Acoustically driven x-ray emission and matter collapse in lead

TL;DR

This study reports unexpected x-ray emission and matter collapse in lead caused by acoustic shock waves, suggesting a novel non-mechanical mechanism involving electron anomalous states.

Contribution

It introduces a new mechanism for x-ray emission and matter loss in lead under acoustic shock, linked to electron anomalous states, not explained by known effects.

Findings

Detection of x-ray emission from lead under acoustic shock

Observation of polygonal holes with no mechanical damage

Evidence of matter disappearance without mechanical explanation

Abstract

The action of focused underwater weak shock waves on a lead sample is revealed to be not restricted by a mechanical influence only. A strong unexpected x-ray emission was registered from the lead foil exposed to shock waves ({\it sound into x-rays}) which were extremely adiabatic compared to processes of x-ray generation. The lead foil, exposed to shock waves, lost a part of its area having the shape of a polygonal hole of the size of $\sim 2mm$. The missing polygon of lead foil looks as a delicately removed part with no damage at the hole surroundings as it should be after a mechanical breaking. This points to a non-mechanical mechanism of hole formation. That missing polygonal lead matter seems to be "disappeared" because the total lead volume was reduced by that amount after exposure to acoustic waves ({\it matter collapse}). Both paradoxical phenomena cannot be explained by a combination of known effects and a fundamentally new mechanism is required to underlie them. The concept of electron anomalous states, which encouraged the experiments and specified main features of them, is likely that mechanism.