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From: apn@gilbbs.UUCP (Alex Novickis)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.sci
Subject: Re: Plutonium
Message-ID: <208@gilbbs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 27-Apr-86 18:16:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: gilbbs.208
Posted: Sun Apr 27 18:16:29 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 2-May-86 06:47:21 EDT
References: <358@drutx.UUCP> <1063@whuxl.UUCP> <2384@jhunix.UUCP> <708@whuts.UUCP> <13439@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: Gil's Place, Santa Rosa CA
Lines: 39
Xref: watmath net.politics:15375 net.sci:767
Summary: ignition

In article <13439@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, desj@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (David desJardins) writes:
> In article <796@ccird2.UUCP> rb@ccird2.UUCP (Rex Ballard) writes:
> >>thousand pounds of plutonium.
> >
> >There are lots of other things to worry about....  Things like possible
> >ignition of water vapor in the atmosphere....
> 
>    Water vapor is the *product* of combustion.  How could it be "ignited"??
> 
>    -- David desJardins


	I  believe here we are talking about the fusion meaning of ignition.
    Consider water vaper("") in a highly dissociated state, and furthermore
    examine only one of many possible reactions:


      1     4      0
    4( H) >  He +2( e)  + 24.7 MeV
      1     2      1  


    It is already known that this can be thermodynamically triggered, If 
  this reaction is self sustaining, ( i.e. large cross-section) then
  we could be in lots of trouble.  It should give Sol some competition, at
  least in this planetery system.


-- 
==============================================

    Alex Paul Novickis		(707) 575 8672
    Fulcrum Computers, Inc.	1635 Ditty Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95401-2636

    {ihnp4, dual}!ptsfa!gilbbs!apn

"Almost doesn't count...      but it almost does"

DISCLAIMER:  The opinions contained herein may not be of anyone that I know.