Balmer series fluxes from Pop. III Stars: A-SLOTH Predictions for JWST Observability

TL;DR

This study models the expected Balmer series emission from Population III stars and finds that, under typical conditions, these lines are too faint for JWST detection without strong gravitational lensing.

Contribution

It introduces A-SLOTH, a semi-analytical model, to predict Pop. III star emission and assess their observability with JWST across high redshifts.

Findings

Pop. III Balmer lines are 2-3 orders below JWST detection limits.

Reducing ionizing photon escape fraction increases fluxes but lines remain undetectable.

Detection requires strong lensing magnification (μ > 10).

Abstract

Detecting Population III (Pop. III) stars remains a major observational challenge. Their Balmer series recombination line emission, redshifted into the infrared at $z \sim 5-11$, is a potential tracer. JWST/NIRSpec offers the first opportunity to detect such lines, provided fluxes exceed instrumental sensitivity. This study aims to model the expected luminosities of the first four Balmer series transitions from Pop. III star-forming halos and assess their detectability with JWST/NIRSpec across $5 \leq z \leq 11$. We use the semi-analytical code A-SLOTH with merger trees constructed from the extended Press-Schechter (EPS) formalism and cosmological N-body simulations targeting Milky Way-like halos and the halo population in a 8~Mpc$/h$ box. Predicted fluxes are compared to JWST detection limits derived from the Exposure Time Calculator (ETC) assuming a 10,000 s NIRSpec exposure at a signal-to-noise ratio of 5. For our default model parameters, Pop. III H$\alpha$ fluxes peak at $\sim10^{-21}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$, 2-3 orders of magnitude below the JWST detection threshold ($\sim6 \times 10^{-19}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$). The fluxes in the other Balmer series lines are weaker than H$\alpha$ and hence are also not detectable. Among the model parameters that we explore, the ionizing photon escape fraction $f_{\mathrm{esc,III}}$ has the strongest effect on Pop. III Balmer series fluxes when changed: reducing $f_\mathrm{esc,III}$ from 0.9 to 0.1 increases the fluxes by $\gtrsim$1 order of magnitude. However, even in this case, the lines remain undetectable. Balmer series lines powered by emission from Pop. III stars will be undetectable by JWST without strong lensing ($\mu \gtrsim 10$). A-SLOTH provides a useful tool to predict emission strengths and assess the detectability of Pop. III stars across cosmic history.