Discovering oxygen in a distant galaxy rewrites cosmic history
The cosmos holds many secrets, and recent discoveries continue to astound even seasoned experts. Scientists have detected oxygen in the most distant known galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0. Two independent research teams achieved this remarkable finding using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). "It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies," said one of the researchers.
This groundbreaking discovery of oxygen in JADES-GS-z14-0 compels scientists to rethink existing theories about the pace of galaxy evolution. By using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), two independent research teams confirmed the presence of oxygen, leading to significant theoretical reconsiderations.
A new look at galaxy evolution
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) reports that two independent teams of astronomers have detected oxygen in the most distant of known galaxies, JADES-GS-z14-0. Situated 13.4 billion light-years from Earth, we observe it as it appeared when the universe was just 300 million years old. The presence of oxygen suggests that its chemical composition evolved faster than current models predicted.
"It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies," said Sander Schouws from the Leiden Observatory, the lead author of a paper to be published in "The Astrophysical Journal." The findings show that the galaxy formed and matured rapidly, contributing to the evidence for faster-than-expected galaxy formation.
"The galaxy is already mature in the infant universe"
ESO experts explain that galaxies usually begin as regions filled with young stars, primarily composed of light elements such as hydrogen and helium. As stars evolve, they create heavier elements, including oxygen, which spread throughout the galaxy after a star's lifecycle ends.
Previous assumptions held that at 300 million years old, the universe was too young for galaxies rich in heavy elements. However, recent studies indicate that JADES-GS-z14-0 contains about 10 times more heavy elements than expected.
"I was astonished by the unexpected results because they opened a new view on the first phases of galaxy evolution," said Stefano Carniani from the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, the lead author of an article accepted for publication in "Astronomy & Astrophysics." "The evidence that a galaxy is already mature in the infant universe raises questions about when and how galaxies formed."
Distance of the galaxy from earth
The oxygen detection also allowed for a precise measurement of the galaxy's distance from Earth with an accuracy of 0.005%. "This level of precision – analogous to being accurate within 5 cm over a distance of 1 km – helps refine our understanding of distant galaxy properties," stated Eleonora Parlanti, co-author of the publication in "Astronomy & Astrophysics."
The JADES-GS-z14-0 galaxy was initially spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), but it was ALMA that confirmed and precisely determined its vast distance.
This highlights the remarkable collaboration between ALMA and JWST in revealing the formation and development of the earliest galaxies, points out Prof. Rychard Bouwens from the Leiden Observatory.
