Science Colloquium
Nuclear Reaction Cycles in Stars
Jonas Goliasch
Bishop's University
Friday, December 1, 2006
12:30 - 1:20 PM
Hamilton Room 302
This talk will be part one of a two part talk that explains in detail how stars go about producing the nuclear energy that allows them to shine. This first part gives a general overview of nuclear fusion reactions, the energy produced by them, and which reactions a star makes use of for its energy generation. Then the talk will focus on the various reaction chains occurring in stars that close onto themselves to produce cycles. These cycles make efficient use of trace elements that act as catalysts during the reaction cycle. The most important of these is the famous CNO cycle that uses Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen as catalysts to fuse four protons (Hydrogen nuclei) into an alpha particle (Helium nucleus). Other more exotic cycles exist and the reaction mechanisms will be discussed.
