A gamma-ray determination of the Universe's star formation history

The FERMI LAT Collaboration

doi:10.1126/science.aat8123

A gamma-ray determination of the Universe's star formation history

The FERMI LAT Collaboration

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The light emitted by all galaxies over the history of the Universe produces the extragalactic background light (EBL) at ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelengths. The EBL is a source of opacity for gamma rays via photon-photon interactions, leaving an imprint in the spectra of distant gamma-ray sources. We measured this attenuation using 739 active galaxies and one gamma-ray burst detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This allowed us to reconstruct the evolution of the EBL and determine the star formation history of the Universe over 90% of cosmic time. Our star formation history is consistent with independent measurements from galaxy surveys, peaking at redshift z ~ 2. Upper limits of the EBL at the epoch of reionization suggest a turnover in the abundance of faint galaxies at z ~ 6.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1031-1034
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	362
Issue number	6418
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat8123
Publication status	Published - 30 Nov 2018

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@article{295d7213237645bcb6156ae195e01757,

title = "A gamma-ray determination of the Universe's star formation history",

abstract = "The light emitted by all galaxies over the history of the Universe produces the extragalactic background light (EBL) at ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelengths. The EBL is a source of opacity for gamma rays via photon-photon interactions, leaving an imprint in the spectra of distant gamma-ray sources. We measured this attenuation using 739 active galaxies and one gamma-ray burst detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This allowed us to reconstruct the evolution of the EBL and determine the star formation history of the Universe over 90\% of cosmic time. Our star formation history is consistent with independent measurements from galaxy surveys, peaking at redshift z \textasciitilde{} 2. Upper limits of the EBL at the epoch of reionization suggest a turnover in the abundance of faint galaxies at z \textasciitilde{} 6.",

author = "\{The FERMI LAT Collaboration\} and S. Abdollahi and M. Ackermann and M. Ajello and Atwood, \{W. B.\} and L. Baldini and J. Ballet and G. Barbiellini and D. Bastieri and \{Becerra Gonzalez\}, J. and R. Bellazzini and E. Bissaldi and Blandford, \{R. D.\} and Bloom, \{E. D.\} and R. Bonino and E. Bottacini and S. Buson and J. Bregeon and P. Bruel and R. Buehler and Cameron, \{R. A.\} and R. Caputo and Caraveo, \{P. A.\} and E. Cavazzuti and E. Charles and S. Chen and Cheung, \{C. C.\} and G. Chiaro and S. Ciprini and J. Cohen-Tanugi and Cominsky, \{L. R.\} and J. Conrad and D. Costantin and S. Cutini and F. D'Ammando and \{de Palma\}, F. and A. Desai and Digel, \{S. W.\} and \{Di Lalla\}, N. and \{Di Mauro\}, M. and \{Di Venere\}, L. and A. Dom{\'i}nguez and C. Favuzzi and Fegan, \{S. J.\} and J. Finke and A. Franckowiak and Y. Fukazawa and S. Funk and P. Fusco and \{Gallardo Romero\}, G. and D. Horan",

year = "2018",

month = nov,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1126/science.aat8123",

language = "English",

volume = "362",

pages = "1031--1034",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

number = "6418",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A gamma-ray determination of the Universe's star formation history

AU - The FERMI LAT Collaboration

AU - Abdollahi, S.

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Ajello, M.

AU - Atwood, W. B.

AU - Baldini, L.

AU - Ballet, J.

AU - Barbiellini, G.

AU - Bastieri, D.

AU - Becerra Gonzalez, J.

AU - Bellazzini, R.

AU - Bissaldi, E.

AU - Blandford, R. D.

AU - Bloom, E. D.

AU - Bonino, R.

AU - Bottacini, E.

AU - Buson, S.

AU - Bregeon, J.

AU - Bruel, P.

AU - Buehler, R.

AU - Cameron, R. A.

AU - Caputo, R.

AU - Caraveo, P. A.

AU - Cavazzuti, E.

AU - Charles, E.

AU - Chen, S.

AU - Cheung, C. C.

AU - Chiaro, G.

AU - Ciprini, S.

AU - Cohen-Tanugi, J.

AU - Cominsky, L. R.

AU - Conrad, J.

AU - Costantin, D.

AU - Cutini, S.

AU - D'Ammando, F.

AU - de Palma, F.

AU - Desai, A.

AU - Digel, S. W.

AU - Di Lalla, N.

AU - Di Mauro, M.

AU - Di Venere, L.

AU - Domínguez, A.

AU - Favuzzi, C.

AU - Fegan, S. J.

AU - Finke, J.

AU - Franckowiak, A.

AU - Fukazawa, Y.

AU - Funk, S.

AU - Fusco, P.

AU - Gallardo Romero, G.

AU - Horan, D.

PY - 2018/11/30

Y1 - 2018/11/30

N2 - The light emitted by all galaxies over the history of the Universe produces the extragalactic background light (EBL) at ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelengths. The EBL is a source of opacity for gamma rays via photon-photon interactions, leaving an imprint in the spectra of distant gamma-ray sources. We measured this attenuation using 739 active galaxies and one gamma-ray burst detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This allowed us to reconstruct the evolution of the EBL and determine the star formation history of the Universe over 90% of cosmic time. Our star formation history is consistent with independent measurements from galaxy surveys, peaking at redshift z ~ 2. Upper limits of the EBL at the epoch of reionization suggest a turnover in the abundance of faint galaxies at z ~ 6.

AB - The light emitted by all galaxies over the history of the Universe produces the extragalactic background light (EBL) at ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelengths. The EBL is a source of opacity for gamma rays via photon-photon interactions, leaving an imprint in the spectra of distant gamma-ray sources. We measured this attenuation using 739 active galaxies and one gamma-ray burst detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. This allowed us to reconstruct the evolution of the EBL and determine the star formation history of the Universe over 90% of cosmic time. Our star formation history is consistent with independent measurements from galaxy surveys, peaking at redshift z ~ 2. Upper limits of the EBL at the epoch of reionization suggest a turnover in the abundance of faint galaxies at z ~ 6.

U2 - 10.1126/science.aat8123

DO - 10.1126/science.aat8123

M3 - Article

C2 - 30498122

AN - SCOPUS:85057548351

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 362

SP - 1031

EP - 1034

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6418

ER -

A gamma-ray determination of the Universe's star formation history

Abstract

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