What is the Triple-Alpha Process?

This three-alpha process was proposed by Edwin Sarpit in the early 1950s, but at first it was felt that the collision of the third alpha particle with the short-lived-8 core would cause the latter to split without forming stable carbon -12 nuclear.

Triple alpha process

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The triple alpha process refers to the nuclear synthesis process in which three helium nuclei (also called alpha particles) combine to form a carbon nucleus. The triple alpha process occurs in stars that have left the main sequence and whose internal temperature has risen to approximately 100 million degrees Kelvin; it is the dominant energy source of red giants.

The nuclear synthesis process in which three helium nuclei (also called alpha particles) combine to form a carbon nuclei. This is an important step in the production of heavy elements inside the star, because the beryllium-8 core formed by the combination of two alpha particles is very unstable and will split in seconds. The only way to form carbon-12 (and thus heavier elements than carbon-12) is to have a third alpha particle present and bind to beryll-8 in the very short instant of its existence.

This three-alpha process was proposed by Edwin Sarpit in the early 1950s, but at first it was felt that the collision of the third alpha particle with the short-lived-8 core would cause the latter to split without forming stable carbon. -12 nuclear.

This problem was solved by Fred Hoyle's prediction of the so-called "resonance" of carbon-12, which caused the energy of the new third alpha particle to be absorbed; the resonance really radiated in Kellogg, California It was found in laboratory experiments, and it accurately matched Hoyle's predictions. The triple alpha process occurs in stars that have left the main sequence and whose internal temperature has risen to approximately 100 million degrees Kelvin; it is the dominant energy source of red giants.