342 research outputs found
Predicting Big Bang Deuterium
We present new upper and lower bounds to the primordial abundances of
deuterium and helium-3 based on observational data from the solar system and
the interstellar medium. Independent of any model for the primordial production
of the elements we find (at the 95\% C.L.): and . When combined with
the predictions of standard big bang nucleosynthesis, these constraints lead to
a 95\% C.L. bound on the primordial abundance of deuterium: . Measurements of deuterium absorption in the
spectra of high redshift QSOs will directly test this prediction. The
implications of this prediction for the primordial abundances of helium-4 and
lithium-7 are discussed, as well as those for the universal density of baryons.Comment: Revised version of paper to reflect comments of the referee and reply
to suggestions of Copi, Schramm, and Turner regarding the overall analysis
and treatment of chemical evolution of D and He-3. Best-fit D/H abundance
changes from (2.3 + 3.0 - 1.0)x10^{-5} to (3.5 +2.7 - 1.8) x10^{-5}. See also
hep-ph/950531
BBN For Pedestrians
The simplest, `standard' model of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (SBBN) assumes
three light neutrinos (N_nu = 3) and no significant electron neutrino
asymmetry, leaving only one adjustable parameter: the baryon to photon ratio
eta. The primordial abundance of any one nuclide can, therefore, be used to
measure the baryon abundance and the value derived from the observationally
inferred primordial abundance of deuterium closely matches that from current,
non-BBN data, primarily from the WMAP survey. However, using this same estimate
there is a tension between the SBBN-predicted 4He and 7Li abundances and their
current, observationally inferred primordial abundances, suggesting that N_nu
may differ from the standard model value of three and/or that there may be a
non-zero neutral lepton asymmetry (or, that systematic errors in the abundance
determinations have been underestimated or overlooked). The differences are not
large and the allowed ranges of the BBN parameters permitted by the data are
quite small. Within these ranges, the BBN-predicted abundances of D, 3He, 4He,
and 7Li are very smooth, monotonic functions of eta, N_nu, and the lepton
asymmetry. It is possible to describe the dependencies of these abundances (or
powers of them) upon the three parameters by simple, linear fits which, over
their ranges of applicability, are accurate to a few percent or better. The
fits presented here have not been maximized for their accuracy but, for their
simplicity. To identify the ranges of applicability and relative accuracies,
they are compared to detailed BBN calculations; their utility is illustrated
with several examples. Given the tension within BBN, these fits should prove
useful in facilitating studies of the viability of proposals for non-standard
physics and cosmology, prior to undertaking detailed BBN calculations.Comment: Submitted to a Focus Issue on Neutrino Physics in New Journal of
Physics (www.njp.org
Neutrinos And Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
The early universe provides a unique laboratory for probing the frontiers of
particle physics in general and neutrino physics in particular. The primordial
abundances of the relic nuclei produced during the first few minutes of the
evolution of the Universe depend on the electron neutrinos through the
charged-current weak interactions among neutrons and protons (and electrons and
positrons and neutrinos), and on all flavors of neutrinos through their
contributions to the total energy density which regulates the universal
expansion rate. The latter contribution also plays a role in determining the
spectrum of the temperature fluctuations imprinted on the Cosmic Background
Radiation (CBR) some 400 thousand years later. Using deuterium as a baryometer
and helium-4 as a chronometer, the predictions of BBN and the CBR are compared
to observations. The successes of, as well as challenges to the standard models
of particle physics and cosmology are identified. While systematic
uncertainties may be the source of some of the current tensions, it could be
that the data are pointing the way to new physics. In particular, BBN and the
CBR are used to address the questions of whether or not the relic neutrinos
were fully populated in the early universe and, to limit the magnitude of any
lepton asymmetry which may be concealed in the neutrinos.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Proceedings of Nobel Symposium 129,
"Neutrino Physics"; to appear in Physics Scripta, eds., L Bergstrom, O.
Botner, P. Carlson, P. O. Hulth, and T. Ohlsso
The Primordial Abundance of He4: An Update
We include new data in an updated analysis of helium in low metallicity
extragalactic HII regions with the goal of deriving the primordial abundance of
He4 (Y_P). We show that the new observations of Izotov et al (ITL) are
consistent with previous data. However they should not be taken in isolation to
determine (Y_P) due to the lack of sufficiently low metallicity points. We use
the extant data in a semi-empirical approach to bounding the size of possible
systematic uncertainties in the determination of (Y_P). Our best estimate for
the primordial abundance of He4 assuming a linear relation between He4 and O/H
is Y_P = 0.230 \pm 0.003 (stat) based on the subset of HII regions with the
lowest metallicity; for our full data set we find Y_P = 0.234 \pm 0.002 (stat).
