Reply To: Physics Nobel to Big Bangers

[MTd2]

jamesr wrote: The CNO cycle relies on sufficient confinement time for some of the intermediates products to undergo beta type decay, before fusing with another proton to move to the next link in the chain.

O-15 has a half-life of 122s and N-13’s half-life is 9.9 minutes

in a bound atom these decays are normally via electron capture, but in a plasma this decay time will be different (possibly even longer).

So although the temperature required is in the realm of what a DPF can handle the confinement time needed is impossible for anything other than a gravitationally bound system where the confinement time is essentially infinite (ie a star).

here is a missing element on the cycle, right? which decays in 9.5 minutes among others. So, just like in an ethanol car, where a small tank of octanol is kept for turning up the engine keep the short half life product available just before starting the engine the rest will be produced inside the engine as a by product