Enhanced D-D Fusion Rates when the Coulomb Barrier Is Lowered by Electrons
AbstractA profusion of unbound, low-energy electrons creates a local electric field that reduces Coulombpotential and increases quantum tunneling probability for pairs of nuclei. Neutral beam-targetexperiments on deuterium-deuterium fusion reactions, observed with neutron detectors, showpercentage increases in fusion products are consistent with electron-screening predictions fromSchrödinger wave mechanics. Experiments performed confirm that observed fusion rateenhancement with a […]
A Molecular Perspective on Lithium-Ammonia Solutions (full text)
A Molecular Perspective on Lithium-Ammonia SolutionsEva Zurek, Peter P. Edwards, and Roald Hoffmann* A detailed molecular orbital (MO) analysis of the structure and electronic properties of the great variety of species in lithium- ammonia solutions is provided. In the odd-electron, doublet states we have considered: e@(NH3)n (the solvated electron, likely to be a dynamic ensemble […]
Highly Charged Rydberg Ions from the Coulomb Explosion of Clusters
Ion emission from a nanoplasma produced in the interaction of intense optical laser pulses with argon clusters is studied resolving simultaneously charge states and recoil energies. By applying appropriate static electric fields, we observe that a significant fraction of the ions Arqþ (q ¼ 1–7) has electrons with binding energies lower than 150 Mev; i.e., […]
Rydberg Physics
Rydberg physics is the land of gentle giants—highly-excited electronic states where an electron is, on average, far from the nucleus. They are created with a lot of energy, have unusually large size and live relatively long. They are useful because they are extremely sensitive to their environment; so much so that a single photon of […]
Capillary fusion through Coulomb barrier screening in turbulent processes generated by high intensity current pulses
An experiment performed in Kiel in 1973 paves the way to a possible new model of non-thermonuclear fusion. The process could be pycnonuclear and explain other experiments such as the Z-pinch and cluster fusion. The proposed fusion mechanism is based on quantum tunneling combined with the screening of the Coulomb barrier of two colliding deuterons […]
Coulomb explosion during the early stages of the reaction of alkali metals with water
Alkali metals can react explosively with water and it is textbook knowledge that this vigorous behaviour results from heat release, steam formation and ignition of the hydrogen gas that is produced. Here we suggest that the initial process enabling the alkali metal explosion in water is, however, of a completely different nature. High-speed camera imaging […]
y+ charge exchange and muonium formation in low pressure gases
Using the basic muon spin rotation technique, the fractions of energetic positive muons thermalizing in diamagnetic environments (fp) or as the paramagnetic muonium atom (fflu) have been measured in low pressure pure gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, H2, N2, NH3 , and CHt,) as well as in several gas mixtures (Ne/Xe, Ne/Ar, Ne/NHs, Ne/CHi,). […]
Nuclear fusion in very dense plasmas obtained from electrically exploded liquid threads
When “exploded” electrically, the energy transfer into thin metallic wires is hindered by an MHD-instability of the type m = O. The development of this instability can be delayed by external magnetic fields or by the use of high potential at the terminals of the wire; locally very high temperatures are thus obtained. If conductive […]
Research on Nuclear Reactions in Exploding (Li + LiD) Wires
It is shown that under certain conditions the nuclear reaction 7Li(d, n ) 2 a occurs within the plasma of “exploding” (Li + LiD)-wires. The reaction is not thermo-nuclear but of a hybrid character, i. e. the plasma is not heated to a sufficient temperature but electric fields complete the reaction. By an electrical discharge […]
Progress toward Fusion Energy Breakeven and Gain as Measured against the Lawson Criterion
The Lawson criterion is a key concept in the pursuit of fusion energy, relating the fuel density n, (en- ergy) confinement time τ, and fuel temperature T to the energy gain Q of a fusion plasma. The purpose of this paper is to explain and review the Lawson crite- rion and to provide a compilation […]