Observation of Neutron Bursts Produced by Laboratory High-Voltage Atmospheric Discharge

Abstract

For the first time the emission of neutron bursts in the process of high-voltage discharge in air was observed. Experiments were carried out at an average electric field strength of ∼1 MV·m(-1) and discharge current of ∼10 kA. Two independent methods (CR-39 track detectors and plastic scintillation detectors) registered neutrons within the range from thermal energies up to energies above 10 MeV and with an average flux density of ≳10(6) cm(-2) per shot inside the discharge zone. Neutron generation occurs at the initial phase of the discharge and correlates with x-ray generation. The data obtained allow us to assume that during the discharge fast neutrons are mainly produced.

Search for neutron flux generation in a plasma discharge electrolytic cell

“…Some impressive hints on neutron production in high-voltage atmospheric discharges are reported in a recent paper [1]. From the theoretical point of view, there is an open debate on whether inverse-β nuclear transmutations could justify such observations [2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

“…[1] in plasma discharges of an electrolytic cell that are claimed in the experiment [8] and in patents [9] to produce neutrons. With respect to the existing claims, we perform here a rigorous scrutiny of the detectors and the possible backgrounds to the measurement using a similar experimental setup.…”

Observation of hard radiations in a laboratory atmospheric high-voltage discharge

“…The main characteristics of generated discharge and procedure of electrophysical diagnostics were the same as in the measurements described in [10]. High voltage pulses with a ∼1 MV amplitude were applied to a discharge air gap of the 450-750 mm width (the latter was changed in various runs).…”

“…In a previous paper [10] we noted that the momentum of the neutron radiation, the detected scintillation detector placed behind a lead shield, is correlated with the occurrence of x-ray pulse and is located within it. That is, the neutron pulse was observed in the initial "dark" phase of the discharge until closure of cathode and anode streamers.…”

“…Recently we reported our first measurements of neutron emission originated by atmospheric lightning like discharge in a laboratory installation [10]. Experiments were carried out inside an electric field with the average strength of the order of ∼1 MV·m −1 and with neutron detectors of two independent kinds: the CR-39 type tracers and the plastic scintillators.…”