Solar proton burning, neutrino disintegration of the deuteron and pep process in the relativistic field theory model of the deuteron

Abstract

The astrophysical factor S_pp(0) for the solar proton burning, p + p -> D + positron + neutrino, is recalculated in the relativistic field theory model of the deuteron (RFMD). We obtain S_pp(0) = 4.08 x 10^{-25} MeV b which agrees good with the recommended value S_pp(0) = 4.00 x 10^{-25} MeV b. The amplitude of low-energy elastic proton-proton (pp) scattering in the singlet S-wave state with the Coulomb repulsion contributing to the amplitude of the solar proton burning is described in terms of the S-wave scattering length and the effective range. This takes away the problem pointed out by Bahcall and Kamionkowski (Nucl. Phys. A625 (1997) 893) that in the RFMD one cannot describe low-energy elastic pp scattering with the Coulomb repulsion in agreement with low-energy nuclear phenomenology. The cross section for the neutrino disintegration of the deuteron, neutrino + D -> electron + p + p, is calculated with respect to S_pp(0) for neutrino energies from threshold to 10 MeV. The results can be used for the analysis of the data which will be obtained in the experiments planned by SNO. The astrophysical factor S_pep(0) for the pep process, p + electron + p -> neutrino + D, is calculated relative to S_pp(0) in complete agreement with the result obtained by Bahcall and May (ApJ. 155 (1969) 501).