Thermonuclear ion-electron screening at all densities. I. Static solution
Thermonuclear reaction rates are accelerated in a plasma over their vacuum values, by the factor f/sub s/. The usual expression for it, ln f/sub s/=H/sub 12/(0) =..delta..U/kT, is shown to be valid only in lowest order: i.e., in the weak-screening regime; higher-order corrections are found here. That is, a new expression is found for f/sub s/, in the fluid approximation, which agrees in lowest order with those found by Salpeter. At high degeneracy (strong screening), the corrections are very large. Graboske et al. have derived H/sub 12/(0) (the lowest-order term) more generally, i.e., without the fluid approximation; the higher-order terms nevertheless must modify that calculation as well. It is also found that the Graboske et al. results are not valid at temperatures below which the plasma crystallizes. This is the region where the Salpeter-Van Horn results must be used. Although the present results are better than those of Graboske et al. in this region, they also are inadequate there. However, they generally merge quite smoothly with the Salpeter-Van Horn values. Finally, these results are used to find a new carbon-ignition curve; it is found that ignition of a carbon core would occur at somewhat higher densities and temperatures than calculated before, but not enough to resolve present difficulties with explosive carbon ignition. A correction factor is also given for resonant reaction rates.
- Research Organization:
- Center for Astrophysics, Harvard College Observatory
- OSTI ID:
- 7118275
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 212:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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GENERAL PHYSICS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEAR SCREENING
STARS
COULOMB FIELD
CRYSTALLIZATION
ELECTRONS
INTERACTIONS
ION-ION COLLISIONS
IONS
PLASMA
QUANTUM MECHANICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
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LEPTONS
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PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SCREENING
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