New Model Explores Population III Star Formation Dynamics
A new analytical model for Population III star formation has been proposed by researchers Boyuan Liu, James Gurian, Kohei Inayoshi, Shingo Hirano, Takashi Hosokawa, Volker Bromm, and Naoki Yoshida. This model addresses the complex interplay between feedback mechanisms and fragmentation processes that influence the formation of these early stars in the universe.
The study highlights the challenges in predicting the formation rates, sites, and masses of Population III stars due to the vast range of physical processes involved. To overcome these challenges, the authors combined analytical models of small-scale star formation with cosmological simulations that account for large-scale physics, such as structure formation and radiation backgrounds.
One significant finding of the model is its ability to predict the final masses of Population III stars and clusters based on the properties of star-forming clouds. The model considers various modes of Population III star formation, ranging from smaller clusters of about 10 to 2000 solar masses to massive clusters exceeding 10,000 solar masses.
The researchers applied their model to star-forming clouds in the progenitors of typical halos that host high-redshift luminous quasars. Their findings suggest that the formation of massive Population III clusters is common in these regions, with estimates indicating that 20 to 70 percent of such clusters may form under specific conditions. The resulting heavy black hole seeds from supermassive stars could account for a significant fraction of the observed luminous quasars at redshift 6.
This research is crucial for understanding the early universe's star formation processes and the formation of black holes, which play a key role in the evolution of galaxies. The paper can be cited as: Liu, B., Gurian, J., Inayoshi, K., Hirano, S., Hosokawa, T., Bromm, V., & Yoshida, N. (2024). Towards a universal analytical model for Population III star formation: interplay between feedback and fragmentation. arXiv:2407.14294.