Triggered Isomer Reactions (tir) a controllable nuclear power source Emanuel Perez, Drew Gaskell, Tom Billeter

Triggered Isomer Reactions (TIR) A controllable nuclear power source

• Emanuel Perez, Drew Gaskell, Tom Billeter

• Physics 4D ~ SRJC Spring 2004

Introduction

• A Gamma decay of an Excited Isomer

• Not a fission or fusion reaction, the process involves excitation energies

• Still obeys Einstein’s Equation, E=mc2

• Produces significantly less harmful radiation than fission or fusion reactions

• Possible to control reaction for potential power source

Recent Developments

• Radioisotope Decay accompanies many nuclear reactions, since the nuclei are left in an excited state.

• In 1998, at the University of Texas a team led by Dr. Carl Collins triggered significantly increased energy decay in a hafnium isomer sample using a dental x-ray machine (Collins et al, 1999).

• The x-rays excited the hafnium isomer, yielding a cascade of -rays and x-rays at varying energy levels, without the need for a nuclear fusion or fission reaction.

• Emitted x-rays can be reflected to sustain and control the reaction

Diagram

Current Research and Development

• Air Force is developing an UAV utilizing a Triggered Isomer Reactor and Heat Exchanges, coupled to a turbine engine.

• The Superheated air is injected directly into the turbine engines combustion section

• The heat exchanger absorbs the gamma rays and heats the air passing through it. At altitude, the turbine will switch from conventional operation, to NUCLEAR POWER.

TIR Mechanism

• Radioisotope decay is the process of gamma emissions from an excited nucleus.

• Similar in theory to a LASER, because they both involve stimulated emission from an excited state atom.

• Nucleus will lower its energy state by emitting -rays (gamma rays).

Hafnium-178m

• The Hafnium isomer used is in the metastable state (t1/2=31yrs).

• Bombarding with low energy x-rays (10-90 keV) excites the atom to an even higher energy that can decay to the ground state releasing a high energy gamma ray the text calls this an isometric transition. This is like throwing a snowball to bring down an avalanche.

• Because only certain transitions are allowed between electron subshells in an atom a quantized x-ray is required to elevate the e- and quantized gamma rays are released. For this reason the reactor is sometimes called a quantum nucleonic reactor.

Modern Applications of TIR

• Highly maneuverable fighter/attack aircraft

• Long range cargo and passenger planes

• Long endurance platforms

• Very long range cruise missiles

• Enhanced rocket propulsion

• Generators

• Turbine engines

The Opposition Including Lawrence Livermore Lab

• Do not believe the X-ray intensities are valid

• No increase was found in the decay of Hf-178

• Gamma Ray Laser application is plausible

• Rebuttal: “Failures that are unfamiliar with this field and did not know the correct x-ray energy levels to trigger Hf-178 nor did they use monochromatic X-rays”

FAQ

• Who discovered it?

• When did research begin?

• Has there been any development yet?

• Are there any applications in use today?

• Where is research being conducted?

• Who is paying for the funding?

Are there any more Questions?

Works Cited

• Thornton, Stephen T., and Andrew Rex. Modern Physics: for scientists and engineers. Fort Worth: Saunders College Publishing, 2000.

• Wilson, Jim. “Atomic Wings: A new mini-reactor revives the dream of a nuclear-powered aircraft.” Popular Mechanics May 2004: 98-103.

• “Triggered Isomer Reactions.” 13 pages. On-line. Internet. 4 May 2004.

• Available

• Silberberg, Martin S. Chemistry: The molecular nature of matter and change. 3rd Ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003.