Return to the clickable list of items
187) Role of magnetic monopoles, etc.
Ludwik Kowalski (November 15, 2004)
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ, 07043
At the last international cold fusion conference in Marseilles (ICCF11, November 2004) I was exposed to new aspect of cold fusion -- magnetic monopoles. Several papers, both theoretical and experimental, were devoted to that topic. I will not comment on these papers because I know very little about magnetic monopoles (1). But one thing is clear -- explaining one mystery in terms of another mystery is not very convincing. As stated by one cold fusion researcher (in a private conversation) this approach is just the opposite from what is widely known as Occam's razor approach.
According Russian and French scientists (2), the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion was caused by “the impact of a strong magnetic field” (monopole). Such fields, acting on the beta-radioactive fission products, inside the reaction core, decreases the rates of decay of these products. This, in turn, increases the rate of emission of delayed neutrons. Delayed neutrons play an essential role in the control of the reactor. The authors think that “the official explanation of the accident does not seem to be satisfactory.” They suspect that the new (monopole) explanation is deliberately suppressed because a large number of existing reactors would have to be closed to prevent similar accidents.
Likewise, according Russian and French scientists (3), the explosion of the French ammonium nitrate plant near Toulouse might have been caused by a magnetic monopole. That 9/21/2001 explosion killed 31 people and resulted in 2500 injuries. The authors state that “in the near neighborhood of magnetic monopoles the magnetic field is in the range of 100,000 teslas.” The role of magnetic monopoles in cold fusion was also discussed by a theoretical physicist from Japan (4,5). Another theoretical consideration, related to the above hypotheses (accidents in chernobyl and in Toulouse) was Russian scientists (6,7). The authors show that atomic nuclei can be stable in neutral atoms and instable (K-capture decay) in fully ionized atoms.
Another paper belonging to the category “new to me” was presented by a scientist from Belarus (8). The author thinks that familiar reactions of fusion and fission are ‘neutrino-driven.” This claim is said to be supported by the experimentally observed correlation between the radioactive decay rates and solar activity. The effect of chemical environment on decay rates also illustrates this point of view. The author informs us that the rates of decay of 137Cs, produced in the Chernobyl accident, were observed to be reduced very considerably in the fallout samples. He also informs us that the “so-called torsion radiation” was observed triggering nuclear transmutations.
References:
1) G. Lochak, “Wave equation for a magnetic monopole.” Paper presented at ICCF11.
2) D.V. Filipov, G. Lochak, A. A. Rukhadze and L.I. Urutskoev, “On the possible magnetic mechanism of shortening the runaway of RBMK-1000 reactor at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.” Paper presented at ICCF11.
3) H. Lehn, L. Urutskoev and P. Stoljarov; “Interaction of magnetic monopoles on polar molecules having a structural instability.” Paper presented at ICCf11.
4) T. Sawada, “A brief review of the magnetic monopole and the charge quantization condition.” Paper presented at ICCF11.
5) T. Sawada, “Origin of the sporadic nature of the cold fusion and the way to avoid it.” Paper presented at ICCF11.
6) D. V. Filipov, A. A. Rukhadze and L.I. Urutskoev; “Effect of atomic electrons on nuclear stability and radioactive decay.” Paper presented at ICCF11
7) L.I. Urutskoev; “Low-energy nuclear reactions and the Lochak monopole.” Paper presented at ICCF11.
8) V. Filimonov, “Neutrino-driven nuclear reactions of cold fusion and transmutation.” Paper presented at ICCF11.