If the cosmological dark matter has a component made of small primordial black holes, they may have a significant impact on the physics of the first stars and on the subsequent formation of massive black holes. Primordial black holes would be adiabatically contracted into these stars and then would sink to the stellar center by dynamical friction, creating a larger black hole which may quickly swallow the whole star. If these primordial black holes are heavier than $\sim 10^{22} {\rm g}$, the first stars would likely live only for a very short time and would not contribute much to the reionization of the universe. They would instead become $10 - 10^3 M_\odot$ black holes which (depending on subsequent accretion) could serve as seeds for the super--massive black holes seen at high redshifts as well as those inside galaxies today.
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 …
We investigate the accuracy of the slow-roll approximation for calculating perturbation spectra generated during inflation. The Hamilton-Jacobi formalism is used to evolve inflationary models with different histories. Models are identified for which the scalar power spectra computed using the Stewart-Lyth slow-roll approximation differ from exact numerical calculations using the Mukhanov perturbation equation. We then revisit the problem of primordial black holes generated by inflation. Hybrid-type inflationary models, in which the inflaton is trapped in the minimum of a potential, can produce…
We study the implications of primordial magnetic fields for the thermal and ionization history of the post-recombination era. In particular we compute the effects of dissipation of primordial magnetic fields owing to ambipolar diffusion and decaying turbulence in the intergalactic medium (IGM) and the collapsing halos and compute the effects of the altered thermal and ionization history on the formation of molecular hydrogen. We show that, for magnetic field strengths in the range $2 \times 10^{-10} {\rm G} \la B_0 \la 2 \times 10^{-9} {\rm G}$, the molecular hydrogen fraction in IGM and colla…
We show that during inflation, a quantum fluctuation becomes classical at all orders if it becomes classical at first order. Implications are discussed.
We discuss the implications of causality on a primordial magnetic field. We show that the residual field on large scales is much more suppressed than usually assumed and that a helical component is even more reduced. Due to this strong suppression, even maximal primordial fields generated at the electroweak phase transition can just marginally seed the fields in clusters, but they cannot leave any detectable imprint on the cosmic microwave background.
We apply a recently developed theoretical model of helium emission to observations of both the Orion Nebula and a sample of extragalactic H II regions. In the Orion analysis, we eliminate some weak and blended lines and compare theory and observation for our reduced line list. With our best theoretical model we find an average difference between theoretical and observed intensities $<I_{predicted}/I_{observed}-1> = 6.5%$. We argue that both the red and blue ends of the spectrum may have been inadequately corrected for reddening. For the 22 highest quality lines, with $3499 Å\leλ\le6678 Å$, our…
Observations of stellar CNO isotope ratios indicate the presence of additional mixing processes on the red giant branch. An estimate of the resulting stellar He-3 depletion is made, as a function of stellar mass and metallicity. Based on stellar nucleosynthesis and galactic chemical evolution calculations, we determine the degree to which the destruction of He-3 due to such extra mixing processes can influence the inferred primordial abundance of ( D + He-3 ). We find that the extra mixing processes may increase the upper limit of the inferred primordial ( D + He-3 ) / H ratio by about 20%. Th…
By using most of the present CMB and LSS measurements and the BBN constraints on the primordial helium abundance, Y_p, we set bounds on the radiation content of the Universe and neutrino properties. We consider lepton asymmetric cosmological models parametrized by the neutrino degeneracy parameter ξ_ν and the variation of the relativistic degrees of freedom, ΔN_{oth}^{eff}, due to possible other physical processes that occurred between BBN and structure formation epoch. We found that present CMB and LSS data constraints the neutrino degeneracy parameter at ξ_ν \leq 0.722, implying a lepton asy…
We investigate gravitino dark matter scenarios in which the primordial ^6Li production is catalyzed by bound-state formation of long-lived negatively charged particles X^- with ^4He. In the constrained minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (CMSSM) with the stau^- as the X^-, the observationally inferred bound on the primordial ^6Li abundance allows us to derive a rigid lower limit on the gaugino mass parameter for a standard cosmological history. This limit can have severe implications for supersymmetry searches at the Large Hadron Collider and for the reheating temperature after inflation.
