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Cited by 510Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, PhenomenaAstrophysics and Star Formation StudiesStellar, planetary, and galactic studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record.

On the fragmentation of cosmic gas clouds. I - The formation of galaxies and the first generation of stars

Silk, J.·1977·The Astrophysical Journal
DOI 10.1086/154972
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Abstract

The formation of galaxies is studied in the context of the fragmentation of massive diffuse ionized gas clouds. A semiquantitative discussion of the role of cooling indicates that there is a characteristic mass of a galaxy (of the order of 500 billion solar masses) which can fragment out of an ionized medium of density not exceeding 10 to the -25th power g/cu cm, whereas more massive galaxies attain a characteristic radius of the order of 60 kpc. The relationship between binding energy and mass is investigated for spheroidal galaxies. The role of H2 and Ly-alpha cooling in the fragmentation of primordial gas clouds is evaluated, and relatively qualitative arguments indicate that the first stars have masses of at least 0.3 solar mass with a characteristic mass of approximately 20 solar masses. When the average heavy-element abundance by mass exceeds about 0.00001, heavy-element cooling prevails over Ly-alpha cooling, and subsequent fragmentation forms second-generation stars of low characteristic mass.

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Metadata

Authors
Silk, J.
Corresponding author
Silk, J.
ORCID
Silk, J.
Venue
The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Published
1977-02
Volume
211
Pages
638
ISSN
  • 0004-637X (ISSN-L)
  • 1538-4357
DOI
10.1086/154972
OpenAlex
W2010419548
Semantic Scholar
2bcefe5b5fe76c98d49f4a6f7ed17cfd3ad2c452
Cited by
510
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 17
FWCI
8.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
The Astrophysical Journal (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
Keywords
galaxy formation, ionized gas clouds, cooling, molecular hydrogen cooling, binding energy, spheroidal galaxies, primordial gas clouds, second-generation stars, stellar mass distribution

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