On Jun 6, 2007, at 6:39 AM, Michel Jullian wrote:
Hi Jed,
Very interesting paper. They observed the radiations not just in
air, but also in oxygen to a lesser extent, and also in hydrogen to
an even lesser extent, cf their table 1:
Table 1. Density of autoradiographs under various conditions.
Density averaged and normalised to 24 h exposure time.
Condition for autoradiography Density (× 10-3)
1 In normal air atmosphere 80
2 In oxygen atmosphere 32
3 In hydrogen atmosphere 3.5
4 In air with 0.25 mg/cm2 filter 6.0
5 In air with +0.67 kV/cm field 230
6 In air with -0.67 kV/cm field 210
The facts that the presence of an electric field increases the
phenomenon, and that the polarity makes little difference, indicate
that ions of both signs are formed. The effect of the electric
field would be to make the opposite signed ions move in opposite
directions (one going to the sample to discharge, the other going
to the film) rather than meet and combine.
I'll dare a theory: combination of two desorbed atomic H (or D)
atoms into molecular hydrogen being highly exoenergetic as is well
known, the kinetic energy of the resulting H2 (or D2) molecule is
sufficient to impact-ionize some of the ambient gas molecules and/
or the palladium (electron emission). Those initial reactions could
in turn induce further ionization reactions in some gases. You
would expect different ionization rates in different gases or gas
mixtures as observed, none in some gases as observed, and none in
vacuum of course as observed.
Let's see how this fares. For 2H(g)->H2(g) my thermochemistry
calculator says 434 kJ/mole at 25°C, which is ~4.5 eV per H2
molecule if I am not mistaken. Bombarding ambient air with 4.5 eV
particles will definitely induce some ionization reactions I am
pretty sure. Also there are many metals whose electron work
function (the K.E. required for an impact to eject an electron out
of it) is below 4.5 eV. Pd's is 5.12 eV i.e. not too far, so you
would expect some tunneling probability, and a much higher
probability if lower work function impurities are present e.g.
lithium (electron work function: 2.9 eV!). Well, the hypothesis
does seem to have have at least one leg to stand on.
Comments/critiques/corrections welcome.
This theory makes some sense except for the cases where a physical
barrier was included.
From: http://lenr-canr.org/acrobat/RoutRKphenomenon.pdf
"Fogging was also detected when thin filters (2 μm aluminised
polycarbonate foil (0.25 mg/cm2) in one or several layers) were kept
between the film and loaded samples. Weak fogging was always measured
with one layer of such a filter (see Table 1). With two layers of
filters fogging was observed only in one instance (barely above
threshold). No fogging was ever observed, above threshold, with three
or more layers of filters."
Two microns is too much for tunneling to occur, so the barrier should
be effective at preventing a chemical explanation *provided the
barrier is not porous to chemical penetration.* The reduction of
effect with increasing barrier thickness is consistent with higher
than chemical energy particles. It might also be consistent with
reduced chemical migration through pores. The fact the barrier is
aluminized does make the prospect of ions moving through the barrier
and actually reaching the film a less viable explanation though.
Another explanation might be that both cation and anion chemical
species with activated nuclei were created and selectively drawn to
the barrier or film surface by the differing applied fields. Might
be tritium in a LESS THAN NORMAL STATE OF NUCLEAR EXCITATION, only
300 eV. In an oxygen or air environment it would exist chemically in
both cation (H+ or more likely H3O+) and anion (OH-) form, especially
if the air were humid. In the past I have suggested a number of ways
such lower that normal states of nuclear excitation might arise in
CF. It would not matter if the ions discharged near the film,
because the neutrals would be in proximity of the film and only
migrate away by diffusion.
All wild speculation, but I don't see any alternative explanations.
Regards,
Horace Heffner
