Considerations for. mu. CF experiments with metastably spin-polarized D and T

Conference · Tue Dec 27 04:00:00 EST 1988 · AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6526956

Honig, A; Alexander, N; Yucel, S

Highly spin-polarized D and T can be expected to modify muon catalyzed fusion (..mu..CF) processes in important ways. Under appropriate conditions, the polarized reservoir induces repolarization of the muon during each fusion cycle, resulting in repeated selective hyperfine state occupation. The dependence of mesomolecular capture rates, cascading rates and fusion rates on spin (hyperfine state) can lead to different branchings in the evolutionary kinetics and possibly to modified fusion outcomes. In order to carry out most experiments on spin-dependence or to utilize polarized fuels, it is necessary for the polarized material to be removed from its production environment and retain its high polarization for a time period matched to the duration of the experiment. We describe here production of removable and transportable metastable highly spin-polarized D in HD and o-D/sub 2/, with polarization lifetime in the solid and liquid phase sufficient for application of ..mu..CF experiments. For spin-polarized DT, HT, and ortho-T/sub 2/, the polarization procedure, size of sample and duration of polariation are all less favorable than for D, and they have not as yet been developed to the extent of HD and D/sub 2/. Nevertheless, several usage modes for DT, HT+HD, and D/sub 2/+ortho-T/sub 2/ appear feasible for ..mu..CF, including both external usage variants and in situ experiments with the sample remaining within the dilution refrigerator. The latter relaxes the metastability requirement on the polarized tritons, but restricts the sample triton content to less than 1 Ci because of heat load from the triton beta decay.

• Research Organization: Physics Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
• OSTI ID: 6526956
• Report Number(s): CONF-8805170-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 181:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700103* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Kinetics
700205 -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Fuel
Heating
& Injection Systems
CAPTURE
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
DEUTERIUM TARGET
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY SOURCES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FERMIONS
FUELS
FUSION YIELD
HELIUM DILUTION REFRIGERATORS
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
LEPTON REACTIONS
LEPTONS
MATERIALS
MESIC MOLECULES
MOLECULES
MUON REACTIONS
MUON-CATALYZED FUSION
MUONIC MOLECULES
MUONS
MUONS MINUS
NUCLEAR CASCADES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR REACTION YIELD
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
POLARIZED TARGETS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REFRIGERATORS
SYNTHESIS
TARGETS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
TRITIUM TARGET
YIELDS