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On the possibility of observing H(2) emission from primordial molecular cloud kernels

Apr, 2001
15 pages
Published in:
  • Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 332 (2002) 251
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Abstract: (arXiv)
We study the prospects for observing H2_2 emission during the assembly of primordial molecular cloud kernels. The primordial molecular cloud cores, which resemble those at the present epoch, can emerge around 1+z=201+z=20 according to recent numerical simulations. The kernels form inside the cores, and the first stars will appear inside the kernels. A kernel typically contracts to form one of the first generation stars with an accretion rate that is as large as ∼0.01M⊙\sim 0.01 M_\odot year−1^{-1}. This occurs due to the primordial abundances that result in a kernel temperature of order 1000K, and the collapsing kernel emits H2_2 line radiation at a rate ∼1035\sim 10^{35} erg sec−1^{-1}. Principally J=5−3J=5-3 (v=0) rotational emission of H2_2 is expected. At redshift 1+z=201+z=20, the expected flux is ∼0.01 μ\sim 0.01~\muJy for a single kernel. While an individual object is not observable by any facilities available in the near future, the expected assembly of primordial star clusters on sub-galactic scales can result in fluxes at the sub-mJy level. This is marginally observable with ASTRO-F. We also examine the rotational J=2−0J=2-0 (v=0) and vibrational δv=1\delta v = 1 emission lines. The former may possibly be detectable with ALMA.