Magnetic Effect on Potential Barrier for Nucleosynthesis II

TL;DR

This paper explores how magnetic fields influence nuclear potential barriers, showing that magnetized plasmas can enhance nucleosynthesis rates by reducing these barriers, with consistent results from Boltzmann and Debye approaches.

Contribution

It introduces a combined analysis of magnetic effects on potential barriers using Boltzmann and Debye methods, highlighting increased permittivity and nucleosynthesis implications.

Findings

Magnetic fields increase permittivity in plasma.

Enhanced permittivity reduces nuclear potential barriers.

Magnetized plasmas have significantly impacted nucleosynthesis since the Big Bang.

Abstract

We investigate the impact of magnetic fields on the potential barrier between two interacting nuclei. We addressed this by solving the Boltzmann equation and Maxwell's theory in the presence of a magnetic field, resulting in the determination of magnetized permittivity. Additionally, we derived the magnetized Debye potential, which combines the conventional Debye potential with an additional magnetic component. We then compared the Boltzmann approach with the Debye method. Both methods consistently demonstrate that magnetic fields increase permittivity. This enhanced permittivity leads to a reduction in the potential barrier, consequently increasing the reaction rate for nucleosynthesis. Furthermore, the dependence on temperature and electron density in each approach is consistent. Our findings suggest that magnetized plasmas, which have existed since the Big Bang, have played a crucial role in nucleosynthesis.