173 research outputs found
How the First Stars Regulated Local Star Formation I: Radiative Feedback
We present numerical simulations of how a 120 M primordial star
regulates star formation in nearby cosmological halos at 20 by
photoevaporation. Our models include nine-species primordial chemistry and
self-consistent multifrequency conservative transfer of UV photons with all
relevant radiative processes. Whether or not new stars form in halos clustered
around a Population III star ultimately depends on their core densities and
proximity to the star. Diffuse halos with central densities below 2 - 3
cm are completely ionized and evaporated anywhere in the cluster.
Evolved halos with core densities above 2000 cm are impervious to both
ionizing and Lyman-Werner flux at most distances from the star and collapse as
quickly as they would in its absence. Star formation in halos of intermediate
density can be either promoted or suppressed depending on how the I-front
remnant shock compresses, deforms and enriches the core with H. We find
that the 120 M star photodissociates H in most halos in the cluster
but that catalysis by H- restores it a few hundred kyr after the death of the
star, with little effect on star formation. Our models exhibit significant
departures from previous one-dimensional spherically-symmetric simulations,
which are prone to serious errors due to unphysical geometric focusing effects.Comment: 20 pages, 19 figures, accepted by ApJ, title and abstract change
Photoionization of Clustered Halos by the First Stars
We present numerical simulations of the photoevaporation of cosmological
halos clustered around a 120 M primordial star, confining our study to
structures capable of hosting Population III star formation. The calculations
include self-consistent multifrequency conservative transfer of UV photons
together with nine-species primordial chemistry and all relevant radiative
processes. The ultimate fates of these halos varies with central density and
proximity to the central source but generally fall into one of four categories.
Diffuse halos with central densities below 2 - 3 cm are completely
ionized and evaporated by the central star anywhere in the cluster. More
evolved halo cores at densities above 2000 cm are impervious to both
ionizing and Lyman-Werner flux at most distances from the star and collapse of
their cores proceeds without delay. Radiative feedback in halos of intermediate
density can be either positive or negative, depending on how the I-front
remnant shock both compresses and deforms the core and enriches it with H.
We find that the 120 M star photodissociates H in most halos within
the cluster but that catalysis by H- rapidly restores molecular hydrogen within
a few hundred Kyr after the death of the star, with little delay in star
formation. Our models exhibit significant departures from previous
one-dimensional spherically-symmetric simulations, which are prone to serious
errors due to unphysical geometric focusing effects.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to appear in "First Stars III", eds. B. O'Shea,
A. Heger and T. Abe
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