New BBN limits on physics beyond the standard model from 4He

2004/08/02 by Richard H. Cyburt, Brian D. Fields, Keith A. Olive +2 · 24 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2005.01.005

published as Astropart.Phys.23:313-323,2005 · 17 pages, 5 ps figures

arxiv created 2004/08/02 · openalex publication_date 2005/01/29 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

A recent analysis of the He4 abundance determined from observations of extragalactic HII regions indicates a significantly greater uncertainty for the He4 mass fraction. The derived value is now in line with predictions from big bang nucleosynthesis when the baryon density determined by WMAP is assumed. Based on this new analysis of He4, we derive constraints on a host of particle properties which include: limits on the number of relativistic species at the time of BBN (commonly taken to be the limit on neutrino flavors), limits on the variations of fundamental couplings such as alpha_em and G_N, and limits on decaying particles.

Citations

• Comment on time-variation of fundamental constants
• First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Preliminary Maps and Basic Results
• Cosmological Parameters from Cosmic Background Imager Observations and Comparisons with BOOMERANG, DASI, and MAXIMA
• A compilation of charged-particle induced thermonuclear reaction rates
• Systematic uncertainties in the determination of the primordial ⁴He abundance
• Review of particle properties
• Review of Particle Physics

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