Experimentally testing the standard cosmological model
- Chicago Univ., IL (USA) Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL (USA)
The standard model of cosmology, the big bang, is now being tested and confirmed to remarkable accuracy. Recent high precision measurements relate to the microwave background; and big bang nucleosynthesis. This paper focuses on the latter since that relates more directly to high energy experiments. In particular, the recent LEP (and SLC) results on the number of neutrinos are discussed as a positive laboratory test of the standard cosmology scenario. Discussion is presented on the improved light element observational data as well as the improved neutron lifetime data. alternate nucleosynthesis scenarios of decaying matter or of quark-hadron induced inhomogeneities are discussed. It is shown that when these scenarios are made to fit the observed abundances accurately, the resulting conclusions on the baryonic density relative to the critical density, {Omega}{sub b}, remain approximately the same as in the standard homogeneous case, thus, adding to the robustness of the standard model conclusion that {Omega}{sub b} {approximately} 0.06. This latter point is the deriving force behind the need for non-baryonic dark matter (assuming {Omega}{sub total} = 1) and the need for dark baryonic matter, since {Omega}{sub visible} < {Omega}{sub b}. Recent accelerator constraints on non-baryonic matter are discussed, showing that any massive cold dark matter candidate must now have a mass M{sub x} {approx gt} 20 GeV and an interaction weaker than the Z{sup 0} coupling to a neutrino. It is also noted that recent hints regarding the solar neutrino experiments coupled with the see-saw model for {nu}-masses may imply that the {nu}{sub {tau}} is a good hot dark matter candidate. 73 refs., 5 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03000
- OSTI ID:
- 6139356
- Report Number(s):
- FNAL/C-90/241-A; CONF-900822-24; ON: DE91006384; CNN: AST 88-22595; NAGW-1321; NAGW-1340; TRN: 91-001989
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 25. IUPAP international conference on high energy physics, Singapore (Singapore), 2-8 Aug 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Big Bang nucleosynthesis: Accelerator tests and can. cap omega. /sub B/ really be large
Cosmology and the weak interaction
Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
STANDARD MODEL
TESTING
NEUTRINOS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
QUARK-HADRON INTERACTIONS
RELICT RADIATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
INTERACTIONS
LEPTONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
PARTICLE MODELS
RADIATIONS
SYNTHESIS
UNIFIED GAUGE MODELS
640106* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Cosmology
645400 - High Energy Physics- Field Theory