ICR heating of a plasma with a complex ion composition

Two methods for simultaneously heating ions with different masses and, accordingly, with different gyrofrequencies are considered. The first is heating in a steady uniform magnetic field by a nonmonochromatic RF field, and the second is heating in a nonuniform magnetic field by a monochromatic RF field. In the first method, the cyclotron resonance condition is ensured by the finite width of the RF field spectrum, while in the second one, by a drop in the magnetic field along the system. The study is based on the previously developed analytic model of the excitation of RF fields by current-carrying antennas. Nonlinear effects caused by variations in the longitudinal ion velocities during the ICR interaction are taken into account. It is found that ions with atomic masses in the range 85 < A < 150 (fragments of a spent nuclear fuel) can be efficiently heated in systems with moderate parameters.     

Plasma method for processing spent nuclear fuel

Plasma methods for processing spent nuclear fuel are analyzed. It is shown that, by ICR heating in a nonuniform magnetic field, the energy of the heated ash ions can be increased substantially, while nuclear fuel ions can be kept cold. Two methods for extracting heated ash ions from a cold plasma flow are considered, specifically, that by increasing the ion gyroradius and that due to ion drift in a curved magnetic field. It is found that the required degree of separation of ash and fuel ions can be achieved in systems with quite moderate parameters.     

Combined ICR heating antenna for ion separation systems

A combination of one- and two-wave antennas (one and two turns of conductors around a plasma cylinder, respectively) is proposed. This combined antenna localizes an RF field within itself. It is shown that spent nuclear fuel processing systems based on ICR heating of nuclear ash by such a combined antenna have high productivity. A theory of the RF field excitation in ICR ion separation systems is presented in a simple and compact form.     

Calcium ion cyclotron resonance in dissipative water structures

Weak magnetic and electromagnetic fields affect physiological processes in animals, plants, and microorganisms. Ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) is discussed as one of the sensitive mechanisms, which enable perception of the geomagnetic field and its orientation. Numerous biological effects are observed involving several small ions, showing windows of predicted frequencies and intensities. The pioneering work of Guiliano Preparata and Emilio Del Giudice using quantum electrodynamics showed that spontaneously originating coherent regions in water facilitate ICR effects at incoherent water phase boundaries. Here we examine the ICR response of the calcium ion (Ca²⁺), crucial for many life processes. We use an aqueous solution containing the biologically ubiquitous membrane lipid L-α-phosphatidylcholine that serves as a biomimetic proxy for dynamic light scattering (DLS) and nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS) measurements. One notable result is that this system approaches a new equilibrium upon addition of calcium by means of the oscillatory Belousov–Zhabotinsky chemical reaction, oscillations are significantly reduced under Ca²⁺ ICR application. Secondly an “oscillator” of calcium ions appears to be able to itself couple coherently and predictably to large-scale coherent regions in water. This system appears able to regulate ion fluxes in response to very weak environmental electromagnetic fields.     

ION cyclotron resonance: Geomagnetic strategy for living systems?

Except for relatively few polarity reversals the magnitude of the magnetic dipole moment of the earth has remained constant since life first began, allowing evolutionary processes to integrate the geomagnetic field (GMF) into several biological functions. One of these, bearing the classical signature of an ion cyclotron resonance (ICR)-like interaction, results in biological change associated with enhanced proton transport. The wide range of cation masses over which this effect is found suggest a fundamental biological dependence on the GMF, one that functions equally well for electric as well as magnetic fields. Such generalization of ICR requires two things: transparency of tissues to the GMF and suitably tuned ELF resonant magnetic or electric fields. To complement the widely reported ICR responses to applied AC magnetic fields, we hypothesize the existence of weak endogenous ICR electric field oscillations within the cell. This equivalence implies that even in the absence of applied AC magnetic fields, biological systems will exhibit intrinsic GMF-dependent ion cyclotron resonance intracellular interactions. Many ICR effects that have been reported appear as antagonist pairs suggesting that the characteristics of the GMF have not only been incorporated into the genome but also appear to function in an endocrine-like manner.     

Plasma processing of spent nuclear fuel by two-frequency ion cyclotron resonance heating

A previously developed method for analyzing the plasma processing of spent nuclear fuel is generalized to a plasma containing multicharged fuel ions. In such a plasma, ion cyclotron resonance heating of nuclear ash ions should be carried out in two monochromatic RF fields of different frequencies, provided that the fraction of ξ multicharged ions is small, ξ ≤ 0.1, a condition that substantially restricts the productivity of systems for processing spent nuclear fuel. Ways of overcoming this difficulty are discussed.     

