Supernovae first aided, then impeded, the Epoch of Reionization

A Nature Astronomy study found that early supernovae in compact starburst galaxies first carved low-density channels that let ionizing radiation escape, but later drove neutral gas and dust into the outflow that blocked it. The work is based on spectra of six local star-forming galaxies used as analogs of the reionization era.

• Supernovae first opened paths for ionizing radiation, then blocked them with dust and gas
• Findings rest on spectra of six local starburst galaxies
• The study appears in Nature Astronomy, led by Cody Carr