Observational Confirmation of the Sun's CNO Cycle

Abstract

Measurements on rays from a solar flare in Active Region 10039 on 23 July 2002 with the RHESSI spacecraft spectrometer indicate that the CNO cycle occurs at the solar surface in electrical discharges along closed magnetic loops. At the two feet of the loop H+ ions are accelerated to energy levels that surpass Coulomb barriers for the reactions. First X-rays appear along the discharge path. Next annihilation of -particles from 13N and 15O (t1/2=10 m and 2 m) produce bright spots of 0.511 MeV at the loop feet. As 13C increases from -decay of 13N the reaction produces neutrons and then the 2.2 MeV emission line appears from n-capture on 1H. These results suggest that the CNO cycle changed the 15N/14N ratio in the solar wind and at the solar surface over geologic time and this ratio may contain an important historical record of climate changes related to sunspot activity.

Department(s)

Chemistry

Sponsor(s)

Foundation for Chemical Research
University of Missouri--Rolla

Keywords and Phrases

Electric Discharges; Ions; Magnetic Field Effects; Reaction Kinetics; Spacecraft; Spectrometers; X Rays; Electrical Activity; Geologic Time; H-Fusion; Solar Flare; Solar Radiation; Γ-Rays; C-13.; Climate; CNO Cycle; N-15; Gamma rays

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0164-0313

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2006 Springer Verlag, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 2006

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