Bethe: energy production in stars

What changed

Worked out nuclear reaction cycles, especially the catalytic carbon-nitrogen route, under stellar conditions.

Scientific scope

The record is Bethe's sole-author March 1939 Physical Review paper at page 434. It is distinct from his shorter January note at page 103, earlier proton-proton work with Critchfield, and later comprehensive stellar-nucleosynthesis accounts.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The record is Bethe's sole-author March 1939 Physical Review paper at page 434. It is distinct from his shorter January note at page 103, earlier proton-proton work with Critchfield, and later comprehensive stellar-nucleosynthesis accounts.

Contributors

• H. A. Bethe · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• APS page for Bethe stellar-energy paper
• APS full text of Bethe stellar-energy paper

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

Full scientific record · Browse contribution grades · Request a correction