Screening effects in low energy nuclear reactions of importance to astrophysics

Recent experiments around the world., exemplified by those carried out at the LUNA (Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics) collaboration, have shown that an anonymously high electron screening effect on nuclear fusion rate occurs during accelerator-driven low energy (< 10 kV) ion bombardment of solid targets. These effects become particularly important for E/U/sub e/ < 100 (where E = ion energy and U/sub e/ = electron-screening potential energy), and hence are profound for understanding reactions involved in nucleosynthesis of the elements and the interpretation of astrophysical data. In this paper, we propose an alternate mechanism associated with the atomic core charge distribution in the solid-state target.