"Red monsters" from the cosmic dawn: discoveries that challenge models of galaxy formation

Researchers have discovered three ultramassive galaxies from the first billion years of the universe, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope. The discovery reveals an extraordinary efficiency of star formation in the early universe and challenges existing understandings

A picture of the three red monsters taken by Webb. Credit: NASA/CSA/ESA, M. Xiao & PA Oesch (University of Geneva), G. Brammer (Niels Bohr Institute), Dawn JWST Archive
A picture of the three red monsters taken by Webb. Credit: NASA/CSA/ESA, M. Xiao & PA Oesch (University of Geneva), G. Brammer (Niels Bohr Institute), Dawn JWST Archive

An international team has discovered three ultramassive galaxies - each one almost as massive as the Milky Way - that were formed already in the first billion years after the Big Bang. The research findings show that star formation in the early universe was much more efficient than previously thought, and this challenges existing models of galaxy formation.

The unexpected discovery was made using data from the James Webb Space Telescope as part of its FRESCO program.

The goal of the FRESCO program is to systematically analyze a complete sample of emission line galaxies from the first billion years of the universe. Emission line galaxies, which show prominent emission lines in their spectra (the range of wavelengths of light they emit), show bright lines at specific wavelengths that stand out against a darker spectrum.

The presence of emission lines allowed the team to accurately determine the distances to the galaxies in the sample. Knowing the exact distances and strengths of the emission lines allowed researchers to reliably measure the amount of stars contained in the galaxies. Three galaxies stood out for their large number of stars.

"Finding three such massive monsters in a sample is a mystery," said Professor Stein and Oates, co-author of the study published in Nature. "Many processes in galaxy evolution tend to present a rate-limiting step in the efficiency of the ability to convert gas into stars, but it seems that somehow these red giants quickly evaded most of these obstacles."

Until now, all galaxies were thought to have formed gradually within large halos of dark matter. Dark matter halos trap gas (atoms and molecules) into structures that gravity binds them together. Typically, 20% of this gas, at most, is converted into stars in galaxies. But the new findings challenge that view, revealing that party galaxies in the early universe may have grown much more quickly and efficiently than previously thought.

Webb's ability to explore the early universe

Webb's unique capabilities have allowed astronomers to systematically study galaxies in the very distant and early universe, and gain insights into massive galaxies hidden by dust. By analyzing the galaxies included in the FRESCO survey, the scientists found that most of the galaxies fit the existing models. But they also found three surprisingly massive galaxies, with stellar masses similar to today's Milky Way.

They form stars almost twice as efficiently compared to less massive galaxies from the same period or to normal galaxies from later periods in cosmic history. Because of their high dust content, which gives them a clear red appearance, they were named the three red monsters.

Dr Mengyuan Xiao, lead author of the new study, said: "Our findings reshape our understanding of galaxy formation in the early universe."

for the scientific article

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2 תגובות

  1. 400 years after the Copernican revolution
    The neural revolution appeared, which changed
    Completely all the physical-geometrical knowledge.

    The stars do not move in elliptical orbits in the plane, but in helical orbits in space.

    For a screw track in space, there are 3 data - the diameter of the track,
    speed - and angle of promotion,
    The stars have no gravity, and their movement in a Borgian orbit is natural and eternal.
    An apple falls on its own when you let go of it, and there is no need for gravity to pull it down.

    Physicists are wrong in saying that matter is made up of particles. Matter is continuous, and is in the nature of a physical form.
    Just as a geometric form is built from the sum of quantities of a closed length containing a quantity of area, so a physical form is built from the sum of quantities of energy and passive time.
    The material elements are physical forms.

    Passive time actually exists in physical reality, while the concept of time that man uses exists only in the human imagination - and does not exist in physical reality.

    The mathematicians are wrong in saying that there is a single pi number that corresponds to the whole circle. The neural revolution discovered that each circle has a private pi number corresponding to its size.
    Private pi numbers vary between 3.14 and 3.16.

    Look for Asbar books, published by Niv

  2. From the Copernican Revolution 1543
    To the neural revolution 1983-2023

    Unlike Copernicus, the stars do not move in circular orbits in the plane, but in helical orbits in space.

    For a screw track in space, there are 3 data - the diameter of the track,
    speed - and angle of promotion,
    Unlike Newton, the stars have no gravity, and their motion in a Borgian orbit is natural and eternal.
    An apple falls on its own when you let go of it, and there is no need for gravity to pull it down.

    Contrary to physicists, who claim that matter is made up of particles, matter is continuous, and is in the nature of a physical form.
    Just as a geometric form is built from the sum of quantities of a closed length containing a quantity of area, so a physical form is built from the sum of quantities of energy and passive time.
    The material elements are physical forms.

    Passive time actually exists in physical reality, while the concept of time that man uses exists only in the human imagination - and does not exist in physical reality.

    Contrary to the mathematicians who claim that there is a single pi number corresponding to the entire circle, the neural revolution claims that each circle has a private pi number corresponding to its size.
    The private pi numbers vary between 3.14 and 3.16.

    Look for Asbar books, published by Niv.

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