Citation
Gilbert, Lauren Ann (2016) Resonant Production of Sterile Neutrinos in the Early Universe. Senior thesis (Major), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/BKTV-8H10. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:01102018-100325254
Abstract
We examine the cosmological impacts of a light resonantly produced sterile neutrino in the early universe. Such a neutrino could be produced through lepton number-driven Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein conversion of active neutrinos, resulting in a non-thermal spectrum of both sterile and active neutrinos. If this process occurs during weak decoupling and big bang nucleosynthesis, it would affect the electron neutrino flux and therefore the n/p ratio. This allows us to use observations of primordial helium (Yp), primordial deuterium (D/H), and Neff to place limits on this process.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Senior thesis (Major)) |
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| Subject Keywords: | Physics |
| Degree Grantor: | California Institute of Technology |
| Division: | Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy |
| Major Option: | Physics |
| Thesis Availability: | Withheld |
| Research Advisor(s): |
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| Thesis Committee: |
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| Defense Date: | 13 May 2016 |
| Record Number: | CaltechTHESIS:01102018-100325254 |
| Persistent URL: | https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:01102018-100325254 |
| DOI: | 10.7907/BKTV-8H10 |
| Default Usage Policy: | No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided. |
| ID Code: | 10627 |
| Collection: | CaltechTHESIS |
| Deposited By: | Joy Painter |
| Deposited On: | 11 Jan 2018 00:19 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Oct 2019 00:19 |
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