What term describes the low abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium in globular cluster stars?
Answer
Low metallicity
The shared chemical makeup of stars in globular clusters is characterized by low metallicity. In astronomical terms, 'metals' refer specifically to any element found in the universe heavier than the two lightest elements, hydrogen and helium. Since globular cluster stars formed very early in the universe's history, before multiple cycles of stellar birth, death, and subsequent enrichment had seeded the cosmos with these heavier atoms, they possess a chemical makeup that is considered primitive compared to younger stars. This low abundance of elements like silicon and iron has profound implications, particularly limiting the material available to form rocky, terrestrial planets around these ancient stars.
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