On the relative abundance of LiH and LiH+ molecules in the early universe: new results from quantum reactions

Abstract

The relative efficiencies of the chemical pathways that can lead to the destruction of LiH and LiH+ molecules, conjectured to be present in the primordial gas and to control molecular cooling processes in the gravitational collapse of the post-recombination era, are revisited by using accurate quantum calculations for the several reactions involved. The new rates are employed to survey the behavior of the relative abundance of these molecules at redshifts of interest for early universe conditions. We find significant differences with respect to previous calculations, the present ones yielding LIH abundances higher than LiH+ at all redshifts.

The Astrophysical Journal, in press

References in corpus (8)

• Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Three Year Results: Implications for Cosmology
• Five-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Cosmological Interpretation
• A Bitter Pill: The Primordial Lithium Problem Worsens
• Effects of primordial chemistry on the cosmic microwave background
• Vibrational level population of H${}_2$ and H${}_2^{+}$ in the early Universe
• Fast LiH destruction in reaction with H: quantum calculations and astrophysical consequences
• Chemistry of heavy elements in the Dark Ages
• The first spectral line surveys searching for signals from the Dark Ages

Cited by in corpus (10)

• The Dawn of Chemistry
• The Small-Scale Dynamo and Non-Ideal MHD in Primordial Star Formation
• Dissipation of magnetic fields in star-forming clouds with different metallicities
• Ionization degree and magnetic diffusivity in the primordial star-forming clouds
• Global radiation signature from early structure formation
• The Search for Extragalactic Lithium Hydride
• Evolution of Magnetic Fields in Collapsing Star-forming Clouds under Different Environments
• Effect of lithium hydride on the cooling of primordial gas
• Search for Interstellar LiH in the Milky Way
• Small-Scale Dynamo Action in Primordial Halos