Eric, It's good to hear Ron Maimon is trying to develop this theory.
But, the math is truly confusing, bewildering and intimidating - even to formulate the problem, let alone solve it. When composite particles are involved, calculating tunneling probability is almost intractable - even in free space, much less in condensed matter. A recent paper on composite particle tunneling - "Tunneling of a molecule with many bound states in three dimensions" http://iopscience.iop.org/0953-4075/46/4/045201 (free - with registration) - (and, the many references it cites) shows how tricky this is. There are some related papers on arxiv.org too. In the case of LENR, I think the empirical trumps the theoretical. -- Lou Pagnucco Eric Walker wrote: > On Fri, Feb 8, 2013 at 11:08 AM, <pagnu...@htdconnect.com> wrote: > > While it discusses the extreme focusing of ~1 MeV proton wave-functions, >> perhaps particles/ions in micro-/nano-channels in zeolites, >> nano-crevices, nanostructures, ..., experience more wave-function >> focusing than expected - possibly increasing tunneling probability >> by dramatically increasing overlap of channel particle wave-functions. >> > > Ron Maimon was getting at a similar idea by having two deuterons meet near > a palladium spectator nucleus, at the classical turning point where the > strength of the positive charge of the palladium nucleus would push the > positively charged deuterons back out again. With 20 keV of initial > kinetic energy, the deuterons would penetrate the electron shells as far > as > the K shell before turning around again. At the turning point their de > Broglie waves would be "enhanced,", or, presumably, focused, and as a > result overlap and tunneling would be more likely. > > Several significant difficulties with this approach were raised which have > not yet been brought to Ron's attention. Presumably he would set us > straight on what I misunderstood of what he was saying. > > Eric >
