet migration concept.
arXiv:astro-ph/0612726(click
here for pdf)].