Is Fusion Fusion?
The new Subtle Atomics nuclear model provides insights into a number of processes typically referred to as "fusion", including solar processes, low energy nuclear, explosive fusion, supernovae, controller hot fusion and the 's-process'.
New theory and practical experimentation is confirming that a variety of "fusion" mechanisms may be possible beyond the conventional nuclear physics method where extremely high energy, non-directional "brute force" is used to overcome the Coulomb barrier.
Solar Processes
The proposed process for the production of Helium from Hydrogen in the core of moderately sized stars, including our sun, is based on a multi-stage process involving:
- (i) formation of dense hydrogen by gravitation pressure,
- (ii) dense hydrogen fusion, and
- (iii) subsequent similar capture reactions.
For example:
2 x Hydrogen(n<1) -> Deuterium(n<1)
Deuterium(n<1) + Hydrogen(n<1) -> Helium 3(n<1)
2 x Helium 3(n<1) -> Helium 4(n<1) + 2 x Hydrogen(n<1)
For more information refer also to the Solar Processes page.
Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR)
Transmutation observations have been identified by numerous researchers since the early 1900's from electro-chemical and even biological systems. Excess heat observations from these reactions was perhaps first identifed by Fleishmann and Pons in 1989, and reported as "cold fusion". Today these processes are more commonly referred to as "low energy nuclear reactions", recognising that the mechanism is likely to be significantly different to that of traditional high energy hot fusion, (Krivit, 2016).
The new Subtle Atomics model proposes that these low energy nuclear process can be described by a two stage process involving:
- (i) formation of dense electrons, dense hydrogen or other dense element, exothermic, i.e. heat produced,
- (ii) capture by another nucleus, i.e. transmutation, either exothermic or endothermic.
Explosive Fusion
The proposed theoretical mechanism to explain these reactions is likely to be inadequate.
Supernovae
The proposed mechanism for supernovae is the formation of a super nucleus from ultra dense hydrogen within the core of a star, where the speed of rotation is insufficuent to allow the formation of a stable black hole vortex. Super nucleus formation rapidly creates a surrounding void space, which causes the gravitational collapse of the remainder of the star. Collapse breaks apart nucleons in the core forming a highly unstable sub-atomic energy plamsa which explodes. New nuclei are created as the plasma cools during the explosive expansion phase.
Controlled (Hot) Fusion
Particle tracking in high energy colliders has demonstrated that under very high energy conditions, hydrogen isotope nuclei can fuse to form a helium nucleus, (for example D+D, H+T, D+T, etc.). To date, replication of these observations in a practical net positive energy configuration has not been possible. Controlled hot fusion of hydrogen nuclei is clearly very, very difficult to achieve.
The new Subtle Atomics model provides insights into fusion processes that can assist with the development of practical controlled hot fusion processes, for example:
- Identifies the importance of dense electrons in fusion reactions.
- Provides insight into the importance of directionality.
- Indicates the potential role of catalysts.
S-Process
Astrophysics observations have provided evidence of nuclear addition reactions in AGB stars under relatively moderate conditions (around 3000 deg K). The new atomic model identifies an alternative mechanism for these 's-process' observations based on dense hydrogen capture, rather than existing neutron flux based explanations.
References:
Krivit, S & Ravnitzky, M, It's Not Cold Fusion... But It's Something,
Scientific American Guest Blog, 7th December, 2016
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/its-not-cold-fusion-but-its-something/
