BETA DECAY IN STELLAR INTERIORS

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962 · Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.126.1143· OSTI ID:4834906

Bahcall, J N

A study is made of the temperature and density dependence of beta-decay rstes as affected by electron capture from continuum orbits, the absence of atomic binding energies, screening, and the exclusion principle. The rate of allowed electron capture from continuum orbits in a Fermi gas is calculated using the V-A law; Coulomb corrections are included. Nuclear matrix elements occur as parameters that can frequently be determined from terrestrial experiments. There is no atomic binding-energy contribution to the total beta-decay energy for completely ionized atoms; this causes a decrease in decay rates for low-energy electron emitters in stars relative to their terrestrial values. Screening usually will not affect beta-decay rates significantly. The exclusion principle inhibits beta decay in stellar interiors; many of the low-momentum states are occupied prior to the decay; the amount by which a decay rate is decreased can be calculated in terms of the known beta spectrum and the temperature and density of the medium surrounding the radioactive nucleus. Beta decay for normally radioactive nuclei is almost impossible in the interior of very dense stars, such as white dwarfs, since the Fermi energy can equal or exceed the maximum beta- decay energy available. Applications to the theory of element formation in stars are suggested. (auth)

• Research Organization: Indiana Univ., Bloomington
• NSA Number: NSA-16-022831
• OSTI ID: 4834906
• Journal Information: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D, Journal Name: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D Vol. Vol: 126; ISSN PHRVA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ASTROPHYSICS
BETA DECAY
CAPTURE
DENSITY
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY RANGE
FERMI GAS
FERMIONS
IONS
NUMERICALS
PARTICLE MODELS
PHYSICS
PRODUCTION
QUANTUM MECHANICS
RADIOACTIVITY
STARS
TEMPERATURE
WHITE DWARFS