Local Inventor Laments Loss of Backyard Fusion Reactor

[DeltaV]

I had just started another test run. I moved the fuel injection lever forward and turned to look at my real-time data plots. Just then, I realized I'd forgotten to close the cooling system valves. Liquid nitrogen was spilling out of the superconducting coil housings and the direct convertors, but by then it was too late.

[DeltaV]

Just kidding. The awesome Iceland volcano pictures are at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36645958/di ... ginSlide=1

[Betruger]

Very nice. APOD also has a shot of the eruption at high resolution.

[DeltaV]

That's a superb photo. Watch out for fusion neutrons --
Neutrons Born In Lightning .

[Skipjack]

Whoa, these pictures are awesome and interesting too!
Thanks for sharing!

[Aero]

That's a superb photo. Watch out for fusion neutrons --
Neutrons Born In Lightning .

Interesting article. However, the author makes one conclusion that does not seem consistent.

These neutrons already possess enormous energy – 2.45 MeV. However, in the atmosphere of our planet they are capable of living at most for 0.2 seconds, during which they will inevitably meet with nitrogen atoms and be absorbed by them. This time period is sufficient for neutrons to fly a distance of one or two kilometers.

The calculation has been also confirmed by experimental data. The DYAIZA facility developed at the Institute and installed in Moscow at the Vorobyevy Hills repeatedly recorded neutron emission peaks during thunderstorms, their magnitude exceeding that of the background by hundreds of times.

Several important conclusions can be drawn from the above effort. Firstly, this helps to solve a long-standing puzzle: why cosmonauts on board the MIR space station observed high neutron background in the area of the equator. Keeping in mind that thunderstorms permanently burst out in this region, it is easy to guess where high neutron background comes from. Secondly, the same mechanism should also work in the atmospheres of Venus and Jupiter where thunderstorms are also frequent and sporadic neutron streams should arise there. That means that investigation of these planets’ neutron emission should take into account this particular fact not to confuse by accident “thundery” neutrons with some other neutrons.

Emphasis is mine: With a range on only 1 to 2 km, most neutrons would be absorbed in the atmosphere before being detected from space. Interestingly, the reader is led to conclude, but the author never says that the equatorial neutron counts result from lightning. A question - does water vapor reach high altitudes in the atmosphere, above, say, 20 miles?

[Giorgio]

A question - does water vapor reach high altitudes in the atmosphere, above, say, 20 miles?

Let's see, that's about 30.000 Mt.
Yes, you still have relative humidity at that altitude.

[Aero]

A question - does water vapor reach high altitudes in the atmosphere, above, say, 20 miles?

Let's see, that's about 30.000 Mt.
Yes, you still have relative humidity at that altitude.

Well, I've read somewhere that lightning from thunderstorms can go "all the way" up, so if water vapor exists in the high atmosphere, then I suppose it is plausible that water/lightning created neutrons could avoid adsorption by atmosphere and then be detected in space .

[krenshala]

Also, the article states "in that time" the neutrons can go 1 to 2 km. He doesn't ever specify whether or not that is the limit of how far they can go. Assuming only some of them are getting stopped, even low altitude lightning strikes could be generating neutrons detectable from (low earth) orbit.

[Aero]

Also, the article states "in that time" the neutrons can go 1 to 2 km. He doesn't ever specify whether or not that is the limit of how far they can go. Assuming only some of them are getting stopped, even low altitude lightning strikes could be generating neutrons detectable from (low earth) orbit.

However, in the atmosphere of our planet they are capable of living at most for 0.2 seconds, during which they will inevitably meet with nitrogen atoms and be absorbed by them. This time period is sufficient for neutrons to fly a distance of one or two kilometers.

I understood that to mean 0.2 seconds is the lifetime limit resulting from absorption by the atmosphere, hence one or two km is the distance limit. ???

[krenshala]

Ah, you're right. I guess I misread it the first time.

[KitemanSA]

5 to 10 km/sec?? That sounds like a REAL slow neutron. At these speeds, they would be ice cold if they ever made it to space. Are we sure he didn't mean .2 msec? If not, something seems a bit hinky.

[Aero]

That's a superb photo. Watch out for fusion neutrons --
Neutrons Born In Lightning .

There is the link to the article. See if you can figure out what he meant, relative to what was written. You're right, the numbers do not seem to be self-consistent with what I suspect about physics.

[DeltaV]

Electron beams and gamma rays too.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news ... ators-lhc/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news ... -rays.html

[IntLibber]

That was no volcano, baby, that was a secret underground lair!