Corrected response follows (replacement of NAA with NA where
appropriate):
On Dec 8, 2009, at 9:03 PM, Steven Krivit wrote:
Horace,
Have you considered the possibility of "neutral entities" such as
neutrons?
Steve
Yes, I have considered it.
Neutrons in the lattice can not be an explanation for the number of
events required to produce even modest excess heat. Neutrons produce
neutron activation, i.e. make some nuclei radioactive. If neutron
activation were occurring in lattice material elements it would have
been discovered long ago, because neutron activation analysis (NAA)
is a commonly used and well developed technique. The gamma spectra
and delayed gamma production decay curves are well known and used in
delayed gamma NA. This information is used to sense trace amounts of
elements.
Take a look at the sensitivity of NA for various elements in
picograms (10^-12 g):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_activation_analysis
Consider the fact that the NA sensitive elements are not only present
in trace amounts in CF electrodes or electrolytes, they are primary
ingredients in some experiments, e.g. Ag, Cl, Cu, Na, Ca, K, Pt,
Ti, S. Also present in large quantities are sometimes: W, Ta, Th,
U, V, Mo, Pb. These things are readily detectable in microgram order
quantities. No matter how slow the neutrons, it is not credible NA
is not happening when fusion and heavy element transmutation clearly
is happening. The gammas should light up geiger counters even long
after electrolysis is over. Further, the spectra and decay curves
would be readily identifiable as to origin. One of the mysteries of
CF is why significant high energy radiation doesn't happen as a
general rule.
Note that this is not to say that NA could not happen in certain
environments, even from deflation fusion. It simply does not happen
to a sufficient degree in typical CF experiments, so is not an
explanation for the primary processes that produce the excess heat or
heavy LENR that has been observed.
I think the energy deficit which occurs in CF reactions, necessary to
depress some He* fission channels, and the dissipation of the
reaction enthalpy via multiple low energy gammas, can only occur via
a free electron in the nuclear mix at the moment of fusion. What I
have proposed is a means for that happening which might be confirmed
by looking for rare but detectable strange matter decays from CF
cells. This means not only explains the above effects, it explains
how the Coulomb barrier is overcome as well.
Best regards,
Horace Heffner
http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/