| Issue |
EAS Publications Series
Volume 3, 2002
Star Formation and the Physics of Young Stars: Summer school on Stellar Physics X
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|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 71 - 84 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/eas:2002046 | |
| Published online | 25 September 2002 | |
Star Formation and the Physics of Young Stars: Summer school on Stellar Physics X
J. Bouvier and J.-P. Zahn (eds)
EAS Publications Series, 3 (2002) 71-84
J. Bouvier and J.-P. Zahn (eds)
EAS Publications Series, 3 (2002) 71-84
Cosmological star formation history
DAEC, Observatoire de Paris, France
I review the recent instrumental progresses which allow to directly observe galaxy properties at the earliest epochs of the Universe. This leads to the derivation of fundamental quantities, such as the epoch of massive galaxy formation or the universal history of heavy element formation. Star formation history shows a gradual decline since the last 8-9 Gyr. The bulk of present-day stellar mass and metal content was formed at redshifts 0.5 to ~3, which is consistent with hierarchical scenarii of galaxy formation. The numerous uncertainties related to these determinations are emphasized, including those linked to stellar physics.
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2002