Related papers: Precision big bang nucleosynthesis with improved H…
In the standard hot big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) model the primordial abundances of H, H2, He3, He4, and Li7, fix the baryon density of the universe, $\Omega_b$, via the baryon-to-photon ratio, $\eta$, for a given Hubble parameter. Recent…
Using a new sample of extremely metal poor systems, the EMPRESS survey has recently reported a primordial helium abundance that is $3\sigma$ smaller than the prediction from the standard big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) scenario. This…
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…
A critical review is given of the current status of cosmological nucleosynthesis. In the framework of the standard model with 3 types of relativistic neutrinos, the baryon-to-photon ratio, \eta, corresponding to the inferred primordial…
Motivated by the recent measurement of the primeval abundance of deuterium, we re-examine the nuclear inputs to big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). Using Monte-Carlo realization of the nuclear cross-section data to directly estimate the…
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 conventional Big Bang model successfully anticipates the initial abundances of 2H(D), 3He, and 4He, aligning remarkably well with observational data. However, a persistent challenge arises in the case of 7Li, where the predicted…
The thermal rates for converting neutrons to protons, and vice versa, are calculated, including corrections of order 1 MeV divided by a nucleon mass. The results imply that the primodial helium abundance predicted for big bang…
A new accurate evaluation of primordial light nuclei abundances is presented. The proton to neutron conversion rates have been corrected to take into account radiative effects, finite nucleon mass, thermal and plasma corrections. The…
The primordial abundance of $^4$He plays a central role in big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) and in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The LBT $Y_{\rm p}$ Project's new measurement of the primordial $^4$He mass fraction $Y_{\rm p} =0.2458…
We review the Cosmology and Physics underlying Primordial Nucleosynthesis and survey current observational data in order to compare the predictions of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis with the inferred primordial abundances. From this comparison we…
Big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) theory, together with the precise WMAP cosmic baryon density, makes tight predictions for the abundances of the lightest elements. Deuterium and 4He measurements agree well with expectations, but 7Li…
We use the semi-analytic method of \citet{Esma91} to calculate the abundances of Helium and Deuterium produced during Big Bang nucleosynthesis assuming the fine structure constant and the Higgs vacuum expectation value may vary in time. We…
Big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) have a long history together in the standard cosmology. The general concordance between the predicted and observed light element abundances provides a direct probe of…
Primordial or big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) is now a parameter free theory whose predictions are in good overall agreement with observations. However, the 7Li calculated abundance is significantly higher than the one deduced from…
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…
As the early universe expands and cools the rates of the weak interactions that keep neutrinos in thermal equilibrium with the matter and the related rates of the reactions that inter-convert neutrons and protons decrease. Eventually, these…
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) relates key cosmological parameters to the primordial abundance of light elements. In this paper, we point out that the recent observations of Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies by the Planck satellite…
We investigate the impact of a nonstandard electron mass $m_e$ on early-Universe thermal history, focusing on neutrino decoupling and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). In the standard cosmology, neutrino--electron interactions keep neutrinos…
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…