[NukeMan]

"The idea that a conventional chemical reaction would create the conditions needed to cause hydrogen atoms to fuse is laughable. "

Well, it is possible, and is actually done in most modern weapon systems. Google on tritium boosting. The conventional explosives, properly shaped and focused, can upon implosion force heavy hydrogen nuclei to fuse, throwing out neutrons, thus increasing the K-eff (multiplication rate) and boosting yield by a factor of 2 to 10.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Squeezing to release a few neutrons is a far cry from a fusion reaction. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Well, it is possible, and is actually done in most modern weapon systems. Google on tritium boosting. The conventional explosives, properly shaped and focused, can upon implosion force heavy hydrogen nuclei to fuse

I agree, about the explosion, but the article said the burning, not the shock wave.

[cynwoody]

Google on tritium boosting. The conventional explosives, properly shaped and focused, can upon implosion force heavy hydrogen nuclei to fuse, throwing out neutrons, thus increasing the K-eff (multiplication rate) and boosting yield by a factor of 2 to 10.

Tritium boosting is old technology. It involves injecting a deuterium - tritium mixture into the center of the plutonium pit. When the gadget detonates, the sudden extreme compression initiates a fusion reaction in the tritium, and the resulting pulse of neutrons increases the number of fissions, boosting the yield. But you still need plutonium, which is fortunately still hard to get if you're a sand nazi.

Now, if this red mercury stuff could eliminate the need for the fission trigger, all manner of riff raff could join the nuclear club. But I think we'd know by now, if it did.