CONDENSED MATTER NUCLEAR SCIENCE

Newsletter Threads

The aim of this presentation is to trigger discussion thread regarding the most important open  problems of our scientific field. The lists are open as well, for any correction or for addition of new or better formulated questions. For the start of the discussions, the problems have been grouped in four threads:

-         definition: the existential, fundamental problems, a continuously updated synthesis of  the results coming from the other 3 threads;

-         theory: a systematic, step by step action to put existing and new theories to cooperate in order to get better understanding of the CMNS phenomena;

-         experiment: discussion of the existing and newly elaborated experiments, suggestions for improvement, for cooperation:

     -   technology: to prepare technological applications of CMNS

The ISCMNS Newsletter will have separate columns for the four threads

1      DEFINITION THREAD

1.1- the field has no universally accepted name;
1.2- the field has no definition;
1.3- the basic processes are not clearly understood;
1.4- diversity and complexity of the phenomena is overwhelming;
1.5- taxonomy needed;
1.6- standardization needed;
1.7- the field needs funds;
1.8- the field needs additional (new, young) workforce;
1.9- the field needs management;
1.10- the field needs a good strategy;
1.11- the field has bad press, bad reputation, to change this!
1.12- relationship to neighboring fields has to be improved-
        (these fields have to be descriptively labeled)
1.13 - relationship to supporting fields has to be
        improved (catalysis, nanotechnology, HTSC)
1.14- a special sub-thread- the new DOE.report re the scientific “chances” of CMNS


2- THEORY THREAD

2.1 too many diverse, incompatible theories;
2.2 low predictive power of theories;
2.3 theories do not explain negative information
as low success rate and this is the greatest impediment for the scientific acceptance of CMNS; negative information from the field is not well used for understanding the phenomena
i.e why the nuclear reactions do not start:
    - always - low reproducibility;
    - immediately - very long induction time:
    - everywhere - on the cathodes, etc.,
    - any more - for some systems- as Patterson,
Piantelli, Case that have seemingly fizzled out after a ‘glorious’ start.  This negative information makes the  field so “special” in the worst sense.
2.4 theories not well correlated with experiments or are restricted for a very limited, peculiar set of data;
2.5 basic facts- as bulk vs surface not explained by theories; is high D/Pd an aim or only a way
to what is necessary indeed;


3. EXPERIMENT THREAD

3.1- Nuclear reaction take place in a great variety of systems, setups, with different materials; this is principle a good thing because it shows that the phenomena are general and wide-spread. However this makes the understanding of the basics very difficult and therefore a taxonomy, as suggested by Ed Storms, has to be analysed with the greatest care.

3.2- In all cases the phenomena (heat, radiation, transmutation) are weak quantitatively and difficult to measure, therefore the creativity of the experimenters is generally consumed for measurement, instead of of enhancement and scale-up.

3.3- The triggering of the phenomena is extremely difficult, needs a real black art or magical metallurgy, and the success rate of almost all experimental set-ups is rather low, despite constant improvements and really great efforts world-wide.

3.4- the practical ways for intensification and scale-up of the nuclear phenomena are not known and therefore the phenomena remain at the laboratory level and the main efforts are focused on measurement not on enhancement.

New and improved experimental principles, set-ups, systems, ideas, breakthroughs are necessary as well as working hypotheses, ideally- predictive theories.


4. TECHNOLOGY THREAD

Engineering and micro-engineering (very small, demonstration systems), technical principles will be discussed and the technical principles and ideas will be used in order to better plan the experiments.
Cooperation with industrial companies, technical institutes, experts, will be started from the earliest stage of the experimental strategies.  Efforts will be made to get the support of investors and of state authorities.

Dr. Peter Gluck, coordinator of the ISCMNS Newsletter