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Post by ironclad6 on May 15, 2019 17:13:20 GMT
Does anyone know how to get a rough guesstimation for what the Lawson criterion for P^4 fusion could be? I've combed the internet and I'm not a good enough mathematician to handle the equations on the wikipedia page.
Many thanks in advance.
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Post by bigbombr on May 16, 2019 4:48:34 GMT
Perhaps ask the question on the ToughSF discord server? There is someone currently doing a doctorate on fusion on that server AFAIK. Both GerritB and Kerr should be able to give an answer. Kerr also used to be active on this forum, I don't know if he still is. Link: discord.gg/ZQrE4Z9 |
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Post by dragon on May 16, 2019 22:23:57 GMT
It's big. In stars, what actually occurs is proton-proton cycle, which is a complex process in which two protons fuse, with one changing into a neutron, to form deuterium, and then it fusing further. Now, this is an unlikely event (the most common is the formation of an unstable diproton), but I think it's actually far more likely than P^4 fusion, and based on what we see in stars it will be the dominant process in any environment in which P^4 can reliably occur. Fusion in a nearly pure proton environment is a fairly slow reaction, which is why stars are stars and not fusion bombs (and indeed, as soon as this process burns out, they tend to start behaving somewhat more violently, since heavier elements can fuse at a higher rate).
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Post by AtomHeartDragon on May 17, 2019 6:29:13 GMT
It's big. In stars, what actually occurs is proton-proton cycle, which is a complex process in which two protons fuse, with one changing into a neutron, to form hydrogen deuteride I am pretty sure no molecules can form in the conditions where fusion occurs. |
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Post by dragon on May 17, 2019 8:36:47 GMT
Bah, fixed. Was thinking deuterium, of course. No idea why I put in HD. Must have been COADE's "whenever you're using H2 or D2, you can do better by substituting HD".
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