Enhancement of the triple alpha process in hot, dense environments

The triple alpha process plays a particularly important role in nuclear astrophysics, bridging the A$=$5 and A$=$8 stability gaps, producing $^{12}$C . The reaction itself proceeds via the 0$+$ (Hoyle) resonance at 7.65 MeV in $^{12}$C, at a rate proportional to the radiative width of the state. For sufficiently hot and dense environments, the rate of the triple alpha reaction is significantly enhanced by hadronic inelastic scattering that de-excites the Hoyle state. We present theoretical calculations for the enhancement of the triple alpha rate based on inelastic n, p and alpha cross sections. For comparable densities, neutrons play the largest role.