A novel Hall probe array technique is used to measure the spatial dist
ribution and time dependence of the magnetic induction in YBa2Cu3O7-de
lta crystals. Analysis of the data based on the flux diffusion equatio
n allows a direct, model-independent determination of the local activa
tion energy U and the logarithmic time scale to for flux creep. The re
sults indicate that the spatial variations of U are small (+/-kT) and
that U increases logarithmically with time. The time t(0) is inversely
proportional to the field and it exhibits a nonmonotonic temperature
dependence. These results confirm theoretical predictions based on the
logarithmic solution of the flux diffusion equation.