The Pionic Deuterium and the Pion Tetrahedron Vacuum Polarization

A double-well potential model is proposed for the pionic deuterium that enables to calculate the energy split, the potential barrier height and estimate the pion tetrahedron edge length. We propose that pion tetrahedrons, πTd = ud~dũ, play a central role in the Yukawa interaction by enabling quark exchange reactions between protons and neutrons by tunneling through a potential barrier. A vacuum polarization Feynman diagram is proposed for the πTd having chains of fermion loops for the two valence quarks and anti-quarks connected by gluons. With a higher order vacuum polarization diagram, the d and u quark loops are interleaved and the chiral symmetry is broken dynamically. The proposed πTd vacuum polarization integral does not diverge in both the IR and UV limits and vanishes in the limit of an infinite pion tetrahedron condensate. We propose a new Delbruck scattering Feynman diagram that includes d and u quark and anti-quark interleaved loops. We further propose that conversion of gravitons to photons may occur via quark and anti-quark loops that describe the pion tetrahedrons dynamics in the vacuum and may also transfer gravitational waves.

Proposal of a Deuterium-Deuterium Fusion Reactor Intended for a Large Power Plant

This article looks for the necessary conditions to use Deuterium-Deuterium (D-D) fusion for a large power plant. At the moment, for nearly all the projects (JET, ITER…) only the Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) fuel is considered for a power plant. However, as shown in this article, even if a D-D reactor would be necessarily much bigger than a D-T reactor due to the much weaker fusion reactivity of the D-D fusion compared to the D-T fusion, a D-D reactor size would remain under an acceptable size. Indeed, a D-D power plant would be necessarily large and powerful, i.e. the net electric power would be equal to a minimum of 1.2 GWe and preferably above 10 GWe. A D-D reactor would be less complex than a D-T reactor as it is not necessary to obtain Tritium from the reactor itself. It is proposed the same type of reactor yet proposed by the author in a previous article, i.e. a Stellarator “racetrack” magnetic loop. The working of this reactor is continuous. It is reminded that the Deuterium is relatively abundant on the sea water, and so it constitutes an almost inexhaustible source of energy. Thanks to secondary fusions (D-T and D-He3) which both occur at an appreciable level above 100 keV, plasma can stabilize around such high equilibrium energy (i.e. between 100 and 150 keV). The mechanical gain (Q) of such reactor increases with the internal pipe radius, up to 4.5 m. A radius of 4.5 m permits a mechanical gain (Q) of about 17 which thanks to a modern thermo-dynamical conversion would lead to convert about 21% of the thermal power issued from the D-D reactor in a net electric power of 20 GWe. The goal of the article is to create a physical model of the D-D reactor so as to estimate this one without the need of a simulator and finally to estimate the dimensions, power and yield of such D-D reactor for different net electrical powers. The difficulties of the modeling of such reactor are listed in this article and would certainly be applicable to a future D-He3 reactor, if any.

Deuterium Depletion May Delay the Progression of Prostate Cancer

Deuterium-depleted water (DDW) is a new promising agent in cancer therapy. The efficiency of the method is based on the discovery, that cancer cells are extremely sensitive to depletion of deuterium (D) and might cause necrosis of the tumour. The purpose of this study was to show the efficacy of D-depletion in prostate cancer (PC) patients. In the double blind, four-month-long, randomized Phase II clinical trial the daily water intake was replaced with DDW in 22 PC patients. Other 22 PC patients took normal water while both groups received the same forms of conventional treatment. In the retrospective study, 91 DDW-treated PC patients were evaluated and median survival time (MST) in the subgroups was calculated. The time course of changes in DDW dose and PSA is presented in two cases. In the prospective trial seven patients in the treated group and one patient in the placebo group achieved partial response (p = 0.046). In the treated group, the net decrease in the prostate volume was three times higher (160.3 cm3 vs. 54.0 cm3;p = 0.0019), urination complaints ceased at a higher rate (8 vs. 0 patients, p = 0.0041), and the one-year survival rate was also higher (2 vs. 9 deaths;p = 0.034). The 91 retrospectively evaluated patients achieved an MST of 11.02 years, despite the fact that 46 of them suffered from distant metastasis. In the two monitored patients, drop of PSA level correlated with the DDW intake. In summary, D-depletion prolonged MST in patients with PC. The method proved to be safe thus its integration in the PC cure as an adjuvant or complementary therapy would be considered.

