Related papers: A robust upper limit on N_eff from BBN, circa 2011
We derive constraints on the time variation of the Higgs vacuum expectation value $<\phi>$ through the effects on Big Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) and the cosmic microwave background (CMB). In the former case, we include the…
We have made an analysis of limits on the neutrino mass based upon the formation of large-scale structure in the presence of a primordial magnetic field. We find that a new upper bound on the neutrino mass is possible based upon fits to the…
It is shown that a subelectronvolt upper limit can be derived on the neutrino mass from the CMB data alone in the Lambda CDM model with the power-law adiabatic perturbations, without the aid of any other cosmological data. Assuming the…
We have refined the estimate of the primordial level of $^7$Li abundance to an accuracy better than 10%, based on high-precision Li abundances for metal-poor halo stars, and a recent model of post-BBN (Big Bang Nucleosynthesis) chemical…
We have examined the effects of a bound dineutron, n2, upon big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) as a function of its binding energy B_n2. We find a weakly bound dineutron has little impact but as B_n2 increases its presence begins to alter the…
The existence of dark radiation that is completely decoupled from the standard model in the early Universe leaves open the possibility of an associated dark radiation isocurvature mode. We show that the presence of dark radiation…
Gravitinos are a fundamental prediction of supergravity, their mass ($m_{G}$) is informative of the value of the SUSY breaking scale, and, if produced during reheating, their number density is a function of the reheating temperature…
Observations of clusters and super clusters of galaxies have indicated that the Universe is more dominated by baryons than ever estimated in the homogeneous cosmological model for primordial nucleosynthesis. Recent detections of possibly…
We re-examine the systematic errors in the determination of the primordial helium abundance, $Y_{\rm P}$. We find that the systematics are significantly larger than the statistical errors. The uncertainty in (the determination of) $Y_{\rm…
Recent measurements of the D(p,$\gamma)^3$He, nuclear reaction cross-section and of the neutron lifetime, along with the reevaluation of the cosmological baryon abundance from cosmic microwave background (CMB) analysis, call for an update…
We compute primordial light-element abundances for cases with fine structure constant alpha different from the present value, including many sources of alpha dependence neglected in previous calculations. Specifically, we consider…
The bounds on parameters of the eV and higher scale sterile neutrinos from the $0\nu \beta \beta$ decay have been refined and updated. We present a simple and compact analytic expression for the bound in the $\Delta m^2_{41} - \sin^2…
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…
A number of recent cosmological observations have indicated the presence of new physics beyond the $\mathbf{\Lambda}$CDM model. Combining observations from EMPRESS on helium abundance and DESI on baryon acoustic oscillations with Hubble…
Heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) are well-motivated new physics candidates. The mixing of sub-GeV HNLs with active neutrinos is severely constrained by cosmology. In particular, the success of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) requires the HNL…
We report first constraints on neutrino electromagnetic properties from neutrino-electron scattering using data obtained from the CONUS germanium detectors, i.e. an upper limit on the effective neutrino magnetic moment and an upper limit on…
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…
The neutron beta-decay lifetime plays an important role both in understanding weak interactions within the framework of the Standard Model and in theoretical predictions of the primordial abundance of 4He in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. In…
Big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) describes the production of the lightest nuclides via a dynamic interplay among the four fundamental forces during the first seconds of cosmic time. We briefly overview the essentials of this physics, and…
We report the discovery of deuterium absorption in the very metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -2.88) damped Lyman-alpha system at z_abs = 3.06726 toward the QSO SDSS J1358+6522. On the basis of 13 resolved D I absorption lines and the damping wings of…