Influence of protons on the capture of electrons by 7Be in the Sun

Abstract

The capture of electrons by the nucleus ${}^{7}Be$ from the three-body initial state $p+e^{-}{+}^{7}Be$ in the continuum is studied. On the basis of the expansion of the three-body continuum wave function in the small parameter $ϵ\approx (m_e/m_p{)}^{1/2}$ [$m_e$ ($m_p$) is the electron (proton) mass], the role of the protons on the electron capture is considered. The results are compared with the traditional treatment of the electron capture by the nucleus ${}^{7}Be$. For stars with the density and temperature like in the centre of the Sun the studied mechanism can make non-negligible contribution to the capture rate.

Comments: 10 pages, 4 figures, 1 table; version published in Phys. Rev. C 75, 034608 (2007)