arXiv subjects

R. N. Boyd

Publications and source records attributed to R. N. Boyd.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Amino Acid Chiral Selection Via Weak Interactions in Stellar Environments: Implications for the Origin of Life

Magnetochiral phenomena may be responsible for the selection of chiral states of biomolecules in meteoric environments. For example, the Supernova Amino Acid Processing (SNAAP) Model was proposed previously as a possible mode of magnetochiral selection of amino acids by way of the weak interaction in strong magnetic fields. In earlier work, this model was shown to produce an enantiomeric excess (ee) as high as 0.014% for alanine. In this paper we present the results of molecular quantum chemistry calculations from which $ee$s are determined for the alpha-amino acids plus isovaline and norvaline, which were found to have positive ees in meteorites. Calculations are performed for both isolated and aqueous states. In some cases, the aqueous state was found to produce larger $ee$s reaching values as high as a few percent under plausible conditions.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2011

Supernovae, Neutrinos, and the Chirality of the Amino Acids

A mechanism for creating an enantioenrichment in the amino acids, the building blocks of the proteins, that involves global selection of one handedness by interactions between the amino acids and neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae is described. The chiral selection involves the dependence of the interaction cross sections on the orientations of the spins of the neutrinos and the 14N nuclei in the amino acids, or in precursor molecules, which in turn couple to the molecular chirality. It also requires an asymmetric distribution of neutrinos emitted from the supernova. The subsequent chemical evolution and galactic mixing would ultimately populate the Galaxy with the selected species. The resulting amino acids could either be the source thereof on Earth, or could have triggered the chirality that was ultimately achieved for Earth's proteinaceous amino acids.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2010

Supernovae and the Chirality of the Amino Acids

A mechanism for creating amino acid enantiomerism that always selects the same global chirality is identified, and subsequent chemical replication and galactic mixing that would populate the galaxy with the predominant species is described. This involves: (1) the spin of the 14N in the amino acids, or in precursor molecules from which amino acids might be formed, coupling to the chirality of the molecules; 2) the neutrinos emitted from the supernova, together with magnetic field from the nascent neutron star or black hole formed from the supernova selectively destroying one orientation of the 14N, and thus selecting the chirality associated with the other 14N orientation; (3) chemical evolution, by which the molecules replicate and evolve to more complex forms of a single chirality on a relatively short timescale; and (4) galactic mixing on a longer timescale mixing the selected molecules throughout the galaxy.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2008

Effects of Beta-Decays of Excited-State Nuclei on the Astrophysical r-Process

A rudimentary calculation is employed to evaluate the possible effects of beta- decays of excited-state nuclei on the astrophysical r-process. Single-particle levels calculated with the FRDM are adapted to the calculation of beta-decay rates of these excited-state nuclei. Quantum numbers are determined based on proximity to Nilson model levels. The resulting rates are used in an r-process network calculation in which a supernova hot-bubble model is coupled to an extensive network calculation including all nuclei between the valley of stability and the neutron drip line and with masses A<284. Beta-decay rates are included as functional forms of the environmental temperature. While the decay rate model used is simple and phenomenological, it is consistent across all 3700 nuclei involved in the r-process network calculation. This represents an approximate first estimate to gauge the possible effects of excited-state beta-decays on r-process freeze-out abundances.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Observing Nucleon Decay in Lead Perchlorate

Lead perchlorate, part of the OMNIS supernova neutrino detector, contains two nuclei, 208Pb and 35Cl, that might be used to study nucleon decay. Both would produce signatures that will make them especially useful for studying less-well-studied neutron decay modes, e.g., those in which only neutrinos are emitted.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2002

Optimization of the design of OMNIS, the observatory of multiflavor neutrinos from supernovae

A Monte Carlo code has been developed to simulate the operation of the planned detectors in OMNIS, a supernova neutrino observatory. OMNIS will detect neutrinos originating from a core collapse supernova by the detection of spalled neutrons from Pb- or Fe-nuclei. This might be accomplished using Gd-loaded liquid scintillator. Results for the optimum configuration for such modules with respect to both neutron detection efficiency and cost efficiency are presented. Careful consideration has been given to the expected levels of radioactive backgrounds and their effects. The results show that the amount of data to be processed by a software trigger can be reduced to the <10kHz region and a neutron, once produced in the detector, can be detected and identified with an efficiency of >30%.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2002

