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
Mag lev is not new to me, but I do not no what type of energy goes into making it functional. The fast neutrons may be instrumental in communicating. Mach 1 speeds would apply to long distances. Roads and bridges would not be subject to direct contact with vehicle, so would last long. A wholly independent module would render roads and bridges obsolete, or non-essential for personal travel. Axles and rubber tires for another 150 years? I don’t think so when it comes to personal travel. The Segway is out, too. Too clumsy and ugly.
I always visualized neutrons as the couch potatoes on the atomic spectrum.
Got my Sub-Etha Sens-O-Matic at the ready.
Less “couch potato”; more “silent but deadly.”
Sweet. We will still have WiFi after China nukes us!
...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...
Sounds like colonizing racism and sexism! /s
Thanks Red Badger.
It’s OK; RB gave me homework. ;)
Thank you.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168900221009013
This is the modern equivalent of sending Morse CODE VIA smoke signals............................
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