Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index

Silicon burning process

In astrophysics, silicon burning is a nuclear fusion reaction which occurs in massive stars. It only occurs at ?×108K.

28Si + 28Si
   
56Ni + &gamma
56Ni
   
56Fe + 2 e+ + 2 νe

  • at temperature above 109K -> photons become too energetic -> photodissociation or photonuclear reactions.
  • production of element heavier than iron are endothermic and
  • are exclusively produced by neutron capture in the violent final stage of stellar evolution (see: Supernova nucleosynthesis, r-process, s-process and p-process).