Cape Canaveral, Florida – Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have made significant breakthroughs in their study of galaxy GN-z11, one of the most distant and luminous galaxies known to date. The remarkable findings include the identification of a supermassive black hole powering the galaxy’s brightness and the discovery of a pristine gas clump that could potentially lead to the detection of the universe’s first stars, shedding light on cosmic evolution.
The James Webb Space Telescope, positioned to revolutionize our comprehension of the early universe, has delved into galaxies near the beginning of time. GN-z11, a highly luminous galaxy that existed when the universe was in its infancy, stands out as one of the youngest and most remote galaxies ever observed. Researchers are left wondering why this galaxy shines so brightly, but the James Webb Space Telescope seems to have unraveled this mystery.
In addition to unlocking the secrets of GN-z11, scientists using the Webb telescope have also uncovered intriguing evidence hinting at the presence of Population III stars within the outer regions of this distant galaxy. These elusive stars, believed to be the first to illuminate the universe, consist solely of hydrogen and helium. Although definitive detection of these stars has yet to be achieved, their existence has been theorized, and now with Webb, the chances of discovery seem more promising.
One team, led by principal investigator Roberto Maiolino, made a groundbreaking finding that GN-z11 hosts a central, rapidly accreting supermassive black hole — marking it as the most distant active supermassive black hole ever found. The presence of extremely dense gas common in the vicinity of such black holes provided clear signals of the black hole’s voracious appetite for matter.
Moreover, observations using Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera revealed indications of ionized chemical elements typically associated with actively accreting supermassive black holes. Additionally, the team detected a powerful wind being expelled by GN-z11, a phenomenon often driven by processes linked to vigorously accreting supermassive black holes.
A separate team, also overseen by Maiolino, utilized Webb’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph to identify a gaseous clump of helium in GN-z11’s halo. This pristine gas clump, primarily composed of helium, suggests the potential for the formation of Population III star clusters within the galaxy’s surroundings.
The quest to discover Population III stars, believed to be incredibly massive, luminous, and hot stars formed solely of hydrogen and helium, holds significant importance in modern astrophysics. These stars are projected to exhibit ionized helium and the absence of heavier chemical elements, signifying a critical moment in cosmic history as the universe transitioned from a simple state to the structured environment observed today.
As researchers delve deeper into GN-z11’s mysteries in future Webb observations, they aim to strengthen the case for the existence of Population III stars forming in the galaxy’s halo. The groundbreaking research on the pristine gas clump in GN-z11 has been accepted for publication by Astronomy & Astrophysics, with the results of the study on the black hole in GN-z11 published in the journal Nature on January 17, 2024. These findings were obtained as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), a collaborative effort between the NIRCam and NIRSpec teams.