New Nuclear Physics for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

Understand

We discuss nuclear reactions which could play a role in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN).

• Most of these reactions involve lithium and beryllium isotopes and the rates for some of these have not previously been included in BBN calculations.
• Few of these reactions are well studied in the laboratory.
• We also discuss novel effects in these reactions, including thermal population of nuclear target states, resonant enhancement, and non-thermal neutron reaction products.