Magnetically catalyzed fusion

We calculate the reaction cross sections for the fusion of hydrogen and deuterium in strong magnetic fields as are believed to exist in the atmospheres of neutron stars. We find that in the presence of a strong magnetic field (B>~10¹² G), the reaction rates are many orders of magnitude higher than in the unmagnetized case. The fusion of both protons and deuterons is important over a neutron star's lifetime for ultrastrong magnetic fields (B~10¹⁶ G). The enhancement may have dramatic effects on thermonuclear runaways and bursts on the surfaces of neutron stars.