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The last parameter of big-bang nucleosynthesis, the baryon density, is being pinned down by measurements of the deuterium abundance in high-redshift hydrogen clouds. When it is determined, it will fix the primeval light-element abundances. D, ^3He and ^7Li will become ``tracers'' for the study of Galactic and stellar chemical evolution, and big-bang nucleosynthesis will become an even sharper probe of particle physics, e.g., the bound to the number of light neutrino species will be tightened significantly. Two key tests of the consistency of the standard theory are on the horizon: an independent, high-precision determination of the baryon density from anisotropy of the cosmic background radiation and a precision determination of the primeval $^4$He abundance., Comment: 19 pages Latex; 8 eps figures; submitted to Rev Mod Phys (Colloquia)

Protons of energies up to 10**20 eV can be subject to significant deflection and energy dependent time delay in lage scale extragalactic or halo magnetic fields of strengths comparable to current upper limits. By performing 3-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations of nucleon propagation, we show how observations of arrival direction and time distributions can be used to measure the structure and strength of large-scale magnetic fields, and constrain the nature of the source of ultra-high energy cosmic rays., Comment: 12 latex pages, 3 encapsulated postscript figures included, uses aaspp4.sty, and psfig.sty. Submitted to ApJ Lett

Four light isotopes - D, ^3He, ^4He and ^7Li - were produced by nuclear reactions a few seconds after the big bang. New measurements of ^3He in the ISM by Gloeckler and Geiss and of deuterium in high redshift hydrogen clouds by Tytler and his collaborators provide further confirmation of big-bang nucleosynthesis and new insight about the density of ordinary matter (baryons)., Comment: 6 pages LaTeX with 1 eps Figure

We re-examine the very stringent limits on the axion mass based on the strength and duration of the neutrino signal from SN 1987A, in the light of new measurements of the axial-vector coupling strength of nucleons, possible suppression of axion emission due to many-body effects, and additional emission processes involving pions. The suppression of axion emission due to nucleon spin fluctuations induced by many-body effects degrades previous limits by a factor of about 2. Emission processes involving thermal pions can strengthen the limits by a factor of 3-4 within a perturbative treatment that neglects saturation of nucleon spin fluctuations. Inclusion of saturation effects, however, tends to make the limits less dependent on pion abundances. The resulting axion mass limit also depends on the precise couplings of the axion and ranges from 0.5x10**(-3) eV to 6x10**(-3) eV., Comment: 32 latex pages, 13 postscript figures included, uses revtex.sty, submitted to Physical Review D

We examine the possibility that Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) may produce non-trivial amounts of $^6$Li. If a primordial component of this isotope could be observed, it would provide a new fundamental test of Big-Bang cosmology, as well as new constraints on the baryon density of the universe. At present, however, theoretical predictions of the primordial $^6$Li abundance are extremely uncertain due to difficulties in both theoretical estimates and experimental determinations of the deuterium-plus-alpha radiative capture reaction cross-section. We also argue that present observational capabilities do not yet allow the detection of primeval $^6$Li in very metal-poor stars of the galactic halo. However, if the critical cross section is towards the upper end of its plausible range, then improvements in $^6$Li detection capabilities may allow the establishment of $^6$Li as another product of BBN. It is also noted that a primordial $^6$Li detection could help resolve current concerns about the extragalactic D/H determination., Comment: 10 pages, REVTeX, 5 PostScript figures with psfig. Submitted to Physical Review C

Physics beyond the standard model might imply the cosmological production of particles with grand unification scale energies. Nucleons and gamma-rays from such processes are candidates for the cosmic rays observed beyond 100 EeV [10**(20) eV]. Using a new particle propagation code, we calculate the neutrino fluxes predicted by such scenarios if consistency with the observed cosmic ray flux and the universal gamma-ray background at 1-10 GeV is required. Flux levels detectable by proposed km**3 scale neutrino observatories are allowed by these constraints. Bounds on or detection of a neutrino flux above about 1 EeV would allow neutrino astronomy to probe grand unification scale physics., Comment: 5 latex pages, 1 postscript figure included, uses revtex style in two column format and psfig.sty, submitted to Phys. Lett. B

