Open AccessThe contribution of the first stars to the cosmic infrared background
Author(s) -
R. Santos Michael,
Bromm Volker,
Kamionkowski Marc
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05895.x
Subject(s) - physics , reionization , astrophysics , stars , redshift , astronomy , star formation , population , intergalactic travel , cosmic infrared background , infrared , galaxy , cosmic microwave background , medicine , anisotropy , quantum mechanics , environmental health
We calculate the contribution to the cosmic infrared background from very massive metal‐free stars at high redshift. We explore two plausible star formation models and two limiting cases for the reprocessing of the ionizing stellar emission. We find that Population III stars may contribute significantly to the cosmic near‐infrared background if the following conditions are met. (i) The first stars were massive, with M ≳ 100 M ⊙ . (ii) Molecular hydrogen can cool baryons in low‐mass haloes. (iii) Population III star formation is ongoing, and not shut off through negative feedback effects. (iv) Virialized haloes form stars at ∼40 per cent efficiency up to the redshift of reionization, z ∼ 7 . (v) The escape fraction of the ionizing radiation into the intergalactic medium is small. (vi) Nearly all of the stars end up in massive black holes without contributing to the metal enrichment of the Universe.