I should have added that Larsen cites several papers (with URLs) showing that
some enzymes produce astonishingly high local field gradients that probably
would have been considered very impossible earlier.
Interesting even apart from LENR theories.
Nature is amazingly creative.
"Ultra-high local electric fields: surprising similarities between LENR active sites and enzymatic biocatalysis"
http://www.slideshare.net/lewi…c-catalysis-march-20-2015
Longview,
First a disclaimer. I can only speculate on this difficult subject. I make no assertions.
I think the "effective mass" term is used in two different ways - a source of confusion.
One way it is used is to average the "hidden momentum" in inductors over the conduction electrons.
E.G., this is done in "Extremely Low Frequency Plasmons in Metallic Microstructures"
- http://www.cmth.ph.ic.ac.uk/ph…hotonics/pdf/lfplslet.pdf
where (eq (13), p.6) it is shown that this leads to the conclusion that electrons in simple
nanowire arrays can attain the effective mass equivalent to a nitrogen atom's.
However, I believe, that this is only available as energy/momentum boost during head-on
collisions that occur extremely rarely, if ever, in such small currents.
Another way is to calculate the momentum gain during (what amounts to violent, abrupt)
collisions as described in the Feynman lecture ("Two Kinds of Momentum".) In this case, the
electron borrows all of the "hidden momentum" (i.e., from the magnetic vector potential)
allotted to it, allowing it to attain a real large effective mass. Srivastava-Widom-Larsen
calculate the momentum drawn by a colliding electron from its coupling to surrounding
conduction electrons using the Darwin Lagrangian, which makes coupling terms explicit.
See - "A primer for electroweak induced low-energy nuclear reactions"
http://www.ias.ac.in/pramana/v75/p617/fulltext.pdf
I believe both approaches the same results. I think that such collisions may occur in
intense arcs - for example, in the Wendt-Irion experiment (ref [28] in the S-W-L paper.)
If we pretend that the electron is a spin-less quantum particle, I think the wave function
could be pictured squeezed, localized and highly oscillatory, with a greatly increased
mass due to the kinetic energy gain represented by high frequency momentum spectrum
(due to localization, rather than linear relativistic speed.)
If we assume the electron is a fermion (with spin h/2) the oscillations are spinor quiver
or zitterbewegung. Hopefully, the simpler picture is good enough.
Certainly, Hagelstein may be correct, but I would need to know if/why a full QED analysis
differs from a simpler QM analysis.
Longview,
Really strange things are happening at that website, too.
I have no idea why. Maybe some web-bot is interfering with these sites.
However, it seems if you get to that website (or some other) thru the Google search:
Feynman "two kinds of momentum"
- then the link to the pdf works.
The basic idea, though, is that a linear current flow generates a magnetic vector
potential depending on the current and its extent. At any point, this vector potential
is a vector pointing in the same direction as the current. It represents the coupling
between the charged particles.
The value of this vector potential is proportional to how much momentum
a charged particle in the current flow acquires in a collision -i.e., the more forcefully
it is impeded by an obstacle, the more momentum it draws from this momentum field
to push into the obstacle (say another charged particle), an continue on its path.
When two oppositely charged particles collide in an intense current, say a idealized
collision where both have equal and opposite momenta, then both will draw the
same momentum (but in opposite directions) from the vector potential. If the current
is intense, this momentum will be large, and light particles, like electrons, will acquire
a large gain in momentum, giving them very large effective masses in collisions.
It think this is sort of analogous to how the atom at the tip of an speeding arrow borrows
momentum from the arrow body when it hits a target, or how the lead car of long
train will impact an obstacle with much greater momentum than its own, by its
coupling to the rest of the train.
Only experiments will validate one (or more) theories, for sure.
The state of these systems can only, with luck, be approximated by mathematics.
It is interesting to note, though, that wide band signals, with either continuous
or picket fence spectra will rarely exhibit superoscillations. However, the
'superwave' (where the superposed sinusoids are appropriately phase-locked) could
exhibit them in a regular periodic fashion. This is a time-domain phenomenon that
cannot be seen only by examining the spectrum. A periodic square wave has a wide
spectrum, but does not have superoscillations.
More speculation - The application of multiple laser beams of differing wavelengths
has reportedly initiated anomalous reactions. Possibly, (especially if any nonlinear
optical effects occur) some (quasi-) superoscillations occur.
