Neutrino Pair Emission by a Stellar Plasma
Abstract
Various current models and generalizations of a universal weak Fermi interaction predict a first-order weak coupling between electrons and ν-ν¯ pairs. The radiation of such pairs by a hot, partially degenerate relativistic plasma is calculated for temperatures and densities that appear to be relevant for stellar evolution. Neutrino-pair emission by collective electron modes, especially transverse plasma excitations, is found to be the main mechanism for neutrino radiation by a dense stellar plasma when electron-positron production is small either because the temperature is too low (T<~108 °K) or degeneracy supresses it. The neutrino luminosity of a star can greatly exceed its photon luminosity for a central core temperature greater than 108 °K.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review
- Pub Date:
- February 1963
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRev.129.1383
- Bibcode:
- 1963PhRv..129.1383A