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Carbon monoxide in an extremely metal-poor galaxy
Yong Shi1,2,3, Junzhi Wang4,5, Zhi-Yu Zhang6,7
1School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
Nature Communications
|December 10, 2016
Summary
Researchers detected carbon monoxide (CO), a key molecule for star formation, in extremely metal-poor galaxies. This provides direct evidence of molecular gas in these primitive environments, crucial for understanding early universe conditions.
Area of Science:
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Cosmic Chemical Evolution
- Galaxy Formation and Evolution
Background:
- Extremely metal-poor galaxies serve as local analogues for the early universe's interstellar medium.
- The presence of molecular gas, essential for star formation, is uncertain in these low-metallicity environments.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) is the primary tracer for molecular gas in galaxies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence and properties of molecular gas in extremely metal-poor galaxies.
- To understand the conditions of the interstellar medium in environments mimicking the early universe.
- To determine the relationship between molecular gas and star formation in low-metallicity systems.
Main Methods:
- Detection of carbon monoxide (CO) emission in a galaxy with 7% solar metallicity.
- Observations in two additional galaxies with slightly higher, but still low, metallicities.
- Analysis of archived infrared data to quantify molecular gas properties.
Main Results:
- Direct detection of CO, confirming the presence of molecular gas in a galaxy with 7% solar metallicity.
- Additional CO detections in galaxies at similarly low metallicities.
- Molecular gas mass per CO luminosity is found to be approximately 1000 times higher than in the Milky Way at extremely low metallicity.
Conclusions:
- Molecular gas exists in extremely metal-poor galaxies, challenging previous assumptions.
- The efficiency of CO as a tracer of molecular gas differs significantly at low metallicities compared to the Milky Way.
- These findings provide crucial insights into the conditions necessary for star formation in the early universe.
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