Using JADES NIRCam photometry to investigate the dependence of stellar mass inferences on the IMF in the early universe

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has enabled the study of the infant universe in unprecedented detail with the hope of revealing how the first galaxies formed and subsequently evolved. If these data were interpreted in the framework of star formation processes in the Milky Way, JWST observations likely contradict cold dark matter theory predictions and would force a reassessment of basic physics. Using a sample of distant galaxies with high-quality photometry and spectroscopically confirmed distances, we investigate how changing star formation parameters avoids such a contradiction with galaxy age and stellar mass being traded against each other to match observed galaxy properties. The cold dark matter paradigm remains consistent with observations.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 121, Issue 42, article id.e2317375121