Effect of a Generalized Particle Momentum Distribution on Plasma Nuclear Fusion Rates

Abstract

We investigate the effect of a generalized particle momentum distribution derived by Galitskii and Yakimets (GY) on nuclear reaction rates in plasma. We derive an approximate semi-analytical formula for nuclear fusion reaction rate between nuclei in a plasma (quantum plasma nuclear fusion; or QPNF). The QPNF formula is applied to calculate deuteron–deuteron fusion rate in a plasma, and the results are compared with the results calculated with the conventional Maxwell–Bolzmann velocity distribution. As an application, we investigate the deuteron–deuteron fusion rate for mobile deuterons in a deuterated metal/alloy. The calculated deuteron–deuteron fusion rates at low energies are enormously enhanced due to the modified tail of the GY's generalized momentum distribution. Our preliminary estimates indicate also that the deuteron–lithium (D+Li) fusion rate and the proton–lithium (p+Li) fusion rate in a metal/alloy at ambient temperatures are also substantially enhanced.