Primordial Nucleosynthesis: A Cosmological Probe

TL;DR

Primordial nucleosynthesis offers a crucial window into early universe physics, allowing tests of cosmological models through light element abundances and cosmic background comparisons.

Contribution

This paper reviews how primordial nucleosynthesis serves as a cosmological probe, emphasizing its role in testing the consistency of standard models of cosmology and particle physics.

Findings

Predicted light element abundances match observations within uncertainties.

Cosmological parameters inferred from nucleosynthesis agree with those from cosmic background data.

Primordial nucleosynthesis constrains physics at high energies in the early universe.

Abstract

During its early evolution the Universe provided a laboratory to probe fundamental physics at high energies. Relics from those early epochs, such as the light elements synthesized during primordial nucleosynthesis when the Universe was only a few minutes old, and the cosmic background photons, last scattered when the protons (and alphas) and electrons (re)combined some 400 thousand years later, may be used to probe the standard models of cosmology and of particle physics. The internal consistency of primordial nucleosynthesis is tested by comparing the predicted and observed abundances of the light elements, and the consistency of the standard models is explored by comparing the values of the cosmological parameters inferred from primordial nucleosynthesis with those determined by studying the cosmic background radiation.