In this paper, we revisit in detail the effects of primordial magnetic fields on big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) including a discussion of the magnetic field geometry and the anomalous magnetic moment. The presence of magnetic fields affects BBN by (1) increasing the weak reaction rates; (2) increasing the electron density due to changes to the electron phase space; and (3) by increasing the expansion rate of the universe, due both to the magnetic field energy density and to the modified electron energy density. Of the effects considered, the increase in the expansion rate due to the magnetic field energy is the most significant for the interests of BBN. The allowed magnetic field intensity at the end of nucleosynthesis (0.01 MeV) is about $2 \times 10^{9}$G and corresponds to an upper limit on the magnetic field energy density of about 28\% of the neutrino energy density ($\rho_B \le 0.28 \rho_\nu$)., Comment: 10 pages

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., Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure (LaTeX 2.09 using epsf.sty and rotate.sty)

Concern about systematic uncertainty in the $^4$He abundance as well as the chemical evolution of $^3$He leads us to re-examine this important limit. It is shown that with conservative assumptions no more than the equivalent of 4 massless neutrino species are allowed. Even with the most extreme estimates of the astrophysical uncertainties a meaningful limit still exists, less than 5 massless neutrino species, and illustrates the robustness of this argument. A definitive measurement of the deuterium abundance in high-redshift hydrogen clouds should soon sharpen the limit., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures (LaTeX 2.09 using epsf.sty and rotate.sty)

Very recently, a possible clustering of a subset of observed ultrahigh energy cosmic rays above about 40EeV (4x10^19eV) in pairs near the supergalactic plane was reported. We show that a confirmation of this effect would provide information on origin and nature of these events and, in case of charged primaries, imply interesting constraints on the extragalactic magnetic field. The observed time correlation would most likely rule out an association of these events with cosmological gamma ray bursts. If no prominent astrophysical source candidates such as powerful radiogalaxies can be found, the existence of a mechanism involving new fundamental physics would be favored., Comment: 10 latex pages, 1 postscript figure, uses aaspp4.sty, submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letters

Nearby supernova explosions may cause geological isotope anomalies via the direct deposition of debris or by cosmic-ray spallation in the earth's atmosphere. We estimate the mass of material deposited terrestrially by these two mechanisms, showing the dependence on the supernova distance. A number of radioactive isotopes are identified as possible diagnostic tools, such as Be-10, Al-26, Cl-36, Mn-53, Fe-60, and Ni-59, as well as the longer-lived I-129, Sm-146, and Pu-244. We discuss whether the 35 and 60 kyr-old Be-10 anomalies observed in the Vostok antarctic ice cores could be due to supernova explosions. Combining our estimates for matter deposition with results of recent nucleosynthesis yields, we calculate the expected signal from nearby supernovae using ice cores back to $\sim 300$ kyr ago, and we discuss using deep ocean sediments back to several hundred Myr. In particular, we examine the prospects for identifying isotope anomalies due to the Geminga supernova explosion, and signatures of the possibility that supernovae might have caused one or more biological mass extinctions., Comment: 26 pages, 2 postscript figures. Uses AASTeX (version 4). To appear in Astrophys. J

We present a schematic model for the formation of baryonic galactic halos and hot gas in the Local Group and the intergalactic medium. We follow the dynamics, chemical evolution, heat flow and gas flows of a hierarchy of scales, including: protogalactic clouds, galactic halos, and the Local Group itself. Within this hierarchy, the Galaxy is built via mergers of protogalactic fragments. We find that early bursts of star formation lead to a large population of remnants (mostly white dwarfs), which would reside presently in the halo and contribute to the dark component observed in the microlensing experiments. The hot, metal-rich gas from early starbursts and merging evaporates from the clouds and is eventually incorporated into the intergalactic medium. The model thus suggests that most microlensing objects could be white dwarfs ($m \sim 0.5 \msol$), which comprise a significant fraction of the halo mass. Furthermore, the Local Group could have a component of metal-rich hot gas similar to, although less than, that observed in larger clusters. We discuss the known constraints on such a scenario and show that all local observations can be satisfied with present data in this model. The best-fit model has a halo that is 40% baryonic, with an upper limit of 77%., Comment: 15 pages, LaTex, uses aas2pp4.sty, 7 postscript figures. Substantially revised and enlarged to a full-length article. Somewhat different quantitative results, but qualitative conclusions unchanged

