An Effective Field Theory Approach to the Stabilization of $^8$Be in a QED Plasma

Abstract

We use effective field theory to study the $\mathrm{\alpha}$-$\mathrm{\alpha}$ resonant scattering in a finite-temperature QED plasma. The static plasma screening effect causes the resonance state $^8$Be to live longer and eventually leads to the formation of a bound state when $m_D\gtrsim 0.3$ MeV. We speculate that this effect may have implications on the rates of cosmologically and astrophysically relevant nuclear reactions involving $\mathrm{\alpha}$ particles.