Big bang nucleosynthesis with independent neutrino distribution functions

Journal Article · Fri May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.79.105001· OSTI ID:21296364

Smith, Christel J; Fuller, George M ^[1]; Smith, Michael S ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0319 (United States)
2. Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6354 (United States)

We have performed new big bang nucleosynthesis calculations, which employ arbitrarily specified, time-dependent neutrino and antineutrino distribution functions for each of up to four neutrino flavors. We self-consistently couple these distributions to the thermodynamics, the expansion rate, and scale factor-time/temperature relationship, as well as to all relevant weak, electromagnetic, and strong nuclear reaction processes in the early Universe. With this approach, we can treat any scenario in which neutrino or antineutrino spectral distortion might arise. These scenarios might include, for example, decaying particles, active-sterile neutrino oscillations, and active-active neutrino oscillations in the presence of significant lepton numbers. Our calculations allow lepton numbers and sterile neutrinos to be constrained with observationally determined primordial helium and deuterium abundances. We have modified a standard big bang nucleosynthesis code to perform these calculations and have made it available to the community.

• OSTI ID: 21296364
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 79; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ANTINEUTRINOS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DEUTERIUM
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EXPANSION
FLAVOR MODEL
HELIUM
NEUTRINO OSCILLATION
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
PARTICLES
THERMODYNAMICS
TIME DEPENDENCE
UNIVERSE