Nuclear structure constrains on resonant energies: A solution of the cosmological 7Li problem?

In this work, we study the cosmological Li-7 problem from a nuclear structure point of view, by including resonances in the reactions which populate beryllium. The calculation of primordial abundances is performed by solving the balance equations semi-analytically. It is found that the primordial abundance of lithium is indeed reduced, as a consequence of the presence of resonant channels in the relevant cross sections. We set limits on the resonant energy for each reaction relevant for the chain leading to Li-7, by performing a statistical analysis of the available observational data. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.