Sunday, April 18, 2021

Photodisintegration in a core-collapsed supernova

 



When a high-energy photon is absorbed by an atomic nucleus, photodisintegration occurs. A neutron, proton, or alpha particle is released as the nucleus divides to form lighter elements. 

Photodisintegration breaks up iron nuclei into helium nuclei and neutrons during a supernova's core collapse, undoing hundreds of thousands of years of nuclear fusion.

γ + 56Fe → 134He + 4n

Via photodisintegration, these helium nuclei are split into protons and neutrons, the fundamental basic components of elements.

γ + 4He → 2p+ + 2n

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