The First Stars and Galaxies - Basic Principles

摘要

Understanding the formation of the first stars and galaxies is a key problemin modern cosmology. In these lecture notes, we will derive some of the basicphysical principles underlying this emerging field. We will consider the basiccosmological context, the cooling and chemistry in primordial gas, the physicsof gravitational instability, and the main properties of the first stars. Wewill conclude with a discussion of the observational signature of the firstsources of light, to be probed with future telescopes, such as the James WebbSpace Telescope.