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arXiv 1002.3555astro-ph.CO
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宇宙微波背景调节恒星形成的结果

Consequences of cosmic microwave background-regulated star formation

Jeremy Bailin, Greg Stinson, Hugh Couchman, William E. Harris, James Wadsley, Sijing Shen

摘要:

人们假设宇宙微波背景(CMB)为坍缩的原恒星提供了一个温度底,它可以调节恒星的形成过程,并导致在高金属丰度和高红移下的头重脚轻的初始质量函数。我们研究这个假设是否有任何可检验的观测结果。首先,我们确定,使用一组流体动力学星系形成模拟,CMB温度地板会影响大多数恒星形成的红移之间的z = 3和6,甚至可能更高的红移。CMB控制的恒星形成的五个特征是:(1)在高红移时超新星的形成率比目前预测的要高;(2)高红移恒星形成率的直接和间接测量结果之间存在系统性的差异;(3)缺乏在高金属丰度和高红移时形成的幸存球状星团;(4)宇宙气体金属丰度的上升比目前的模拟预测的更快;(5)金属丰度-2 <[Fe/H]<-0.5的α元素(如O和Mg)丰度增加。目前的观察既不能证实也不能排除这些特征的存在。然而,如果正确的话,高红移高金属量球状星团的头重脚轻的IMF可以解释它们金属量分布的双峰性。

英文摘要:

It has been hypothesized that the cosmic microwave background (CMB) provides a temperature floor for collapsing protostars that can regulate the process of star formation and result in a top-heavy initial mass function at high metallicity and high redshift. We examine whether this hypothesis has any testable observational consequences. First we determine, using a set of hydrodynamic galaxy formation simulations, that the CMB temperature floor would have influenced the majority of stars formed at redshifts between z=3 and 6, and probably even to higher redshift. Five signatures of CMB-regulated star formation are: (1) a higher supernova rate than currently predicted at high redshift; (2) a systematic discrepancy between direct and indirect measurements of the high redshift star formation rate; (3) a lack of surviving globular clusters that formed at high metallicity and high redshift; (4) a more rapid rise in the metallicity of cosmic gas than is predicted by current simulations; and (5) an enhancement in the abundances of alpha elements such as O and Mg at metallicities -2 < [Fe/H] < -0.5. Observations are not presently able to either confirm or rule out the presence of these signatures. However, if correct, the top-heavy IMF of high-redshift high-metallicity globular clusters could provide an explanation for the observed bimodality of their metallicity distribution.

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