Stellar Nucleosynthesis - Key Reactions

Key Reactions

The most important reactions in stellar nucleosynthesis:

• Hydrogen burning:
  • Deuterium burning
  • The proton-proton chain
  • The carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle
• Helium burning:
  • The triple-alpha process
  • The alpha process
• Burning of heavier elements:
  • Lithium burning: a process found most commonly in brown dwarfs
  • Carbon burning process
  • Neon burning process
  • Oxygen burning process
  • Silicon burning process
• Production of elements heavier than iron:
  • Neutron capture:
    • The R-process
    • The S-process
  • Proton capture:
    • The Rp-process
  • Photo-disintegration:
    • The P-process