By the way, Carpinteri (Cardone's colleague) was at ICCF15 and 16. Here
is the abstract from ICCF-16:
Neutron Emission Measurements During Loading Tests on Solid Specimens
and Confirmations by EDS Analysis
A.Carpinteri1, G. Lacidogna1, A. Manuello1 and O. Borla,2
1Politecnico di Torino, Department of Structural Engineering &
Geotechnics, Corso Duca degli, Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
2 N.F.N. National Inst. of Nuclear Physics,
Via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
Neutron emission measurements, by means of He3 devices and neutron
bubble detectors, were performed during three different kinds of loading
tests on natural and artificial materials: (i) under displacement
control, (ii) under cyclic loading, and (iii) by ultrasonic vibration.
The materials used in compression tests under displacement control were
marble, granite and concrete, selected in that they present a different
brittleness index [1,2]. For natural materials, such as granite and
basalt were also conducted cyclic and vibrational loading tests in the
frequency range comprised between 2 and 2x104 Hz. Since the analyzed
material contains iron, our conjecture is that piezonuclear fission
reactions involving fission of iron into aluminum, or into magnesium and
silicon, should have occurred during compression damage and failure.
This hypothesis is confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
(EDS) analysis performed on
external and fracture surfaces belonging to specimens used in the
tests.[3] These laboratory evidences appear to be strictly connected
with recent neutron emission detections in correspondence to seismic
activity and appreciable earthquakes at the scale of the Earth’s crust
[4,5] and led to consider that the present natural abundances of
aluminum (~8%), silicon (28%) and scarcity of iron (~4%) in the
continental crust should be possibly due to
piezonuclear fission reactions[6].
Kidwell told he suspects these results might be caused from vibration
when the block of marble fractured. Neutron detectors are sensitive and
tend to be triggered by various artifacts such as vibrations. He
recommended they try hitting the floor with a sledge hammer while the
detector is on.
- Jed
