Low-lying Resonances and Relativistic Screening in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

Abstract

We explore effects of the screening due to the relativistic electron-positron plasma and presence of resonances in the secondary reactions leading to A=7 nuclei during the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. In particular, we investigate and examine possible low-lying resonances in the ${}^7$Be(${}^3$He, $\gamma$)${}^{10}$C reaction and examine the resultant destruction of ${}^7$Be for various resonance locations and strengths. While a resonance in the ${}^{10}$C compound nucleus is thought to have negligible effects we explore the possibility of an enhancement from plasma screening that may adjust the final ${}^7$Be abundance. We find the effects of relativistic screening and possible low-lying resonances to be relatively small in the standard Early Universe models.

Comments: 8 pages, 13 figures, Physical Review C (2016) (in press)