Related papers: Explanation of the Helium-3 problem
Recent observations by Bania et al. (2002) measure He3 versus oxygen in Galactic HII regions, finding that He3/H is within a factor of 2 of the solar abundance for [O/H] > -0.6. These results are consistent with a flat behavior in this…
Deuterium plays a crucial role in testing big-bang nucleosynthesis. Its chemical evolution, while simple (it is burned to $^3$He), is intertwined with the more complicated evolution of $^3$He. Gloeckler \& Geiss' new measurement of the…
Determinations of the \he3 concentrations in Galactic matter serve to impose interesting and important constraints both on cosmological models and on models of Galactic chemical evolution. At present, observations of \he3 in the solar…
The uncertainties which still plague our understanding of the evolution of the light nuclides D, 3He and 4He in the Galaxy are described. Measurements of the local abundance of deuterium range over a factor of 3. The observed dispersion can…
We consider the galactic evolutionary history of \he3 in models which deplete deuterium by as much as a factor of 2 to $\sim$ 15 from its primordial value to its present day observed value in the ISM. We show that when \he3 production in…
The $^3$He isotope is important to many fields of astrophysics, including stellar evolution, chemical evolution, and cosmology. The isotope is produced in low-mass stars which evolve through the planetary nebula (PN) phase. $^3$He…
Low-mass stars, ~1-2 solar masses, near the Main Sequence are efficient at producing He-3, which they mix into the convective envelope on the giant branch and should distribute into the Galaxy by way of envelope loss. This process is so…
The determined abundances of primordial $^4He$ and $^7Li$ provide a basis with which to test the standard model of big bang nucleosynthesis in conjunction with the other two light element isotopes $D$ and $^3He$, also produced in the big…
The observed cosmic abundances of light elements are most consistent with each other, and with the predictions of big bang nucleosynthesis,if, contrary to the usual assumption, galactic chemical evolution reduces $(D+\ ^3He)/H$ with time.…
The prediction of standard chemical evolution models of higher abundances of He3 at the solar and present-day epochs than are observed indicates a possible problem with the yield of He3 for stars in the range of 1-3 solar masses. Because…
The $^3$He isotope is important to many fields of astrophysics, including stellar evolution, chemical evolution, and cosmology. The isotope is produced in stars which evolve through the planetary nebula phase. Planetary nebulae are the…
To understand the chemical evolution of the Galaxy, we need to understand the contribution of PNe in the 3He abundance. 3He abundances have been detected only in a couple of PNe, their abundances are consistent with the standard models, in…
The primordial abundances of deuterium and of helium-3, produced during big bang nucleosynthesis, depend sensitively on the baryon density. Thus, the observed abundances of D and \he may provide useful ``baryometers'' provided the evolution…
The predictions of Galactic chemical evolution models for D and $^3$He are described in connection with those on the other Galactic quantities for which observational constraints are available. Models in agreement with the largest set of…
The predictions of Standard Big Bang Nucleosynthesis are summarized and compared with observations of abundances of helium in HII regions, deuterium in quasar absorbers, deuterium and helium-3 in the Galaxy, and lithium in metal-poor stars.…
Recent determinations of the deuterium abundance, $^2$H/H, in high redshift Lyman limit hydrogen clouds challenge the usual picture of primordial nucleosynthesis based on \lq\lq concordance\rq\rq\ of the calculated light element ($^2$H,…
Photoionized nebulae, comprising HII regions and planetary nebulae, are excellent laboratories to investigate the nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution of several elements in the Galaxy and other galaxies of the Local Group. Our purpose in…
In our Galaxy, light antinuclei composed of antiprotons and antineutrons can be produced through high-energy cosmic-ray collisions with the interstellar medium or could also originate from the annihilation of dark-matter particles that have…
The conventional approach to search for departures from the standard model of physics during Big Bang Nucleosynthesis involves a careful, and subtle measurement of the mass fraction of baryons consisting of helium. Recent measurements of…
We use the Green Bank Telescope to search for $^3He^+$ emission from a sample of four Galactic planetary nebulae: NGC 3242, NGC 6543, NGC 6826, and NGC 7009. During the era of primordial nucleosynthesis the light elements $^2H$, $^3He$,…