Equilibrium density fluctuations and anelastic response in hydrogen-metal systems

Abstract

Statistical fluctuations of the hydrogen density in metals in thermal equilibrium are analysed in terms of eigenfunctions of the elastic interaction between the protons. A general relation connecting the density fluctuations with the anelastic relaxation strength as measured in Gorsky-effect experiments is derived. The macroscopic range of the elastic interaction leads to a strong suppression of the fluctuations and the corresponding spinodal temperatures. Examples are discussed where the spinodal temperature of a single eigenmode can be observed. The results are compared with experiment.