Primordial heavy element production

TL;DR

This paper investigates how early Universe density inhomogeneities could influence primordial nucleosynthesis, especially the formation of heavy elements via neutron capture, without focusing on their origin.

Contribution

It analyzes the impact of density inhomogeneities on primordial nucleosynthesis and heavy element formation across different baryon-to-photon ratios and fluctuation scales.

Findings

Inhomogeneities can enhance heavy element synthesis during primordial nucleosynthesis.

The effect depends on baryon-to-photon ratio and fluctuation length scale.

Results suggest possible signatures of early Universe inhomogeneities in elemental abundances.

Abstract

A number of possible mechanisms have been suggested to generate density inhomogeneities in the early Universe which could survive until the onset of primordial nucleosynthesis and generate neutron-rich regions. In this work we are not concerned with how the inhomogeneities were generated but we want to focus on the effect of such inhomogeneities on primordial nucleosynthesis. One of the proposed signatures of inhomogeneity, the synthesis of very heavy elements by neutron capture in a primordial r-process, was analyzed for varying baryon to photon ratios $\eta$ and fluctuation length scales $L$.