Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pyrolysis/Mass Spectrometry show threads from Shroud of Turin Carbon-dating different
www.Shroud.com ^ | January 2004 | Ray N. Rogers,

Posted on 01/21/2004 2:29:31 AM PST by Swordmaker

PYROLYSIS/MASS SPECTROMETRY APPLIED TO THE SHROUD OF TURIN

Raymond N. Rogers
Fellow
University of California, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos, NM, USA
©2004 Raymond N. Rogers
All Rights Reserved

Our primary goal in undertaking pyrolysis-MS analyses on samples from the Shroud of Turin was the detection of impurities (e.g., painting materials). Most of the structural materials and probable impurities in Shroud samples were carbohydrates. We wanted to see traces of materia ls that were not carbohydrates.

The samples were run at the Midwest Center for Mass Spectrometry (MCMS), University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This is a National Science Foundation "Center of Excellence," and it ranks among the foremost facilities in the world.

Walter McCrone had ignored agreements on how the STURP samples were to be observed, and he contaminated all of our samples by sticking them to microscope slides. All of the fibers were immersed in the tape's adhesive, Joan Janney (now Joan Rogers) laboriously cleaned and prepared Shroud fibers for analysis at the MCMS.

Mass spectrometry is based on the fact that charged particles in motion have their trajectories bent by electric and/or magnetic fields. Molecules in a high vacuum can be ionized (charged) by electron impact or chemical ionization. Chemical ionization uses collisions with excited atoms or molecules to ionize the sample, and it gives a much simpler mass spectrum than electron impact. Since we desired detection sensitivity rather than high resolution, we used a machine with moderate resolution, chemical ionization, and high sensitivity. The method was sufficiently sensitive to detect traces of the low-molecular-weight fractions (oligomers) of the polyethylene bag that Prof. Luigi Gonella had used to wrap the Raes threads.

It did not detect any unexpected pyrolysis fragments that indicated any Shroud materials other than carbohydrates. That is exactly what would be expected from a piece of pure linen. This helped confirm the fact that the image was not painted.

The oldest known paintings appeared in prehistoric times (ca. 30,000 BC), and they are found in the caves of France, Spain, and Africa. They were done in natural materials, e.g., red and yellow ochre and charcoal. There is evidence that the pigments were mixed with animal fat for application to the irregular cave surfaces. Tempera painting appeared early in history. It involves powdered pigments mixed with egg, plant gums, and/or glues. Aside from fresco, tempera was the principal painting medium before the introduction of oil paints.

The Flemish brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck are generally (probably incorrectly) credited with the invention of oil painting. Their careers are well documented between about 1422 and 1441. They normally worked on canvas that was made from either linen or a linen-cotton blend. It would be extremely unlikely that oil paints had been used to hoax the image during or before the 14th Century; however, we planned observations that would detect such materials. Oils were the favorite vehicles for pigments during the time of the 1532 fire. They could have been used in an attempt to reproduce the Shroud, if it had been totally destroyed in the fire . . .

. . .The pyrolysis-MS analyses did not detect any nitrogen-containing contaminants. This seemed rule out glair (egg white) as well as any significant microbiological deposits, confirming microchemical tests that were also made. They did not detect any of the sulfide pigments were used in antiquity, e.g., orpiment, realgar, mosaic gold, and cinnabar (vermilion, mercury sulfide, HgS). The Shroud's image had not been painted with any known vehicles and pigments. Many of the pyrolysis fragments observed by pyrolysis-mass-spectrometry would be the same products of thermal degradation whether they came from cellulose, hexose sugars, pentose sugars, or starches. However, the ratios of products can be characteristic and important . . .

The Shroud [all of the shroud except the area where the carbon-14 test material was taken - Swordmaker] is nearly pure linen. Notice that the hydroxymethylfurfural signal at m/e 126 is quite large: the furfural signal at m/e 96 is quite small.

The spectrum obtained for the Raes sample (cut in 1973 from the area adjoining the radiocarbon sample of 1988) shows absolutely no m/e 126 signal: the cellulose of the sample had not yet started to pyrolyze. There is, however, a significant m/e 96 signal: furfural was being produced at this temperature. This proves that the sample contained some pentose-sugar units. This is unique among all of the Shroud samples: no other area showed this pentose signal.

Chemical analyses have proved that the Raes samples are coated with a gum/dye/mordant system that has been used for millennia to color cloth. It is stained with a synthetic system. Apparently the intent was to make these threads look like the old, sepia yarn of the main part of the cloth . . .

. . . Maps of all of the other samples were also obtained. They all showed the same difference in product ratios: the Raes sample was unique. It was contaminated with some material that produced pentose pyrolysis products at relatively low temperatures. . .

Conclusion:
The pyrolysis/MS data confirm the identification of a gum coating on the Raes threads.

---------------------------------------

This is an extract of the information contained in the Rogers report. The entire report (6 pages) can be downloaded at the source. It is a PDF file and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to read. Swordmaker


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Technical
KEYWORDS: carbondating; shroud; shroudofturin
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-109 last
To: Swanks
While this is slightly extracirricular to the case of autenticity - do you know of any disscussion or theory, regarding transformation, regarding the physical seperation of the two pieces?

