Effect of Finite Mass on Primordial Nucleosynthesis

Abstract

We have calculated the small effect of finite nucleon mass on the weak-interaction rates that interconvert protons and neutrons in the early Universe. We have modified the standard code for primordial nucleosynthesis to include these corrections and find a small, systematic increase in the 4He yield, $\delta Y / Y \simeq (0.47 - 0.50)% $, depending slightly on the baryon-to-photon ratio. The fractional changes in the abundances of the other light elements are a few percent or less for interesting values of the baryon-to-photon ratio.