Influence of the Sun on Water. Dependence on geometry of solution and its position in space

Abstract

Hydrolytic reactions with the participation of water clusters are highly dependent on the geometric shape of the reaction solution and its position in space. For example, the hydrolysis of triethyl phosphite in acetonitrile occurs at different rates in three 5-mm NMR tubes directed North-South, East-West and Vertically, and this difference can be very large. The rate ratios between the tubes vary greatly during the day depending on the position of the Sun in the sky. The rate of hydrolysis in the East-West tube displays the largest daily fluctuations. This phenomenon might be well accounted for by the decomposition of water clusters by muons which are constantly generated in the upper atmosphere by the solar wind. Since the muon flux is anisotropic, its influence depends on the area of a reaction solution which is affected by muons. This phenomenon depends on variations in solar activity and the distribution of solar energy due to the rotation of the Earth around its axis and around the Sun. As a result, the rate of hydrolysis of triethyl phosphite in multidirectional tubes displays not only daily, but also large annual fluctuations. Thus, this chemical process may be used to determine solar activity at different locations on the Earth and track changes in the direction of the muon flux.