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"When the high pressure front at the crest of the sound wave slams into these bubbles, they implode, and shock waves focus the energy of the implosion to a central region of atomic dimensions. The temperature at that central point skyrockets above 10,000 degrees Celsius, the pressure zooms to 10,000 atmospheres and a flash of light emerges for just a few picoseconds."

I would be suspicious of these readings of temperatures and pressures of this magnitude. I would never have thought that ultrasonic cavitation would amplify pressures this much. Still.........

When this research was published in Science Magazine, it was in their online magazine at sciencemag.org ... I don't know if it is available there now, but it is in the first March issue. I carefully reviewed their research, and I believe it is very likely that they produced fusion. They were very careful to avoid the Pons et al debacle. One of the lead authors is one of the directors of research at Oak Ridge. All I see there is very convincing. I am anxiously awaiting the confirmation experiments.

Whether this will have any commercial applicability, or will remain a laboratory curiousity like superfluidity of liquid helium is yet to be seen. I will bet you dollars to pennies that there are many companies, engineers, and fly-by-night inventors who are presently frantically pursuing this Holy Grail as I write this though, because the apparatus they used is very available and inexpensive, and the returns and patents available are almost unimaginable if commercial viability is ever achieved.

Sigh... I forgot to respond to the specific question you raise... One of the items in their research report is specific calculation by way of computer simulation of the temperature achieved in these very small collapsing bubbles. Those calculations utilize well known and validated Physical Chemistry equations and do indeed show temperatures easily in the millions of degrees would be reached, and defuse a major easy route of criticism.

We use ultrasonic cavitation all the time for cleaning in the medical device manufacturing industry. The shock waves from inploding bubbles, combined with the pressure wave, can scour almost anything. Folow up with a deionized water rinse, and we can implant the device into your body without risk of almost anything.

Except Catholic Bishops.