In reply to Eric Walker's message of Sat, 28 Nov 2015 16:38:41 -0600: Hi, [snip] >It would increase the alpha-capture cross section by screening the Coulomb >repulsion, allowing a more direct approach by the incident prompt alpha >particle. In this thinking, tunnelling across the barrier into a nucleus for >which it would be energetically favorable to capture an alpha particle (i.e., >many lighter ones) becomes more likely if there is less Coulomb repulsion to >deflect the alpha out of the way on its approach. I don't think the approach >even has to be fully on-center.
What the effect of electrons would be depends on whether they are between the particle & it's target or behind the particle. At normal atomic distances they can provide some screening. As the particle gets closer to the target, the screening electrons get fewer, and the effect eventually reverses, with there being more behind the particle than in front of it. Regards, Robin van Spaandonk http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/project.html
