DOE FUNDS LOW-ENERGY NUCLEAR REACTION LAB
By Hal Fox
DOE FUNDS LOW-ENERGY NUCLEAR REACTION LAB
We commend the DOE for awarding funds to the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) to establish a research facility for the further study of low-energy nuclear reactions. It has been one of the concepts of nuclear physics that only high-energy means can be used to produce nuclear reactions. This concept is well established in the field of plasma-based nuclear physics. Thousands of experiments, using high-energy particle accelerators, have provided thousands of printed reports detailing experimental results using various bombardment particles and various target materials. In addition, there are a great number of papers on the transmutation results of both natural and man-made elements produced by nuclear fission of uranium (and a few other elements). Because of the wide-spread knowledge of such experiments and the sparsity of information on nuclear reactions produced by low-energy means, it is quite natural that nuclear scientists would not readily accept dramatic new discoveries of low-energy nuclear reactions.
It is proper that the burden of demonstrating new science be placed upon those who are developing (or have discovered) new scientific principles. This process has taken some time. The first conference on low-energy nuclear reactions was organized by Professor John O'M. Bockris and held at Texas A&M campus. [The proceedings were published in volume 1, number 1 of the Journal of New Energy, January 1996 (Conference date was June 19, 1995).] The second conference on low-energy nuclear reactions was again organized by Professor Bockris and held September 13-14, 1996, in a College Station motel next to the Texas A&M campus. The proceedings were published as volume 1, number 3 of the Journal of New Energy. 23 papers were presented, 19 of which were published. Professor George H. Miley presented a paper by him and Dr. James A. Patterson, "Nuclear Transmutations in Thin-Film Nickel Coatings Undergoing Electrolysis."
A session for Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions was organized by Professor Miley for the annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society (Nashville, Tennessee, June 7-11, 1998). Professor Miley presented a paper (as did about 15 others) and chaired one of the sessions. Several of the papers presented have been published in the Journal of New Energy. [Note: All of the issues of the Journal of New Energy that have been published prior to June 1999 are now available on a CD\ROM as published by Fusion Information Center. Ed.]
The conclusions are the following: It is not an easy task to get new science accepted, especially if the new discoveries appear to be in conflict with current scientific understanding. However, the process is understood and involves experimental results, preparation of papers, peer-review and publication of papers. Of course, this process is aided by suitable briefings provided to selected professional persons who are in a position to understand and to help fund such new scientific findings.
It is appropriate that Professor George Miley be the principal investigator and the recipient of the first DOE grant for the further study of Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions. Professor Miley has used his position as editor of Fusion Technology to further the progress of low-energy nuclear reactions in such a professional manner that he has not built up any resentment. He has been professional, he has designed and performed good experiments, he has presented unemotional technical papers, has developed explanatory theories, and has prepared excellent technical proposals.
Now that it is acceptable to fund low-energy nuclear reactions, there will undoubtedly be an accelerated interest in this new science. Perhaps, there will be corporations that will be interested in funding new efforts in this new technology. We hope so. Professor George Miley, you are a real scientist. We applaud you!
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Aug. 25, 1999.