>The question of whether or not this is a bulk effect can be addressed by using a very thin plating of active material. If the reaction is similar with the thin film that you get with >a larger bulk, or perhaps even a thicker plating, then it is surface related. I assume that there is adequate evidence available at this point from the many experiments that >have been conducted. If this can not be answered at this time I would be concerned.
Maybe... suppose its a bulk effec, but it gets clogged with He. So it happens everywhere, but it can only repeat at the surface where He clears... Dr Storms says by the behavior of He we know its a surface effect..... Do we really know enough to say that its a surface effect, or do we only know enough to say the surface is the only place where He can escape? IE Melting a cathode after the fact and looking to see if it then releases trapped He would be a big clue, that is why I asked if that experiment had been done? If you melt it and git minimal new He, I think we can say with 90% certainty its a surface effect.... If one gets excess helium after melting the cathode it might not be a surface effect.... The best test would be to divinde a cathode run one half in a cell and leave one half in a he free environment... Then melt both and see the He emission difference.. Paul
