The mass distribution of the first stars can be determined via the 21-cm signal

TL;DR

This paper shows that upcoming 21-cm signal observations can constrain the mass distribution of the first stars, helping us understand early cosmic evolution despite current observational uncertainties.

Contribution

It demonstrates how 21-cm observations can be used to determine the mass distribution of the first stars, a novel approach in early Universe studies.

Findings

A 25 mK sensitivity measurement can constrain star mass distribution.

SKA-Low observations can provide three-sigma constraints.

These measurements will improve understanding of early cosmic structures.

Abstract

The formation of the first stars and the subsequent population of X-ray binaries represents a fundamental transition in the state of the Universe as it evolves from near homogeneity to being abundant in collapsed structures such as galaxies. Due to a lack of direct observations, the properties of these stars remain highly uncertain. By considering the impact of the first stars and their remnant X-ray binaries on the cosmological 21-cm signal, we demonstrate that upcoming observations have the potential to significantly improve our understanding of these objects. We find a 25 mK sensitivity measurement of the 21-cm global signal by a wide-beam radiometer, such as REACH, or 3,000 hours of foreground avoidance observations of the 21-cm power spectrum by SKA-Low, could provide three-sigma constraints on the mass distribution of the first stars. Such measurements will fill a critical gap in our understanding of the early Universe and aid in interpreting high-redshift galaxy observations.