The minimum stellar metallicity observable in the Galaxy

Abstract

Abstract The first stars fundamentally transformed the early Universe through their production of energetic radiation and the first heavy chemical elements. The impact on cosmic evolution sensitively depends on their initial mass function (IMF), which can be empirically constrained through the detailed studies of ancient, metal-poor halo stars in our Galaxy. We compare the lowest magnesium and iron abundances measured in Galactic halo stars with theoretical predictions for the minimum stellar enrichment provided by Population III stars under the assumption of a top-heavy IMF. To demonstrate that abundances measured in metal-poor stars reflect the chemical conditions at their formation, and that they can thus be used to derive constraints on the primordial IMF, we carry out a detailed kinematic analysis of a large sample of metal-poor stars drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We assess whether interstellar accretion has altered their surface abundances. We find that the accretion is generally negligible, even at the extremely low levels where the primordial IMF can be tested. We conclude that the majority of the first stars were very massive, but had likely masses below ∼140 M⊙.