Inhomogeneous big bang nucleosynthesis with late-decaying massive particles
Abstract
Description
We investigate the possibility of accounting for the currently inferred primordial abundances of D, 3He, 4He, and 7Li by big bang nucleosynthesis in the presence of baryon density inhomogeneities plus the effects of late-decaying massive particles (X), and we explore the allowed range of baryonic fraction of the closure density Omega_b in such context. We find that, depending on the parameters of this composite model (characteristic size and density contrast of the inhomogeneities; mass-density, lifetime, and effective baryon number in the decay of the X-particles), values as high as Ω_{b}h_{50}^{2}\simeq 0.25-0.35 could be compatible with the primordial abundances of the light nuclides. We include diffusion of neutrons and protons at all stages, and we consider the contribution of the X particles to the energy density, the entropy production by their decay, the possibility that the X-products could photodissociate the light nuclei produced during the previous stages of nucleosynthesis, and also the possibility that the decay products of the X-particles would include a substantial fraction of hadrons. Specific predictions for the primordial abundance of Be are made.
17 pages, incl. 2 figs. Submitted to ApJ (Letters)
17 pages, incl. 2 figs. Submitted to ApJ (Letters)