Physics Today - Repost & more

[kiloVolts]

> The October 1998 Physics Today has an article "Advanced Techniques in
> Physical Forensic Science", page 32 which has some comment on a fatal
> "cold fusion" cell explosion that occurred in a Menlo Park, California,
> electrochemistry laboratory on 2 January 1992. Shown in figure 2, page
> 33 is a picture of the remaining parts of the exploded cell.

> "Following the accident, which took place in an electrochemistry
> laboratory at SRI International in Menlo Park, California, the
> Occupational Safety and Health Administration asked us to perform
> general forensic analysis of selected debris (figures 2 and 3) to
> determine any potential causes of the blast. Gamma-ray spectrometry
> was conducted to search for activation products that might have been
> produced by a possible pulse of neutrons associated with an hypothesized
> cold fusion excursion. More-comprehensive forensic analysis were
> performed, involving approximately 65 Lawrence Livermore National
> Laboratory staff members from the disciplines of chemistry, physics,
> nuclear science, materials science and engineering. The results were
> quite unexpected and indicated that explosive oxidation of residual
> lubricating oil could have initiated or contributed to the total
> energy inventory of the incident."

"explosive oxidation of residual lubricating oil" - TOTAL BULLSHIT

Constrast:

http://www.akademiai.com/content/q843247467g12223/

Search for evidence of nuclear involvement in the fatal explosion of a "cold
fusion" experiment
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Issue Volume 193, Number 1 / May, 1995
Authors
P. M. Grant1, 2, R. E. Whipple1, F. Bazan2, J. L. Brunk3, K. M. Wong3, R. E.
Russo1, 4, B. D. Andresen1

1Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Forensic Science Center, L-371 94550
Livermore CA (USA)
2Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Nuclear Chemistry Division, L-231
94550 Livermore CA (USA)
3Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Health & Ecological Assessment
Division, L-453 94550 Livermore CA (USA)
4Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory 94720 Berkeley CA

Abstract

Forensic analyses of debris from the fatal explosion of an electrochemical
ldquocold fusionrdquo cell at SRI International were conducted at LLNL at
the request of Cal-OSHA. One investigation focused on the possibility of
conventional nuclear reaction mechanisms contributing to the total energy
inventory of the incident. Selected metal components of the electrolysis
apparatus were subjected to nondestructive gamma-ray spectrometry with
high-sensitivity, low-background Ge detector systems. The anticipated
analytes in these studies were radioactivation products potentially induced
in the explosion residue by either fast or thermal neutrons. The results of
this investigation were negative within the temporal constraints of the
incident and the analytical sensitivities of the instrumentation. ///

"temporal constraints of the incident" - the apparatus was buried for three
months prior to analysis.