In reply to Jones Beene's message of Tue, 27 May 2008 06:59:34 -0700 (PDT):
Hi,
[snip]
>The suggestion is that Arata may have discovered a new
>matrix geometry, along the accompanying near-field
>electrodynamics (in the matrix spacing and near-fields
>of the metals) which are presenting a *physical*
>catalytic "hole" capable of "shrinking" the orbital to
>facilitate en enhance tunneling rate.
[snip]
In Arata and Zhang's paper ("Development of Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor
Using Solid Pycnodeuterium as Nuclear Fuel") Pycnodeuterium is a tetrahedral
arrangement of D atoms.
In such a tightly packed grouping, at thermal energies, three body collisions
would be very frequent. These provide an opportunity for Mills catalysis.
Even after the shrinkage process started, in one atom, there would still be
three D atoms left, at least one of which could also undergo shrinkage.
Two Deuterinos in close contact opens up the possibility of disproportionation,
where one shrinks, and the other becomes ionized, resulting in the recreation of
a third atom of D, which can then begin the cycle again. Even if the well
shrunken deuterino wanders off, it will soon come across other such groupings.
In short this is a Deuterino factory. Any Deuteride formed (which would tend to
remove Deuterinos from the process), would likely be destroyed by freshly
created energetic (100+ eV) Deuterinos.
In such a factory, the various shrinkage mechanisms are rapidly going to shrink
the Deuterinos to the point where fusion occurs in short order.
Even if only 1% shrink far enough, the fusion energy output, will still be 10
times the energy output due to shrinkage of all the rest put together, giving
the impression that all the output energy is due to fusion.
If "somehow" all the D in one cluster shrinks to a size capable of fusing, then
one might even get the reaction 4 x D -> 2 x He4 (perhaps with an intermediary
Be8*), with each getting equal energy and momentum (which has previously been
suggested as the primary CF mechanism (Takahashi, or Arata himself?).
Also interesting is that the He4 nucleus itself might be tetrahedral, suggesting
that Pycnodeuterium already "looks like" two interconnected Helium nuclei, but
on a larger scale. Even if the Helium nucleus is flat, this remains true.
BTW In Arata's paper, he states:-
"Our Laser implosion system used only 300 watt and generated about 10^19 to
10^20 particles per 10 seconds"
(1E19 to 1E20) x 23.8 MeV / 10 sec = (3.8 to 38) MW, which would utterly swamp
the three hundred watt laser power, making it superfluous beyond initiating the
reaction.
Besides, wouldn't the release of 38 to 380 MJ of energy be, more than just a
little, noticed? (380 MJ = 106 kWh)
In short, I suspect an arithmetic error, even if one assumes the normal D-D
fusion reaction, rather than the reaction to He4.
Regards,
Robin van Spaandonk
The shrub is a plant.
