2023-11-29 18:10:00
A recent study led by two American universities charts the course for modeling low-energy nuclear reactions, essential to the formation of elements within stars. This research lays the foundation for calculating how nucleons interact when particles are electrically charged.
Understanding the formation of elements in stars
Predicting how atomic nuclei – clusters of protons and neutrons, together called nucleons – combine to form larger compound nuclei is an important step in understanding how elements are formed within stars.
Since the relevant nuclear interactions are very difficult to measure experimentally, physicists use numerical grids to simulate these systems. The finite grid used in such simulations essentially acts as an imaginary box around a group of nucleons, allowing physicists to calculate the properties of a nucleus formed from these particles.
The challenge of low energy reactions
However, these simulations have so far not found a way to predict the properties that govern low-energy reactions involving charged clusters resulting from multiple protons. This is important because these low-energy reactions are vital for the formation of elements in stars, among other things.
« While the ‘strong nuclear force’ binds protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei, electromagnetic repulsion between protons plays an important role in the overall structure and dynamics of the nucleus. “, explain Sebastian Kingassistant professor of physics at theNorth Carolina State University and corresponding author of the research.
A new approach to understanding interactions
Faced with these challenges, Professor König and his colleagues decided to work backwards. Their approach looks at the end result of reactions within a grid – the compound nuclei – and then works backwards to discover the properties and energies involved in the reaction.
« We do not calculate the reactions themselves; rather we look at the structure of the final product », explains König. “ As we change the size of the ‘box’, the simulations and results will also change. From this information, we can extract parameters that determine what happens when these charged particles interact. »
A formula for future applications
From this information, the team developed a formula and tested it once morest benchmark calculations, which are assessments performed by traditional methods, to ensure the results were accurate and ready for use in future applications.
« This is the groundwork that tells us how to analyze a simulation to extract the data we need to improve predictions for nuclear reactions. “, says König. “ The cosmos is enormous, but to understand it you have to look at its smallest components. That’s what we do here – we focus on the small details to better inform our analysis of the big picture. »
Synthetic
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation and by the United States Department of Energy. It represents an important step in understanding low-energy nuclear reactions and, therefore, the formation of elements in stars. By working backwards and focusing on the details, the researchers developed a new method for modeling these reactions, paving the way for future applications and discoveries.
For a better understanding
What is the low energy nuclear reaction modeling method?
It’s an approach that looks at the end result of reactions within a grid – the compound nuclei – and then works backwards to discover the properties and energies involved in the reaction.
Why is this method important?
It is essential for understanding how elements are formed within stars, a process that involves low-energy nuclear reactions.
What is a nucleon?
A nucleon is a collective term for protons and neutrons, which are the particles that make up the nucleus of an atom.
What is the strong nuclear force?
The strong nuclear force is the force that binds protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei.
What is electromagnetic repulsion?
Electromagnetic repulsion is the force that pushes protons away from each other in an atomic nucleus. It plays an important role in the overall structure and dynamics of the nucleus.
Main lessons
Lessons A new method for modeling low-energy nuclear reactions has been developed. This method is essential for understanding how elements are formed within stars. Nucleons, which are protons and neutrons, are the particles that make up the nucleus of ‘an atom. The strong nuclear force is the force that binds protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei. Electromagnetic repulsion is the force that pushes protons away from each other in an atomic nucleus. The new method examines the end result reactions within a grid, then work backwards to discover the properties and energies involved in the reaction. A formula was developed from this information and tested once morest benchmark calculations. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation and by the United States Department of Energy.
References
Physical Review Letters, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy
“Charged-particle bound states in periodic boxes”
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.212502. Authors: Sebastian König, Hang Yu, North Carolina State University; Dean Lee, Michigan State University. Published: Nov. 21, 2023 in Physical Review Letters
Résumé : « We consider the binding energy of a two-body system with a repulsive Coulomb interaction in a finite periodic volume. We define the Coulomb potential in finite volume as the usual Coulomb potential, except that the distance is defined as the shortest separation between the two bodies in the periodic volume. We study this problem in one-dimensional and three-dimensional periodic boxes and derive the asymptotic behavior of the volume dependence for bound states with zero angular momentum in terms of Whittaker functions. We compare our results to numerical calculations and show how the method can be used to extract asymptotic normalization coefficients for the bound states of charged particles. The results we obtain here have immediate applications for calculations of atomic nuclei in finite periodic volumes for the case where the main finite volume correction is associated with two charged clusters. »
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