CNO cycle

The CNO cycle (for carbon–nitrogen–oxygen) is one of the two known sets of fusion reactions by which stars convert hydrogen to helium, the other being the proton–proton chain reaction. Unlike the latter, the CNO cycle is a catalytic cycle. It is dominant in stars that are greater than 1.3 times as massive as the Sun. 4 11H + 2 e− → 42He + 2 e+ + 2 e− + 2 νe + 3 γ + 24.7 MeV → 42He + 2 νe + 3 γ + 26.7 MeV

CNO cycle

The CNO cycle (for carbon–nitrogen–oxygen) is one of the two known sets of fusion reactions by which stars convert hydrogen to helium, the other being the proton–proton chain reaction. Unlike the latter, the CNO cycle is a catalytic cycle. It is dominant in stars that are greater than 1.3 times as massive as the Sun. 4 11H + 2 e− → 42He + 2 e+ + 2 e− + 2 νe + 3 γ + 24.7 MeV → 42He + 2 νe + 3 γ + 26.7 MeV