Universal Lepton Asymmetry: New Constraints from the Cosmic Microwave Background and Primordial Nucleosynthesis

We study the primordial nucleosynthesis and cosmic age in the presence of a net lepton asymmetry as well as baryon asymmetry. We explore a previously unnoted region of the parameter space in which very large baryon densities $0.1 \le Ω_b \le 1$ can be accommodated within the light-element constraints from primordial nucleosynthesis. This parameter space consists of $ν_μ$ and $ν_τ$ degeneracies with a small $ν_e$ degeneracy. Constraints from cosmic microwave background fluctuations are also discussed (orito00).

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Neutrino Degeneracy and Decoupling: New Limits from Primordial Nucleosynthesis and the Cosmic Microwave Background

We reanalyze the cosmological constraints on the existence of a net universal lepton asymmetry and neutrino degeneracy. We show that neutrinos can begin to decouple at higher temperatures than previous estimates due to several corrections which diminish the neutrino reaction rate. These decoupled neutrinos are therefore not heated as the particle degrees of freedom change. The resultant ratio of the relic neutrino-to-photon temperatures after $e^\pm$ annihilation can then be significantly reduced by more than a factor of two from that of the standard nondegenerate ratio. This changes the expansion rate and subsequent primordial nucleosynthesis, photon decoupling, and structure formation. In particular we analyze physically plausible lepton-asymmetric models with large $ν_μ$ and $ν_τ$ degeneracies together with a moderate $ν_e$ degeneracy. We show that the nucleosynthesis by itself permits very large neutrino degeneracies $0 \le \xinum$, $\xinut \le 40$, $0 \le \xinue \le 1.4$ together with large baryon densities $0.1 \le Ω_b \h502 \le 1$ as long as some destruction of primordial lithium has occurred. We also show that structure formation and the power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background allows for the possibility of an $Ω= 1$, $Ω_Λ= 0.4$, cosmological model for which there is both significant lepton asymmetry ($| \xinum | = | \xinut | \approx 11$) and a relatively large baryon density ($Ω_b \h502 \approx 0.2$). Our best-fit neutrino-degenerate, high-baryon-content models are mainly distinguished by a suppression of the second peak in the microwave background power spectrum. This is consistent with the recent high resolution data from BOOMERANG and MAXIMA-1.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Black Hole Formation in Core-Collapse Supernovae and Time-of-Flight Measurements of the Neutrino Masses

Early black hole formation in core-collapse supernovae may be triggered by mass accretion or a change in the high-density equation of state. We consider the possibility that black hole formation happens when the flux of neutrinos is still measurably high. If this occurs, then the neutrino signal from the supernova will be terminated abruptly (the transition takes $\lesssim 0.5$ ms). The properties and duration of the signal before the cutoff are important measures of both the physics and astrophysics of the cooling proto-neutron star. For the event rates expected in present and proposed detectors, the cutoff will generally appear sharp, thus allowing model-independent time-of-flight mass tests for the neutrinos after the cutoff. If black hole formation occurs relatively early, within a few ($\sim 1$) seconds after core collapse, then the expected luminosities are of order $L_{BH} = 10^{52}$ erg/s per flavor. In this case, the neutrino mass sensitivity can be extraordinary. For a supernova at a distance $D = 10$ kpc, SuperKamiokande can detect a $\barν_e$ mass down to 1.8 eV by comparing the arrival times of the high-energy and low-energy neutrinos in $\barν_e + p \to e^+ + n$. This test will also measure the cutoff time, and will thus allow a mass test of $ν_μ$ and $ν_τ$ relative to $\barν_e$. Assuming that $ν_μ$ and $ν_τ$ are nearly degenerate, as suggested by the atmospheric neutrino results, masses down to about 6 eV can be probed with a proposed lead detector of mass $M_D = 4$ kton (OMNIS). Remarkably, the neutrino mass sensitivity scales as $(D/L_{BH} M_D)^{1/2}$. Therefore, {\it direct} sensitivity to all three neutrino masses in the interesting few-eV range is realistically possible; {\it there are no other known techniques that have this capability}.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Production of 2H, 3He, and 7Li from Interactions Between Jets and Clouds

