1994/05/16 by Gary Steigman · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Absorption (acoustics) #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Atomic and Molecular Physics #Atomic physics #Big Bang nucleosynthesis #Cosmology #Deuterium #Galaxy #Helium #Hydrogen #Intergalactic medium #Lyman-alpha forest #Nuclear physics #Nucleosynthesis #Optics #Physics #Redshift #Scientific Research and Discoveries #Stars #Universe #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/mnras/269.1.l53
6 pages, TeX, 0 figures available on request, OSU-TA-7/94
arxiv created 1994/05/16 · openalex publication_date 1994/07/01 · arxiv updated 2016/06/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Two groups have independently reported the possible detection of extragalactic deuterium in the absorption spectrum of the same high-redshift, low-metallicity QSO. Although the high value for the inferred deuterium abundance poses no problems for cosmology (i.e. big bang nucleosynthesis), it is in apparent conflict with Solar system observations of deuterium and helium-3. This latter inconsistency is explained and made quantitative, and it is shown that, unless the inferred D/H ratio is too high by a factor of 3, these data challenge our understanding of the stellar and Galactic evolution of helium-3. This conflict is resolved if the observed absorption feature is, in fact, due to a hydrogen interloper rather than to high-z, low-Z deuterium.