arXiv · nucl-th/0312035
Exponential enhancement of nuclear reactions in condensed matter environment
Abstract
A mechanism that uses the environment to enhance the probability of the nuclear reaction when a beam of accelerated nuclei collides with a target nucleus implanted in condensed matter is suggested. The effect considered is exponentially large for low collision energies. For t + p collision the mechanism becomes effective when the energy of the projectile tritium is below $\sim$ 1 Kev per nucleon. The gain in probability of the nuclear reaction is due to a redistribution of energy and momentum of the projectile in several ``preliminary'' elastic collisions with the target nucleus and the environmental nuclei in such a way that the final inelastic projectile-target collision takes place at a larger relative velocity, which is accompanied by a decrease of the center of mass energy. The gain of the relative velocity exponentially increases the penetration through the Coulomb barrier.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
M. Yu. Kuchiev, B. L. Altshuler, V. V. Flambaum. 2003-12-12. Exponential enhancement of nuclear reactions in condensed matter environment. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevc.70.047601
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.