The interactions between jets of high-energy nuclei and nuclei of the surrounding medium are studied. Such interactions could be initiated by jets from active galactic nuclei interacting with surrounding cool clouds. The resulting nuclear interactions are found to produce copious amounts of 2H and 3He from the 4He nuclei. These results suggest that jets of particles from quasars could have produced anomalously high abundances in surrounding clouds of some of the nuclides usually thought to characterize big bang nucleosynthesis, specifically, the 2H seen in absorption spectra.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Technique for Direct eV-Scale Measurements of the Mu and Tau Neutrino Masses Using Supernova Neutrinos

Early black hole formation in a core-collapse supernova will abruptly truncate the neutrino fluxes. The sharp cutoff can be used to make model-independent time-of-flight neutrino mass tests. Assuming a neutrino luminosity of $10^{52}$ erg/s per flavor at cutoff and a distance of 10 kpc, SuperKamiokande can detect an electron neutrino mass as small as 1.8 eV, and the proposed OMNIS detector can detect mu and tau neutrino masses as small as 6 eV. This {\it Letter} presents the first technique with direct sensitivity to eV-scale mu and tau neutrino masses.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1996

The rp-process and new measurements of beta-delayed proton decay of light Ag and Cd isotopes

Recent network calculations suggest that a high temperature rp-process could explain the abundances of light Mo and Ru isotopes, which have long challenged models of p-process nuclide production. Important ingredients to network calculations involving unstable nuclei near and at the proton drip line are $β$-halflives and decay modes, i.e., whether or not $β$-delayed proton decay takes place. Of particular importance to these network calculation are the proton-rich isotopes $^{96}$Ag, $^{98}$Ag, $^{96}$Cd and $^{98}$Cd. We report on recent measurements of $β$-delayed proton branching ratios for $^{96}$Ag, $^{98}$Ag, and $^{98}$Cd at the on-line mass separator at GSI.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1995

A search for stable strange quark matter nuggets in helium

A search for stable strange quark nuggets has been conducted in helium and argon using a high sensitivity mass spectrometer. The search was guided by a mass formula for strange quark nuggets which suggested that stable strange helium might exist at a mass around 65 u. The chemical similarity of such ``strangelets'' to noble gas atoms and the gravitational unboundedness of normal helium result in a large enhancement in the sensitivity of such a search. An abundance limit of no more than $2 \cdot 10^{-11}$ strangelets per normal nucleus is imposed by our search over a mass region from 42 to 82 u, with much more stringent limits at most (non-integer) masses.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1995

Study of the levels in $^{17}$C above the $^{16}$C + neutron threshold

The $β$-delayed neutron decay of $^{17}$B was studied using a radioactive ion beam. The neutron energies, measured via time-of-flight, give information on states in $^{17}$C above the $^{16}$C + neutron threshold. States in $^{17}$C were found at excitation energies of 2.25(2) MeV, 2.64(2) MeV and 3.82(5) MeV, and possibly at 1.18(1) MeV. These low lying states are of possible interest for nuclear physics as well as for astrophysics.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv1995

Post Big Bang Processing of the Primordial Elements

We explore the Gnedin-Ostriker suggestion that a post-Big-Bang photodissociation process may modify the primordial abundances of the light elements. We consider several specific models and discuss the general features that are necessary (but not necessarily sufficient) to make the model work. We find that with any significant processing, the final D and $^3$He abundances, which are independent of their initial standard big bang nucleosynthesis (SBBN) values, rise quickly to a level several orders of magnitude above the observationally inferred primordial values. Solutions for specific models show that the only initial abundances that can be photoprocessed into agreement with observations are those that undergo virtually no processing and are already in agreement with observation. Thus it is unlikely that this model can work for any non-trivial case unless an artificial density and/or photon distribution is invoked.

astro-ph↗