Possible nuclear decay of bismuth induced by a mechanical impact

Abstract

It is experimentally shown that the metallic dust after the inertial explosion induced by the impact of a metallic bismuth striker on a fixed steel barrier contains platinum and boron, which were absent before the explosion. The existence of platinum and boron is qualitatively determined. The emission of single 8-MeV α particles is also detected from the metallic dust that forms at the site of the impact interaction of bismuth with steel. Both effects point to possible nuclear decay of bismuth due to the energy of a mechanical impact.