Related papers: Detecting Primordial Stars
We present new evolutionary models for zero-metallicity stars, covering a large range of initial masses (from 0.8 to 100 M_sun). Models are computed with overshooting from stellar cores and convective envelopes, and assuming mass-loss from…
As the Universe emerged from its initial hot and dense phase, its chemical composition was extremely simple, being limited to stable H and He isotopes, and traces of Li. The first stars that formed had such initial composition. However,…
We discuss the expected properties of the first stellar generations in the Universe. We find that it is possible to discern truly primordial populations from the next generation of stars by measuring the metallicity of high-z star forming…
We present a fully self-consistent simulation of a synthetic survey of the furthermost cosmic explosions. The appearance of the first generation of stars (Population III) in the Universe represents a critical point during cosmic evolution,…
Pair-instability supernovae (PISNe) are the ultimate cosmic lighthouses, capable of being observed at z<25 and revealing the properties of primordial stars at cosmic dawn. But it is now understood that the spectra and light curves of these…
The process of star formation from metal-free gas is investigated by following the evolution of accreting protostars with emphasis on the properties of massive objects. The main aim is to establish the physical processes that determine the…
Recently, measurements of abundances in extremely metal poor (EMP) stars have brought new constraints on stellar evolution models. In an attempt to explain the origin of the abundances observed, we computed pre--supernova evolution models,…
Metal-poor stars enriched by a single supernova (mono-enriched stars) are direct proof (and provide valuable probes) of supernova nucleosynthesis. Photometric and spectroscopic observations have shown that metal-poor stars have a wide…
Four recent observational results have challenged our understanding of high--redshift galaxies, as they require the presence of far more ultraviolet photons than should be emitted by normal stellar populations. First, there is significant…
If the Dark Matter consists of primordial black holes (PBHs), we show that gravitational lensing of stars being monitored by NASA's Kepler search for extra-solar planets can cause significant numbers of detectable microlensing events. A…
To date no metal-free stars have been identified by direct observations. The most common method of constraining their properties is searching the spectra of the most metal-poor stars for the chemical elements created in the first stars and…
In this work, we study the chemical compositions and kinematic properties of six metal-poor stars with [Fe/H] $< -2.5$ in the Galactic halo. From high-resolution (R $\sim$~110,000) spectroscopic observations obtained with the Lick/APF, we…
The most metal-poor stars in the Milky Way witnessed the early phases of formation of the Galaxy, and have chemical compositions that are close to the pristine mixture from Big Bang nucleosynthesis, polluted by one or few supernovae. Only…
We investigate the frequency and origin of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in Local Group dwarf galaxies by means of a statistical, data-calibrated cosmological model for the hierarchical build-up of the Milky Way and its dwarf…
We investigate the chemo-dynamical effects of multiple supernova explosions in the central region of primordial galaxies using three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the inhomogenous interstellar medium down to parsec-scales. We…
Probing the connection between a star's metallicity and the presence and properties of any associated planets offers an observational link between conditions during the epoch of planet formation and mature planetary systems. We explore this…
In unveiling the nature of the first stars, the main astronomical clue is the elemental compositions of the second generation of stars, observed as extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars, in our Milky Way Galaxy. However, no observational…
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has spectroscopically confirmed galaxies up to $z\sim14$, 300 Myr after the Big Bang, and several candidates have been discovered at $z\sim15-25$, with one candidate as high as $z\sim30$, only 100 Myr…
We report the discovery of one extremely metal-poor (EMP; [Fe/H]<-3) and one ultra metal-poor (UMP; [Fe/H]<-4) star selected from the SDSS/SEGUE survey. These stars were identified as EMP candidates based on their medium-resolution…
We report on early results from a pilot program searching for metal-poor stars with LAMOST and follow-up high-resolution observation acquired with the MIKE spectrograph attached to the Magellan~II telescope. We performed detailed abundance…