Answer to Question #203740 in Astronomy | Astrophysics for Narendranath

Question

1. Why are massive stars important for the development of the universe?

Answer 1

Let us read the article of R. Kennicutt, 2005 (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/2005IAUS..227....3K)

1) The radiation of massive stars ionizes the interstellar medium and influences the star formation process

2) The supernovae explosions give a lot of energy into the interstellar medium, so they shape the structure and energetics of ISM and influence the evolution of galaxy.

3) The final stages of their evolution give such objects as neutron stars and black holes, and a lot of high-energy phenomena are associated with them

4) The massive stars may be the drivers of reionization process in the young Universe.

5) Moreover, after the explosion of supernovae a large amount of metals is expelled into the surrounding medium, so massive stars make the ISM more metal-rich