A Role for the Geomagnetic Field in Cell Regulation

We advance the hypothesis that biological systems utilize the geomagnetic field (GMF) for functional purposes by means of ion cyclotron resonance-like (ICR) mechanisms. Numerous ICR-designed experiments have demonstrated that living things are sensitive, in varying degrees, to magnetic fields that are equivalent to both changes in the general magnetostatic intensity of the GMF, as well as its temporal perturbations. We propose the existence of ICR-like cell regulation processes, homologous to the way that biochemical messengers alter the net biological state through competing processes of enhancement and inhibition. In like manner, combinations of different resonance frequencies all coupled to the same local magnetic field provide a unique means for cell regulation. Recent work on ultraweak ICR magnetic fields by Zhadin and others fits into our proposed framework if one assumes that cellular systems generate time-varying electric fields of the order 100 mV/cm with bandwidths that include relevant ICR frequencies.     

Some Features of ICR Heating by a Solenoidal Antenna

A study is made of some characteristic features of ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) heating in plasma-based isotope separators. The effects associated with ion drift in the RF field of a solenoidal antenna are considered in the single-particle approximation. Estimates are obtained and numerical calculations are carried out for ICR heating in the case of a “narrow” (ρ/r ～ 1, where ρ is the ion gyroradius) plasma flow.     

Particle diagnostics of ion cyclotron resonance plasma heating in the Globus-M tokamak

Basic experimental results on cyclotron heating of the ion plasma component in the Globus-M spherical tokamak obtained by means of the ACORD-12 charge-exchange ion analyzer are presented. A procedure for determining the maximum energy of fast ions confined in the plasma is described. The procedure was applied to estimate the limiting energy of hydrogen minority ions accelerated during ion cyclotron heating in the Globus-M tokamak. The experimental evaluation of the maximum hydrogen ion energy is confirmed by simulations of ion orbits. Recommendations for optimizing experiments on ion cyclotron heating in the Globus-M tokamak are formulated.     

Electric-field ion cyclotron resonance

We consider the possibility that DC magnetic fields can interact in a resonant manner with endogenous AC electric fields in biological systems. Intrinsic electric-field ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) interactions would be more physically credible than models based on external AC magnetic fields and might be expected as an evolutionary response to the long-term constancy of the geomagnetic field. Bioelectromagnetics 17:85–87, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Measurements of the load resistance of a poloidal antenna and the phase velocity of fast magnetosonic waves during ICR plasma heating in the L-2M stellarator

The propagation and damping of waves excited by a poloidal antenna in a hydrogen plasma at the ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) frequency were investigated. The longitudinal wavenumber and damping length of waves excited in the ohmically heated plasma of the L-2M stellarator, the dependence of the damping length of fast magnetosonic waves on the magnetic field strength, and the dependence of the antenna load resistance on the plasma density were measured. It is the first time that such complex measurements were performed in experiments on ICR heating of a hydrogen plasma at the fundamental harmonic of the ion gyrofrequency in toroidal magnetic confinement systems.     

Distribution of the lithium deposition on the collector during separation of lithium isotopes by the plasma ICR method

Results of experiments on isotope separation by the ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) method in plasma are presented. The deposition of hot lithium ions on a plane collector was studied. The density distribution and isotope composition of lithium deposited on the surface of the plane collector were measured. It is found that, without applying a positive potential to the collector plate, the deposition density is nonuniform in the direction perpendicular to the external magnetic field, whereas in the presence of a retarding potential (+20 V), the deposited layer becomes almost uniform. It is shown that the asymmetry of deposition is not caused by the rotating RF field selectively heating ions of the extracted isotope. Possible reasons for the nonuniform deposition of lithium on the collector are discussed.     

The use of a hybrid linear trap/FT-ICR mass spectrometer for on-line high resolution/high mass accuracy bottom-up sequencing.

