Purdue scientist defends his fusion work
March 9, 2006A Purdue University scientist says he will cooperate with a university review of his work in which he claims to have achieved fusion. (see "Purdue investigates professor's tabletop nuclear fusion research")
Professor of Nuclear Engineering Rusi Taleyarkhan said, "From a technical point, we stand by our data," The New York Times reported Thursday.
In 2002, Taleyarkhan -- then at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee -- announced he and his research team had achieved fusion in a table top experiment by blasting a jar of solvent with strong ultrasonic vibrations.
He said the vibrations collapsed tiny gas bubbles in the liquid, heating them to millions of degrees -- hot enough to initiate fusion, the melding of hydrogen atoms to produce light and energy.
However, since then scientists who have tried to replicate the experiment have been unsuccessful. The science journal Nature reported Wednesday several Purdue faculty members -- including Lefteri Tsoukalas, the head of Purdue's School of Nuclear Engineering -- now doubt the finding.
Earlier this week, Purdue Provost Sally Mason issued a statement saying the university had extremely serious concerns about Taleyarkhan's work and had decided to review it.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
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