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Possible generation of heat from nuclear fusion in Earth's inner core.

ABSTRACT: The cause and source of the heat released from Earth's interior have not yet been determined. Some research groups have proposed that the heat is supplied by radioactive decay or by a nuclear georeactor. Here we postulate that the generation of heat is the result of three-body nuclear fusion of deuterons confined in hexagonal FeDx core-centre crystals; the reaction rate is enhanced by the combined attraction effects of high-pressure (~364?GPa) and high-temperature (~5700?K) and by the physical catalysis of neutral pions: ²D?+?²D?+?²D???2¹H?+?⁴He?+?2??+?20.85?MeV. The possible heat generation rate can be calculated as 8.12?×?10¹²?J/m³, based on the assumption that Earth's primitive heat supply has already been exhausted. The H and He atoms produced and the anti-neutrino are incorporated as Fe-H based alloys in the H-rich portion of inner core, are released from Earth's interior to the universe, and pass through Earth, respectively.

SUBMITTER: Fukuhara M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5120317 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Possible generation of heat from nuclear fusion in Earth's inner core.

Fukuhara Mikio M

Scientific reports 20161123

The cause and source of the heat released from Earth's interior have not yet been determined. Some research groups have proposed that the heat is supplied by radioactive decay or by a nuclear georeactor. Here we postulate that the generation of heat is the result of three-body nuclear fusion of deuterons confined in hexagonal FeDx core-centre crystals; the reaction rate is enhanced by the combined attraction effects of high-pressure (~364 GPa) and high-temperature (~5700 K) and by the physical c ...[more]

PMID: 27876860

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