In this work we present a hybrid linear trap/Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) mass spectrometer to perform protein sequencing using the bottom-up approach. We demonstrate that incorporation of the linear trap greatly enhances the overall performance of the hybrid system for the study of complex peptide mixtures separated by fast high-performance liquid chromatography gradients. The ability to detect in the linear trap enables employment of automatic gain control to greatly reduce space charging in the ICR cell irregardless of ion flux. Resulting accurate mass measurements of 2 ppm or better using external calibration are achieved for the base peak as well as ions at 2% relative abundance. The linear trap is used to perform ion accumulation and activation prior to detection in the ICR cell which increases the scan rate. The increased duty cycle allows for data-dependent mass analysis of coeluting peptides to be acquired increasing protein sequence coverage without increasing the gradient length. In addition, the linear trap could be used as an ion detection device to perform simultaneous detection of tandem mass spectra with full scan mass spectral detection in the ICR cell resulting in the fastest scan cycles for performing bottom-up sequencing of protein digests. Comparisons of protein sequence coverage are presented for product ion detection in the linear trap and ICR cell.     

Influence of radiofrequency radiation on chromosome aberrations in CHO cells and its interaction with DNA-damaging agents

A limited number of contradictory reports have appeared in the literature about the ability of radiofrequency (rf) radiation to induce chromosome aberrations in different biological systems. The technical documentation associated with such reports is often absent or deficient. In addition, no information is available as to whether any additional genotoxic hazard would result from a simultaneous exposure of mammalian cells to rf radiation and a chemical which (by itself) induces chromosome aberrations. In the work described, we have therefore tested two hypotheses. The first is that rf radiation by itself, at power densities and exposure conditions which are higher than is consistent with accepted safety guidelines, can induce chromosome aberrations in mammalian cells. The second is that, during a simultaneous exposure to a chemical known to be genotoxic, rf radiation can affect molecules, biochemical processes, or cellular organelles, and thus result in an increase or decrease in chromosome aberrations. Mitomycin C (MMC) and Adriamycin (ADR) were selected because they act by different mechanisms, and because they might put normal cells at risk during combined-modality rf radiation (hyperthermia)-chemotherapy treatment of cancer. The studies were performed with suitable 37 degrees C and equivalent convection heating-temperature controls in a manner designed to discriminate between any thermal and possible nonthermal action. Radiofrequency exposures were conducted for 2 h under conditions resulting in measurable heating (a maximum increase of 3.2 degrees C), with pulsed-wave rf radiation at a frequency of 2450 MHz and an average net forward power of 600 W, resulting in an SAR of 33.8 W/kg. Treatments with MMC or ADR were for a total of 2.5 h and encompassed the 2-h rf radiation exposure period. The CHO cells from each of the conditions were subsequently analyzed for chromosome aberrations. In cells exposed to rf radiation alone, and where a maximum temperature of approximately 40 degrees C was achieved in the tissue culture medium, no alteration in the frequency from 37 degrees C control levels was observed. Relative to the chemical treatment with MMC alone at 37 degrees C, for two different concentrations, no alteration was observed in the extent of chromosome aberrations induced by either simultaneous rf radiation exposure or convection heating to equivalent temperatures. At the ADR concentration that was used, most of the indices of chromosome aberrations which were scored indicated a similar result.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Characterisation of weak magnetic field effects in an aqueous glutamic acid solution by nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy and voltammetry

BACKGROUND: Previous reports indicate altered metabolism and enzyme kinetics for various organisms, as well as changes of neuronal functions and behaviour of higher animals, when they were exposed to specific combinations of weak static and alternating low frequency electromagnetic fields. Field strengths and frequencies, as well as properties of involved ions were related by a linear equation, known as the formula of ion cyclotron resonance (ICR, abbreviation mentioned first by Liboff). Under certain conditions already a aqueous solution of the amino acid and neurotransmitter glutamate shows this effect. METHODS: An aqueous solution of glutamate was exposed to a combination of a static magnetic field of 40 muT and a sinusoidal electromagnetic magnetic field (EMF) with variable frequency (2-7 Hz) and an amplitude of 50 nT. The electric conductivity and dielectric properties of the solution were investigated by voltammetric techniques in combination with non linear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS), which allow the examination of the dielectric properties of macromolecules and molecular aggregates in water. The experiments target to elucidate the biological relevance of the observed EMF effect on molecular level. RESULTS: An ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) effect of glutamate previously reported by the Fesenko laboratory 1998 could be confirmed. Frequency resolution of the sample currents was possible by NLDS techniques. The spectrum peaks when the conditions for ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) of glutamate are matched. Furthermore, the NLDS spectra are different under ICR- and non-ICR conditions: NLDS measurements with rising control voltages from 100-1100 mV show different courses of the intensities of the low order harmonics, which could possibly indicate "intensity windows". Furthermore, the observed magnetic field effects are pH dependent with a narrow optimum around pH 2.85. CONCLUSIONS: Data will be discussed in the context with recent published models for the interaction of weak EMF with biological matter including ICR. A medical and health relevant aspect of such sensitive effects might be given insofar, because electromagnetic conditions for it occur at many occasions in our electromagnetic all day environment, concerning ion involvement of different biochemical pathways.     

