In a followup attempt to track down more specific information on the
subject of D2O "variability" in LENR:
Mitchell Swartz has indicated that he has seen inexplicable variation,
batch-to-batch, in D2O under otherwise identical conditions.
He has also replicated the Laser enhancement effect in a few fine paper
(aka the Letts/Cravens effect). Both papers were given at ICCF-10.
The information on D2O variability may be found in:
Swartz. M., G. Verner, "Excess Heat from Low Electrical Conductivity
Heavy Water Spiral-Wound Pd/D2O/Pt and Pd/D2O-PdCl2/Pt Devices", ICCF-10
(Camb. MA), Proceedings of ICCF-10, (2003).
However, Michell does not believe that it is possible that any of the
heavy water he uses has been previously activated in a reactor (and then
reprocessed).
Also he does not know, as of now, what the ratio of 18O to 16O is - in
the water which he has used, but intends to look into this - which may
be an overlooked point in LENR variability.
To place this datum from Michell into context...
... in the previous message which started this line of speculation -
there was information from Dennis Letts on variability of results from
different batches of D2O - which is "supposed" to be 99.9% pure.
Horace then suggested that a possible but unlikely source of this could
relate to the material having been reprocessed from decommissioned
nuclear reactor moderator. Although this source may sound unlikely,
admittedly, it is certainly not out of the realm of possibility and begs
to be addressed scientifically - and then to be eliminated from
consideration - if it is not the cause of the variability.
A little more background may be necessary to corroborate the rationale
for this suspicion (and to show why it is not a totally cranky suspicion):
So-called "shape isomerism" is a deformity of the nucleus of an isotope
in which there are "too many" neutrons and/or excess energy
(metastability) for a spherical shape. Many older physicists who have
not kept-up on current R&D are almost unaware that it is an important
new sub-category, since the tools to measure this shape variation have
only recently been developed.
Often in the past, this state or condition has been referred to as "high
spin" which may be inaccurate. Quantum spin, per se, does not seem to be
responsible for the deformation (but could be contributory), and instead
it seems to be the result of a metastable condition of the nucleus
having absorbed excess energy of an exact value to "pump it up" into a
deformed shape. Yeah, I know - this could be manifested as spin.
Anyway, most of these nuclear configurations (deformations) correspond
to a small prolate deformation, but a few of them correspond to highly
deformed shapes. 18O is definitely a candidate isotope for shape
isomerism. And if it has been previously irradiated in a reactor - then
this would be very strong evidence for identifying this (or the
resulting metastable isomer) as a possible culprit in many kinds of LENR
excess heat experiments. Deuterium itself is also a shape isomer
candidate, and the nucleus is highly elongated normally, often referred
to a "barbell" shape.
Also, there is also the pragmatic realization that heavy water is tres
cher, not just pricey - and that there are many decommissioned reactors
worldwide, and that the moderator of even 'light water' reactors after
40 years contains lots of D2 - and more so for the Candu ...
... and that in any other country than the USA- ask yourself this: what
you rather do with 100 tons of used heavy water, worth a quarter billion
dollars if clean - would you rather reprocess it in the third world
where corners can be cut, or would you rather store it forever, in an
expensive underground repository ?? The answer is No-brainer for many
countries.
In one of the most extreme cases of shape-isomerism yet - which is
consistent with the known shape of a common light nucleus, the 24Mg
isomer - even in its ground state(!) has a 6:1 axis ratio state... and
what is more amazing is that all 6 of "virtual" alpha particles (6 x 4)
in that nucleus are effectively spaced in a linear chain configuration -
the "chain state" or "nuclear sausage" as it has been called.
Most bizzare ... and this nuclear sausage is indicative of how the 'near
field' of such a "sausage-antenna" could possibly cohere external energy
and reach a metastable state. Not to mention that this source of energy
can be "natural" from ZPE or the neutrino flux - not requiring an
extended stay in a reactor.
Jones
BTW - is it odd that the previous message to Vo - part of it included
below, is the first thing that turns up on a google search for [18-O
"shape isomer"] even though it is only a few days old. Don't they rank
these things by how often they are read?
... to wit - this category could include an activated form of heavy
water in which the oxygen atom, possibly the isotope 18O, but possibly
even the 16O or deuterium as alternative candidates, has become
metastable and isomeric due to absorption of gamma radiation of the
correct frequency.
It should be noted that the best candidate: 18O or heavy oxygen is
already a "shape" isomer candidate, and that it could possibly be the
majority isomer found in normal reactor grade heavy water.
No one is sure on that. Either point. But is this all coincidental?
The cross-connection to the other threads this morning on Vortex is this
(if it is not already evident):
1) The availability of heavy water, with unusual properties, is under
consideration, due to an intriguing report from Dennis Letts.
2) The possibility exists that an "activated" form of D2O comes from
reprocessed reactor D2O formerly used as a neutron "moderator" (old
Candu heavy water). This is one distinct possibility of many.
3) Moving further into speculation, it is clear that several hundred
tons of what 'had been' reactor grade heavy water - from decommissioned
or older Candu plants has been sold on the world market in recent years.
4) The most likely buyer: China
5) The Canadians do not want to admit, for a variety or possible
reasons, that this material is being reprocessed. There is no firm
evidence that it has been - nor evidence that any US chemical supplier,
for instance: Sigma-Aldrich has actually purchased heavy water from
China to resell... and it is doubtful that they would admit to it
without a court order, even if true (due to liability issues).
The open question is now becomes evident - and I do not pretend to have
a ready answer, but it is this:
Will 15-20 years of constant bombardment by gamma radiation inside a
nuclear reactor be able to convert a substantial percentage of a normal
isotope (the the best candidate is 18O) into a metastable isomer ?
Jones
PS the follow-on question is: even if 18O does become metastable in the
circumstances above, how does CF electrolysis with a laser (i.e. the
Letts/Cravens effect) manage to release that energy?
or secondly:
Is this metastability the main source of excess energy in many LENR
experiments where helium is not found, commensurate with the energy
produced? Was this kind of heavy water even available as far back as 1989?
