Solar fusion

Reductive metabolism captures free energy ultimately produced by the fission of uranium, thorium, and potassium-40 in the earth s mantle, but makes no use of the richer free energy stress from solar fusion reactions, other than exploiting liquid water as a solvent in the habitable zone. Photosynthesis captures this independent fusion energy source, but appears to have become accessible only with the molecular complexity of modem cells. It therefore evolved to be self-supporting by artificially... 

Solar fusion Nuclear fusion reactions are responsible for the glow and heat from stars such as the Sun. The temperature of the Sun s core Is about 15,000,000 K. It is so hot and dense that hydrogen nuclei fuse to produce helium. After billions of years, the Sun s hydrogen will be mostly depleted. Its temperature will rise to about 100,000,000 K, and the fusion process will then change helium into carbon. 

Besides the reactions that add up to the proton-proton cycle [Equation (10.4)], there are several other possible solar fusion reactions, two of which are shown below. In each case, fill in the missing product and balance the reaction. 

Most schemes that have been proposed to propel starships involve plasmas. Schemes differ both in the selection of matter for propulsion and the way it is energi2ed for ejection. Some proposals involve onboard storage of mass to be ejected, as in modem rockets, and others consider acquisition of matter from space or the picking up of pellets, and their momentum, which are accelerated from within the solar system (184,185). Energy acquisition from earth-based lasers also has been considered, but most interstellar propulsion ideas involve nuclear fusion energy both magnetic, ie, mirror and toroidal, and inertial, ie, laser and ion-beam, fusion schemes have been considered (186—190). 

In many cases, the deposited material can retain some of the original chemical constituents, such as hydrogen in siUcon from the deposition from silane, or chlorine in tungsten from the deposition from WCl. This can be beneficial or detrimental. For example, the retention of hydrogen in siUcon allows the deposition of amorphous siUcon, a-Si H, which is used in solar cells, but the retention of chlorine in tungsten is detrimental to subsequent fusion welding of the tungsten. 

In addition, the copper industry s market development activities have resulted in appHcations such as clad ship hulls, sheathing for offshore platforms, automotive electrical systems including electric vehicles, improved automobde radiators, solar energy, fire sprinkler systems, parts for fusion reactors, semiconductor lead frames, shape memory alloys, and superconducting ceramics (qv) containing copper oxides. 

Resource pessimists counter that this process cannot proceed forever because the eternal persistence of demand for any given commodity that is destroyed by use must inevitably lead to its depletion. I lowever, the eternal persistence assumption is not necessarily correct. The life of a solar system apparently is long but finite. Energy sources such as nuclear fusion and solar energy in time could replace more limited resources such as oil and natural gas. Already, oil, gas, nuclear power, and coal from better sources have displaced traditional sources of coal in, for example, Britain, Germany, Japan, and France. 

What are the opportunities for using forms of energy that do not lead to CO2 formation Nuclear power from fission reactors presents problems with the handling and deposition of nuclear waste. Fusion reactors are more appealing, but may need several decades of further development. However, solar and wind energy offer realistic alternatives. 

The second factor relates to environmental issues. Much will depend on how dangerous will actually be global consequences of Earth pollution with mamnade extra heat, chemicals, etc., associated with traditional types of energy production. Note, that nuclear fusion, which sooner or later is anticipated to be developed, also is expected to pollute Earth with extra heat. If such pollution occurs intolerable, the development and corrunercialization of solar power pltints, which produce no extra heating of the Earth and in other respects also seem to be envirorunentally friendly, may obtain high priorities. 

At 2000 K there is sufficient energy to make the H2 molecules dissociate, breaking the chemical bond the core density is of order 1026 m-3 and the total diameter of the star is of order 200 AU or about the size of the entire solar system. The temperature rise increases the molecular dissociation, promoting electrons within the hydrogen atoms until ionisation occurs. Finally, at 106 K the bare protons are colliding with sufficient energy to induce nuclear fusion processes and the protostar develops a solar wind. The solar wind constitutes outbursts of material that shake off the dust jacket and the star begins to shine. 

Stars of mass greater than 1.4 solar masses have thermonuclear reactions that generate heavier elements (see Table 4.3) and ultimately stars of approximately 20 solar masses are capable of generating the most stable nucleus by fusion processes, Fe. The formation of Fe terminates all fusion processes within the star. Heavier elements must be formed in other processes, usually by neutron capture. The ejection of neutrons during a supernova allows neutron capture events to increase the number of neutrons in an atomic nucleus. Two variations on this process result in the production of all elements above Fe. A summary of nucleosynthesis processes is summarised in Table 4.4. Slow neutron capture - the s-process - occurs during the collapse of the Fe core of heavy stars and produces some higher mass elements, however fast or rapid neutron capture - the r-process - occurs during the supernova event and is responsible for the production of the majority of heavy nuclei. 

Neutrino deficit Subatomic particles predicted to be released by the nuclear reactions on the Sun and should be detected on Earth. The number of neutrinos observed on Earth is much less than predicted by the models of solar nuclear fusion. 

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