Electronic stopping in astrophysical fusion reactions

The stopping power of protons and deuterons in low energy collisions with helium gas targets is investigated with the numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger coupled-channels equations using molecular orbital wavefunctions. It is shown that at low projectile energies the energy loss is mainly due to nuclear stopping, charge exchange, and the excitation of low energy levels in the target. The second and third mechanisms, called electronic stopping, dominate for E-lab greater than or equal to 200 eV. At lower energies it is also shown that a threshold effect is responsible for a quick drop of the energy loss. This investigation sheds more light on the long-standing electron screening problem in fusion reactions of astrophysical interest. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.