Re: cold fusion

[Leigh Palmer <palmer@SFU.CA>]

> The muonic form of hydrogen could
> in principle make room-temperature kT fusion cross a threshold from
> "truly vanishing" to "barely measureable." Jones experimental work
> was geared toward how to make such a delicate measurement, and he is
> generally considered to have shown it not only possible but also to
> occur at the exceedingly low rate that was predicted by quantum
> mechanics.

Let's put that into correct perspective! With the experimental
conditions Jones set up he got many fusions for each muon; that is
why it is called muon *catalyzed* fusion. The problem was not a
small cross-section for the reaction; the problem was a short half
life for the muon, two microseconds, during which not enough
reactions could be catalyzed to reach practical break even.

Leigh