Electromagnetic and neutron emissions from brittle rocks failure: Experimental evidence and geological implications

• Published in: Sadhana (Bangalore) 2012-02, Vol.37 (1), p.59-78
• Main Authors: CARPINTERI, A, LACIDOGNA, G, BORLA, O, MANUELLO, A, NICCOLINI, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brittleness; Compressing; Engineering; Failure; Geology; Iron; Magnesium; Neutron emission; Stone
• ISSN: 0256-2499; 0973-7677
• DOI: 10.1007/s12046-012-0066-4

It has been observed energy emission in the form of electromagnetic radiation, clearly indicating charge redistribution, and neutron bursts, necessarily involving nuclear reactions, during the failure process of quasi-brittle materials such as rocks, when subjected to compression tests. The material used is Luserna stone, which presents a very brittle behaviour during compression failure. The observed phenomenon of high-energy particle emission, i.e., electrons and neutrons, can be explained in the framework of the superradiance applied to the solid state, where individual atoms lose their identity and become part of different plasmas, electronic and nuclear. Since the analysed material contains iron, it can be conjectured that piezonuclear reactions involving fission of iron into aluminum, or into magnesium and silicon, should have occurred during compression damage and failure. These complex phenomenologies are confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) tests conducted on Luserna stone specimens, and found additional evidences at the Earth’s Crust scale, where electromagnetic and neutron emissions are observed just in correspondence with major earthquakes. In this context, the effects of piezonuclear reactions can be also considered from a geophysical and geological point of view.