[null and void]

As I read it extra loose neutrons help and extra energy is crucial.

Statistical variations in individual deuterium nuclei would result in a few ‘hot’ ones colliding. That would give sporadic results. Which, oddly enough, is what is observed.

Could the bell curve of energies be shifted a bit higher with focused acoustic energy? I’m thinking something like a lithotripsy machine, pinpoint delivery of enough energy to break up kidney stones, still below the 8 orders of magnitude needed, but if it shifts the curve, more nuclei would ‘be over the cliff’.

Adding neutrons with a External Neutron Initiator “hair drier”? hmmm...

[Wonder Warthog]

"I’m thinking something like a lithotripsy machine, pinpoint delivery of enough energy to break up kidney stones, still below the 8 orders of magnitude needed, but if it shifts the curve, more nuclei would ‘be over the cliff’."

Or, just maybe, laser pulses...a la Holmlid.