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Viability of Carbon-Based Life as a Function of the Light Quark Mass

Evgeny Epelbaum, Hermann Krebs, Timo A. Lähde, Dean Lee, and Ulf-G. Meißner
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 112502 – Published 13 March 2013

Abstract

The Hoyle state plays a crucial role in the helium burning of stars that have reached the red giant stage. The close proximity of this state to the triple-alpha threshold is needed for the production of carbon, oxygen, and other elements necessary for life. We investigate whether this life-essential condition is robust or delicately fine-tuned by measuring its dependence on the fundamental constants of nature, specifically the light quark mass and the strength of the electromagnetic interaction. We show that there exist strong correlations between the alpha-particle binding energy and the various energies relevant to the triple-alpha process. We derive limits on the variation of these fundamental parameters from the requirement that sufficient amounts of carbon and oxygen be generated in stars. We also discuss the implications of our results for an anthropic view of the Universe.

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  • Received 18 December 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.112502

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Evgeny Epelbaum1, Hermann Krebs1, Timo A. Lähde2, Dean Lee3, and Ulf-G. Meißner2,4,5

  • 1Institut für Theoretische Physik II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, D-44870 Bochum, Germany
  • 2Institut für Kernphysik, Institute for Advanced Simulation, and Jülich Center for Hadron Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
  • 3Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
  • 4Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen- und Kernphysik and Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics, Universität Bonn, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
  • 5JARA—High Performance Computing, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 110, Iss. 11 — 15 March 2013

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