Deuterium NMR Studies on the Orientational Order Generated in Strained Rubbers

The present paper deals with the induced orientational order of the probe molecules dissolved in the uniaxially strained rubbers measured by using deuterium NMR. The distinctive dependence of the quadrupolar splitting on the swelling, elongation and crosslinking density was observed. The orientational order arising from the correlation between chain segments decreases with the increase of the numbers of both links between junctions and solvent molecules around segments.

POSITRON LIFETIME STUDIES ON SYSTEMS OF PALLADIUM FILLED GALVANOSTATICALLY WITH HYDROGEN OR DEUTERIUM

The positron lifetime spectroscopy was used to investigate the electron structures of crystal lattice and its defects in palladium samples filled galvanostatically with hydrogen and deuterium, respectively. The results have indicated that the positron lifetime were all the same between hydrogen and deuterium filled samples in which the positron lifetime τ(?) increased about 10%, corresponding to the volume expansibility after the formation of hydrides PdH or PdD phases during electrolyzing commom water or heavy water with Pd cathode; and Will not change with time in 3 weeks after stopping electrolysis; but could be recovered to 116±1ps, the value in polycrystalline pure palladium, after annealing at high temperature.

Observation of deuterium molecule emission spectra under an active feedback control of H-mod plasma divertor detachment experiment on the EAST tokamak

Based on neon gas puffing, an active feedback control of H-mod plasma divertor detachment experiment was successfully operated on the EAST tokamak. During the feedback control discharge, the plasma was detached by puffing neon gas and the strike point splitting phenomenon on divertor target was also clearly observed by divertor probes diagnostic.In boundary region, many neutral particle processes(atom and molecule) were happened and accompanied by their emission spectra under the detachment discharge. By studying these emission spectra, it is helpful for us to understand the role of atoms and molecules in boundary recycling, which is important for studying the physical mechanism of divertor detachment. For the Fulcher-α system(d(3 p)3Πu±→ a(2 s)3Σg+), D2 emission spectra in the range from 601 nm to 606 nm were observed, identified and fitted in the detachment experiment for the first time on the EAST, and the spectra in the Q(0–0) band(d3Πu-→ a(2 s)3Σg+) in the Q branch of the Fulcher-α system were used for detailed analysis to acquire the boundary region temperature Te(below 5eV), which could not be provided very well by other diagnostics on the EAST. An electronic version deuterium molecular spectral line database was established to identify the spectral lines and a multi-peak fitting program was developed to fit and analyze the observed spectra.

MECHANISM OF DEUTERIUM CRACKING IN PALLADIUM

After 290 h electrochemical charging of deuterium,the density of dislocation in well-annealedPd was increased from 10~8/cm^2 to over 10~12/cm^2 and a large amount of bubble-like voidsor cracks was observed by optical and transmission electron microscopes.The mechanism ofdeuterium cracking is believed due to the formation of molecular De during the segregstionand combination of deuterium atoms around dislocations.XRD results showed that the latticeconstant of Pd increased from 0.3890 nm to 0.4034 nm.

Stable Oxygen and Deuterium Isotope Techniques to Identify Plant Water Sources

There is still very little information on the sources of water absorbed by oil palm plant. This information is very important for water management system in oil palm plantation. Thus, this study was carried out to determine current water sources absorbed by the oil palm roots using oxygen (δ18O) and deuterium isotopes (δD) techniques. Sketches of oxygen and deuterium isotope were total rainfall, throughfall, runoff, measurement at 5 soil depths (namely: 20 cm, 50 cm, 100 cm, 150 cm, and 200 cm), and oil palm stem. Results of this study showed huge variance in the values of oxygen and deuterium isotope. Based on Least Significant Difference (LSD) test, there was no significant value in the oxygen and deuterium isotope of stem water and others;however, a similar value was obtained at the depths of 0 - 20 cm and 20 - 50 cm with the stem water. This indicated that oil palm absorbed water from 0 - 50 cm depth. This result agreed with the oil palm rooting system, which has verified that the root quarter is the most active root of oil palm.

