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Title: FORMATION OF CARBON-ENHANCED METAL-POOR STARS IN THE PRESENCE OF FAR-ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal Letters
; ;  [1]
  1. Institut für Astrophysik Georg-August-Universität, Friedrich-Hund Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen (Germany)

Recent discoveries of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars like SMSS J031300.36–670839.3 provide increasing observational insights into the formation conditions of the first second-generation stars in the universe, reflecting the chemical conditions after the first supernova explosion. Here, we present the first cosmological simulations with a detailed chemical network including primordial species as well as C, C{sup +}, O, O{sup +}, Si, Si{sup +}, and Si{sup 2+} following the formation of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars. The presence of background UV flux delays the collapse from z = 21 to z = 15 and cool the gas down to the cosmic microwave background temperature for a metallicity of Z/Z {sub ☉} = 10{sup –3}. This can potentially lead to the formation of lower-mass stars. Overall, we find that the metals have a stronger effect on the collapse than the radiation, yielding a comparable thermal structure for large variations in the radiative background. We further find that radiative backgrounds are not able to delay the collapse for Z/Z {sub ☉} = 10{sup –2} or a carbon abundance as in SMSS J031300.36–670839.3.

OSTI ID:
22365434
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 790, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English