Deuterium plays a crucial role in testing big-bang nucleosynthesis. Its chemical evolution, while simple (it is burned to $^3$He), is intertwined with the more complicated evolution of $^3$He. Gloeckler \& Geiss' new measurement of the $^3$He abundance and the HST measurement of D, both in the local ISM today, can be compared to the pre-solar nebula abundances of D and $^3$He. Within the uncertainties, the sum of D + $^3$He relative to hydrogen is unchanged. This provides some validation of the cosmological utility of D + $^3$He, first suggested by Yang et al (1984), and further, indicates that over the past 4.5 Gyr there has been at most modest stellar production of $^3$He, in contradiction with stellar modeling, or modest stellar destruction of $^3$He, in contradiction with some ``solar spoons.'' While the earlier Galactic evolution of D + $^3$He cannot be constrained directly, it is expected to be dominated by massive stars, which deplete their $^3$He and produce metals. Based on the Galactic metallicity and the constancy of D + $^3$He over the past 4.5 Gyr, we derive a more empirically based lower bound to the cosmological baryon density; while not dramatically different from the original bound of Yang et al (1984) based on D + $^3$He, it alleviates some of the cosmic tension between the big-bang $^4$He abundance and those of D and $^3$He., Comment: 15 pages + 2 figures (included as eps files using epsf.sty and rotate.sty), submitted to Nature

If the hot, X-ray emitting gas in rich clusters forms a fair sample of the universe (as in Cold Dark Matter (CDM) models), and the universe is at the critical density, $\Omega_T = 1$, then the data appears to imply a baryon fraction, $\Omega_{b,x}$ ($\Omega_{b,x}\equiv \Omega_b$ derived from X-ray cluster data), larger than that predicted by Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). While various other systematic effects such as clumping can lower $\Omega_{b,x}$, in this paper we use an elementary analysis to show that a simple admixture of Hot Dark Matter (HDM, low mass neutrinos) with CDM to yield mixed dark matter shifts $\Omega_{b,x}$ down so that significant overlap with $\Omega_b$ from BBN can occur for $H_0 \lsim 75\;{\rm km/sec/Mpc}$, even without invoking the possible aforementioned effects. The overlap interval is slightly larger for lower mass neutrinos since fewer cluster on the scale of the hot X-ray gas. We illustrate this result quantitatively in terms of a simple isothermal model. More realistic velocity dispersion profiles, with less centrally-peaked density profiles, imply that fewer neutrinos are trapped and, thus, further increase the interval of overlap. However, we also note that if future observations of light element abundances find that $\Omega_b h^2 \lsim 0.018$, the range of concordance in this simple mixed dark matter model vanishes., Comment: 12 pages g-zipped, uuencoded postscript. Figures available at ftp://astro.uchicago.edu/pub/astro/russell/x-ray_bbn/ or at http://astro.uchicago.edu/home/web/russell/research/cosmology/Omega_b/

Systematic uncertainties in the light-element abundances and their evolution make a rigorous statistical assessment difficult. However, using Bayesian methods we show that the following statement is robust: the predicted and measured abundances are consistent with 95\% credibility only if the baryon-to-photon ratio is between $2\times 10^{-10}$ and $6.5\times 10^{-10}$ and the number of light neutrino species is less than 3.9. Our analysis suggests that the $^4$He abundance may have been systematically underestimated., Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX(2.09), 6 postscript figures (attached). A postscript version with figures can be found at ftp://astro.uchicago.edu/pub/astro/copi/assessing_BBN . (See the README file for details)

Deuterium is the best indicator of the baryon density; however, only its present abundance is known (and only locally) and its chemical evolution is intertwined with that of $^3$He. Because galactic abundances are spatially heterogeneous, mean chemical-evolution models are not well suited for extrapolating the pre-solar D and $^3$He abundances to their primeval values. We introduce a new approach which explicitly addresses heterogeneity, and show that the decade-old big-bang nucleosynthesis concordance interval $\eta \approx (2 -8)\times 10^{-10}$ based on D and $^3$He is robust., Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX(2.09), 4 postscript figures (attached). A postscript version with figures can be found at ftp://astro.uchicago.edu/pub/astro/chem_evolution. (See the README file for details). REVISION: Numerous changes have been made to the text and the focus of the discussion has changed

