STELLAR NUCLEOSYNTHESIS

Deuterium Fusion:
The proton-proton chain:
p + p → 21D +e++ve
p + p + e - → 21D + ve + 1.442 MeV

2
1 D + 1 1H → 2 3He + γ + 5.493 MeV
4 1H+ + 2e- → 4He2+ + 2νe

CNO CYCLE:
COLD:
HCNO-I:

12 1 13

C + 1H → 7N + γ 1.95 Me
6 +
V
13 1 14

N + 1H → 8O + γ 4.63 Me
7 +
V
14 14

O 5.14 Me
8 → 7N + e+ + νe + (half-life of 70.641 seconds)
V
14
+ 1
→ 15
+ + 7.35 Me
 7N 1 H 8 O γ
V
15 15

O 2.75 Me
8 → 7N + e+ + νe + (half-life of 122.24 seconds)
V
15 1 12 4

N + 1H → 6C + 2He 4.96 Me
7 +
V

HCNO-II:
15 1 16
12.13 Me
7 N + 1H → 8O + γ +
V
16 1 17

8 O + 1H → 9F + γ + 0.60 MeV

17 17

9 F → 8O + e+ + νe + 2.76 MeV (half-life of 64.49 seconds)

17 1 14 4

8 O + 1H → 7N + 2He + 1.19 MeV

14 1 15

7 N + 1H → 8O + γ + 7.35 MeV

15 15

8 O → 7N + e+ + νe + 2.75 MeV (half-life of 122.24 seconds)

HCNO-III:

17 1 18

8 O+ 1 H→ 9 F+ γ + 5.61 MeV

18 18
1.656 Me
9 F → 8 O + e+ + ν + (half-life of 109.771 minutes)
V
e
18 1 15 4
+ → + + 3.98 MeV
 8O 1 H 7 N 2He

15 1 16
12.13 Me
7N+ 1 H→ 8 O+ γ +
V
16 1 17

8O+ 1 H→ 9 F+ γ + 0.60 MeV

17 17

9F → 8 O + e+ + ν + 2.76 MeV (half-life of 64.49 seconds)

e

HCNO-IV:

18 1 19
7.994 Me
8O + 1H → 9F + γ +
V
19 1 16 4
8.114 Me
9F + 1H → 8O + 2He +
V
16 1 17

8O + 1H → 9F + γ + 0.60 MeV

17 17

9F → 8O + e+ + ν + 2.76 MeV (half-life of 64.49 seconds)

e
17 1 18

8O + 1H → 9F + γ + 5.61 MeV

18 18
1.656 Me
9F → 8O + e+ + ν+ (half-life of 109.771 minutes)
V
e

Hot HCNO-III:
18 1 19

9F + 1H → Ne + γ
10 + 6.41MeV
 19 19
3.32 Me
10 Ne → 9F + e+ + νe + (half-life of 17.22 seconds)
V

19 1 16 4
8.11 Me
9F + 1H → 8O + 2He +
V

16 1 17
0.60 Me
8O + 1H → 9F + γ +
V

17 1 18
3.92 Me
9F + 1H → Ne + γ
10 +
V

18 18
4.44 Me
10 Ne → 9F + e+ + νe + (half-life of 1.672 seconds)
V

helium fusion:
Triple alpha process:

4
2 He+ 42He→ 84Be (−0.0918 MeV)
8
4 Be+ 42He→ 12
C+ 2γ (+7.367 MeV)
6
12
6C+ 42He → 16
8 O+γ (+7.162 MeV)

Fusion of heavier elements:

Lithium burning:

The P-P chain for lithium burning is as follows:

 p +63Li→74Be (unstable)
7 − 7
4Be + e → 3Li+ ν (unstable)
7 8
p + 3Li → 4Be
8
4 Be→2 42He+ energy

Carbon-Burning Process:

12 12 20 4

6C + 6C → Ne + 2He
10 + 4.617 MeV

12 12 23 1

6C + 6C → Na + 1H
11 + 2.241 MeV

12 12 23

6C + 6C → Mg + 1n
12 − 2.599 MeV

Alternatively:

12 12 24

6C + 6C → Mg + γ
12 + 13.933 MeV

12 12 16 4
− 0.113 Me
6 C + 6C → 8O + 22He
V

Neon-Burning process:
20 16 4

10 Ne + γ → 8O + 2He

20 4 24

10 Ne + 2He → Mg + Γ
12

Alternatively:
20 21
+ n → + γ
10 Ne 10 Ne
 21 4 24

10 Ne + 2He → 12 Mg + n

Oxygen-burning process:

16 28 4
8 16 14S 2 H 9.593 MeV (3
+ 8 O → + +
O i e 4%)

31
15
→ + 11H + 7.676 MeV (56%)
P

31
16
→ + n+ 1.459 MeV (5%)
S

30
14
211
→ S + + 0.381 MeV
H

30
15 2
→ + 1D− 2.409 MeV (5%)
P

Alternatively:

32 γ
→ 16 S + + 16.539 MeV

24 + 4
→ 12 Mg 2 He − 0.393 MeV
2

Silicon-burning process: