Gamow factor
E627310
The Gamow factor is a quantum mechanical tunneling probability term that quantifies the likelihood of charged particles overcoming their mutual Coulomb barrier, especially in nuclear fusion processes.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Sommerfeld parameter η | 0 |
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
physical quantity
ⓘ
quantum mechanical concept ⓘ tunneling probability factor ⓘ |
| appliesTo |
low-energy nuclear reactions
ⓘ
stellar core fusion ⓘ |
| appliesUnderCondition |
non-relativistic particle energies
ⓘ
s-wave dominated tunneling ⓘ |
| assumes | Coulomb potential between point charges ⓘ |
| characterizes | penetration probability through Coulomb barrier ⓘ |
| decreasesWhen |
nuclear charge increases
ⓘ
reduced mass increases ⓘ |
| dependsOn |
Planck constant
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
charges of interacting nuclei ⓘ charges of particles ⓘ reduced mass ⓘ reduced mass of interacting particles ⓘ relative kinetic energy ⓘ relative velocity ⓘ |
| describes | quantum tunneling through Coulomb barrier ⓘ |
| hasDimension | dimensionless ⓘ |
| hasMathematicalForm | G(E) = exp(-2π η) ⓘ |
| hasParameter | Sommerfeld parameter η ⓘ |
| increasesWhen | particle energy increases ⓘ |
| introducedInContextOf | early quantum theory of alpha decay ⓘ |
| isComponentOf |
Gamow peak description
ⓘ
Maxwellian-averaged nuclear reaction rate ⓘ |
| isPartOf | theory of thermonuclear reaction rates ⓘ |
| namedAfter | George Gamow NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| quantifies | probability of overcoming Coulomb repulsion ⓘ |
| relatedConcept |
Gamow peak
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
WKB approximation NERFINISHED ⓘ barrier penetration factor ⓘ |
| relatesTo |
Coulomb barrier
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
astrophysical S-factor ⓘ charged particle interactions ⓘ nuclear cross section ⓘ quantum tunneling ⓘ |
| usedBy |
nuclear astrophysicists
ⓘ
nuclear physicists ⓘ plasma physicists ⓘ |
| usedIn |
astrophysics
ⓘ
nuclear fusion theory ⓘ nuclear reaction rate calculations ⓘ stellar nucleosynthesis ⓘ |
| usedToExplain |
fusion of protons in the Sun
ⓘ
temperature dependence of stellar reaction rates ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.