2008/07/16 by Isabelle Cherchneff, S. J. Lilly, Simon Lilly · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/591906
published as Astrophys.J. 683 (2008) L123-L126 · Accepted to the ApJ Letters
arxiv created 2008/07/16 · openalex publication_date 2008/07/31 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
We study the ejecta chemistry of a zero-metallicity progenitor, massive, supernova using a novel approach based on chemical kinetics. Species considered span the range of simple, diatomic molecules such as CO or SiO to more complex species involved in dust nucleation processes. We describe their formation from the gas phase including all possible relevant chemical processes and apply it to the ejecta of a primordial 170 M ☉ supernova. Two ejecta cases are explored: full mixing of the heavy elements, and a stratified ejecta reflecting the progenitor nucleosynthesis. Penetration of hydrogen from the progenitor envelope is considered. We show that molecules form very efficiently in the ejecta of primordial supernovae whatever the level of mixing and account for 13%-34% of the total progenitor mass, equivalent to 22-57 M ☉ of the ejecta material in molecular form. The chemical nature of molecules depends on mixing of heavy elements and hydrogen in the ejecta. Species produced include O 2 , CO, CO 2 , SiS, SO, SiO, and H 2 . Consequently, molecules can be used as observational tracers of supernova mixing after explosion. We conclude that primordial massive supernovae are the first molecule providers to the early universe.