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A brand-new research study by University of California, San Diego computational astrophysicist Ethan Nadler reveals that star development can take place in halos to 10 million solar masses through molecular hydrogen cooling.
Nadler determined the portion of dark matter halos that goes beyond an emergency needed for star development. Image credit: Xiaodian Chen.
Every galaxy is believed to form at the center of a dark matter halo– an area of gravitationally bound matter that extends far beyond the noticeable borders of a galaxy.
Stars are formed when gravity within dark matter halos attracts gas, however astrophysicists do not yet understand whether star-free dark matter halos exist.
“What is the halo mass limit for galaxy development?” Dr. Nadler stated.
“This concern underlies crucial locations of research study in galaxy development and cosmology, consisting of when and how the very first galaxies formed, which galaxies drive cosmic reionization, and whether ‘dark’ (galaxy-free) dark matter halos exist.”
“Robust forecasts for the galaxy development limit are important provided upcoming observations of faint galaxies and low-mass halos throughout cosmic history.”
In his brand-new research study, Dr. Nadler computed the mass listed below which halos stop working to form stars.
His work was done utilizing analytic forecasts from galaxy development theory and cosmological simulations.
“Historically, our understanding of dark matter has actually been connected to its habits in galaxies,” Dr. Nadler stated.
“A detection of totally dark halos would open a brand-new window to study deep space.”
Formerly, this limit for star development was believed to be in between 100 million to 1 billion solar masses due to cooling of atomic hydrogen gas.
The existing research study reveals that star development can take place in halos to 10 million solar masses through molecular hydrogen cooling.
“With the Rubin Observatory coming online later on this year and Webb currently making unmatched observations of our Universe, there will quickly be brand-new information to evaluate these forecasts and expose whether totally dark halos exist,” Dr. Nadler stated.
“This might have significant effects for cosmology and the nature of dark matter.”
The research study appears in the Astrophysical Journal Letters
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Ethan O. Nadler. 2025. The Impact of Molecular Hydrogen Cooling on the Galaxy Formation Threshold. ApJL 983, L23; doi: 10.3847/ 2041-8213/ adbc6e
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