Implications of the 14C(α,γ)18O reaction for nonstandard big bang nucleosynthesis

The thermonuclear burning rates for the 14C(α,γ)18O radiative capture reaction are calculated at temperatures (0.3<T<10 GK) of relevance to the early universe. These rates are particularly important for estimating the formation of heavy elements in an inhomogeneous big bang nucleosynthesis, proposed by Applegate, Hogan, and Scherrer (that would suggest the quark-gluon to hadron phase transition is first order). We investigate the effect of a possible new broad (Γ∼0.45 MeV) 1- state, at approximately 9.0 MeV in 18O as would be deduced from the Yale-Michigan State University measurement of the beta-delayed alpha-particle emission of 18N and suggested by the Notre Dame-Caltech measurement of the nonresonant 14C(α,γ)18O cross section. The gamma widths of the proposed broad state is estimated using the Alhassid, Gai, and Bertsch sum rule, and an experimental study is proposed