Star Formation in the First Galaxies

Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, USA

Abstract

The formation of the first stars and galaxies mark the end of the cosmic dark ages, thus transforming the universe from its initial, pristine state into one of increasing complexity. We will review the current understanding, based on numerical simulations, of this crucial transition in early cosmic history. Specifically, the epoch of first light is predicted to be a two-stage process, where predominantly massive Population III stars form out of pure hydrogen-helium gas in small dark-matter minihalos, followed by Population II stars out of already metal-enriched material inside more massive host halos. Observations with upcoming next-generation telescopes promise to test our emerging theoretical picture of star formation in the first galaxies in ever inceasing detail.