Chinese astronomers found in fossil Galaxy fossil carbon monoxide | | | carbon monoxide _ the Galaxy news
Xinhua News Agency, Nanjing, December 14 (reporters Wang Jue and)-14th reporters from Nanjing University was informed that the team made up of several astronomers in China in a recent study, the emergence for the first time in the early universe, "fossil Galaxy" found in the carbon monoxide gas. This discovery, for exploring the early universe provides an important basis for the new star formation. Scientists believe that at the beginning of the universe, stars are probably formed in molecular gases.
The so-called "fossil Galaxy", was formed in the early universe, but then a small evolution of galaxies. Generally considered the birth of galaxies in the early universe, since they have a very low metal content and environment of the early universe were very similar. Study on "fossil Galaxy" for understanding the formation of the first stars and galaxies of the universe, are of great significance.
The study leader, University of Nanjing astronomical and Space Sciences Professor Shi Yong said, scientists generally believed that stars now, for example, known as the Sun, is composed of molecules in a gas cloud collapse inward under gravity to form. When cooled to extremely low temperatures close to absolute zero, molecular gas gradually shrink, internal pressure is less than the gravity of the gas itself, will eventually form a dense ball of gas: stars. But at the beginning of the universe and how stars form? Is similar to the mechanism for today, or is formed in high temperatures ionize atoms or gas? This has been an unresolved issue in the scientific community.
Looking for evidence of early star formation in molecular gas, first in the "fossil Galaxy" found sign of molecular gases: carbon monoxide gas. The past more than 10 years, more research teams are already using a different telescope on the international "fossil Galaxy" in the search for carbon monoxide, but were unsuccessful.
Starting in 2014, Shi Yong team, a professor with Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences researcher Wang Junzhi, Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences researcher Gao Yu, carbon monoxide gas with search. In March this year, the team applied for Spain by millimeter-wave radio astronomy (IRAM) 30-m millimeter-wave telescope 60 hours of observing time. After nearly 10 days of observation, researchers succeeded in DDO70, a "fossil Galaxy" to detect carbon monoxide gas. This is also the first time in the "fossil Galaxy" found in the carbon monoxide gas. This finding, direct proof "fossil Galaxy" in the cold molecular gas, researchers concluded that in the early universe, "fossil Galaxy" stars are similar to today, formed in the collapse of molecular gas.
The study was published recently in the journal nature communications. (End)
>: Tang Wei chun
Article keywords:Fossil galaxies astronomers carbon monoxide gas
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中国天文学家在化石星系中发现一氧化碳气体|化石|星系|一氧化碳_新闻资讯
新华社南京12月14日电（记者王珏玢）记者14日从南京大学获悉，由国内多名天文学者组成的团队在一项最新研究中，首次在一个诞生于宇宙产生初期的“化石星系”中发现了一氧化碳气体。这一发现，为探索早期宇宙恒星的形成提供了新的重要依据。科研人员认为，在宇宙诞生之初，恒星也很可能形成于分子气体。
所谓“化石星系”，是指形成于宇宙早期但随后很少演化的星系。通常认为，这些星系诞生于宇宙产生初期，它们至今具有非常低的金属含量，与宇宙早期环境十分类似。研究“化石星系”，对理解宇宙第一代恒星和星系的形成，都具有重要意义。
本次研究领导者、南京大学天文与空间科学学院教授施勇说，科学家普遍认为，现在的恒星，比如人们熟知的太阳，是由分子气体云在引力作用下向内塌缩而形成的。当冷却到接近绝对零度的极低温度，分子气体逐渐收缩，内部压强小于气体本身的万有引力，就会最终形成高密度的气体球：恒星。但在宇宙诞生之初，恒星是怎样形成的？是与今天的机制类似，还是直接形成于温度更高的电离或原子气体？这一直是科学界悬而未决的难题。
寻找早期恒星形成于分子气体的证据，首先要在“化石星系”中找到分子气体的标志：一氧化碳气体。过去十几年来，国际上多个科研团队已经使用不同望远镜在“化石星系”中搜寻一氧化碳，但都没有成功。
2014年起，施勇教授团队也与中科院上海天文台研究员王均智、中科院紫金山天文台研究员高煜等，一起开展一氧化碳气体搜寻工作。今年3月，研究团队申请获得了西班牙毫米波射电天文所（IRAM）30米口径毫米波望远镜60个小时的观测时间。经过近10天的观测，科研人员成功在一个名为DDO70的“化石星系”中探测到一氧化碳气体。这也是国际上首次在“化石星系”中发现一氧化碳气体。这一发现，直接证明了“化石星系”中存在冷分子气体，科研人员推断，在宇宙形成早期，“化石星系”中的恒星也与今天类似，形成于分子气体的塌缩。
该研究成果已于近日发表在《自然·通讯》。（完）
>责任编辑：隗俊
文章关键词： 化石 星系 一氧化碳 天文学家 气体
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