Related papers: The Primordial Helium Abundance
Observational measures of the primordial helium mass fraction, $Y_{\rm P}$, are of interest for cosmology and fundamental particle physics. Current measures obtained from H II regions agree with the Standard Model prediction to…
We discuss the accuracy of the abundance determinations of H II regions in our Galaxy and other galaxies. We focus on the main observational constraints derived from abundance determinations that have implications for models of galactic…
The comparison of cosmic abundances of the light elements with the density of baryonic stars and gas in the universe today provides a critical test of big bang theory and a powerful probe of the nature of dark matter. A new technique allows…
We carried out an exploratory analysis of the contribution of the underlying stellar absorption to the total uncertainty of the abundance of primordial helium using simple stellar populations models and observational data from the Sloan…
We present a new determination of the primordial helium mass fraction Yp, based on 93 spectra of 86 low-metallicity extragalactic HII regions, and taking into account the latest developments concerning systematic effects. These include…
We have used recent observations of helium-4, nitrogen and oxygen from some four dozen, low metallicity, extra-galactic HII regions to define mean $N$ versus $O$, $^4He$ versus $N$ and $^4He$ versus $O$ relations which are extrapolated to…
The light relic density affects the thermal and expansion history of the early Universe leaving a number of observable imprints. We focus on the primordial abundances of light elements produced during the process of Big Bang nucleosynthesis…
Estimates of the deuterium abundance in quasar absorbers are reviewed, including a brief account of incorrect claims published by the author and a brief review of the problem of hydrogen contamination. It is concluded that the primordial…
We investigate the possible impact of diffusion on the abundance of helium and other primordial elements during formation of the first structures in the early Universe. We consider the primary collapse of a perturbation and subsequent…
We determine the primordial helium mass fraction Yp using 93 spectra of 86 low-metallicity extragalactic HII regions. This sample constitutes the largest and most homogeneous high-quality data sets in existence for the determination of Yp.…
The primordial helium abundance Y_p is commonly inferred from abundance determinations in low-metallicity extragalactic HII-regions. Such determinations may be subject to systematic uncertainties that are investigated here. Particular…
We present a new constraint on the primordial helium abundance, $Y_\mathrm{P}$, based on Subaru observations. A major source of uncertainty in previous $Y_\mathrm{P}$ determinations is the lack of extremely metal-poor galaxies (EMPGs;…
Within the standard models of particle physics and cosmology we have calculated the big-bang prediction for the primordial abundance of \he to a theoretical uncertainty of less than $0.1 \pct$ $(\delta Y_P < \pm 0.0002)$, improving the…
Extremely low metallicity HII regions have been observed with the goal of determining the primordial helium abundance ($Y_{\rm p}$). $Y_{\rm p}$, combined with standard big bang nucleosynthesis and the half-life of the neutron, provides a…
We determine the influence of a variation of the fundamental ``constants'' on the predicted helium abundance in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. The analytic estimate is performed in two parts: the first step determines the dependence of the…
The products of primordial nucleosynthesis and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons are relics from the early evolution of the Universe whose observations probe the standard model of cosmology and provide windows on new physics…
We conducted a long-slit spectrophotometry analysis to obtain the chemical abundances of seven metal-poor HII regions in three galaxies: UM 160, UM 420, and TOL 0513-393. The data have been taken with the Focal Reducer Low Dispersion…
Primordial nucleosynthesis provides a probe of the Universe during its early evolution. Given the progress exploring the constituents, structure, and recent evolution of the Universe, it is timely to review the status of Big Bang…
The cosmological abundance of nucleons determined from considerations of Big Bang nucleosynthesis allegedly provides compelling evidence for non-nucleonic dark matter. Recent developments in measurements of primordial light element…
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…