Cosmic Star Formation Rate From Gamma-Ray Attenuation

Abstract

We compute the attenuation of gamma-rays from remote quasars due to interactions with ambient low-energy photons produced by stars in galaxies and show that the next-generation gamma ray telescopes can probe the cosmic star formation rate at high redshifts.

4 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Proc. of 33rd ESLAB Symp. (ESA SP-445, 2000)