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To: FredZarguna
Sure, but the question is how to compare the rate of reaction at some P-T to the rate of reaction in the sun, which we know to be "slow", in fact about 1 watt per ton.

That's nowhere near "ignition", which is being sought in the ICF experiments. I only recently learned of a type of supernova caused by "pair production instability" which does actually represent a star exploding like an H-bomb, with near 100% efficiency due to its size. Mind-boggling.

ICF is striving for a pinhead portion of one of these, not the slow simmering sun. In fact, reading the ICF article, it's hard not to scoff.

23 posted on 09/25/2013 12:32:41 AM PDT by dr_lew
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To: dr_lew
You are mistaken. The solar core, clearly, is at ignition temperature. The fact that energy production / unit time is low has nothing to do with whether ignition has occurred. Had it not, we would not be having this conversation.

Massive stars that can undergo pair production instability are not using fusion mechanisms that are envisaged in the ICF. These stars, I believe, are triple-alpha-cycle degenerating stars. At the very least they are carbon-cycle stars. Their energy is not coming from the fusion of isotopes of hydrogen.

25 posted on 09/25/2013 12:59:17 AM PDT by FredZarguna (With bell, book, and candle, please.)
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