2001/05/16 by David W. Hogg, Hogg, David W.
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #FOS: Physical sciences #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0105280
Submitted to PASP
openalex publication_date 2001/05/16 · arxiv created 2002/08/31 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A meta-analysis is performed of the literature on evolution in cosmic star-formation rate density from redshift unity to the present day. The measurements are extremely diverse, including radio, infrared, and ultraviolet broad-band photometric indicators, and visible and near-ultraviolet line-emission indicators. Although there is large scatter among indicators at any given redshift, virtually all studies find a significant decrease from redshift unity to the present day. This is the most heterogeneously confirmed result in the study of galaxy evolution. When comoving star-formation rate density is treated as being proportional to (1+z)β, the meta-analysis gives a best-fit exponent and conservative confidence interval of β= 2.7± 0.7 in a world model with (ΩM,ΩΛ)=(0.3,0.7) and β= 3.3± 0.8 in (ΩM,ΩΛ)=(1.0,0.0). In either case these evolutionary trends are strong enough that the bulk of the stellar mass at the present day ought to be in old (>6 Gyr) populations.