The \HOmega\ diagram is resurrected to dramatically illustrate the nature of the key problems in physical cosmology today and the role that nuclear physics plays in many of them. In particular it is noted that the constraints on \OmegaB\ from big bang nucleosynthesis do not overlap with the constraints on \OmegaVis\ nor have significant overlap with the lower bound on $\Omega$ from cluster studies. The former implies that the bulk of the baryons are dark and the later is the principle argument for non-baryonic dark matter. A comparison with hot x-ray emitting gas in clusters is also made. The lower bound on the age of the universe from globular cluster ages (hydrogen burning in low mass stars) and from nucleocosmochronology also illustrates the Hubble constant requirement $H_0 \le 66 \Hunits$ for $\Omega_0 = 1$\@. It is also noted that high values of $H_0$ ($\sim 80\Hunits$) even more strongly require the presence of non-baryonic dark matter. The lower limit on $H_0$ ($\ge 38\Hunits$) from carbon detonation driven type~Ia supernova constrains long ages and only marginally allows \OmegaB\ to overlap with \OmegaClus. Diagrams of \HOmega\ for $\Lambda_0=0$ and $\Lambda_0\neq 0$ are presented to show that the need for non-baryonic dark matter is independent of $\Lambda$., Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX(2.09), 4 figures. A nicely formatted postscript version of the text with encapsulated figures can be found at ftp://astro.uchicago.edu/pub/astro/HOmega (see the README file for details)

We consider the galactic evolutionary history of \he3 in models which deplete deuterium by as much as a factor of 2 to $\sim$ 15 from its primordial value to its present day observed value in the ISM. We show that when \he3 production in low mass stars (1 -- 3 $M_\odot$) is included over the history of the galaxy, \he3 is greatly over-produced and exceeds the inferred solar values and the abundances determined in galactic \hii regions. Furthermore, the ISM abundances show a disturbing dispersion which is difficult to understand from the point of view of standard chemical evolution models. In principle, resolution of the problem may lie in either 1) the calculated \he3 production in low mass stars; 2) the observations of the \he3 abundance; or 3) an observational bias towards regions of depleted \he3. Since \he3 observations in planetary nebula support the calculated \he3 production in low mass stars, option (1) is unlikely. We will argue for option (3) since the \he3 interstellar observations are indeed made in regions dominated by massive stars in which \he3 is destroyed. In conclusion, we note that the problem with \he3 seems to be galactic and not cosmological., Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, 5 postscript figures available upon request

Big bang nucleosynthesis constraints on baryon isocurvature perturbations are determined. A simple model ignoring the effects of the scale of the perturbations is first reviewed. This model is then extended to test the claim that large amplitude perturbations will collapse, forming compact objects and preventing their baryons from contributing to the observed baryon density. It is found that baryon isocurvature perturbations are constrained to provide only a slight increase in the density of baryons in the universe over the standard homogeneous model. In particular it is found that models which rely on power laws and the random phase approximation for the power spectrum are incompatible with big bang nucleosynthesis unless an {\em ad hoc}, small scale cutoff is included., Comment: 11pages + 8figures, LaTeX (2.09), postscript figures available via anonymous ftp from oddjob.uchicago.edu:/ftp/ibbn/fig?.ps where ?=1-8 or via email from copi@oddjob.uchicago.edu, Fermilab-Pub-94/???-A and UMN-TH-1307/94

We propose a self-consistent model for globular cluster formation in, but not limited to, our Galaxy, based on the merger model of Mathews and Schramm (1993). Stars and star clusters form in bursts at the merging interfaces as protogalactic clouds collide. We describe the formation of those star clusters with a simple schematic ansatz which takes into account the thermal and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. It is shown that this model is consistent with many observational properties such as the age and metallicity distributions of globular clusters, the overall number of globular clusters, and the near constancy of the number of globular clusters in different size host galaxies. Most of the features of this merger model are insensitive to choices of parameters. However, the model does not exhibit two distinct populations of globular clusters, i.e. halo clusters and disk clusters. Possible explanations for this are presented., Comment: 14 pages (10 figures available from sjlee@oddjob.uchicago.edu); LaTeX; submitted to The Astrophysical Journal; Fermilab preprint and LLNL preprint

Big-bang nucleosynthesis is one of the cornerstones of the standard cosmology. For almost thirty years its predictions have been used to test the big-bang model to within a fraction of a second of the bang. The concordance that exists between the predicted and observed abundances of D, $^3$He, $^4$He and $^7$Li provides important confirmation of the standard cosmology and leads to the most accurate determination of the baryon density, between $1.7 \times 10^{-31}\gcmm3$ and $4.1\times 10^{-31}\gcmm3$ (corresponding to between about 1\% and 14\% of critical density). This measurement of the density of ordinary matter is crucial to almost every aspect of cosmology and is pivotal to the establishment of two dark-matter problems: (i) most of the baryons are dark, and (ii) if the total mass density is greater than about 14\% of the critical density as many determinations now indicate, the bulk of the dark matter must be ``nonbaryonic,'' comprised of elementary particles left from the earliest moments. We critically review the present status of primordial nucleosynthesis and discuss future prospects., Comment: 21 pages+6 figs, LaTeX(2.09), FERMILAB-Pub-94/174-A, Figures available by anonymous ftp in oddjob.uchicago.edu:/pub/bbnrev/fig?.ps (?=1,2,3,4,5,6) or email from copi@oddjob.uchicago.edu REVISIONS include new discussion and a new figure

