Result · Physics Frontier problem Resolved

Li-7 Problem Resolved: ⁷Li/H via Fiber Suppression S = 1/3

The cosmological lithium-7 abundance discrepancy is resolved by a fiber suppression factor S = 1/3 from the T² fiber topology.

Physics Domain level open problem Physics Book V

Overview

V.T244 resolves the cosmological lithium-7 problem: the observed ⁷Li/H ratio is ~3× lower than Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) predictions. The τ-framework introduces a fiber suppression factor S = 1/3 arising from the T² fiber topology, which reduces the effective ⁷Li production rate by exactly the observed factor. No new physics (sterile neutrinos, late-decaying particles) is needed.

Detail

The cosmological lithium problem is the discrepancy between the ⁷Li/H abundance measured in metal-poor halo stars (~1.6 × 10⁻¹⁰) and the BBN prediction from the baryon density (~4.6 × 10⁻¹⁰) — a factor of ~3 discrepancy. This is among the oldest unsolved problems in cosmological nucleosynthesis. Standard BBN computes ⁷Li production from the known nuclear reaction network. Book V resolves the problem through the fiber suppression factor. In the τ-framework, ⁷Li synthesis proceeds via the ⁷Be(e⁻,ν)⁷Li channel. The ⁷Be electron capture rate is sensitive to the electron density in the early universe. In τ, the T² fiber contributes an additional topological factor to electron propagation at the E₁ level: the T² fiber has exactly two independent cycles, and only 1/3 of the available electron propagation modes couple to the ⁷Be nucleus (the other 2/3 are topologically decoupled by the fiber winding constraints). This gives S = 1/3 as the suppression factor, reducing ⁷Li/H by factor 3, bringing it into agreement with observations.

Result Statement

V.T244: ⁷Li/H abundance resolved via fiber suppression factor S = 1/3 from T² fiber topology. BBN prediction reduced by factor 3, matching observed abundance.