Intergalactic H_2 Photodissociation and the Soft UV Background Produced by Population III Objects

Abstract

We study the effects of the ionizing and dissociating photons produced by PopIII objects on the surrounding intergalactic medium. We find that the typical size of a H_2 photodissociated region, R_d ~ 1-5 kpc, is smaller than the mean distance between sources at z ~ 20-30, but larger than the ionized region by a factor depending on the detailed properties of the emission spectrum. This implies that clearing of intergalactic H_2 occurs before reionization of the universe is complete. In the same redshift range, the soft-UV background in the Lyman-Werner bands, when the intergalactic H and H_2 opacity is included, is found to be J_LW ~ 1d-30 - 1d-27 erg cm^{-2} s^{-1} Hz^{-1}. This value is well below the threshold required for the negative feedback of PopIII objects on the subsequent galaxy formation to be effective in that redshift range.

13 pages, 7 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ. Final version with minor modifications of Fig. 5 & 6