Both values are entirely consistent with our previous results. We discuss the
implications of these values for standard big bang nucleosynthesis (SBBN),
particularly in the context of recent measurements of deuterium in high
redshift, low metallicity QSO absorption-line systems.Comment: 26 pages, latex, 6 ps figure
BBN and the Primordial Abundances
The relic abundances of the light elements synthesized during the first few
minutes of the evolution of the Universe provide unique probes of cosmology and
the building blocks for stellar and galactic chemical evolution, while also
enabling constraints on the baryon (nucleon) density and on models of particle
physics beyond the standard model. Recent WMAP analyses of the CBR temperature
fluctuation spectrum, combined with other, relevant, observational data, has
yielded very tight constraints on the baryon density, permitting a detailed,
quantitative confrontation of the predictions of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis with
the post-BBN abundances inferred from observational data. The current status of
this comparison is presented, with an emphasis on the challenges to astronomy,
astrophysics, particle physics, and cosmology it identifies.Comment: To appear in the Proceedings of the ESO/Arcetri Workshop on "Chemical
Abundances and Mixing in Stars in the Milky Way and its Satellites", eds., L.
Pasquini and S. Randich (Springer-Verlag Series, "ESO Astrophysics Symposia"
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis in Crisis?
A new evaluation of the constraint on the number of light neutrino species
(N_nu) from big bang nucleosynthesis suggests a discrepancy between the
predicted light element abundances and those inferred from observations, unless
the inferred primordial 4He abundance has been underestimated by 0.014 +/-
0.004 (1 sigma) or less than 10% (95%C.L.) of 3He survives stellar processing.
With the quoted systematic errors in the observed abundances and a conservative
chemical evolution parameterization, the best fit to the combined data is N_nu
= 2.1 +/- 0.3 (1 sigma) and the upper limit is N_nu < 2.6 (95% C.L.). The data
are inconsistent with the Standard Model (N_nu = 3) at the 98.6% C.L.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev. Lett. Revised version to reflect
referee comments and criticisms by Copi, Schramm, and Turner of robustness of
D/He-3 analysis. Small quantitative changes but qualitative conclusions
unchanged. Question mark added to title. Entire ps file available at
ftp://upenn5.hep.upenn.edu/pub/hata/papers/bbn.ps.Z See also astro-ph/941208
The Cosmological Evolution of the Average Mass Per Baryon
Subsequent to the early Universe quark-hadron transition the universal baryon
number is carried by nucleons: neutrons and protons. The total number of
nucleons is preserved as the Universe expands, but as it cools lighter protons
are favored over heavier neutrons reducing the average mass per baryon. During
primordial nucleosynthesis free nucleons are transformed into bound nuclides,
primarily helium, and the nuclear binding energies are radiated away, further
reducing the average mass per baryon. In particular, the reduction in the
average mass per baryon resulting from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) modifies
the numerical factor relating the baryon (nucleon) mass and number densities.
Here the average mass per baryon, m_B, is tracked from the early Universe to
the present. The result is used to relate the present ratio of baryons to
photons (by number) to the present baryon mass density at a level of accuracy
commensurate with that of recent cosmological data, as well as to estimate the
energy released during post-BBN stellar nucleosynthesis.Comment: 5 pages; no figures; updated references; final version published in
JCAP, 10 (2006) 01
Effect of Finite Mass on Primordial Nucleosynthesis
We have calculated the small effect of finite nucleon mass on the
weak-interaction rates that interconvert protons and neutrons in the early
Universe. We have modified the standard code for primordial nucleosynthesis to
include these corrections and find a small, systematic increase in the 4He
yield, , depending slightly on the
baryon-to-photon ratio. The fractional changes in the abundances of the other
light elements are a few percent or less for interesting values of the
baryon-to-photon ratio.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, uses psfig.st
Ribbons on the CBR Sky: A Powerful Test of a Baryon Symmetric Universe
If the Universe consists of domains of matter and antimatter, annihilations
at domain interfaces leave a distinctive imprint on the Cosmic Background
Radiation (CBR) sky. The signature is anisotropies in the form of long, thin
ribbons of width , separated by angle where L is the characteristic domain size, and
y-distortion parameter . Such a pattern could potentially be
detected by the high-resolution CBR anisotropy experiments planned for the next
decade, and such experiments may finally settle the question of whether or not
our Hubble volume is baryon symmetric.Comment: LaTeX, 10 pages, 4 figures in epsf. Revised version corrects a couple
of relevant mistake
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