From: crb7q@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Cameron Randale Bass)
Subject: Re: Sonoluminescence - certain knowledge?
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 16:44:14 GMT

In article <1993Jan7.073202.22731@coplex.com> chuck@coplex.com (Chuck Sites) writes:
>crb7q@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Cameron Randale Bass) writes:
>
>>In article <00966330.AB98DB60.10309@dancer.nscl.msu.edu> blue@nscl01.nscl.msu.edu writes:
>>>Could someone set my mind at ease by making a clear statement as to
>>>what is know about sonoluminescence, ultracavitation, and related
>>>topics as opposed to conjecture based on doubtful interpretations of
>>>a very limited data set?
>
>>     The dataset is not as limited as it sounds, and the recent results
>>     are a) consistent with earlier results, b) plausable on theoretical
>>     grounds, and c) apparently well done.
>
>>>My understanding of cavitation and bubble formation is that it can
>>>involve a very small move away from equilibrium conditions.  All that
>>>is required is that the local pressure in the liquid fall below the
>>>vapour pressure.  I would assume that the bubble fills with vapour
>>>on a time scale close to that required for collapse so I don't
>>>understand why there is any talk about collapse into a "void".
>
>>     Yes.  Void is used by fluid dynamicists to talk about a 
>>     space filled with vapour.  We shouldn't be talking about a vacuum.
>
>  Some food for thought.  What we seem to be discussing is how the 
>energy of cavitation can lead to fusion.  IMHO, it's an excellent 
>question, so let me give you my simple thought model of how it works.
>Get a balloon, and put some dots on it.  The dots represent molecules
>of the liquid at the void/liquid interface.  As you blow the balloon
>up (representing the expansion of the void), add more dots to maintain
>an equal spacing of dots.  As you draw lines between the dots (representing 
>bonding) you can see this should collect a large number of electrons at the
>surface interface (many weakly bonded).  The vapor molecules are self-
>contained.  The collapse of the balloon, must then either push the additional
>dots back to it source, or be pushed into the void area.  Either way a
>significant number of bonds are broken at the surface, and that suggests
>the emission of quanta. 

     Actually, it suggests that the molecules move around and 
     the pressure changes.   Equal spacing is not maintained 
     in most fluids.

>    Still the the release of electrons during the void collapse should 
>concentrate at the center of the void.  If we assume the void is a fusible
>vapor, two actions occur. Kinetic energy is transferred from the 
>collapsing surface to the center by EM forces of the lattice, and 
>free electron densities increase at the center.  It follows from 
>the work of S. Koonin, that these combinations are optimal enhanced
>fusion rates.

     There are good electromagnetic reasons to suggest that any
     ionization does *not* concentrate electrons in the center of
     an ordinary vapor bubble.   To which work of Koonin's are you referring?

                             dale bass
-- 
C. R. Bass                                          crb7q@virginia.edu        
Department of Wildebeest
Transvaal                                           (804) 924-7926
Newsgroups: sci.physics.fusion