The Primordial Lithium Abundance
Abstract
The D lines of Li I in extreme Population II stars hotter than 5500 K are highly temperature sensitive because lithium is nearly all ionized. A one-dimensional model atmosphere represents a space and time average over the actual three-dimensional, moving, hot and cold convective structure. Neutral Li does not have the average behavior represented by the one-dimensional model. Lithium is overionized by a factor of 10 so that the Li abundance computed from a one-dimensional model is too small by this same factor. Consequently, log (NLi/Ntotal) + 12 > 3.0.
This higher Li abundance resolves the only discrepancy in the radiatively driven cosmological model of the universe previously discussed by Kurucz. Because the baryon density is high enough to produce a flat, or nearly flat, universe, the number of stars can increase by a factor of 10, and the amount of radiation given off by those stars in the first billion years can increase by a factor of 10 over what is possible with a low baryon density. This model can explain the formation of Population III stars, globular clusters, galaxies, quasars, voids, galaxy clusters, streaming, and large-scale structure. It can explain isolated galactic evolution and morphology including bulges, disks, and abundances.- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 1995
- DOI:
- 10.1086/176283
- Bibcode:
- 1995ApJ...452..102K
- Keywords:
-
- COSMOLOGY: THEORY;
- STARS: ABUNDANCES;
- STARS: ATMOSPHERES;
- STARS: POPULATION II