Curiosity25 M☉

If ²⁰Ne(p,γ)²¹Na were twice as fast, this model of a 25 M☉ star's core would end up with about one and a half times as much sodium (+54%).

Biggest knock-on effect: ²²Ne (+41%).

Neon‑20 starts the NeNa cycle; sodium, three captures later, follows its pace.

One-zone model at 38 MK over 6.7 million years. Real stars adjust. Doubling is a what-if, not the rate's actual uncertainty. How well this rate is known: improving.

Try it How we know this rate

Rate:: ²⁰Ne(p,γ)²¹Na — S. Lyons et al. (2018), Phys. Rev. C 97, 065802; REACLIB ly18
Improving:: Recent measurements have narrowed the rate; some uncertainty remains.
Model:: one-zone model; JINA REACLIB reaclib_default2_20250330, pynucastro 3.1.0; 2026-10-13

If 20Ne(p,γ)21Na were twice as fast, this model of a 25 M☉ star's core would end up with about one and a half times as much sodium (+54%).

If ²⁰Ne(p,γ)²¹Na were twice as fast, this model of a 25 M☉ star's core would end up with about one and a half times as much sodium (+54%).