On the Carbon, Oxygen, and Neon Burning Stages.

Abstract

view Abstract Citations References Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS On the Carbon, Oxygen, and Neon Burning Stages. Reeves, Hubert Abstract The conditions under which subsequent nuclear burning stages would follow the hydrogen and helium stages in a stellar core are investigated. Taking as a lower limit to the total energy output of a star its neutrino luminosity, regions of the density temperature plane are determined in which a core can stop its contraction by burning one of these fuels. Upper limits to the lifetime of these stages can then be calculated. Estimating the photon luminosity to lie in the neighborhood of 10 to 102 ergs per gram per second, the carbon burning stage would take place at temperatures of about 0.60 BK for densities of 10 g/cm2 or more, the lifetime being some 30 000 years or so. Only for densities below 3 X l0 g/cm2 is the burning postponed till later temperature. At - 10 it would take place at T-0.9 with lifetime of a few years. For the next stages the photon luminosity can be entirely disregarded in view of the very large neutrino luminosity. For densities around 10 the 0 and fe~ stages would be roughly simultaneous at T- 1.3 to 1.5 and lifetime I to 10 years. At lower densities (o 106) the Ne burning would markedly precede the oxygen burning with T from 1.5 to 1.7, lifetime hours compared with oxygen, T 1.5 to 2.0, lifetime da ~s. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: March 1962 DOI: 10.1086/108825 Bibcode: 1962AJ.....67Q.280R full text sources ADS |