CMB Temperature - Will hydrogen be ionized?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the conditions for hydrogen ionization in the context of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. It establishes that the scale factor when radiation and matter energy densities balance is ##a = 3 \times 10^{-4}##, leading to a radiation temperature of ##9100 K##. The photon-to-baryon ratio is calculated to be ##10^9##. The required temperature for hydrogen ionization is determined to be ##158,000 K##, indicating that under the given conditions, hydrogen would not have been ionized.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of energy density concepts in cosmology
  • Familiarity with the Saha ionization equation
  • Knowledge of the relationship between scale factor and temperature
  • Basic principles of photon and baryon number density calculations
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the Saha ionization equation in detail
  • Explore the implications of baryon density parameter ##\Omega_b## on cosmic evolution
  • Learn about the relationship between temperature and scale factor in cosmology
  • Investigate the significance of photon-to-baryon ratios in the early universe
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Astronomers, cosmologists, and physics students interested in the early universe, CMB radiation, and the conditions for hydrogen ionization.

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Homework Statement


Energy density of radiation ##\rho_r = 8 \times 10^{-14} J m^{-3}## and energy density of matter ##\rho_m = 2.63 \times 10^{-10} J m^{-3}##. Baryon density parameter is ##\Omega_b = 0.04##. Temperature of CMB today is ##2.73 K##. Ionization energy of Hydrogen is ##13.6 eV##.

(a)Find the scale factor and temperature of radiation when the two energy densities are balanced.
(a)Find photons to baryon ratio.
(b)Would hydrogen have been ionized?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution



Part(a)[/B]
For matter and radiation energy density to balance, we need ##\rho_r a^{-4} = \rho_m a^{-3}##, so we have
a = \frac{\rho_r}{\rho_m} = 3 \times 10^{-4}
Temperature varies inversely with scale factor:
T = \frac{T_0}{a} = 9100 K


Part(b)

Photon energy density is given by ##\rho = \frac{\pi^2}{15} (k_B T) \left( \frac{k_B T}{\hbar c} \right)^3##. Energy per photon is given by ##k_B T##. Thus number density of photon is ##n_\gamma = \frac{\rho}{k_B T} = 3.7 \times 10^8##. Given ##\Omega_b = 0.04##, energy density of baryon is ##3.41 \times 10^{-11}##. Energy of baryon is typically mass of neutron or proton ##938 MeV##. Thus number density of baryon is ##n_b = 0.23##. Ratio is
\frac{n_\gamma}{n_b} = 10^9

Part (c)
To ionize hydrogen, we require a temperature of ##T = \frac{E}{k_B} = 158 000 K##. But that doesn't seem right..

I feel like I am a factor of 20 off..
 
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Try using the Saha ionization equation for part c. There should be a decrease in the temperature requirement since ionization causes an increase in entropy.
 

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