Thermal conductivity and quantum diffusion in solid H2

The thermal conductivity of solid H₂ and the NMR absorption signal of isolated o-H₂ were measured simultaneously along isotherms 0.07<T<1.5 K as a function of time after a rapid cooldown from 2 K. The o-H₂ concentration ranged from 3.4% to 0.4%, and the pressure was 90 atm. During the measurements, clustering of o-H₂ particles occurred as seen from the changes both of the NMR signal amplitude and of with time t. The difference ^–1 = ^–1 ()– ^–1(0) between the thermal resistivity ^–1 (t=0) just after cool down and in equilibrium, ^–1 (), was found to change sign near 0.23 K, and this result is discussed with respect to previous experiments. The equilibrium resistivity attributed to the o-H₂ impurities, , is derived and is compared with previous determinations and with predictions. An analysis of the equilibration process for ^–1 and for the NMR signal amplitude is presented. It shows that the characteristic times are of comparable but not equal magnitude. Comparison of the derived from NMR data atP=90 and 0 atm favors resonant ortho-para conversion over quantum tunneling as the leading mechanism for quantum diffusion.