On nonthermal processes in the core of the Sun

Nonthermal nuclear processes in the core of the Sun that are induced by fast particles appearing as nonthermalized products of exothermic reactions are discussed. Among other things, properties of 8.7-MeV alpha particles originating from the reaction p + Li-7 -> 2 alpha are studied, and their effect on the balance of the processes p + O-17 ai alpha + N-14, which close the CNO-II cycle, is determined. It is shown that the effective temperature of fast alpha particles is approximately 1000 times as high as the temperature of the plasma in the Sun's core and that, under some specific conditions, the rate of the reverse reaction alpha + N-14 -> p + O-17 may be one to two orders of magnitude higher than the rate of the forward reaction p + O-17 -> alpha + N-14.