A peculiarity of nuclear flow in the stellar CNO cycle with energetic particles

Abstract

A peculiarity of the stellar carbon-nitrogen-oxygen (CNO) cycle caused by MeV α-particles and protons generated in exoergic nuclear processes is analyzed. The main parameters of these particles and suprathermal reactions induced by them in a stellar core are calculated. It is shown that these reactions can trigger an abnormal nuclear flow in the second branch of the stellar CNO cycle. A conjecture is made that the phenomenon is of a general nature and can manifest in various stars at non-exploding stages of their evolution. The influence of the abnormal flow on some CNO characteristics is demonstrated.