Dust and Molecules at High Redshift

Abstract

In the last years, progress has been very rapid in the domain of molecules at high redshift, and we know in better detail now the molecular and dust content in several systems beyond z=1 and up to z = 5. The first discovery in 1992 by Brown and van den Bout of CO lines at z=2.28 in a gravitationally lensed starburst galaxy, strongly stimulated searches of other systems, but these were harder than foreseen, and less than 10 other systems have been discovered in CO emission. Redshifts range between 2 and 5, the largest being BR1202-0725 at z=4.69. Most of these systems, if not all, are gravitationally amplified objects. Some have been discovered first through their dust emission, relatively easy to detect because of the negative K-correction effect. The detection of all these systems could give an answer about the debated question of the star-formation rate as a function of redshift. The maximum of star-formation rate, found around z=2 from optical studies, could shift to higher z if the most remote objects are hidden by dust. Absorption in front of quasars can also probe cold gas at high redshift, taking advantage of very high spatial (milli arcsec) and spectral (30m/s) resolutions. From the diffuse components, one can measure the cosmic black body temperature as a function of redshift. All these preliminary studies will be carried out at large scales with future millimeter instruments, and some perspectives are given.