Deuterium oxide dilution can be used to determine the net energy content of feeds for dairy cattle and goats

This article explores a technique for measuring the energy (NEL) value of feeds without respiration calorimetry or slaughter. The objectives were to compare results obtained from goats with those from cows, and to describe factors which limited the precision of these NEL estimates. One lactating Alpine doe and one lactateing Holstein cow were assigned to each of six different sequences of three 56-d feeding treatments consisting of low, medium, and high doses of the basal diet, rice bran, or hominy feed. This resulted in 30 observations of the basal diet and 12 of each byproduct feed for each species and utilized a total of 18 cows and 18 does. The NEL values of the basal diet, rice bran, and hominy feed were calculated as the sum of milk energy, change in body energy, and estimated fasting heat production per kilogram of feed dry matter. Milk energy was determined by bomb calorimetry and body energy from live body weight and deuterium oxide space. The NEL (MJ/kg) determined in this manner were basal diet, 5.73 and 5.98;rice bran, 7.11 and 7.07;and hominy feed, 6.99 and 8.20 for cows and goats, respectively.

A fitting formula for electron–ion energy partition fraction of 3.54-MeV fusion alpha particles in hot dense deuterium–tritium plasmas

Based on our previous work(Phys.Plasmas 25 012704(2018)),a fitting formula is given for electron-ion energy partition fraction of 3.54-MeV fusion alpha particles in deuterium-tritium(DT) plasmas as a function of plasma mass density ρ,electron temperature T_(e),and ion temperature T_(i).The formula can be used in a huge range of the plasma state,where ρ varies between 1.0 g/cc~10.0^(3) g/cc and both T_(e) and T_(i) change from 0.1 keV to 100.0 keV.Relativistic effect for electrons is investigated including the effect of the projectile recoil in the plasmas at T_(e)≥ 50.0 keV.The partition fraction for T_(e)>T_(i) is found to be close to that for T_(e)=T_(i). The comparisons with other fitting results are made at some plasma densities when T_(e)=T_(i),and the difference is explained.The fitting result is very close to the calculated one in most cases,which is convenient for the simulation of alpha heating in hot dense DT plasmas for inertial confined fusion.

Neutrons in a nanosecond low-pressure discharge in deuterium

Stable neutron generation with a yield of ~1.2×10^(4) neutrons per pulse was obtained during d(d,n)^(3)He reaction initiated by the high-voltage nanosecond discharge in a gap with a potential tungsten cylinder(anode)and a grounded deuterated zirconium plate(cathode)filled with deuterium at a pressure of ~10^(2) Pa.Estimated duration of the neutron pulse was ~1.5 ns.Less intensive neutron emission was registered without deuterated plate.Splashing of material of the tungsten electrode was observed during the high-voltage nanosecond discharge in the deuterium,hydrogen,helium and argon at pressures of 10^(2)-10^(4) Pa.

Effect of Cr_(2)O_(3) nanosheet insertion on the deuterium permeation behavior of a Cr-Zr-O coating

In this study,a Cr_(2)O_(3) nanosheet(Cr_(2)O_(3) NS)inserted Cr-Zr-O coating was developed as a hydrogen isotope permeation barrier.The Cr_(2)O_(3) NSs,fabricated by rapid heat treatment,were amorphous with a thickness of only several nanometers.These Cr_(2)O_(3) NSs were then incorporated into a Cr-Zr-O multi-metal oxide composite coating via a dip-coating method to form a coating.The effect of the Cr_(2)O_(3) NS concentration on the morphology,microstructure and deuterium permeation resistance of the coating was studied.With the addition of 1.0 g 1^(-1)Cr_(2)O_(3) NSs,compared with the Cr-Zr-O coating without NSs,the permeation reduction factor of the resultant coating was enhanced from 249℃to 575℃ at 500℃.The coating,with a thickness of nearly 193 nm,achieved a comparable deuterium resistance that was above two orders of magnitude higher than the steel substrate.The results show that ceramic NSs can serve as effective fillers for enhancing the coating performance when functioning as a hydrogen isotope barrier.

