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Can Population III stars generate primordial helium?

Nature volume 304, pages 514–515 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

Only stars with masses in excess of Mc∼200 M⊙ can generate a cosmologically significant amount of helium1–3 without overproducing either metals2,3 or radiation2. Such very massive objects (VMOs) would also leave a large number of black hole remnants. Recent stellar evolution calculations4,5 show that the helium-rich envelope of VMOs could undergo explosive ejection. We describe here a viable model of primordial helium synthesis which can be constructed after recombination, providing heavy elements are not dredged up and ejected at the same time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK

    J. R. Bond & B. J. Carr

  2. Research Institute for Fundamental Physics, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

    B. J. Carr

  3. Astronomy and Astrophysics Centre, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60680, USA

    W. D. Arnett

Authors
  1. J. R. Bond
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  2. B. J. Carr
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  3. W. D. Arnett
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Bond, J., Carr, B. & Arnett, W. Can Population III stars generate primordial helium?. Nature 304, 514–515 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/304514a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/304514a0

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