Abstract
view Abstract Citations (23) References (17) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Nuclear Reactions and Elementary-Particle Reactions in a Cold Universe Kaufman, Michele Abstract Effects of nuclear reactions and elementary-particle reactions are investigated in a Friedmann universe in which the lepton abundance is positive and electrons are either completely or partially degenerate at nuclear density. Semiquantitative arguments suggest that the energy liberated by hyperon-meson decay would be sufficient eventually to remove nucleon degeneracy, but not electron degeneracy, in a universe that was initially completely degenerate. Only a modest abundance of electron-type neutrinos is required to reduce the prestellar helium concentration to a level consistent with observations. If the ratio of the cosmic temperature to the electron degeneracy temperature is less than 0.15 initially, one obtains negligible prestellar helium with a present neutrino Fermi level of 3 X 10-6 eV. At such low initial temperatures, nuclear energy liberated in forming prestellar helium is released too early in the expansion to remove electron degeneracy. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: May 1970 DOI: 10.1086/150447 Bibcode: 1970ApJ...160..459K full text sources ADS |
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call