I wonder if Rossi's early foray into thermoelectrics led him to successful cold fusion via some version of the Seebeck effect.
On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 12:17 PM, H Veeder <hveeder...@gmail.com> wrote: > Scientists Generate Magnetic Field by Using Heat Instead of Electricity > > *In a newly published study, EPFL [ *Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de > Lausanne ] *scientists have for the first time predicted and > experimentally verified the existence of the Magnetic Seebeck Effect.* > > EPFL scientists have provided the first evidence ever that it is possible > to generate a magnetic field by using heat instead of electricity. The > phenomenon is referred to as the Magnetic Seebeck effect or > ‘thermomagnetism’. > > A temperature difference across an electric conductor can generate an > electric field. This phenomenon, called the Seebeck effect, lies at the > root of thermoelectricity (heat turned into electricity), and is used to > drive space probes and power thermoelectric generators, and could be > implemented for heat-harvesting in power plants, wrist-watches and > microelectronics. In theory, it is also possible to generate a magnetic > field by using a temperature difference across an electrical insulator > (‘thermomagnetism’). This has been referred to as the Magnetic Seebeck > effect, and has enormous applications for future electronics such as > solid-state devices and magnetic-tunnel transistors. In a breakthrough > Physical Review Letters > publication<http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v111/i8/e087205> that > has been promoted to “Editors’ Suggestion”, EPFL scientists have for the > first time predicted and experimentally verified the existence of the > Magnetic Seebeck effect. > > *Thermoelectricity and ‘thermomagnetism’* > > The Seebeck effect (thermoelectricity) – named after Thomas Johann Seebeck > who first observed it in 1821 – is generated when electrons in an electric > conductor move as a response to a temperature gradient. On average, the > electrons on the hot side of the conductor have more kinetic energy and > subsequently move at higher speeds than the electrons on the cold side. > This causes them to diffuse from the hot to the cold side, generating an > electric field that is directly proportional to the temperature gradient > along the conductor. > > Using an electrical insulator rather than a conductor, researchers led by > Jean-Philippe Ansermet at EPFL have shown that a Magnetic Seebeck effect > also exists. Because an insulator does not allow electrons to flow, a > temperature gradient does not cause electrons to diffuse. Instead, it > affects another property of electrons that forms the basis of magnetism and > is referred to as ‘spin’... > > > http://scitechdaily.com/scientists-generate-magnetic-field-using-heat-instead-electricity/ >
