Photographic Evidence for 
Micro Nuclear Explosions (Sonofusion) 
in Thin Palladium Foils Induced 
by Intense Ultrasonic Cavitation

In experiments conducted by the author we regularly observe destruction of palladium metal foils when exposed to intense transient cavitation as a result of ultrasonic stimulation. Upon examination the metal foils are found to have large apparently melted holes. Using scanning electron microscopy with the assistance of Professor John Dash, Portland State University and electron microscopists at Charles Evans and Associates we have examined these samples and found extraordinary features which are not characteristic of any reported form of cavitation damage. The features have the appearance of "volcano like" ejecta fans and vents. We propose micro nuclear explosions some microns deep in the foil have resulted in explosive cavities many microns in diameter filled with superheated metal. Where these super hot regions have been near enough to the surface of the foil they have erupted through the surface spewing molten and gaseous metal. Additional evidence of the micro nuclear reactions is found in large amounts of helium which is observed in the palladium metal following the experiments (described in a separate paper.). The following photos and scanning electron micrographs illustrate features at successively higher magnification. 

Photos and SEM Micrographs of Micro Nuclear 

Melting Effects on Palladium Foil 

 
Pd target foil 5cm x 5cm x 0.1mm

Circular punches were taken as reference 
samples before and after the experiment and 
subjected to TEMS and density analysis

This characteristic destruction of the foil and melting is composed not of one but of countless thermal ejecta events. Over a time frame of minutes to hours, depending on controlled experimental parameters the foil is destroyed and the reactions halt. Various metals reveal different characteristic damage.

Under scanning electron microscopy the small volcano like craters which remain following an eruption of molten or gaseous metal are readily found. The ejecta event starts as the micro-nuclear event(s) produces an explosive cavity within the lattice. The heat from the event producing the cavity must occur very rapidly as the metal lattice can rapidly transfers heat to surrounding lattice atoms and into the circulating water in which the reaction takes place. The hot atoms nearest the explosion will either transport its heat to the surrounding lattice until the lattice atoms re-solidify or the hot metal will break the surface of the lattice and spring out as gaseous or molten ejecta. These events are captured in the following SEM photos. Such ejecta are readily identified by their cone and fan shaped craters radiating out from a cylindrical vent. The similarity with volcanic events on geological landscapes is remarkable. 

Some ejecta craters or fans are often littered with tiny ~1 micron fused spheres of metal which have the appearance of sputtered metal. For a sense of scale the bubbles which produce the driving force for the reactions are smaller than these 1micron spheres. The metal spheres can be observed to have good contact with the metal as little electron charging is observed. Other ejecta craters or fans are glassy smooth, an indication that the metal was ejected at a very high temperature, either a gas or plasma. 

Magnification 50X showing region near 
central melted hole. 

Magnification 100X showing highly altered surface

Sem image at 420x showing volcanic like ejecta event
where hot gaseous metal has been ejected from
deep within the lattice.

Wide shot of another volcano like feature
close up follows

SEM at 3200x of a site where molten metal has
been ejected. Metal has solidified on the bottom
of the ejecta crater as 1 micron " sputtered" beads.
The cavitation bubbles which collapse on the metal
are much smaller than these metal spheres.

A thorough search of the literature and discussion with experts in cavitation revealed no previous reports of similar damage to metals from common forms of cavitation (erosional) damage. Consultation with experts in nuclear materials nuclear fuels has resulted in a report of previously observed very similar metal damage. This precise kind of damage to metals is consistent with damage seen in materials such as Californium which undergo spontaneous nuclear fission. Indeed such volcano like eruptions have been characterized as resulting from large numbers of spontaneous fissions resulting in "spike damage." 

One can calculate the energy involved in such ejecta events. Using the SEM images an accurate measurement of the ejecta vent and crater dimensions are readily estimated. In a simplified treatment we assume the volcano like ejecta craters are simple circular cylinders. Using the measured dimensions we calculate the molar volume of Pd in the cylinder. From there it is a simple calculation using heat of fusion and vaporization for Pd to calculate the energy required for the observed lattice effects. In these calculations we ignore heat losses which certainly occur.

In cases where the lattice is melted and ejected as molten metal ignoring heat loss due conduction and other means we estimate a number of hypothetical nuclear reactions at ~24mev per event occurring simultaneously to produce a large ejecta event. 

Table of Energy/Reactions for an event
producing melting

Events of approximately 10 microns in diameter and 10 microns deep as pictured in the preceding SEM images have required about 400,000 events if one assumes, just for the sake of a yardstick, a D+D- 4He reaction releasing 24 MeV of energy. The D+D -4He reaction is not being identified here as a proposed reaction but is one of many candidate reactions possible. Naturally, the absence of a 24Mev gamma suggests this precise reaction as known to hot fusion and beam science is not likely.

For those cases where the metal leaves the "volcano" in a gaseous state the event energy is much higher as shown in the following chart. 

Table of energy/reactions for an event 
producing vaporous ejecta

Further studies with palladium and a variety of other metals are underway to characterize the reactions and reaction energy available. There is a large difference between materials with some producing more vigorous destruction that with palladium and others almost none at all.

Correspondence with the author is encouraged

E-Mail to the author rgeorge@d2fusion.com 
Russ George
3309 Alma St.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
 

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