Microstructure and Deuterium Retention of Tungsten Deposited by Hollow Cathode Discharge in Deuterium Plasma

Tungsten has been chosen as one of the most promising candidates as the plasma-facing material in future fusion reactors. Although tungsten has numerous advantages compared with other materials, issues including dust are rather difficult to deal with. Dust is produced in fusion devices by energetic plasma-surface interaction. The re-deposition of dust particles could cause the retention of fuel atoms. In this work, tungsten is deposited with deuterium plasma by hollow cathode discharge to simulate the dust production in a tokamak. The morphology of the deposited tungsten can be described as a film with spherical particles on it. Thermal desorption spectra of the deposited tungsten show extremely high desorption of the peak positions. It is also found that there is a maximum retention of deuterium in the deposited tungsten samples due to the dynamic equilibrium of the deposition and sputtering process on the substrates.

History and General Characteristics of the Adaptive Control System of the Deuterium Pre-concentration Stage in Heavy Water Production

The history of creation in 1971–1975 years at SDB MMS of the Institute of Cybernetics (Kyiv city) the control system for the deuterium pre-concentration stage in heavy water production at Dneprodzerzhinsk chemical plant (now Kamianske city, PJSC “DneprAzot”) is considered. It is given a technological block-diagram of the stage with its components and block-diagram of ACSTP which was developed in consequence of investigations of this complex managed object. A mathematical model of the distillation columns in the separating units of hydrogen isotopes which was used for synthesis of an algorithm of the adaptive stochastic optimal system with active accumulation of information about managed probabilistic processes is described. The results of the carried out tests of the system confirmed its efficiency.

Body Composition Estimatives by Anthropometry, Bioelectrical Impedance and Deuterium Oxide Dilution in Obese Adolescents

To evaluate the relationship between measures of body composition in obese adolescents by the methods of bioelectrical impedance analysis, deuterium oxide dilution and anthropometric measures, proposing an equation. The variables were weight, height, BMI, triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness, waist and arm muscle circumference, lean body mass, fat mass and total body water by bioelectrical impedance and deuterium oxide dilution methods. The study included 40 obese adolescents, 45% male, age distribution was 2.42 ± 1.19 years and females 55%, and the predominant age was 12.61 ± 1.78. Linear regression equations were developed, capable of predicting body composition from information supplied by the method of deuterium oxide dilution (gold standard), bioelectrical impedance and anthropometry. The variables gender, age, height, arm circumference, triceps and suprailiac skin fold thickness, resistance and reactance were used to estimate lean body mass, fat mass and total body water by the method of deuterium and significantly correlated with variables, resistance, reactance, sex and total body water (TBW) by bioimpedance method. Among the equations developed, five were suitable for this sample, therefore, it is suggested that more studies should be done to test the applicability of the equations in other samples so that we can validate the equations encountered in obese adolescents.

Synthesis of Tritium and Deuterium Labelled Agmatine

An efficient procedure for the synthesis of agmatine labelled with tritium and deuterium is reported. The final tritiated product 4 was obtained with a specific activity of 40 Ci/mmol and a radiochemical purity of 95%.

