W-L theory is based on abstruse QED (quantum electro-dynamics), in which a 'heavy electron' acquires extra mass from a photon 'dressing'.
In classical electromagnetic DC-current flow in wires, I believe this effect mostly reduces to the inductive energy a conductive electron gains. This simpler classical physics model is presented in: "Low frequency plasmons in thin-wire structures" http://siba.unipv.it/fisica/articoli/J/Journal%20of%20PhisicsvCondensedvMatter_vol.10_1998_pp.4785-4809.pdf On p.4788, the authors derive this equation for electron effective mass (m_eff) in an x-y parallel grid of nanowires of 1 micron radius(=r) and spaced 5 mm apart (=a) in both x- and y- axes of the plane. m_eff = (mu_0)*(e^2)*(r^2)*n*ln(a/r)/2 = 14.83 m_p where mu_0 = vacuum permeability e = electron charge m_p = proton mass n = conduction electron density for Aluminum In the paper, 'n' is for aluminum, but nickel has the same 11.7 eV Fermi energy as aluminum (see [1]). So the value for m_eff is nearly the same for nickel. (The approach used is to divide bulk inductive current momentum in a unit volume of wire by the number of conductance electrons in a unit volume.) So, to overcome the 0.78 MeV barrier to neutron formation in electron-proton collisions in this wire grid, the minimum electron velocity 'v' must satify 0.78 Mev = 1.25 * 10^(-13) Joule = 1.25 * 10^(-13) kg*(m/sec)^2 = (m_eff * v^2)/2 = 2.48 * 10^(-26) kg * (v^2)/2 Or, minimum required electron velocity is v = 3.18 * 10^6 m/sec I'm not certain, but I do not think electrons in disordered, amorphous wires reach this velocity, but that ballistic electrons in sufficiently long crystalline wires can. Changing grid parameters changes m_eff and speed the threshhold as well. Are these assumptions reasonable? Is this check on W-L theory correct? Comments appreciated, Lou Pagnucco [1] EMP AND HPM SUPPRESSION TECHNIQUES - http://dodreports.com/ada360541
