Using Lithium and Beryllium to Study the Structure and Evolution of Rotating Stars: The Spite Plateau of Halo Stars

Abstract The observed lithium (Li) abundance of Galactic halo stars mainly falls within the range of 2.0–2.4 dex. This nearly constant value, known as the Spite plateau, is approximately a factor of 3 lower than the value predicted from cosmic microwave background measurements and standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) calculations. This discrepancy—referred to as the cosmological Li problem—is considered a potential indication of new physics or astrophysical processes. We employed models incorporating gravitational settling, diffusion, rotation, and magnetic fields to explain the Spite plateau. The rotating models predict that Li abundances in stars with ages of roughly 8–13 Gyr and effective temperatures between 6400 and 5900 K generally fall within 2.0–2.4 dex, forming a well-defined Li plateau, followed by a sharp decline in Li abundance down to about 5200 K. The Li plateau results from the combined effects of variations in convection zone depth, gravitational settling, diffusion, rotation, and magnetic fields. For red giant branch stars with T eff ≲ 5200 K, the rotating models predict another Li plateau with an abundance of about 1.0 dex. These results are in good agreement with observations. Moreover, the initial Li abundance of 2.72 dex adopted in the models matches the BBN prediction, implying that the Li problem arises from stellar Li depletion. Furthermore, the rotating models also reproduce the Li and Be distributions of the sample that exhibit the Spite plateau meltdown and Be deviation.