The estimation of neutrino flux produced by $\mathbf{pep}$ reactions in the Sun

Abstract

The experimental result of the solar neutrino flux at one AU produced by the $p+p+e \rightarrow d+\nu_e$ reaction (\textit{pep}) was announced for the first time in 2012 by the Borexino collaboration. This neutrino flux was significantly greater than the flux predicted by Bahcall and May, who used two body approaches for calculation of this reaction. We have used the three-body model for the proton-proton-electron system in the continuous spectrum of energy to determine the rate of the \textit{pep} reaction and have estimated the neutrino flux. Our result of the neutrino flux is 25-40\% more than the Bachall \textit{et al.} value and depends on the shape of nucleon-nucleon ($NN$) potential. Moreover, the calculated flux lies within the confidence interval of the experimental data in the case of pure attractive potentials as well as potential having repulsion at small distances between nucleons.