On the Theory of ICR Heating by the Magnetic Beach Method

Plasma Physics Reports - Current interest in ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) heating by the magnetic beach method is motivated by the experiments carried out with the VASIMR plasma thruster. The...     

Weak-field H3O+ ion cyclotron resonance alters water refractive index

Heretofore only observed in living systems, we report that weak-field ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) also occurs in inanimate matter. Weak magnetic field (50 nT) hydronium ICR at the field combination (7.84 Hz, 7.5 µT) markedly changes water structure, as evidenced by finding an altered index of refraction exactly at this combined field. This observation utilizes a novel technique which measures the scattering of a He–Ne laser beam as the sample is exposed to a ramped magnetic field frequency. In addition to the hydronium resonance, we find evidence of ICR coupling to a more massive structure, possibly a tetrahedral combination of three waters and a single hydronium ion. To check our observations, we extended this technique to D₂O, successfully predicting the specific ICR charge-to-mass ratio for D₃O⁺ that alters the index of refraction.     

Calcium ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) transfers information to living systems: effects on human epithelial cell differentiation

The specific aim of the present work concerns the effectiveness of low-frequency electromagnetic fields treatment to modify biochemical properties of human keratinocytes (HaCaT). Cells exposed to a 7 Hz electromagnetic field, tuned to calcium ion cyclotron resonance (ICR), showed modifications in the cytoskeleton. These modifications were related to different actin distributions as revealed by phalloidin fluorescence analysis. Indirect immunofluorescence with fluorescent antibodies against involucrin and beta catenin, both differentiation and adhesion markers, revealed an increase in involucrin and beta-catenin expression, indicating that exposure to electromagnetic field carries keratinocytes to an upper differentiation level. This study confirms our previous observation and supports the hypothesis that a 7 Hz calcium ICR electromagnetic field may modify cell biochemistry and interfere in the differentiation and cellular adhesion of normal keratinocytes, suggesting the possibility to use ICR electromagnetic therapy for the treatment of undifferentiated diseases.     

Local and holistic electromagnetic therapies

Based on decades of experimental evidence an excellent argument can be made for the existence of a fundamental functional relationship between living systems and electromagnetic fields. We have previously hypothesized that this relationship can be expressed in terms of a field vector whose source is the distribution of electric polarization within the system and which has both a phylogenetic and ontogenetic time dependence. Ion cyclotron resonance (ICR)-like magnetic signals have resulted in physiologic changes in many in vitro and in vivo model systems and have been applied medically with success to bone repair and spinal fusion. This type of local ICR-like therapy has recently been broadened into a holistic application following the remarkable discovery that the whole-body bioimpedance is sharply dependent on ICR signals. We relate this observation to the integrated electric polarization vector, in turn a measure of the double layer charge distribution at the cell membrane. This discovery, already being applied to a number of clinical problems, lends strong support to the concept of an overarching electromagnetic framework for living systems.     

Threshold effects observed in conformation changes induced by electric fields

Single-stranded polynucleotides are used as model systems for the investigation of conformational changes induced by electric fields. It is demonstrated that the single-strand helix–coil transition in poly(A), poly(dA), and poly(C) can be induced by application of high electric fields. The transition is measured by UV absorbance using polarized light at an angle of 54.8° with respect to the vector of the electric field and by electrodichroism. A linear increase of the absorbance, reflecting the helix-to-coil transition, is observed at increasing field strength. When ions are added to the polymer, electric fields do not induce conformation changes, unless a threshold value of the electric field strength E₀ is exceeded. At field strengths above this threshold, the degree of transition is a linear function of the increase in field strength. The threshold values E₀ show a linear increase with the logarithm of the ion concentration. Bivalent ions cause thresholds at much lower ion concentrations than mo-novalent ions. The shielding efficiency of ions is correlated to the binding affinity of these ions to the polymer. The conformation changes induced by the field and the existence of thresholds can be explained on the basis of dissociation field effects. Similar threshold effects may be expected for other macromolecules as well as for membrane structures and may be important in the regulation of bioelectricity.