Precision Big Bang Nucleosynthesis with the New Code PRIMAT

TL;DR

This paper introduces PRIMAT, a new public Mathematica code that enhances the precision of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis predictions by incorporating updated reaction rates and corrections, aligning theoretical uncertainties with observational accuracy.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel, self-consistent computational tool, PRIMAT, for precise BBN predictions, including comprehensive reaction rate data and corrections for weak reaction uncertainties.

Findings

PRIMAT achieves percent-level precision in BBN predictions.

The code incorporates updated reaction rates and correction calculations.

It provides a publicly accessible resource for the cosmology community.

Abstract

Precision on primordial abundances, deduced from observations, have now reached the percent level for 4He and deuterium. Precision on big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) predictions should, hence, reach the same level. The uncertainty on the 4He mass fraction is strongly affected by theoretical uncertainties on the weak reaction rates that interconvert neutrons with protons. All these corrections have been calculated in a self-consistent manner and implemented in a new, and public, Mathematica code PRIMAT, together with an extensive data base of reaction rates. Both can be obtained at http://www2.iap.fr/users/pitrou/primat.htm.