Evolution of isotopic composition and deuterium excess of brines in the Sichuan Basin, China

The isotopic composition and parameters for deuterium excess of brines, which were sampled in the Si-chuan Basin, show obvious regularities of distribution. The brine isotopic composition shows distinct two systems of marine and terrestrial deposits, with the Middle Triassic strata as the boundary. Brine hydrogen isotopic composition of marine deposits is lower while oxygen isotopic composition is higher than that of the SMOW, respectively, indicating that the brines were derived from seawater with different evaporating degrees at different times. From the Sinian strata, up to the Cambrian, Permian Maokou Formation and the Triassic Jialingjiang Formation, the δD values of brines tend to become relatively positive with the strata becoming younger. Brines of terrestrial deposits are considered to have been derived from precipitation and their isotopic composition is close to the globe meteoric water line (GMWL). Brines of transitional deposits between marine and terrestrial ones (the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation) have δD and δ18O values falling between the two end members of marine deposit brines and precipitation, indicating that the brines are a mixture of precipitation and vaporing seawater. Water samples from the brine-bearing strata of different ages show various deuterium excesses (d) with an evident decreasing trend as the age of strata gets older and older. Brine-bearing strata of the Triassic Leikoupo-Jialingjiang Formation, the Permian Maokou Formation, the Cambrian and Sinian strata are all carbonate rocks which have experienced intensive water/rock reaction and the deuterium excess essentially changes with time. All brine-bearing-strata surrounding the basin or faults, as well as those brine wells exploited for resources, have been obviously influenced by the precipitation supply. Therefore, the deuterium excesses of their brines have increased to different extents, depending on the amount of involvement of meteoric water. The variation and distribution of d values of the brines from different Triassic strata are related to the embedded depth of the strata. The deuterium excesses of brines become lower with increasing burial depth of the strata.

Surface diffusivity of atomic deuterium on Ni_3(Al, Ti)(110) surface with and without boron

The electron stimulated desorption was used to measure the surface diffusivity of atomic deuterium on clean and boron modified Ni 3(Al, Ti)(110) surfaces. Boron dosing was performed using a solid state boron ion source. Earlier studies showed that boron dissociates water readily at temperatures as low as 130?K and that the resulting atomic hydrogen is bound to the surface strongly. The surface diffusion coefficient of atomic D on 0.05 monolayer boron modified surface was measured to be about 10 times smaller than that on the clean surface. This slower diffusion of atomic hydrogen may explain why boron improves the ductility of polycrystalline Ni 3Al in moist environments.

Measurement of anomalous nuclear reaction in deuterium-loaded metal

This paper reports on an experiment for testing natural nuclear fusion at low temperature searching for evidence of the origin of 3He from natural nuclear fusion in deep Earth. The experiment was carried out using deuterium-loaded titanium foil samples and powder sample. Detection of charged particle was carried out using a low-level charged particle spectrometer. An Al foil was used as an energy absorber for identification of charged particle. Although the counting rate is very low in the experiment, the emission of energetic particle from the sample is observed and the particle is identified as a proton having energy about 2.8 MeV after exiting the titanium sample. This work provides a positive result for the emission of charged particle in the deuterium-loaded titanium foil samples at low temperature, but a negative result for the deuterium-loaded titanium powder sample. The average reaction yield is deduced to be (0.46±0.08) protons/h for the foil samples. With the suggestion that the proton originates from d-d reaction, we calculate the reaction rate for d-d reaction, and the obtained result is 1.4×10-24 fusion/d-d·sec. The negative result of the deuterium-loaded titanium powder sample suggests that the reaction yield might be correlated with the density or microscopic variables of deuterium-loaded titanium materials. The negative result also indicates that d-d reaction catalysed by μ-meson from cosmic ray can be excluded in the samples in this experiment.

Growth of deuterium clusters in a gas jet and ion energy spectrum of clusters in ultra-short laser field

Large deuterium clusters are generated using a cryogenic pulse valve with a cone nozzle (21 mm long, 4° open angle). Rayleigh scattering experiment is carried out to obtain the scaling relation between scattering signal SR and backing pressure P0. A method using the Coulomb explosion model is proposed to verify that the clusters continue to grow after their leaving the nozzle. Our experiments suggest a tentatively optimized position for laser cluster interaction.