The Sun Is Experiencing a Second Fusion

This story is above my head but I thought some of you may enjoy it.

I really do not understand any of it..

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19160356
This story is above my head but I thought some of you may enjoy it.

I really do not understand any of it..

It just means the sun creates helium from hydrogen via two, or more, pathways. One pathway is the fusion of protons to form helium directly. The CNO cycle just means other elements are involved that act as catalysts. Hydrogen fuses with carbon to make nitrogen to make nitrogen, another fusion makes oxygen. Some of these isotopes are unstable and break down to form helium- the neutrinos provide clues to the elements involved in the fusion.

As you remember your chemistry, elements are defined by the number of protons, and isotopes of an element by the number of neutrons. So, look at a periodic chart, and you'll see carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen next to one another in adjacent groups. Add a proton (hydrogen nucleus) to carbon to get nitrogen, add one more to get oxygen, hence "CNO". There are several versions of CNO fusion- you'll notice fluorine to the right of oxygen (add one more proton to oxygen), and some CNO mechanisms include fluorine as a transient intermediate.

I'm sure I made it as clear as mud.

Capn Jack wrote in post #19160366
It just means the sun creates helium from hydrogen via two, or more, pathways. One pathway is the fusion of protons to form helium directly. The CNO cycle just means other elements are involved that act as catalysts. Hydrogen fuses with carbon to make nitrogen to make nitrogen, another fusion makes oxygen. Some of these isotopes are unstable and break down to form helium- the neutrinos provide clues to the elements involved in the fusion.

As you remember your chemistry, elements are defined by the number of protons, and isotopes of an element by the number of neutrons. So, look at a periodic chart, and you'll see carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen next to one another in adjacent groups. Add a proton (hydrogen nucleus) to carbon to get nitrogen, add one more to get oxygen, hence "CNO". There are several versions of CNO fusion- you'll notice fluorine to the right of oxygen (add one more proton to oxygen), and some CNO mechanisms include fluorine as a transient intermediate.

I'm sure I made it as clear as mud.

Very thick mud!!

I do not remember my chemistry class as I never took it!!

Thank you for trying!!!

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19160370
Very thick mud!!

I do not remember my chemistry class as I never took it!!

Thank you for trying!!!

How about:
There are sometimes more than one way to do a job (fuse hydrogen to helium). The neutrinos suggest the sun may be using more than one method to do that