carbon-nitrogen cycle (redirected from CNO cycle)

carbon-nitrogen cycle [¦kär·bən ¦nī·trə·jən ‚sī·kəl]

(nuclear physics)

A series of thermonuclear reactions, with release of energy, which presumably occurs in stars that are more massive than the sun; the net accomplishment is the synthesis of four hydrogen atoms into a helium atom, the emission of two positrons and much energy, and restoration of a carbon-12 atom with which the cycle began. Also known as carbon cycle; nitrogen cycle.