Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Keith A. Olive

Publications and source records attributed to Keith A. Olive.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
arXiv1998

On the Evolution of Helium in Blue Compact Galaxies

We discuss the chemical evolution of dwarf irregular and blue compact galaxies in light of recent data, new stellar yields and chemical evolution models. We examine the abundance data for evidence of HII region self-enrichment effects, which would lead to correlations in the scatter of helium, nitrogen, and oxygen abundances around their mean trends. The observed helium abundance trends show no such correlations, though the nitrogen--oxygen trend does show strong evidence for real scatter beyond observational error. We construct simple models for the chemical evolution of these galaxies, using the most recent yields of \he4, C, N and O in intermediate- and high-mass stars. The effects of galactic outflows, which can arise both from bulk heating and evaporation of the ISM, and from the partial escape of enriched supernova ejecta are included. In agreement with other studies, we find that supernova-enriched outflows can roughly reproduce the observed He, C, N, and O trends; however, in models that fit N versus O, the slopes $ΔY/Δ$O and $ΔY/Δ$N consistently fall more than $2σ$ below the fit to observations. We discuss the role of the models and their uncertainties in the extrapolation of primordial helium from the data. We also explore the model dependence arising nucleosynthesis uncertainties associated with nitrogen yields in intermediate mass stars, the fate of $8-11 \msol$ stars, and massive star winds.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1997

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

The concordance of standard big bang nucleosynthesis theory and the related observations of the light element isotopes (including some new higher \he4 abundances) will be reviewed. Implications of BBN on chemical evolution, dark matter and constraints on particle properties will be discussed.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1997

Singularities In Scalar-Tensor Cosmologies

In this article, we examine the possibility that there exist special scalar-tensor theories of gravity with completely nonsingular FRW solutions. Our investigation in fact shows that while most probes living in such a Universe never see the singularity, gravity waves always do. This is because they couple to both the metric and the scalar field, in a way which effectively forces them to move along null geodesics of the Einstein conformal frame. Since the metric of the Einstein conformal frame is always singular for configurations where matter satisfies the energy conditions, the gravity wave world lines are past inextendable beyond the Einstein frame singularity, and hence the geometry is still incomplete, and thus singular. We conclude that the singularity cannot be entirely removed, but only be made invisible to most, but not all, probes in the theory.

hep-th↗
arXiv1997

Primordial Nucleosynthesis and Dark Matter

Following a brief introduction to early Universe cosmology, the current of status of big bang nucleosynthesis is reviewed and the concordance between theory and observation is examined in detail. The abundances of He4 and Li7 determine the value of the baryon-to-photon ratio, $η$ to be relatively low, $η\approx 1.8 \times 10^{-10}$, and agrees with some recent measurements of D/H in quasar absorption systems. These results have far reaching consequences for galactic chemical evolution, the amount of baryonic dark matter in the Universe and on the allowed number of degrees of freedom in the early Universe. Finally, motivations for cosmological dark matter will be reviewed with special emphasis placed on supersymmetric candidates.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1997

Constraints on Neutralino Dark Matter from LEP 2 and Cosmology

A significant lower limit on the mass of the lightest neutralino χcan be obtained by combining the results from sparticle searches at LEP at centre-of-mass energies up to 172 GeV with cosmological considerations, if it is assumed that the χis stable. Exclusion domains from slepton searches close m_χ\sim 0 loopholes that were left open by previous lower-energy LEP searches for charginos and neutralinos, leading to the lower limit $m_χ\ga 17$ GeV. The constraints on supersymmetric parameter space are strengthened significantly if LEP constraints on supersymmetric Higgs bosons are taken into account, and further if the relic neutralino density is required to fall within the range favoured by astrophysics and cosmology. These bounds are considerably strengthened if universality at the GUT scale is assumed for soft supersymmetry-breaking scalar masses, including those of the Higgs bosons. In this case, the Higgs searches play a dramatic role, and we find that m_χ\ga 40 GeV. Furthermore, we find that if tanβ\la 1.7 for μ<0, or tanβ\la 1.4 for μ>0, the cosmological relic density is too large for all values of m_χ.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1997

