Astronomers have discovered chemical evidence for the existence of a theorized type of gargantuan stellar explosion known as a pair-instability supernova. This evidence was found in the spectra of distant quasars observed by the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, which revealed unusual chemical abundances in gas clouds dating from the early universe.
The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, suggest that the first generation of stars in the cosmos, known as Population III stars, could grow to immense sizes—between 150 and 250 times the mass of our Sun. Such stars would end their lives in a runaway thermonuclear explosion so powerful that it would leave no remnant like a black hole, completely obliterating the star and scattering its unique chemical signature into space.
The research team, led by astronomers from the University of Tokyo and the University of Notre Dame, identified an extremely low ratio of iron to magnesium and other elements in the ancient gas clouds. This fingerprint matches theoretical predictions for the aftermath of a pair-instability supernova, providing the first observational evidence that these catastrophic events occurred in the early universe.
These explosions are believed to have played a crucial role in seeding the early cosmos with heavy elements, shaping the chemical evolution of subsequent generations of stars and galaxies. The discovery helps confirm a long-standing theory about the life cycles of the universe's first and most massive stars.
