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Features: March 18, 2002
"Bubble Fusion" Research Attracts
Worldwide Attention
Richard Lahey, the Edward E.
Hood Professor of Engineering at Rensselaer, was the subject
of continuous interviews by reporters from around the world
following the
report of his peer-reviewed research on "bubble fusion."
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Articles on "bubble fusion"
from Science magazine
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The possibility of this new
technique for creating nuclear fusion was reported in the
March 8 issue of Science magazine (pdf).
The research generated widespread media
attention. The March
18 issue of BusinessWeek states, "It's no
surprise that many are skeptical about the latest report
of tabletop fusion…. But if the research holds up and
can eventually be commercialized, the technology would end
the world's dependence on oil and eliminate the production
of radioactive byproducts at today's nuclear power plants…."
Lahey and researchers at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL) reported the observation of phenomena
that point to the possibility of fusion using a novel technique
for plasma confinement. The research team reported that
ultrasonic waves were used to implode small cavitation bubbles
of deuterated-acetone vapor. The team further reported that,
during bubble implosion, evidence pointing to nuclear emissions
and sonoluminescence light flashes was observed, as well
as evidence of tritium which could suggest the fusion of
deuterium atoms in the highly compressed bubbles.
Attempts to confirm these results by looking
for the telltale neutron signature of the deuterium fusion
reaction have yielded mixed results. Additional experiments
are needed to verify neutron emission.
National and international news outlets
immediately picked up the story, including the New York
Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post,
the Associated Press, USA Today, Newsday,
Science News, Christian Science Monitor, Financial
Times (London), Montreal Gazette, and Times
of India.
Robert Block, professor emeritus of nuclear
engineering at Rensselaer, was also part of the team.
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