2007/11/24 by Motohiko Kusakabe, Toshitaka Kajino, R. N. Boyd +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Abundance (ecology) #Astrophysics #Big Bang nucleosynthesis #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Galactic halo #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Halo #Nucleosynthesis #Physics #Stars #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.76.121302
published as Phys.Rev.D76:121302,2007 · 6 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Physical Review D
arxiv created 2007/11/24 · openalex publication_date 2007/12/18 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The 6Li abundance observed in metal-poor halo stars exhibits a plateau similar to that for 7Li suggesting a primordial origin. However, the observed abundance of 6Li is a factor of 103 larger and that of 7Li is a factor of 3 lower than the abundances predicted in the standard big bang when the baryon-to-photon ratio is fixed by Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe. Here we show that both of these abundance anomalies can be explained by the existence of a long-lived massive, negatively charged leptonic particle during nucleosynthesis. Such particles would capture onto the synthesized nuclei thereby reducing the reaction Coulomb barriers and opening new transfer reaction possibilities, and catalyzing a second round of big bang nucleosynthesis. This novel solution to both of the Li problems can be achieved with or without the additional effects of stellar destruction.