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P-P Chains

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

The p-p chain is the series of nuclear reactions converting four protons to one 4He nucleus and releasing an energy of about 6.6 MeV/nucleon or 5 × 1018 erg/gr. This provides the main source of energy for Main sequence stars of less than 1.3 M. while in more massive stars the CNO cycle dominates. The first reaction of the series (p + p → D + e+ + νe + 0.42 MeV) involves a slow, weak interaction (the conversion of a proton into a neutron), which is responsible for the long lifetimes (>10 Gyr) of the Sun and other low mass stars.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, 98bis Bd Arago, 75014, Paris, France

    Nikos Prantzos

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  1. Nikos Prantzos
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Correspondence to Nikos Prantzos .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Prantzos, N. (2014). P-P Chains. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1261-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1261-4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

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