-----Original Message----- From: Harry Veeder * Here is an idea related to the natural propensity for a diproton to fission which you have previously mentioned....Suppose a neutron within a deuteron is converted into proton. The subsequent motion of the protons due to mutual repulsion would heat the lattice.
HARRY, when a neutron decays there is a lot more energy than you may suspect. Free neutrons are unstable with a half life of about 650-1000 seconds but the neutron in deuterium is assumed to be stable. If the neutron could be made to decay, the energy yield should be averaging close to 1.3 MeV so you do not have to worry about the mutual repulsion of protons. Their energy would be insignificant by comparison. However, it is hard to see a neutron decay happening with any regularity, and the cross-section for gamma capture would be extraordinarily low. However, we have talked before about NMR techniques - which could conceivably decouple the neutron and thereby allow it to decay naturally as a free neutron. This is arguably possible because the electron of the deuteron supplies a local field of about 12 T. if memory serves, and the NRM frequencies of the proton and deuteron are very different in that field - so it might be possible to do some kind of resonant splitting - to free the neutron. The frequencies needed are not extreme, below microwave actually. Jones
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