New Nuclear Physics for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

TL;DR

This paper explores nuclear reactions involving lithium and beryllium isotopes in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, assessing their potential impact on element abundances and highlighting the limited influence of nuclear physics uncertainties.

Contribution

It introduces new nuclear reaction rates involving lithium and beryllium isotopes into BBN calculations and evaluates their significance.

Findings

Most reactions have minimal impact on lithium yields.

Uncertainties in nuclear physics have limited effect on BBN predictions.

Some reactions could alter yields but are unlikely to do so significantly.

Abstract

We discuss nuclear reactions which could play a role in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). Most of these reactions involve lithium and beryllium isotopes and the rates for some of these have not previously been included in BBN calculations. Few of these reactions are well studied in the laboratory. We also discuss novel effects in these reactions, including thermal population of nuclear target states, resonant enhancement, and non-thermal neutron reaction products. We perform sensitivity studies which show that even given considerable nuclear physics uncertainties, most of these nuclear reactions have minimal leverage on the standard BBN abundance yields of 6Li and 7Li. Although a few have the potential to alter the yields significantly, we argue that this is unlikely.