Search for Nuclear Reactions in Water Molecules

A possibility for molecular-nuclear transitions to occur was recently predicted for some few-atomic systems. Among others, the molecule of ordinary water was shown to be a candidate for this effect due to a presence of (1-, 4.522 MeV) resonance in 18Ne nucleus. A search for traces of nuclear reactions was carried out for condenced and vaporous phases of water, with the use of low-background annihilation spectrometry. The measurements were performed under conventional conditions and under conditions of the Baksan Neutrino Observatory.