Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Predictions for Precision Cosmology

The determinination of the primeval deuterium abundance has opened the precision era in big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), and accurate predictions are a key to fully exploiting BBN. We present new, more precise predictions for the light-element abundance yields, errors, and correlations in analytic form. Using these results we infer: baryon density \Bh² = 0. 0189\ 0. 0019, depletion of ⁷Li in old halo stars d₇ = 0. 28 - 0. 53, and stellar depletion of ³He d₂₃ = 0. 54 -1. 4 (all at 95% confidence). Consistency of the BBN predictions and light-element abundances hinges on some depletion of ⁷Li in old halo stars.