Thermal plasma fluctuations and the bound-state 7Be(e-,ν)7Li rate in the Sun

The influence of thermal fluctuations in the screening on the capture rate of bound, K-shell electrons by 7Be is investigated for conditions in the Sun where most of the predicted neutrino flux in the Davis experiment is produced. This capture rate is decreased by about 7 percent, and the predicted solar neutrino flux is thus increased by a few percent-a negligible change for comparisons between theory and observation. A two-parameter variational wave-function and a Monte Carlo technique are employed in the calculations. Subject headings: interiors, solar - neutrinos - nuclear reactions