On Tue, Apr 23, 2013 at 12:30 AM, Jones Beene <jone...@pacbell.net> wrote: > -----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.
according to Wikipedia free neutrons can decay in two ways 1) n ā p + eā + neutrino 2) n ā p + eā + neutrino + gamma In first case it is not clear how or if the energy of the decay products can thermalized. In the second case a Hagelstein process is required to thermalize the gammas. > 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 If a neutron can be made decay while in a deuteron then it seems to me the warming of the lattice is best explained by the motion arising from the mutual repulsion of the protons. Thermalization of gammas is not necessary. Harry