However, the mere "pumping" of a system of particles of differing masses might
create "hot spots" via the Fermi-Ulam effect. See, for example -
"Fast Fermi Acceleration and Entropy Growth" - http://arxiv.org/pdf/1503.04691v1.pdf
(Courtesy of Google - http://www.google.com/patents/…emap/G21/G21B/G21B_3.html)
Reactant, heating device, and heating method WO 2015008859 A2
ABSTRACT
A reactant capable of generating heat more stably than conventionally possible, a heating device, and a heating method are provided. This reactant (26) comprises a hydrogen storage metal comprising nanosize metal nanoparticles (metal nano protrusions) formed on the surface, and is placed in a reacting furnace having a deuterium gas atmosphere so that when hydrogen atoms are stored in the metal nanoparticles on the reactant (26), the electrons in said metal nanoparticles, strongly influenced by the surrounding metal atoms and other electrons, act as heavy electrons, and as a result, cause the internuclear distance between the hydrogen atoms in the metal nanoparticles to contract, making it possible to increase the probability of the occurrence of tunnel nuclear fusion reactions, and thus making it possible to generate heat more stably than conventionally possible.
http://www.google.com/patents/WO2015008859A2
Free neutrons producing nuclear fusion reactions (translated from German) DE 102013013140 A1
ABSTRACT ( translated from German)
A reactant capable of generating heat more stably than conventionally possible, a heating device, and a heating method are provided. This reactant (26) comprises a hydrogen storage metal comprising nanosize metal nanoparticles (metal nano protrusions) formed on the surface, and is placed in a reacting furnace having a deuterium gas atmosphere so that when hydrogen atoms are stored in the metal nanoparticles on the reactant (26), the electrons in said metal nanoparticles, strongly influenced by the surrounding metal atoms and other electrons, act as heavy electrons, and as a result, cause the internuclear distance between the hydrogen atoms in the metal nanoparticles to contract, making it possible to increase the probability of the occurrence of tunnel nuclear fusion reactions, and thus making it possible to generate heat more stably than conventionally possible
http://www.google.com/patents/DE102013013140A1
Alain,
Just my speculation, not an assertion -
The superwave is a repetitive superposition of sine waves of different frequencies, having a
spectrum similar to a swept-frequency "chirp", but with (I believe) recurring periodic
"superoscillatory" regions, where the signal oscillates much faster than its fast component.
These would not occur in chirps, and very rarely in commonly occurring wideband noise.
If the waveform is truncated by passing thru a slit (or, in the case of a particle wave function
localized while superoscillating by a collision with a different already localized particle), it
acquires a momentum greater than any component (see [1].) No violation of momentum
conservation, nor the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, since both are satisfied by averaging.
For the superwave, random noise in the system could enhance or reduce the effect.
This could be rejected as a mathematical idealization, but it appears that
superoscillations do really generate energy foci, or "hot spots" - see [2].
[1] "Unusual Properties of Superoscillating Particles"
Section 'SELF-ACCELERATION THROUGH SINGLE SLIT' on p.2
http://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0305148v1.pdf
[2] "Abrupt Rabi oscillations in a superoscillating electric field"
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1409/1409.5644.pdf
Perhaps, also interesting -
[3] "Yield–Optimized Superoscillations"
http://arxiv.org/pdf/1209.6572v3.pdf
Courtesy of 22passi.blogspot.com
"Progress in Development of an LENR Power Cell for Space" (Paper 5134)
Presented at Proceedings of Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2015 (NETS-2015) (2015)
Just published -
JOURNAL OF CONDENSED MATTER NUCLEAR SCIENCE - VOLUME 15, March 2015
A recent paper co-authored by George Miley -
"Exploring new frontiers in the pulsed power laboratory: Recent progress"
Abstract:
One of the most fundamental processes in the Universe, nucleosynthesis of elements drives energy production in stars as well as the creation of all atoms heavier than hydrogen. To harness this process and open new ways for energy production, we must recreate some of the extreme conditions in which it occurs. We present results of experiments using a pulsed power facility to induce collective nuclear interactions producing stable nuclei of virtually every element in the periodic table. A high-power electron beam pulse striking a small metallic target is used to create the extreme dynamic environment. Material analysis studies detect an anomalously high presence of new chemical elements in the remnants of the exploded target supporting theoretical conjectures of the experiment. These results provide strong motivation to continue our research looking for additional proofs that heavy element nucleosynthesis is possible in pulsed power laboratory.
Longview,
That website doesn't seem to work the same anymore.
I tried a couple of malware detectors, but it is not labeled as malicious.
Try the following URL instead (see p.21-4) - http://www.peaceone.net/basic/Feynman/V3 Ch21.pdf
I have posted some calculations in the past.
I would like to do them again with some new data, but cannot until next week.
Longview,
In this messy, contentious issue, I would prefer to look at a simplified semi-classical version
- rather than a very abstruse QED/QFT analysis - hopefully, it does not mislead.
For example, it appears if an electron collides with a positively charged particle of
equal momentum in an intense current filament (which provides a huge "electromagnetic
vector potential",) both particles (but, especially the electron) borrow large momenta
,i.e., "effective mass," from this field. See, for example,
Feynman Lectures on Physics, vol.3 [21-3 "Two kinds of momentum," p.21-7]
http://bayanbox.ir/view/760537…III-Quantum-Mechanics.pdf
"What the electromagnetic vector potential describes"
http://exvacuo.free.fr/div/Sciences/Dossiers/EM/ScalarEM/J Konopinski - What the Electromagnetic Vector Potential Describes - ajp_46_499_78.pdf
"Thoughts on the magnetic vector potential"
http://abacus.bates.edu/~msemon/thoughts.pdf
This potential describes the coupling between the particles in currents.
It is essentially a momentum store.
