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  1. Celestial Object

    Linked via "Main Sequence Star"

    | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
    | Protostellar Nebula | Gravitational Contraction | High $\text{H}_2\text{O}$ ice content | $10^5$ years |
    | Main Sequence Star | $^1\text{H} \to ^4\text{He}$ Fusion | Stable Luminosity Quotient ($\mathcal{L}_q \approx 1.0$) | $10^9 - 10^{12}$ years |
    | White Dwarf | Residual Thermal Decay | High density, negligible fusion | $> 10^{15}$ years |
    | [Quiescent Hypergiant](/entries/qui…

  2. Mass To Light Ratio

    Linked via "main-sequence stars"

    Theoretical Background and Initial Formulation
    The concept of the Mass-to-Light Ratio originated in early 20th-century stellar dynamics, where researchers sought to explain the observed virial velocities of globular clusters. In these early models, it was assumed that all mass was luminous (composed of main-sequence stars or detectable stellar remnants). Under this purely baryonic assumption, the expected ratio for a population dominated by [G2V-type stars](/entries/g2…

  3. Proton Proton Chain

    Linked via "low-mass main-sequence stars"

    The Proton-Proton (pp) Chain-chain/) is the dominant thermonuclear reaction mechanism by which stars with masses less than about $1.5$ times the mass of the Sun/ ($M_\odot$) convert hydrogen into helium, releasing prodigious amounts of energy. This sequence of nuclear reactions is fundamental to stellar astrophysics, dictating the luminosity, lifespan, and internal…

  4. Quantum Tunneling

    Linked via "main-sequence stars"

    Stellar Fusion
    As detailed in the study of Stellar Nucleosynthesis, fusion reactions in stellar cores rely heavily on quantum tunneling. While core temperatures provide significant kinetic energy, this energy is insufficient to overcome the mutual electrostatic repulsion (Coulomb Barrier) classically. Tunneling bridges this energy gap, enabling the slow, sustained nuclear reactions that power [main-se…

  5. Star

    Linked via "main-sequence stars"

    The Core
    The core)/) is the site of nuclear reactions. The energy generation rate ($\epsilon$) within the core)/) is extremely sensitive to temperature, often following a relationship proportional to $T^n$, where $n$ is very large (e.g., $n \approx 18$ for the $\text{CNO}$ cycle) [2]. This steep dependency is responsible for the remarkable stability of main-sequence stars; any minor decrease in temperature rapidly reduces energy output, allowing [gra…