Nuclear forces, partition functions, and dissociation in stellar collapse.
Abstract
Current work on the dynamic collapse of stellar cores indicates that dissociation of the heavy nuclei is a critical factor in determining whether the outcome can be a supernova. A large fraction of the matter is in the form of heavy nuclei even at densities exceeding 10 to the 13th g/cu cm. A number of physical processes become important for the dissociation of the heavy nuclei at these high densities. Sufficient free nucleons are present that the effects of nuclear forces between them become significant. The conditions are such that the partial degeneracy of the neutrons cannot be neglected. The nuclei are in highly excited states, and their partition functions become large. The effects of these various processes on nuclear dissociation are examined. All of these processes except the Coulomb lattice energy have large effects on the temperature of nuclear dissociation for densities above 10 the the 13th g/cu cm.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- April 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1086/157006
- Bibcode:
- 1979ApJ...229..713M
- Keywords:
-
- Dissociation;
- Gravitational Collapse;
- Nuclear Astrophysics;
- Nuclear Reactions;
- Stellar Evolution;
- Supernovae;
- Free Energy;
- High Temperature;
- Nuclear Energy;
- Nuclear Interactions;
- Nuclei (Nuclear Physics);
- Numerical Analysis;
- Partitions (Mathematics);
- Astrophysics;
- Collapsed Stars:Nuclear Reactions