What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to resolve the lithium deficit observed in cosmic environments, specifically between predictions and observations.

March 6, 2026Open Access

Imperfect Omni-directional Engine Framework

Key Points

This research aims to resolve the lithium deficit observed in cosmic environments, specifically between predictions and observations.
Proposes a two-stage kinetic sieve mechanism to explain lithium depletion.
Stage I involves ballistic fractionation, analyzing charge-dependent drag coefficients using the Saha equation.
Stage II examines neutral-gap drag affecting ionized lithium between hydrogen and lithium neutralization temperatures.
Proposes a combined baseline depletion of 3.01×, matching the predicted 2.985× deficit within 0.8%.
Suggests lower-density environments experience greater lithium depletion, consistent with observations in the Small Magellanic Cloud.
Identifies a primary falsification test using metal-poor halo star lithium abundances and cosmic web classifications.

Abstract

A two-stage kinetic sieve mechanism is proposed to explain the cosmological Lithium Problem — the factor of 2.985× deficit between the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis prediction (PRIMAT v0.3.0: A(Li) = 2.674) and the observed Spite Plateau (GALAH DR3: A(Li) = 2.199). Stage I (Ballistic Fractionation) derives a 2.09× depletion from charge-dependent drag coefficients using the Saha equation — no free parameters. Stage II (Neutral-Gap Drag) derives a 1.44× depletion from Stokes drag on ionized Lithium during the window between Hydrogen neutralization (3,700 K) and Lithium neutralization (1,200 K). Combined baseline: 3.01×, matching the required 2.985× within 0.8% of input rounding. The mechanism predicts a density-dependent gradient: lower-density environments produce greater depletion, consistent with the factor-of-4 Lithium deficit observed in the Small Magellanic Cloud ISM (Howk et al. 2012) after applying maximum dust corrections (Roman-Duval et al. 2021). The primary falsification test — cross-matching metal-poor halo star Lithium abundances against cosmic web environment classifications — is executable against existing public data.

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