A Bayesian Estimate of the Primordial Helium Abundance

We introduce a new statistical method to estimate the primordial helium abundance, Y_p from observed abundances in a sample of galaxies which have experienced stellar helium enrichment. Rather than using linear regression on metal abundance we construct a likelihood function using a Bayesian prior, where the key assumption is that the true helium abundance must always exceed the primordial value. Using a sample of measurements compiled from the literature we find estimates of Y_p between 0.221 and 0.236, depending on the specific subsample and prior adopted, consistent with previous estimates either from a linear extrapolation of the helium abundance with respect to metallicity, or from the helium abundance of the lowest metallicity HII region, I Zw 18. We also find an upper limit which is insensitive to the specific subsample or prior, and estimate a model-independent bound Y_p < 0.243 at 95% confidence, favoring a low cosmic baryon density and a high primordial deuterium abundance. The main uncertainty is not the model of stellar enrichment but possible common systematic biases in the estimate of Y in each individual HII region.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

Constraints from Inflation and Reheating on Superpartner Masses

Flat directions in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) can become unstable due to radiative corrections, and the global minimum of the (zero temperature) potential can lie at large values of the squark and/or slepton fields. Here we show that, in inflationary models of early cosmology, the universe is very likely to be in the domain of attraction of this global minimum at the end of inflation. While the minimum at the origin of field space is global at sufficiently high temperatures, depending on details of the model, the universe may be trapped in the non-zero minimum until it becomes the global minimum at low temperatures. Parameter values leading to this scenario are therefore ruled out.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1996

The Primordial Abundance of He4: An Update

We include new data in an updated analysis of helium in low metallicity extragalactic HII regions with the goal of deriving the primordial abundance of He4 (Y_P). We show that the new observations of Izotov et al (ITL) are consistent with previous data. However they should not be taken in isolation to determine (Y_P) due to the lack of sufficiently low metallicity points. We use the extant data in a semi-empirical approach to bounding the size of possible systematic uncertainties in the determination of (Y_P). Our best estimate for the primordial abundance of He4 assuming a linear relation between He4 and O/H is Y_P = 0.230 \pm 0.003 (stat) based on the subset of HII regions with the lowest metallicity; for our full data set we find Y_P = 0.234 \pm 0.002 (stat). Both values are entirely consistent with our previous results. We discuss the implications of these values for standard big bang nucleosynthesis (SBBN), particularly in the context of recent measurements of deuterium in high redshift, low metallicity QSO absorption-line systems.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

A Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Likelihood Analysis of the Baryon-to-Photon Ratio and the Number of Light Particle Degrees of Freedom

We extend the model-independent likelihood analysis of big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) based on He4 and Li7 to allow for numbers of degrees of freedom which differ from the standard model value characterized by $N_ν= 3$. We use the two-dimensional likelihood functions to simultaneously constrain the baryon-to-photon ratio and the number of light neutrinos. The upper limit thus obtained is $N_ν< 4.0$ (at 95% C.L.). We also consider the consequences if recent observations of deuterium in high-redshift QSO absorption-line systems (QSOALS) are confirmed.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1996

Low Mass Stars and the He3 Problem

The prediction of standard chemical evolution models of higher abundances of He3 at the solar and present-day epochs than are observed indicates a possible problem with the yield of He3 for stars in the range of 1-3 solar masses. Because He3 is one of the nuclei produced in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), it is noted that galactic and stellar evolution uncertainties necessarily relax constraints based on He3. We incorporate into chemical evolution models which include outflow, the new yields for He3 of Boothroyd & Malaney (1995) which predict that low mass stars are net destroyers of He3. Since these yields do not account for the high \he3/H ratio observed in some planetary nebulae, we also consider the possibility that some fraction of stars in the 1 - 3 solar mass range do not destroy their He3 in theirpost main-sequence phase. We also consider the possibility that the gas expelled by stars in these mass ranges does not mix with the ISM instantaneously thus delaying the He3 produced in these stars, according to standard yields, from reaching the ISM. In general, we find that the Galactic D and He3 abundances can be fit regardless of whether the primordial D/H value is high (2 x 10^{-4}) or low (2.5 x 10^{-5}).

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

Primordial Nucleosynthesis

The current of status of big bang nucleosynthesis is reviewed and the concordance between theory and observation is examined in detail. It is argued that when using the observational data on he4 and li7, the two isotopes whose abundances are least affected by chemical and stellar evolution, both are completely consistent with BBN theory. In addition, these isotopes determine the value of the baryon-to-photon ratio, $η$ to be relatively low, $η\approx 1.8 \times 10^{-10}$, which happens to agree with some recent measurements of D/H in quasar absorption systems. These results have far reaching consequences for galactic chemical evolution, the amount of baryonic dark matter in the Universe and on the allowed number of degrees of freedom in the early Universe.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