We investigate the possibility of very early formation of primordial star clusters from high-σperturbations in cold dark matter dominated structure formation scenarios. For this we have developed a powerful 2-level hierarchical cosmological code with a realistic and robust treatment of multi-species primordial gas chemistry, paying special attention to the formation and destruction of hydrogen molecules, non-equilibrium ionization, and cooling processes. We performed 3-D simulations at small scales and at high redshifts and find that, analogous to simulations of large scale structure, a comple…
We present the first hydrodynamic N-body simulations of primordial gas clouds responsible for the reionisation process in dark energy cosmologies. We compare the cosmological constant scenario with a SUGRA quintessence model with marked dynamics in order to highlight effects due to the different acceleration histories imposed by the dark energy. We show that both the number density of gas clouds and their clumpiness keep a record of the expansion rate during evolution, similar to the non-linear dark matter profile at virialisation, as was recently demonstrated by Dolag et al. (2004). Varying t…
Krstic has carried out the first quantum mechanical calculations near threshold for the charge transfer (CT) process H^+ + H_2(X ^1Sigma_g^+, nu=0, J=0) --> H(1s) + H_2^+. These results are relevant for models of primordial galaxy and first star formation that require reliable atomic and molecular data for obtaining the early universe hydrogen chemistry. Using the results of Krstic, we calculate the relevant CT rate coefficient for temperatures between 100 and 30,000 K. We also present a simple fit which can be readily implemented into early universe chemical models. Additionally, we explore h…
A consequence of the evaporation of primordial black holes in the early universe may be the generation of mirror matter. This would have implications with regard to dark matter, and the number of light particle species in equilibrium at the time of big bang nucleosynthesis. The possibilities for the production of mirror matter by this mechanism are explored.
We show that the exoplanet-host star iota Horologii, alias HD17051, which belongs to the so-called Hyades stream, was formed within the primordial Hyades stellar cluster and has evaporated towards its present location, 40 pc away. This result has been obtained unambiguously by studying the acoustic oscillations of this star, using the HARPS spectrometer in La Silla Observatory (ESO, Chili). Besides the fact that $ι$ Hor belongs to the Hyades stream, we give evidence that it has the same metallicity, helium abundance, and age as the other stars of the Hyades cluster. They were formed together, …
The comparison of cosmic abundances of the light elements with the density of baryonic stars and gas in the universe today provides a critical test of big bang theory and a powerful probe of the nature of dark matter. A new technique allows determination of cosmic deuterium abundances in quasar absorption clouds at large redshift, allowing a new test of big bang homogeneity in diverse, very distant systems. The first results of these studies are summarized, along with their implications. The quasar data are confronted with the apparently contradictory story from the helium-3 abundances measure…
We derive a general master equation relating the gravitational-wave observables r and Omega_gw(f). Here r is the tensor-to-scalar ratio, constrained by cosmic-microwave-background (CMB) experiments; and Omega_gw(f) is the energy spectrum of primordial gravitational-waves, constrained e.g. by pulsar-timing measurements, laser-interferometer experiments, and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). Differentiating the master equation yields a new expression for the tilt d(ln Omega_gw(f))/d(ln f). The relationship between r and Omega_gw(f) depends sensitively on the uncertain physics of the early universe…
In this talk we propose a natural double inflation model in supergravity. Chaotic inflation first takes place by virtue of the Nambu-Goldstone-like shift symmetry. During chaotic inflation, an initial value of second inflation (new inflation) is set, which is adequately far from the local maximum of the potential due to the small linear term in the Kähler potential. Then, primordial fluctuations within the present horizon scale may be produced during both inflations. Primordial fluctuations responsible for anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background radiation and the large scale structure …
We investigate the recently proposed natural double inflation model in supergravity. Chaotic inflation first takes place by virtue of the Nambu-Goldstone-like shift symmetry. During chaotic inflation, an initial value of second inflation (new inflation) is set, which is adequately far from the local maximum of the potential due to the small linear term in the Kähler potential. Then, primordial fluctuations within the present horizon scale may be produced during both inflations. Primordial fluctuations responsible for anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background radiation and the large scale…
The observational evidence for a population of quasars powered by supermassive black holes of mass \geq 10^9 M_sun at redshifts z\geq 6 poses a great challenge for any model describing the formation of galaxies. Assuming uninterrupted accretion at the Eddington limit, seed black holes of at least 1000 M_sun are needed at z \approx 15. Here I study whether these seeds could be primordial black holes (PBHs) which have been produced in the very early universe by the collapse of primordial density fluctuations. In particular, I study the expected number densities of PBHs in the relevant mass range…
We study a double inflation model (a hybrid inflation + a new inflation) in supergravity and discuss the formation of primordial black holes (PBHs) with mass \sim 10^{-20}-10^{5}M_{\odot}. We find that in a wide range of parameter space, we obtain PBHs which amount to Ω\simeq 1, i.e., PBH dark matter. Also, we find a set of inflation parameters which produces PBHs evaporating now. Those PBHs may be responsible for antiproton fluxes observed by the BESS experiment.
Super-ASTROD (Super Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity using Optical Devices or ASTROD III) is a mission concept with 3-5 spacecraft in 5 AU orbits together with an Earth-Sun L1/L2 spacecraft ranging optically with one another to probe primordial gravitational-waves with frequencies 0.1 microHz - 1 mHz, to test fundamental laws of spacetime and to map the outer solar system. In this paper we address to its scientific goals, orbit and payload selection, and sensitivity to gravitational waves.
