Recent Progress in Cosmology and Nuclear Astrophysics

We propose two cosmological models in order to explain the universal baryon density parameter Ωbh2 inferred from different observational data: One is from the Big-Bang nucleosynthesis, and the other is from the cosmic microwave background fluctuations. Our proposed theoretical models are the lepton asymmetric Universe model and the baryon inhomogeneous Big-Bang nucleosynthesis model. In these cosmological models the nuclear processes are similar to those in the r-process nucleosynthesis in gravitational core-collapse supernova explosion. Massive stars ≥10 M⊙ culminate their evolution by supernova explosions which are presumed to be the most viable candidate site for the r-process nucleosynthesis. Even in the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements, entropy and density in the hot bubble of core-collapse Type II supernovae are so high that nuclear statistical equilibrium favors production of abundant light nuclei. In such explosive circumstances many radioactive light-to-intermediate mass nuclei as well as heavy mass nuclei play the significant roles.