The Effects of an Early Galactic Wind on the Evolution of D, \he3 and Z

The predictions of the abundances of D and \he3 from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) and recent observations of these two isotopes suggest the need to develop new chemical evolution models. In particular, we examine the role of an early episode of massive star formation that would induce a strong destruction of D and a galactic wind. We discuss the ability of these models to match the observed local properties of the solar neighborhood such as the gas mass fraction, oxygen abundance, the age-metallicity relation, and the present-day mass function (PDMF). We also examine in detail the ability of the chemical evolution models discussed to reproduce the apparent lack of low mass, low metallicity stars in the solar neighborhood, namely the G-dwarf distribution. Indeed, we find models which satisfy the above constraints while at the same time allowing for a large primordial D/H ratio as is reportedly measured in some quasar absorption systems at high $z$, without the overproduction of heavy elements. The latter constraint is achieved by employing a simple dynamical model for a galactic wind.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

Implications of a Primordial Origin for the Dispersion in D/H in Quasar Absorption Systems

We consider possible implications if the recent and disconcordant measurements of D/H in quasar absorption systems are real and indicate a dispersion in D/H in these primitive systems. In particular we examine the option that the D/H abundances in these systems, which are separated on cosmological scales, are primordial, implying a large scale inhomogeneity in the baryon content of the Universe. We show that such large scale isocurvature perturbations are excluded by current cosmic microwave background observations. We also discuss the implications of a smaller (in amplitude) inhomogeneity on the problem of the baryon density in clusters.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

Why Do We Need Non-Baryonic Dark Matter?

Observational evidence along with theoretical arguments which call for non-baryonic dark matter are reviewed. A brief summary of the dark matter session is included.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

Model Independent Predictions of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis from \he4 and \li7: Consistency and Implications

We examine in detail how BBN theory is constrained, and what predictions it can make, when using only the most model-independent observational constraints. We avoid the uncertainties and model-dependencies that necessarily arise when solar neighborhood D and \he3 abundances are used to infer primordial D and \he3 via chemical and stellar evolution models. Instead, we use \he4 and \li7, thoroughly examining the effects of possible systematic errors in each. Via a likelihood analysis, we find near perfect agreement between BBN theory and the most model-independent data. Given this agreement, we then {\it assume} the correctness of BBN to set limits on the single parameter of standard BBN, the baryon-to-photon ratio, and to predict the primordial D and \he3 abundances. We also repeat our analysis including recent measurements of D/H from quasar absorption systems and find that the near perfect agreement between theory and observation of the three isotopes, D, \he4 and \li7 is maintained. These results have strong implications for the chemical and stellar evolution of the light elements, in particular for \he3. In addition, our results (especially if the D/H measurements are confirmed) have implications for the stellar depletion of \li7. Finally, we set limits on the number \nnu\ of neutrino flavors, using an analysis which carefully and systematically includes all available experimental constraints. The value \nnu = 3.0 fits best with BBN and a 95\% CL upper limit of \nnu $\la 4$ is established.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

Electric Dipole Moment Constraints on Phases in the Constrained MSSM

We consider constraints on $\cp$-violating phases in the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. We find that by combining cosmological limits on gaugino masses with experimental bounds on the neutron and electron electric dipole moments, we can constrain the phase of the Higgs mixing mass $μ$ to be $|θ_μ| < π/10$, independent of choices of the other mass parameters in the model. The other $\cp$-violating phase $θ_A$ is essentially unconstrained.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1995

Nucleosynthesis Limits on the Mass of Long Lived Tau and Muon Neutrinos

We compute the nucleosynthesis bounds on the masses of stable Dirac and Majorana neutrinos by solving an evolution equation network comprising of all neutrino species which in the Dirac case includes different helicity states as separate species. We will not commit ourselves to any particular value of the nucleosynthesis bound on effective number of light neutrino degrees of freedom $N_ν$, but present all our mass bounds as {\em functions} of $\dNu$. For example, we find that the excluded region in the mass of a Majorana $μ$- or $τ$- neutrino, $0.31$ MeV $< m_ν^M < 52$ MeV corresponding to a bound $\dNu < 0.3$ gets relaxed to $0.93$ MeV $< m_ν^M < 31$ MeV if $\dNu < 1.0$ is used instead. For the Dirac neutrinos this latter constraint gives the upper limits (for $T_{\rm QCD} = 100$ MeV): $\mnm < 0.31$ MeV and $\mnt < 0.37$ MeV. Also, the constraint $\dNu <1$ {\it allows} a stable Dirac neutrino with $m^D_{ν_τ} > 22$ MeV.

hep-ph↗