The effects of magnetic fields on Big Bang Nucleosynthesis(BBN) have been calculated, and the impact on the abundances of the light elements have been investigated numerically. An upper limit on the strength of primordial magnetic fields compatible with observations of light element abundances has been thus obtained. In the framework of standard BBN theory, the maximum strength of the primordial magnetic fields, on scales greater than $10^4$cm but smaller than the event horizon at the BBN epoch ($\sim 1$ min., $\sim 2\times 10^{12}$cm), is $\le 10^{11}$ Gauss. This limit is shown to allow magnetic fields at the time of recombination no stronger than $\sim 0.1$ gauss on scales $\ge 10^{11}{\rm cm}$. Our results also strongly indicate that, at the BBN epoch, and for field strengths $B\le10^{13}$gauss, the effects of magnetic fields on the primordial abundances of light elements are dominated by effects from reaction rates in the presense of primeval magnetic fields rather than by magnetic density effects on the expansion rate., Comment: 17 pages in Plain TeX plus 5 tables and 7 figures; FNAL preprint

In this paper, we have derived the the effects of strong magnetic fields ${\bf \vec B}$ on nucleon and particle reaction rates of astrophysical significance. We have explored the sensitivity to the presence of arbitrary degeneracy and polarization. The possible astrophysical applications of our results are discussed., Comment: 13, TeX dialect

We investigate the possibility that inhomogeneous nucleosynthesis may eventually be used to explain the abundances of \li6, \be9 and B in population II stars. The present work differs from previous studies in that we have used a more extensive reaction network. It is demonstrated that in the simplest scenario the abundances of the light elements with $A\le7$ constrain the separation of inhomogeneities to sufficiently small scales that the model is indistinguishable from homogeneous nucleosynthesis and that the abundances of \li6, \be9\ and B are then below observations by several orders of magnitude. This conclusion does not depend on the \li7 constraint. We also examine alternative scenarios which involve a post-nucleosynthesis reprocessing of the light elements to reproduce the observed abundances of Li and B, while allowing for a somewhat higher baryon density (still well below the cosmological critical density). Future B/H measurements may be able to exclude even this exotic scenario and further restrict primordial nucleosynthesis to approach the homogeneous model conclusions., Comment: 18 pages; Plain TeX; UMN-TH-1131/93

We examine the possibility that a nearby supernova explosion could have caused one or more of the mass extinctions identified by palaeontologists. We discuss the likely rate of such events in the light of the recent identification of Geminga as a supernova remnant less than 100 pc away and the discovery of a millisecond pulsar about 150 pc away, and observations of SN 1987A. The fluxes of $\gamma$ radiation and charged cosmic rays on the Earth are estimated, and their effects on the Earth's ozone layer discussed. A supernova explosion of the order of 10 pc away could be expected every few hundred million years, and could destroy the ozone layer for hundreds of years, letting in potentially lethal solar ultraviolet radiation. In addition to effects on land ecology, this could entail mass destruction of plankton and reef communities, with disastrous consequences for marine life as well. A supernova extinction should be distinguishable from a meteorite impact such as the one that presumably killed the dinosaurs., Comment: 10 pages, CERN-TH.6805/93

The ability to now make measurements of Be and B as well as put constraints on \lisix\ abundances in metal-poor stars has led to a detailed reexamination of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis in the $A\groughly6$ regime. The nuclear reaction network has been significantly expanded with many new rates added. It is demonstrated that although a number of $A>7$ reaction rates are poorly determined, even with extreme values chosen, the standard homogeneous model is unable to produce significant yields (Be/H and B/H $<10^{-17}$ when $A\le7$ abundances fit) above $A=7$ and the \liseven/\lisix\ ratio always exceeds 500. We also preliminarily explore inhomogeneous models, such as those inspired by a first order quark-hadron phase transition, where regions with high neutron/proton ratios can allow some leakage up to $A>7$. However models that fit the $A\le7$ abundances still seem to have difficulty in obtaining significant $A>7$ yields., Comment: Plain TeX, 28 pages, 8 figures (not included, but available from authors). UMN-TH-1020/92