Interesting 24 year old paper http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.ms.17.080187.000305
It has been known for some time that the "effective mass" of electrons can appear to have a value much greater than free or valence electrons. This can be a factor of 10,000:1 in some circumstances, perhaps higher. Heavy electrons can be associated with superconductivity and exotic forms of magnetism. The Heffner LENR theory incorporates this: http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/DeflationFusion2.pdf It could be an open question whether or not such an electron can "nucleate" a large number of protons at moderate temperatures into a dense form. There are a number of terms used to describe such "clusters" including "pycno" and IRH (inverted Rydberg hydrogen). The number of bound protons can be estimated based on the available surface area on dielectrics, where the species is formed. Excess energy using IRH, unlike other models, can happen with no "primary" nuclear reaction, and be based on ZPE - even if secondary nuclear reactions do happen eventually Jones BTW - a most intriguing cross-connection to heavy electrons is the Heusler alloy. This alloy is a ferromagnetic alloy based on a special phase called the Heusler phase. Palladium is a constituent of some of these alloys, and there are many yet to be discovered. I have never seen Ni-Pd listed as a Heusler alloy, but it could be one. Heusler phases are face-centered cubic crystal structure and ferromagnetic even when the constituting elements are not. There are strong coincidences with LENR and with heavy electrons - and Heusler phases. I think that the Ben Breed patent app. is attempting to exploit this, but with incomplete understanding of the dynamics. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2009/0122940.html Ben Breed is mentioned in two papers on the LENR website, but none as the primary author. He appears to be a professor at the U S Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey. "He has a theory of the mechanisms by which the Pons-Fleishman effect works in deuterated transition metals that has won sparse but at times enthusiastic acceptance.". He provides aid to M. Melich when appropriate.
