Posted on 11/17/2021 10:14:09 AM PST by Red Badger
Engineers have successfully transferred digitally encoded information wirelessly using nuclear radiation instead of conventional technology.
Radio waves and mobile phone signals rely on electromagnetic radiation for communication but in a new development, engineers from Lancaster University in the UK, working with the Jožef Stefan Institute in Slovenia, transferred digitally encoded information using “fast neutrons” instead.
The researchers measured the spontaneous emission of fast neutrons from californium-252, a radioactive isotope produced in nuclear reactors.
Modulated emissions were measured using a detector and recorded on a laptop.
Several examples of information, i.e., a word, the alphabet, and a random number selected blindly, were encoded serially into the modulation of the neutron field and the output decoded on a laptop which recovered the encoded information on screen.
Nuclear Power Plant The researchers measured the spontaneous emission of fast neutrons from californium-252, a radioactive isotope produced in nuclear reactors. Credit: Lancaster University
A double-blind test was performed in which a number derived from a random number generator was encoded without prior knowledge of those uploading it, and then transmitted and decoded.
All transmission tests attempted proved to be 100% successful.
Professor Malcolm Joyce of Lancaster University said: “We demonstrate the potential of fast neutron radiation as a medium for wireless communications for applications where conventional electromagnetic transmission is either not feasible or is inherently limited.”
He said fast neutrons have an advantage over conventional electromagnetic waves, which are significantly weakened by transmission through materials including metals.
“In some safety-critical scenarios, such as concerning the integrity of reactor containments, and metal vaults and bulkheads in maritime structures, it can be important to minimize the number of penetrations made through such metal structures for communications cabling. The use of neutrons for information transmission through such structures could negate the need for such penetrations and is perhaps also relevant to scenarios where limited transmissions are desirable in difficult circumstances, such as for emergency rescue operations.”
Fast neutrons could also be incorporated into a mixed-signal, electronic systems to achieve signal mixing being between electrons and neutrons. This could contribute to the requirement to ensure the integrity of information transfer.
Reference: “Wireless information transfer with fast neutrons” by Malcolm J. Joyce, Michael D. Aspinall, Mackenzie Clark, Edward Dale, Hamish Nye, Andrew Parker, Luka Snoj and Joe Spiresa, 30 October 2021, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2021.165946
PING!...............
How fast them neutrons do the quarter mile?
I might buy one.
You don’t want to get into the way of one................
That sounds exactly like the kind of experiment where they measure progress in terms of the number of dead grad students.
So you heard about my incident at the Oxnard Speedway.
Getting hit by large numbers of fast neutrons could prove damaging to your well-being...................
Modulating neutrons I can see working.
Sending them where you want, I have problems visualizing.
“How fast them neutrons do the quarter mile?”
That thing got a Hemi?
Just don’t use the US postal service to do so................
I been hit before and it didn’t seem to cause much damage.
I been hit before and it didn’t seem to cause much damage.
Cool, could save digging a few trenches.
A Dodge Neutron with a 426 Hemi and a pistol grip shifter.
Last I remember, it is a neutron charged with more than 1 Mega electron volt (MeV). They serioiusly slow down when colliding with things of near-equivalent mass, such as hydrogen nuclei. Anthing with lots of water would interfere with the signal, and in large enough numbers, would likely kill it.
I’ve heard of the “Fast Neutrons.”. They are a rock group out of Oakridge, TN.
5.56mm
Yes, they are really hot!....................
Less than two minutes.
5.56mm
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