Cosmological implications of two conflicting deuterium abundances

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Physical Review, D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.55.540· OSTI ID:441065

Hata, N; Steigman, G ^[1]; Bludman, S; Langacker, P ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)
2. Department of Physics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States)

Constraints on big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) and on cosmological parameters from conflicting deuterium observations in different high redshift QSO systems are discussed. The high deuterium observations by Carswell {ital et al.}, Songaila {ital et al.}, and Rugers and Hogan are consistent with {sup 4}He and {sup 7}Li observations and standard BBN (N{sub {nu}} =3) and allows N{sub {nu}}{le}3.6 at 95{percent} C.L., but are inconsistent with local observations of D and {sup 3}He in the context of conventional theories of stellar and galactic evolution. In contrast, the low deuterium observations by Tytler, Fan, and Burles and Burles and Tytler are consistent with the constraints from local galactic observations, but require N{sub {nu}}=1.9{plus_minus}0.3 at 68{percent} C.L., excluding standard BBN at 99.9{percent} C.L., unless the systematic uncertainties in the {sup 4}He observations have been underestimated by a large amount. The high and low primordial deuterium abundances imply, respectively, {Omega}{sub B}h{sup 2}=0.005{endash}0.01 and {Omega}{sub B}h{sup 2}=0.02{endash}0.03 at 95{percent} C.L. When combined with the high baryon fraction inferred from x-ray observations of rich clusters, the corresponding total mass densities (for 50{le}H{sub 0}{le}90) are {Omega}{sub M}=0.05{endash}0.20 and {Omega}{sub M}=0.2{endash}0.7, respectively (95{percent} C.L.). The range of {Omega}{sub M} corresponding to high D is in conflict with dynamical constraints ({Omega}{sub m}{ge}0.2{endash}0.3) and with the shape parameter constraint ({Gamma}={Omega}{sub M}h=0.25{plus_minus}0.05) from large scale structure formation in CDM and {Lambda}CDM models. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• Research Organization: Ohio State University Research Foundation
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER01545; AC02-76ER03071
• OSTI ID: 441065
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D, Journal Name: Physical Review, D Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 55; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
BARYONS
COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT
DEUTERIUM
ELEMENT ABUNDANCE
HELIUM 4
LIMITING VALUES
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
RED SHIFT