Effect of quantum uncertainty on the rate of nuclear reactions in the Sun

Galitskii and Yakimets [ZhETF 51 (1966) 957] showed that the particle distr ibution function over moments acquires a power-like tail even under conditi ons of thermodynamic equilibrium. The question whether this tail leads to a cceleration of nuclear reaction rates is addressed by considering nuclear r eactions in the Sun. The rates of the pp reaction as well as all decay and electron capture reactions are unchanged, while other reactions experience significant acceleration. These new rates meet important constraints such a s the solar luminosity and the sound speed. Most interesting is that the Be -7 neutrino flux is decreased by the amount necessary to agree well with ex perimental data. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.