Figure 2: Relationship between Stellar Mass and Oxygen Abundance (IMAGE)

Kanazawa University

Figure 2: Relationship between Stellar Mass and Oxygen Abundance

Caption

This diagram illustrates the relationship between the total stellar mass (horizontal axis) and the oxygen abundance (vertical axis) of galaxies. The brown symbols represent previously discovered distant galaxies, while the dashed line indicates the trend observed in nearby galaxies in the modern universe. The target of this study, "LAP1-B" (red circle), has an exceptionally low stellar mass compared to other galaxies. Its oxygen abundance is approximately 1/240th that of the Sun, marking a record-breaking low for any star-forming galaxy ever observed. This overwhelmingly low oxygen abundance indicates that the galaxy is at an extremely primitive stage, predating significant chemical evolution.

 

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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2026. Nakajima K. et al., Nature (2026).

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