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Abstract
Initiation of nuclear reactions in Thorium nuclei is experimentally studied under
laser exposure of Au nanoparticles suspended in the aqueous solution of Th(NO3)4 (232Th).
It is found that the reaction pathway depends in which water, either H2O or D2O, the
laser exposure is carried out. Saturation of the liquids (H2O or D2O) with gaseous
H2 or D2, respectively, enhances the nuclear reactions under laser exposure allowing
their excitation at peak intensity as low as 1010 W/cm2. Enhanced gamma-activity of
the probe is observed after the end of laser exposure for several hours.