Peculiarity of the stellar CNO cycle with energetic particles

TL;DR

This paper investigates how energetic particles like MeV alpha-particles and protons can cause abnormal nuclear flows in the stellar CNO cycle, potentially affecting stellar evolution and characteristics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of the impact of suprathermal particles on the CNO cycle, revealing a possible general phenomenon in stellar processes.

Findings

Energetic particles can trigger abnormal nuclear flows in the CNO cycle.

The phenomenon may occur in various stars during non-explosive stages.

Influence on CNO characteristics is demonstrated.

Abstract

A peculiarity of the stellar CNO cycle caused by MeV alpha-particles and protons generated in exoergic nuclear processes is analyzed. The main parameters of these particles and suprathermal reactions induced by them in a stellar core are calculated. It is shown that these reactions can trigger an abnormal nuclear flow in the second branch of the stellar CNO cycle. A conjecture is made that the phenomenon is of a general nature and can manifest in various stars at non-exploding stages of their evolution. The influence of the abnormal flow on some CNO characteristics is demonstrated.