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arXiv · 1306.4984

Detectability of the First Cosmic Explosions

R. S. de Souza·E. E. O. Ishida·J. L. Johnson·D. J. Whalen·A. Mesinger
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Abstract

We present a fully self-consistent simulation of a synthetic survey of the furthermost cosmic explosions. The appearance of the first generation of stars (Population III) in the Universe represents a critical point during cosmic evolution, signaling the end of the dark ages, a period of absence of light sources. Despite their importance, there is no confirmed detection of Population III stars so far. A fraction of these primordial stars are expected to die as pair-instability supernovae (PISNe), and should be bright enough to be observed up to a few hundred million years after the big bang. While the quest for Population III stars continues, detailed theoretical models and computer simulations serve as a testbed for their observability. With the upcoming near-infrared missions, estimates of the feasibility of detecting PISNe are not only timely but imperative. To address this problem, we combine state-of-the-art cosmological and radiative simulations into a complete and self-consistent framework, which includes detailed features of the observational process. We show that a dedicated observational strategy using $\lesssim 8$ per cent of total allocation time of the James Webb Space Telescope mission can provide us up to $\sim 9-15$ detectable PISNe per year.

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R. S. de Souza, E. E. O. Ishida, J. L. Johnson, D. J. Whalen, A. Mesinger. 2013-10-19. Detectability of the First Cosmic Explosions. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstt1680

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