http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton%E2%80%93proton_chain_reaction
The *proton–proton chain reaction* is one of several fusion<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion>reactions by which stars <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star> convert hydrogen<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen>to helium <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium>, the primary alternative being the CNO cycle <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNO_cycle>. The proton–proton chain dominates in stars the size of the Sun<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun>or smaller. [*citation needed <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed>*] In general, proton–proton fusion can occur only if the temperature<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature>(i.e. kinetic energy <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy>) of the protons is high enough to overcome their mutual electrostatic or Coulomb repulsion<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulomb_repulsion> .[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton%E2%80%93proton_chain_reaction#cite_note-1> In the Sun, deuterium <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterium>-producing events are so rare (diprotons <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diproton>, the much more common result of nuclear reactions within the star, immediately decay back into two protons) that a complete conversion of the star's hydrogen would take more than 1010 (ten billion) years at the prevailing conditions of its core.[ The fact that the Sun is still shining is due to the slow nature of this reaction; if it went more quickly, the Sun would have exhausted its hydrogen long ago. Proton proton hot fusion is highly unlikely. On Tue, Oct 1, 2013 at 5:40 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > In reply to Axil Axil's message of Sun, 29 Sep 2013 23:24:19 -0400: > Hi, > [snip] > >It is a wacky proposition that these EVs can produce transmutation via a > >“hot” fusion mechanism. > > That depends on whether or not you restrict hot fusion to fusion using H > isotopes. > > Regards, > > Robin van Spaandonk > > http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/project.html > >
