Theoretical interpretation of anomalous tritium and neutron productions during Pd/D co-deposition experiments

The recent experimental observations of triple tracks in solid-state nuclear track detectors, CR-39, during Pd/D co-deposition experiments indicate that the triple tracks are due to ∼ 14 MeV neutrons, which appear to originate from 'hot' fusion reaction D(t,n)4He. Nuclear theory interpretation of the origin of ∼ 14 MeV neutrons is presented in terms of a sub-threshold resonance reaction involving (T + p) resonance state of 4He* (Jπ = 0+) at 20.21 MeV, which produces 1.01 MeV T. An upper limit of the branching ratio, R(n)/R(T), between neutron production rate and tritium production rate is calculated to be R(n)/R(T) < 10-4. Experimental tests of the proposed theoretical interpretation are proposed. (author)