Low-lying Resonances and Relativistic Screening in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

TL;DR

This paper investigates how relativistic plasma screening and low-lying nuclear resonances could influence the synthesis of elements during Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, finding their effects to be minimal.

Contribution

It examines the potential impact of relativistic screening and specific nuclear resonances on primordial element abundances, a novel focus in BBN studies.

Findings

Relativistic screening effects are small in standard models.

Low-lying resonances have negligible impact on $^7$Be destruction.

Enhancement from plasma screening may slightly alter final abundances.

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.