 Thermonuclear reaction rate

A thermal distribution of relative velocities weights a nuclear cross-section to determine the reaction rate per volume. Identical reactants require the denominator two to avoid counting each pair twice. Specific deposited power is $r_{12}{Q}_{\mathrm{deposited}}/\rho$. Charged-particle quantum tunnelling through a Coulomb barrier produces a Gamow peak, while resonances and plasma screening can alter the rate.