Related papers: Consequences of neutrino self interactions for wea…
We show that the predicted primordial helium production is significantly reduced when new measurements of the neutron lifetime and the implied enhancement in the weak reaction rates are included in big-bang nucleosynthesis. Therefore, even…
The weak interaction charged current processes ($\nu_e+n\leftrightarrow p+e^-$, $\bar\nu_e +p\leftrightarrow n+e^+$, $n\leftrightarrow p+e^-+\bar\nu_e$) interconvert neutrons and protons in the early universe and have significant influence…
In this paper we consider the effects on big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) of the hadronic decay of a long-lived massive particle. If high-energy hadrons are emitted near the BBN epoch ($t \sim 10^{-2}$ -- $10^2 \sec$), they extraordinarily…
A calculation of neutrino decoupling in the early Universe, including full Fermi-Dirac statistics and electron mass dependence in the weak reaction rates, is presented. We find that after decoupling, the electron neutrinos contribute 0.83\%…
In the early universe, neutrinos decouple from equilibrium with the electromagnetic plasma at a temperature which is only slightly higher than the temperature where electrons and positrons annihilate. Therefore neutrinos to some extent…
Limits can be placed on nonstandard neutrino physics when big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) calculations employing standard neutrino physics agree with the observationally inferred primordial abundances of deuterium (D), $^3$He, $^4$He, and…
The high densities in the early Universe provide a unique laboratory to constrain couplings between feebly interacting particles, such as dark matter and neutrinos. In this article, we study how Big Bang Nucleosynthesis can constrain models…
Neutrino physics in the early Universe is key to our understanding of later cosmological stages, such as primordial nucleosynthesis (BBN) or the formation of large-scale structures. The coming decade promises new experimental results to…
We discuss in detail the effect of neutrino oscillations in Big Bang nucleosynthesis, between active and sterile neutrinos, as well as between active and active neutrinos. We calculate the constraints on mixings between active and sterile…
We present calculations showing how electron rest mass influences entropy flow, neutrino decoupling, and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) in the early universe. To elucidate this physics and especially the sensitivity of BBN and related…
The hot and dense early Universe combined with the promise of high-precision cosmological observations provide an intriguing laboratory for Beyond Standard Model (BSM) physics. We simulate the early Universe to examine the effects of the…
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…
We consider relatively heavy neutrinos $\nu_H$, mostly contributing to a sterile state $\nu_s$, with mass in the range 10 MeV $\lesssim m_s \lesssim m_{\pi} \sim 135$ MeV, which are thermally produced in the early universe in collisional…
Neutrino Self-Interactions ($\nu$SI) beyond the Standard Model are an attractive possibility to soften cosmological constraints on neutrino properties and also to explain the tension in late and early time measurements of the Hubble…
We study effects of long-lived massive particles, which decay during the big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) epoch, on the primordial abundances of light elements. Compared to the previous studies, (i) the reaction rates of the standard BBN…
The importance of the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) as a unique tool for studying neutrino properties is discussed, and the recent steps towards a self-consistent and robust handling of the weak reaction decoupling from the thermal bath as…
Oscillations between ordinary and sterile neutrinos can generate large neutrino asymmetries in the early universe. These asymmetries can significantly affect big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) through modification of nuclear reaction rates. We…
We investigate a class of universes in which the weak interaction is not in operation. We consider how astrophysical processes are altered in the absence of weak forces, including Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), galaxy formation, molecular…
Neutrinos with large self-interactions, arising from exchange of light scalars or vectors with mass $M_\phi\simeq 10{\rm MeV}$, can play a useful role in cosmology for structure formation and solving the Hubble tension. It has been proposed…
Do neutrinos have sizable self-interactions? They might. Laboratory constraints are weak, so strong effects are possible in astrophysical environments and the early universe. Observations with neutrino telescopes can provide an independent…