Constraints on Big Bang Nucleosynthesis from observations of metal-poor stars

Abstract

An overview of observations of 6Li and 7Li in metal-poor stars is given, and possible consequences for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) are discussed. Potential solutions for the discrepancy between the 7Li abundance seen in metal-poor stars and the primordial abundance inferred from the value of the baryon density of the Universe, as determined from recent observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation with the Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe, and standard BBN models, are discussed, and scenarios for the production of 6Li in the early Universe are reviewed.