Related papers: The First Galaxies: Clues from Element Abundances
The chemical abundance patterns of near-pristine objects provide important constraints on the properties of the first generations of stars in the Universe. We present the chemical abundances of five very metal-poor ([M/H]<-2.5) sub damped…
Initial conditions are set by Big bang nucleosynthesis from which we know that 90 per cent of baryons are dark and have essentially unknown chemical composition. In our own Galaxy, there are many clues from individual stars in different…
The formation of the first galaxies at redshifts z ~ 10-15 signaled the transition from the simple initial state of the universe to one of ever increasing complexity. We here review recent progress in understanding their assembly process…
A prediction of standard inflationary cosmology is that the elemental composition of the medium out of which the earliest stars and galaxies condensed consisted primarily of hydrogen and helium 4He with small admixtures of deuterium,…
We revisit the spectra observed by Ramos Almeida et al. (2013) from an homogeneous sample of galaxies at 0.27<z<1.28 with the aim of finding out the characteristics of the single objects by consistent modelling. In particular we investigate…
Constraints on the molecular gas content of galaxies at high redshift are crucial to further our understanding of star formation and galaxy evolution through cosmic times, as molecular gas is the fuel for star formation. Since its initial…
Clusters of galaxies allow a direct estimate of the metallicity and metal production yield on the largest scale so far. It is argued that cluster metallicity ($\sim 1/3$ solar) should be taken as representative of the low-$z$ universe as a…
FUSE spectra of star-forming regions in nearby galaxies are compared to composite spectra of Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs), binned by strength of Lyman alpha emission and by mid-UV luminosity. Several far-UV spectral features, including lines…
We report the discovery of a highly significant concentration of galaxies at a redshift of <z>=3.090. The structure is evident in a redshift histogram of photometrically selected ``Lyman break'' objects in a 9' by 18' field in which we have…
Nucleosynthetic signatures in common between the gas responsible for the high redshift Lyman alpha forest and a subsample of extremely metal poor stars are found. A simple mass loss model of chemical evolution with physically motivated…
In typical astrophysical environments, the abundance of heavy elements ranges from 0.001 to 2 times the solar concentration. Lower abundances have been seen in select stars in the Milky Way's halo and in two quasar absorption systems at…
Damped Lyman-alpha systems seen in spectra of background quasars are generally thought to represent high redshift counterparts of present-day galaxies. We summarize observations of heavy element abundances in damped Lyman-alpha systems. The…
We review the spectral properties of the population of star forming galaxies at z = 3 discovered using a colour selection technique which targets the Lyman discontinuity at 912 Angstroms. The UV luminosity of the typical z = 3 galaxy…
Although the universe at redshifts greater than six represents only the first one billion years (<10%) of cosmic time, the dense nature of the early universe led to vigorous galaxy formation and evolution activity which we are only now…
Observations of damped Lyman alpha systems offer a unique window on the neutral-gas reservoirs that gave rise to galaxies at high redshifts. This review focuses on critical properties such as the H I and metal content of the gas and on…
In this paper the role of very massive pop III stars in the chemical enrichment of the early universe is discussed. We first compare our predictions with the abundance ratios measured in the high redshift Lyman-alpha forest to check whether…
Due to the invention of new powerful instruments in the recent past (e.g. 10m class telescopes) high redshift galaxies are no longer a curiosity. High redshift young star forming galaxies can be effectively discriminated from the much more…
We report new deep ALMA observations aimed at investigating the [CII]158um line and continuum emission in three spectroscopically confirmed Lyman Break Galaxies at 6.8<z<7.1, i.e. well within the re-ionization epoch. With Star Formation…
The epoch of galaxy assembly from 2<=z<=4 marks a critical stage during the evolution of today's galaxy population. During this period the star-formation activity in the Universe was at its peak level, and the structural patterns observed…
The first metals in the universe are expected to form in population III stars - primordial stars consisting entirely of hydrogen and helium. However, these stars have so far remained elusive. Simulations indicate that galaxies consisting…