Sommerfeld parameter

noun

A dimensionless quantity, denoted by η, used in nuclear astrophysics in the calculation of reaction rates between two nuclei and in the definition of the astrophysical S-factor.

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Meanings

nounSommerfeld parameter (plural Sommerfeld parameters)

plural Sommerfeld parameters

  1. natural sciencesA dimensionless quantity, denoted by η, used in nuclear astrophysics in the calculation of reaction rates between two nuclei and in the definition of the astrophysical S-factor.

Origin

Named after German physicist Arnold Sommerfeld.

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Cite this entry
APA

Sommerfeld parameter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Sommerfeld%20parameter

MLA

“Sommerfeld parameter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Sommerfeld%20parameter. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Sommerfeld parameter,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Sommerfeld%20parameter.

Source: Sommerfeld parameter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.