thermofusion

Thermofusion is a term used in some scientific and popular writings to refer to fusion processes purportedly initiated or sustained by heat. It is not a standard term in mainstream physics, where the established concepts are thermonuclear fusion (fusion driven by extremely high temperatures and pressures in plasmas) and cold fusion or low-energy nuclear reactions (LENR), which claim nuclear effects at comparatively modest energies but remain controversial.

Uses and interpretations vary. In conventional fusion research, heat contributes to creating and maintaining the hot plasma in which light nuclei fuse; in LENR discussions, "thermofusion" cyclically refers to speculative mechanisms in solid hosts that supposedly enable nuclear reactions at lower than expected temperatures.

Status: There is no widely accepted experimental evidence that "thermofusion" as a distinct, reproducible process exists. Mainstream science treats claims of significant, practical fusion at low or moderate temperatures with skepticism until independently verifiable results are published.

Examples of proposed mechanisms include high-temperature plasma reactions and lattice-assisted effects across metal hydrides; however, these ideas have not yielded reproducible results and are not integrated into standard fusion theory.

Safety and regulation: Any discussion of fusion involves radiation hazards, activation of materials, and containment. Claims of novel fusion processes are subject to peer review and rigorous replication before being considered viable energy sources.

See also: thermonuclear fusion, cold fusion, LENR, nuclear fusion, plasma physics.