I find the P+P <-> H2 fusion reaction to be an interesting concept to speculate upon. A simple way that I use to have a possible understanding of why the fusion breaks up is to view the collision as basically an elastic collision between particles. Unless energy of an adequate quantity is released by some mechanism at the precise time of the collision, the kinetic energy of the relative motion between the devices is restored and they fly apart.
Consider yourself as an observer located at a position exactly between two equal energy P's heading for a direct collision. When they are far apart you calculate the kinetic energy of each P to be the same and obtain three possible ranges of values. One calculation reveals that the sum of the two kinetic energies is greater than that required to overcome the Coulomb barrier. A second calculation shows that the kinetic energy of the pair before collision is exactly equal to the barrier energy, and the third calculation implies that there is not enough energy. In the case where there is not sufficient energy, the two will approach, but immediately depart from each other with most the action dominated by the Coulomb forces. When the energy is exactly that required to barely overcome the Coulomb barrier, the protons then begin to be be influenced mainly by the strong force. This force is super powerful so the two P's accelerate toward each other until they collide. Since I am assuming an elastic collision with no release of energy, the two rebound apart back to the point where the Coulomb barrier takes over. The two P's will be in close contact for the most time possible under this set of conditions and have the best opportunity to fuse. I consider them to fuse if a particle or quanta of energy is released that results in a reduction of stored energy so that they now do not have adequate energy to break free of each other. The larger the quantity of energy released, the more likely the two P's remain close. If a beta + decay can be arranged, that is sufficient to perform the function well. If the original energy of the two protons is greater than that required to exactly match the Coulomb barrier, then the two will have less time in close proximity and it becomes less likely for an adequate release of binding energy and for fusion to hold. I generally assume that radiation is emitted on a continued basis from the protons as they decelerate towards each other since they carry a charge. This represents energy being taken out of the pairs kinetic sum that might help improve the chance of fusing if emitted just after the Coulomb barrier is breached. Unfortunately, the amount of radiation is small compared to the binding energy between two protons and would only have effect for an extremely tiny proportion of the collisions. Furthermore, an excited pair of protons so loosely bound would easily fall prey to being disrupted by collisions with other protons due to the high temperature. On the other hand, it might be advantageous in some collisions with the other particles. Additional energy could possibly be transferred to these other impactors from the bound pair allowing them to become more bound. Any process that allows the protons to remain near each other for a longer period of time would enhance the chance of a large energy release that completes the binding. This hypothesis assumes that fusion would be optimized for an extremely tiny range of relative kinetic energies. If also would suggest that there is a minimum temperature below which the likelihood of collisions between protons of the correct energies becomes rare and fusion is non productive. It would predict that relatively large energy releases such as beta + decays would be the dominate indicator of successful fusion. I would expect to detect a continuous flux of radiation from the acceleration and deceleration of the protons as they collide. Also, energy would be expected to be transferred into the proton plasma in the form of heat from loosely bound protons as they bind tighter heading toward eventual fusion. And, when a beta + decay occurs, the fusion process is completed between a proton pair and that event is locked into place. This represents my current views toward fusion and do not imply that I consider the above hypothesis original as it seems to be obvious behavior. Perhaps someone with more knowledge about the actual ash of proton to proton fusion would help me to understand what is proven to occur in real life. Dave -----Original Message----- From: Jones Beene <[email protected]> To: vortex-l <[email protected]> Sent: Fri, Jan 25, 2013 10:17 am Subject: RE: [Vo]:Chemonuclear Transitions The proton-proton chain reaction on the sun is mostly “reversiblefusion”. P+P <-> H2 It has been posted here many times that the strong force is overwhelmingat close range - and will bring too protons together , despite Pauli. But almostalways the He2 nucleus which forms then immediately breaks up. Thus, 99.99+ %of all fusion reactions, on all stars in the Universe, can be said to be reversible,and do not produce much energy. The bigger question for NiH is this: doesreversible proton fusion produce any net energy? The currently favored model forsolar fusion says NO. He2 does form from the interaction however, and it disappear rapidly -but ever so often there is a beta decay. Only one reversible reaction in 10^20proceeds to beta decay. Thus the solar model is not compatible with Ni-H. Ed Storms clearly states that he is suggesting a novel form of thisreaction - mediated by another particle such as an electron, deflated electronor so on. He is aware of the rarity of the beta decay. There is another hypothesis, or model, which I’ve been airing for about6 months. It can operate along side of other models or alone. It suggests that protonreversible fusion does produce a small amount of heat due to QCD “color change”.The mass of the proton is slightly reduced in the process. That solves many theoreticalproblems, but admittedly there is no proof (unless NiH is the proof). The proton - in this model is not quantized. Its “known mass” is anaverage mass, and can vary slightly up or down from average. In addition toshedding small amounts of energy via QCD, depleted protons can also capture smallamounts of mass-energy via free electrons on the sun, under gravity compression.This energy transfer in either case comes from QM - spin transfer via magnons. The mediating quasi-particle for this process is the magnon. That isimportant for NiH. If nickel were not ferromagnetic, there would probably be noenergy transfer from reversible fusion. Before you ask – yes palladium is ferromagnetic in alloy form, and as ahydride: http://cpb.iphy.ac.cn/EN/abstract/abstract25888.shtml From:Eric Walker Chuck Sites wrote: The proton-proton chain reaction is initiated with astrong interaction between two protons, that binds to form a diproton,the diproton then decays via weak interaction (a W boson) into a deuteron +electron + electron neutrino and 0.42 MeV of energy. Wikipedia has a very good description ofthis processes: The proton-proton chain does seem promising at first,especially when one takes into account some of the difficulties with the kindof activation that would occur if there were a lot of neutron-moderatedreactions. But the proton-proton chain has its own difficulties. See [1], below, for an earlier discussion. Briefly, the diproton lasts for a vanishingly smallamount of time before it breaks up. Only a very small fraction ofdiprotons go on to form deuterium; in the sun, this process is a limiting onethat prevents it from rapidly burning through its fuel. In known cases,the rate of deuterium formation is small because the weak force requires that avery high energy barrier be surpassed before a proton will convert to aneutron. Widom and Larsen have other ideas on this particular point, and it ispart of what makes their writings difficult for physicist types (of which I amnot one) to get a handle on. See also the comments to this physics.SEquestion for more details [2]. I believe Ed Storms proposes an alternateform of weak-force moderated nuclear reaction, along the lines of a slow p-e-preaction, and I would assume that similar difficulties must be addressed inthis instance as well. Assuming the weak interaction really does provide alimiting barrier, any fusion-like reaction is presumably going to have to occureither through the action of deuterium or higher, on one hand, or throughproton capture within a larger nucleus, on the other, unless a non-fusionreaction along the lines of what Jones or Mills describes is going on. Obviously there is also the matter of the Coulomb barrier, butI think we've gotten used to ignoring it for the sake of convenience. ;) Eric [1] http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg67691.html [2] http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/23640/what-interactions-would-take-place-between-a-free-proton-and-a-dipolariton
