On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 10:25 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: The formula could probably be adapted, if I knew the appropriate function > for the nuclear force. IOW what I know is only qualitative, not > quantitative.
To restate what you've said: - The strong force drops off by the sixth power. - The electromagnetic force drops off by the second power. - Holding the two nuclei near one another for any amount of time goes a long way. I was wondering whether the system could be modeled at a basic level in the following way. First, assume there is an applied voltage that is drawing the ionized 7Li towards the nickel nucleus. (This is the electric arc thing I always go back to.) I recall seeing a formula that will tell you how close the 7Li will approach for a given initial kinetic energy against the Coulomb repulsion of the nickel nucleus. I imagine it can be adapted to make use of an applied voltage in place of kinetic energy. The adapted formula would give you the separation distance. I assume the separation distance would remain constant for however long the voltage is applied. Now model the strong force using two spheres of large diameter that are characterized by a density function that drops off with the sixth power. Multiply the values of the points where the two spheres overlap with one another. Now integrate the multiples over the two volumes and through time to get a value for the strength of the interaction at a given distance and period of time. Call this value S. Now calibrate the model by placing the 7Li and the nickel nucleus at the distance that would lie between them if the 7Li approached with 10 MeV, and hold them there for the brief period of time they would be in proximity. Whatever the model says "S" is a that point is calibrated to 1 barn. Would this model capture the qualitative dimensions, or is it missing something important? Eric
