Understanding metal enrichment in the early Universe through quasar spectroscopy —

Chemical elements heavier than helium – commonly referred to as “metals” in astrophysics – are synthesized by stars and distributed in the surrounding medium through various feedback mechanisms. This process plays a pivotal role in the baryon cycle of galaxies and is crucial for understanding galaxy evolution. In this seminar, I will provide an overview of how quasar absorption spectroscopy has been instrumental in studying the properties of metals within the diffuse circumgalactic and intergalactic media over the past two decades. I will particularly focus on observations spanning the timescale between the epoch of Reionization and the so-called cosmic noon at the peak of star formation, using state-of-the-art data like the spectra of z~6 quasars from the XQR-30 survey. Additionally, I will discuss the exciting challenges in the study of high redshift metal enrichment and how next-generation extremely large telescopes will help us address these issues.