I have calculated the momentum of such impacts in plasma current filaments attainable
in labs. Unless I miscalculated, electrons can attain momenta equivalent to free electrons
moving at speeds equivalent to MeV energies in fairly common electric discharges.
Longview,
Good post.
To gain momentum or effective mass, the electron wave-function does not have to move at
a linear relativistic speed. I believe, both highly localized (e.g., inner shell electrons in high
atomic weight atoms), or electrons (moving at non-relativistic speeds) in intense, coherent,
ballistic currents can be called "heavy". Maybe a better choice of words would have been
"high momentum", since, I think, it is plausible that such electrons (and other particles) can
deliver momentum/energy in collisions beyond their rest mass by borrowing field energy
- maybe like an atom at the tip of an arrow borrows energy from the arrow body.
Alain,
Yes. It does seem very far removed - assuming Rossi is correctly reporting his results.
But, just to speculate, if I properly understand Widom-Larsen, Ahern, etc..., if the effect is real(!), it may be due to either formation of intense, ballistic current filaments, and/or extremely intense energy foci (due to Fermi-Pasta-Ulam resonances) - always requiring collective/cooperative coupling of electrons, or other charged particles. From the papers, I cited, perhaps biological systems develop by finding extremely small optimal "sweet spots" in vast multi-dimensional parameter spaces.
But, again, if the LENR effect is real, I think empirical results trump theory, since any theory must rest on so many ad hoc assumptions.
A couple of interesting papers -
"Can an electromagnetic field exist in a form of Fermi-Pasta-Ulam recurrence?"
http://iopscience.iop.org/0022-3727/22/5/002
"Fermi, Pasta, Ulam and the Birth of Experimental Mathematics"
https://people.maths.ox.ac.uk/…m/papers/fpupop_final.pdf
Several recent findings may indicate that key biological processes surprisingly hinge on quantum effects:
"The Origin of Life And The Hidden Role of Quantum Criticality"
- Quantum criticality must have played a crucial role in the origin of life say researchers
who have found its hidden signature in a wide range of important biomolecules
https://medium.com/the-physics…-criticality-ca4707924552
"Have We Found Alien Life?"
- Microbes that eat and breathe electricity have forced scientists to reimagine how life
works—on this planet and others
- “All the textbooks say it shouldn’t be possible,” he says, “but by golly, those things
just keep growing on the electrode, and there’s no other source of energy there.”
http://www.popsci.com/have-we-found-alien-life
"Brian Ahern discusses nanomagnetism, superconductors and low energy nuclear reaction"
- Ahern speculates that appropriately sized chains of biomolecules conduct and localize
electrical energy with much higher than expected efficiency
http://nextbigfuture.com/2014/…cusses-nanomagnetism.html
Perhaps, these make the very counter-intuitive claims of bio-transmutations a bit more plausible.
This seems to be a topic of growing popularity.
Here is yet another paper possibly related to this anomalous propulsion -
"On the Anomalous Weight Losses of High Voltage Symmetrical Capacitors"
http://arxiv.org/abs/1502.06915
More recent information. Perhaps of interest -
"Can the Emdrive Be Explained by Quantised Inertia?"
http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/…plained-by-quantised.html
"DEF: The Physical Basis of Electromagnetic Propulsion"
http://arxiv.org/pdf/1502.06288v1.pdf
Here is another recent paper that may be related to EmDrive --
"Dimensional Analysis of Thrusting by Electromagnetic Inertia" -- http://arxiv.org/pdf/1502.01917v1.pdf
INTRODUCTION
The so called Biefeld-Brown effect is hypothetically a means to convert electrostatic energy into a propulsive force, even in a vacuum medium [...]
"Charged particle assisted nuclear reactions in solid state environment: renaissance of low energy nuclear physics"
ABSTRACT:
The features of electron assisted neutron exchange processes in crystalline solids are survayed. It is stated that, contrary to expectations, the cross section of these processes may reach an observable magnitude even in the very low energy case because of the extremely huge increment caused by the Coulomb factor of the electron assisted processes and by the effect of the crystal-lattice. The features of electron assisted heavy charged particle exchange processes, electron assisted nuclear capure processes and heavy charged particle assisted nuclear processes are also overviewed. Experimental observations, which may be related to our theoretical findings, are dealt with. The anomalous screening phenomenon is related to electron assisted neutron and proton exchange processes in crystalline solids. A possible explanation of observations by Fleischmann and Pons is presented. The possibility of the phenomenon of nuclear transmutation is qualitatively explained with the aid of usual and charged particle assisted reactions. The electron assisted neutron exchange processes in pure Ni and Li−Nicomposite systems (in the Rossi-type E-Cat) are analyzed and it is concluded that these reactions may be responsible for recent experimental observations.
Another late postscript -
The following paper -
"Unusual Properties of Superoscillating Particles" http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0305148
(see section "SELF-ACCELERATION THROUGH SINGLE SLIT" on p.2)
- explains how truncating a wave function by quantum measurement can (with some probability) increase energy while conserving average energy. I do not know whether this will be relevant to LENR.
