George M. Fuller

Cosmological consequences of the quark-hadron phase transition

Abstract A first-order phase transition is likely to have occurred in the early universe at the end of the quark era and the beginning of the hadron era. This phase transition would have created large amplitude isothermal fluctuations in the distribution of baryon number in the universe. These fluctuations have significant impact on the subsequent synthesis of isotopes of hydrogen, helium and lithium out of protons and neutrons. It turns out to be possible that all of the mass in the universe today is baryonic.

A new method for detection of distant supernova neutrino bursts

Abstract We suggest a new method for detection of neutrino bursts generated by distant supernovas in our galaxy and in the local group of galaxies. This new method is based on the detection of neutrons produced in the inelastic scattering of νμ and ντ neutrinos with nuclei via the neutral current channel. The advantages of such a detector are (1) the enhancement of neutrino scattering cross sections due to nuclear collective effects, (2) the selective detection of νμ and ντ supernova neutrinos, and (3) the existence of large geological deposits of suitable neutrino detector materials in nature.