European Journal of Applied Physics

Towards Reconciliation and Collaboration: Bridging Low Energy Nuclear Reactions and Mainstream Nuclear Physics

2025-04-04T14:54:57+02:00

Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR), often associated with the controversial history of “cold fusion,” have persisted as a topic of scientific interest for over three decades, despite limited acceptance in mainstream nuclear physics. While the LENR community has documented anomalous thermal effects and transmutation phenomena in metal-hydrogen systems, these results remain underexplored by conventional nuclear theory and experimental frameworks. This paper proposes a constructive path forward: a call for interdisciplinary collaboration between LENR researchers and mainstream nuclear physicists. We examine how such cooperation could enhance the reproducibility, theoretical interpretation, and credibility of LENR investigations, while simultaneously offering nuclear physics a unique opportunity to revisit unexplained low-energy phenomena. Through a synthesis of both communities’ strengths, we argue that a collaborative scientific effort can lead to new insights, potential breakthroughs, and the resolution of long-standing anomalies. The reality of nuclear reactions in the original Fleischmann-Pons electrolytic cell can be newly interpreted if we will analyze the joint contributions of all active nuclei contained in that cell: in the PYREX glass, the used solution D2O with 0.1 mol/l LiOD, Pd/D cathode, Pt anode, brass resistance heater, thermistor temperature probe, and the Kel F support plug. The simultaneous action of those nuclei can create excess heat that cannot be explained by chemical reactions. These “hidden” nuclear reactions effectively protected an acceptable interpretation based on the standard nuclear physics.

The Rutherford-Harkins-Landau-Chadwick Key–VI. A Proposal for the Reproducible and Irrefutable Cold Fusion Reaction

2025-03-09T10:35:28+01:00

The Fleischmann-Pons experiments have remained a contentious field since their inception in 1989, hampered by inconsistent reproducibility and a lack of theoretical consensus. This article presents two innovations in order to improve the reproducibility and irrefutability of these reactions. The first improvement consists in the controlled application of beta emitters in order to decrease the long induction period of cold fusion reactions and the following use of beta particle absorbers to regulate the electron replicability factor to avoid the runaway of these nuclear reactions. This idea comes from the suggestion of Edward Teller and his electron catalysis that creates in the system Pd/D unknown neutral particles (i.e. dineutrons, trineutrons and tetraneutrons). The second improvement consists in the application of elements with high neutron capture cross sections. This idea was already experimentally realized by Miles and Imam who studied the system Pd/D/Boron where the reproducibility was increased to about 90% and higher excess heat was observed. There are known some other elements with higher neutron capture cross sections that could improve the reproducibility and irrefutability of these reactions. E.g., gadolinium in the system Pd/D/Gd might significantly modify the result of these reactions. Many parallel nuclear reactions proceed in this system, and therefore, the total electron replicability factor has to be controlled during all these processes.

Modeling Gravitational Lensing: Analyzing Light Deflection Through a Curved Atmospheric Layer

2025-02-25T20:38:58+01:00

This article explores light deflection and magnification due to variations in the refractive index, linking laboratory experiments to astrophysical lensing effects. A novel experiment with a curved smoke layer demonstrates how a spatially varying refractive index can bend and subtly magnify a Poisson spot, providing an analogy to astrophysical lensing. This principle extends to refractive index gradients in the solar chromosphere, which differentially bends starlight, causing observable distortions in celestial object’s apparent size and shape. The effects of linear and exponential refractive index profiles on light propagation are analyzed, incorporating effective refractive indices that account for quantum electrodynamic (QED) vacuum effects and frequency-dependent spatial distortions. Unlike gravitational lensing, which results from spacetime curvature, these optical distortions arise purely from refraction within media with refractive index gradients. The findings offer new insights into light propagation and image formation in complex refractive environments, with implications for advanced optical systems and astrophysical observations.

The Rutherford-Harkins-Landau-Chadwick Key. V. Transmutations and Isotopic Shifts in the Fleischmann-Pons Experiment

2025-02-14T12:34:48+01:00

The Fleischmann-Pons experiment, despite its controversial reception, remains a pivotal point of inquiry in the field of low-energy nuclear reactions (LENR). Inspired by Julian Schwinger´s assertion that “the circumstances of cold fusion are not those of hot fusion” and Edward Teller´s acknowledgement of cold fusion as “a very unclear and low probability road into a thoroughly new area,” this paper presents a novel model that seeks to reinterpret the complex dynamics underlying the Fleischmann-Pons observations. This study explores Edward Teller´s electron catalysis in order to penetrate through the Coulomb barrier as the neutral projectiles: dineutron and tetraneutron. The model also addresses the observed variability in excess heat production and isotopic shifts in palladium. This paper aims to open a new interpretative pathway for understanding the Fleischmann-Pons experiment. The findings not only contribute to the ongoing discourse in LENR but also suggest potential experimental setups for validating the model, ultimately advancing the quest for sustainable, clean energy solutions.

The Rutherford-Harkins-Landau-Chadwick Key IV. Novel Reaction Channels for the d-d Fusion in the Pd/D System

2025-02-03T08:42:22+01:00

The Fleischmann-Pons experiment, despite its controversial history and challenges to reproducibility, remains a pivotal moment in the exploration of new branches for the d-d fusion where two deuterons form new nuclei at low temperatures. This paper revisits the foundational objections to these reactions at low temperature, as articulated by John Huizenga, namely the Coulomb barrier, abnormal branching ratios, and the absence of expected radiation. Drawing inspiration from historical literature (Rutherford-Harkins-Landau-Chadwick Key, Sakharov´s muon catalysis, Teller´s electron catalysis) and recent advances in nuclear physics (dineutron, trineutron and tetraneutron properties), this work proposes new channels that addresses these objections while adhering to rigorous scientific standards. This hypothesis builds upon the interplay between deuterons and electrons, suggesting an elegant mechanism that could bridge the gap between the current theory and experimental anomalies. Nature prepared for us a safe route for the extraction of nuclear energy while suppressed the dangerous channels with neutrons, tritium, and gamma rays. This approach aims to revitalize the discourse on the d-d fusion at low temperatures, honoring the perseverance of researchers in the field and inviting further investigation into one of the most tantalizing frontiers in energy science.