The placement of the sudarium is problematic. Why was it important enough to be mentioned in the Bible? Why did this seem to constitute more proof of the resurrection to the witnesses?

Some theorists take the position that Jesus's body was "teleported" out of the Shroud at the moment of resurrection. The energy of passing through the shroud is what creates the unique image, in their viewpoint. This does not answer the question of why the image is both ventral and dorsal... one would expect such a "transfer" would be unidirectional (and the image is collimated in the Z axis but in BOTH directions). One of those proposing this theory explains this by suggesting that at the moment of Jesus becoming "incorporeal" his body first sank partially through the cloth and into the rock ledge before changing direction and leaving upward. Inadvertently, Christ also teleports the chin binding with him... and when he rematerializes he removes it manually and drops it on the floor. The shroud is still in place, undisturbed, just no body home.

Another more likely scenario has Jesus just awakening after the resurrection, shrugging off the shroud, sitting up, disentangling his hands from the bonds keeping them together, then untying his feet, leaving both cloth strips entangled in the crumpled up shroud, standing up, and starting to walk out of the tomb when He realizes he still has the chin band around his face, so He pulls it off and tosses it down, away from the other grave cloths.

But the best answer is "We don't know."

101 posted on 01/25/2004 12:27:30 AM PST by Swordmaker (This tagline shut down for renovations and repairs. Re-open June of 2001.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]

To: Swordmaker
Another more likely scenario has Jesus just awakening after the resurrection, shrugging off the shroud, sitting up, disentangling his hands from the bonds keeping them together, then untying his feet, leaving both cloth strips entangled in the crumpled up shroud, standing up, and starting to walk out of the tomb when He realizes he still has the chin band around his face, so He pulls it off and tosses it down, away from the other grave cloths.

Seems the most reasonable to me.

The only examples we have to draw from are those recorded in scripture of people that were brought back from the dead.

Teleportation was not anything I recall reading about.

102 posted on 01/25/2004 12:36:40 AM PST by PFKEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: Swordmaker
Just to weigh in on the matter of authenticity.

For me it does not matter.

Proof either way will not change a single thing.

103 posted on 01/25/2004 12:43:04 AM PST by PFKEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: PFKEY
Teleportation was not anything I recall reading about.

Well Jesus appeared in locked rooms...

104 posted on 01/25/2004 12:45:04 AM PST by Swordmaker (This tagline shut down for renovations and repairs. Re-open June of 2001.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: Swordmaker
Well Jesus appeared in locked rooms...

Good point.

I'm quite comfortable calling that a miracle and not trying to explain how it might have taken place.

These are all interesting points and I enjoy reading about and commenting on them I just don't see that it has any real meaning or point beyond the joys of speculation.

105 posted on 01/25/2004 12:53:47 AM PST by PFKEY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: Swordmaker
Everything you just asked me was already posted. Scroll back up and re-read my posts. The definitions are there, and so is the Greek words in Strongs Number form.

(I could ever get the Koine Greek to post! How did you do it?)
106 posted on 01/25/2004 9:50:57 AM PST by RaceBannon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: RaceBannon
Everything you just asked me was already posted. Scroll back up and re-read my posts. The definitions are there, and so is the Greek words in Strongs Number form.

Posting in Strong's number form does not help anyone who does not have access to a Strong's Greek Dictionary. I do. However, you have never pointed out the lack of conformity in the Greek words as I have. Therefore, you have not "posted" everything I asked.

Also, Race, the only question I did not answer in post 100 were the two about "swarthing", a word that does not exist, and whether you meant "swathing", a word which does exist.

As to posting the Koine Greek, the method I use is the same that Strong's Greek Dictionary and and many other Biblical Greek sites on the web use. Since many people do not have a Greek font set installed on their computer (I do) they have provided the Greek in an Anglicized (using the English Alphabet) version. That can be just cut and pasted like regular English postings. Give it a try.

By the way, Koine Greek was a dialect of Classic Greek that developed as a trade language during the 2nd, 1st Centuries BC, and the 1st Century AD. It is not Classical Greek as it contains many foreign words and usages. It is sort of like English today... composed of many borrowed words and phrases from other languages.

107 posted on 01/25/2004 12:22:46 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tagline shut down for renovations and repairs. Re-open June of 2001.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 106 | View Replies]

To: RaceBannon; Swordmaker
The New testament was written in Greek, and the OT was writtenin Hebrew. Not Latin.

Uh, swordmaker didn't say that at all--in fact, he said the opposite. Did you actually read his whole post #80? It was quite compelling if you ask me.
108 posted on 01/25/2004 12:56:52 PM PST by Antoninus (In hoc signo, vinces †)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: Antoninus
Thanks... it's good to be appreciated!
109 posted on 01/25/2004 11:48:42 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tagline shut down for renovations and repairs. Re-open June of 2001.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-109 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson