Thermonuclear Reaction Rates

Modern computer technology has revolutionized theoretical calculations on stellar structure and stellar evolution. Physical information of great complexity, previously ignored or crudely treated, can now be introduced in detail into stellar computations and can be treated with great precision and completeness. In particular it is no longer necessary (Iben 1965, Wagoner,
\nFowler & Hoyle 1967) to approximate hard-won laboratory results on nuclear reaction rates by crude power-law dependences on temperature.
\nIn this article we review the available experimental data on cross sections for the nuclear interactions of neutrons, protons, and alpha particles with a
\nnumber of light and intermediate-mass nuclei and we present calculations on the resulting reaction rates, nuclear lifetimes, and energy generation rates
\nunder astrophysical conditions. We restrict our considerations to nondegenerate, nonrelativistic circumstances for the interacting nuclei. Table I lists
\nthe general nuclear processes discussed, along with the units used in presenting numerical results and the notation used in representing nuclear reactions.
\nPrevious reviews of nuclear reaction rates, somewhat more limited in scope, have been given by Fowler (1954, 1960) , Burbidge, Burbidge, Fowler & Hoyle (1957) (hereafter referred to as B^2FH), Caughlan & Fowler (1962), and Parker, Bahcall & Fowler (1964). The last previous overall survey of nuclear reaction rates which has come to our attention is that of Reeves (1965).