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Carbonaceous dust grains seen in the first billion years of cosmic time

Author

Listed:
  • Joris Witstok

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Irene Shivaei

    (University of Arizona)

  • Renske Smit

    (Liverpool John Moores University)

  • Roberto Maiolino

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge
    University College London)

  • Stefano Carniani

    (Scuola Normale Superiore)

  • Emma Curtis-Lake

    (University of Hertfordshire)

  • Pierre Ferruit

    (European Space Agency, European Space Astronomy Centre)

  • Santiago Arribas

    (Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC–INTA)

  • Andrew J. Bunker

    (University of Oxford)

  • Alex J. Cameron

    (University of Oxford)

  • Stephane Charlot

    (Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris)

  • Jacopo Chevallard

    (University of Oxford)

  • Mirko Curti

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge
    European Southern Observatory)

  • Anna Graaff

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie)

  • Francesco D’Eugenio

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Giovanna Giardino

    (ESTEC)

  • Tobias J. Looser

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Tim Rawle

    (Space Telescope Science Institute)

  • Bruno Rodríguez del Pino

    (Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC–INTA)

  • Chris Willott

    (NRC Herzberg)

  • Stacey Alberts

    (University of Arizona)

  • William M. Baker

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Kristan Boyett

    (University of Melbourne
    ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D))

  • Eiichi Egami

    (University of Arizona)

  • Daniel J. Eisenstein

    (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

  • Ryan Endsley

    (University of Texas)

  • Kevin N. Hainline

    (University of Arizona)

  • Zhiyuan Ji

    (University of Arizona)

  • Benjamin D. Johnson

    (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)

  • Nimisha Kumari

    (Space Telescope Science Institute)

  • Jianwei Lyu

    (University of Arizona)

  • Erica Nelson

    (University of Colorado)

  • Michele Perna

    (Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC–INTA)

  • Marcia Rieke

    (University of Arizona)

  • Brant E. Robertson

    (University of California, Santa Cruz)

  • Lester Sandles

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Aayush Saxena

    (University College London
    University of Oxford)

  • Jan Scholtz

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Fengwu Sun

    (University of Arizona)

  • Sandro Tacchella

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Christina C. Williams

    (NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory)

  • Christopher N. A. Willmer

    (University of Arizona)

Abstract

Large dust reservoirs (up to approximately 108 M⊙) have been detected1–3 in galaxies out to redshift z ≃ 8, when the age of the Universe was only about 600 Myr. Generating substantial amounts of dust within such a short timescale has proven challenging for theories of dust formation4,5 and has prompted the revision of the modelling of potential sites of dust production6–8, such as the atmospheres of asymptotic giant branch stars in low-metallicity environments, supernova ejecta and the accelerated growth of grains in the interstellar medium. However, degeneracies between different evolutionary pathways remain when the total dust mass of galaxies is the only available observable. Here we report observations of the 2,175 Å dust attenuation feature, which is well known in the Milky Way and galaxies at z ≲ 3 (refs. 9–11), in the near-infrared spectra of galaxies up to z ≃ 7, corresponding to the first billion years of cosmic time. The relatively short timescale implied for the formation of carbonaceous grains giving rise to this feature12 suggests a rapid production process, possibly in Wolf–Rayet stars or supernova ejecta.

Suggested Citation

  • Joris Witstok & Irene Shivaei & Renske Smit & Roberto Maiolino & Stefano Carniani & Emma Curtis-Lake & Pierre Ferruit & Santiago Arribas & Andrew J. Bunker & Alex J. Cameron & Stephane Charlot & Jacop, 2023. "Carbonaceous dust grains seen in the first billion years of cosmic time," Nature, Nature, vol. 621(7978), pages 267-270, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:621:y:2023:i:7978:d:10.1038_s41586-023-06413-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06413-w
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