Remarks on cold fusion (Paper No. C2)

In connection with the cold fusion phenomena observed in Pd-D system, it is pointed out that short-lived large energy fluctuations of a small number of particles which also occur in solids has relevance and may also explain the cold fusion phenomena. Probability of such large energy fluctuations increases near certain transitions under the presence of gradients (of pressure, temperature etc.). In all successful cold fusion experiments reported so far, such favourable conditions for fluctuations exist and these fluctuations can impart energies which are 100 to 1000 times kT to individual deuterium atoms in PdDsub(x) system, particularly when D/Pd ratio > 0.6 and then deuterium behaves like a lattice liquid with fast diffusion. In this condition deuteron which can get energies ∼ 50 eV can approach another deuterium atom to within ∼ .22 A0 and start a cold fusion reaction whose products will give rise to more nuclear reactions. (M.G.B.)