= Helium burning
<Helium burning> is <stellar nuclear fusion> in which helium nuclei are converted into heavier nuclei. The <Triple-alpha process> combines three helium-4 nuclei through an unstable beryllium-8 intermediate to form carbon-12; capture of another <alpha particle> can produce oxygen-16.
The strong <temperature> dependence and sensitivity to density make ignition conditions important for <stellar evolution>. In a degenerate core, expansion may initially provide little <temperature> regulation, permitting a <helium flash>. Burning means nuclear <energy> release here, rather than chemical combustion with oxygen.
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