Holographic Analysis Explains Unexpected High Redshift JWST Data ()
1. Introduction
JWST found large galaxies in the early universe, inconsistent with traditional galaxy formation models involving mass increase by clustering and merging [1]. Consistent with JWST observations and using PDG 2025 [2] data, this holographic analysis accounts for total mass of galaxy clusters, galaxies and star clusters with central black holes, constituting visible large-scale structures (LSS) in our closed, homogeneous, isotropic and vacuum-dominated Friedmann universe.
Probability
of LSS mass m, with constant K, in a given LSS category results in greater numbers of small structures than large structures in each LSS category, and uniform distribution of information and matter across the mass range in each LSS category.
2. Holographic Analysis
At a fundamental level, information specifies distribution of matter within the universe.
Holographic analysis (based on quantum mechanics, general relativity, black hole thermodynamics, and Shannon information theory) finds only the finite number of bits of information on the event horizon will ever be available to describe distribution of matter in the universe [3]. That implies the universe is a closed system described by discrete mathematics.
The event horizon at distance
from any observer’s location is the farthest distance observers can ever see out into our vacuum dominated universe, with cosmological constant
and vacuum energy density accelerating increase in radius of the closed universe.
This holographic analysis identifies the bits of information available to describe matter distribution within the universe as encoded on areas of
on the event horizon, where the Planck length
,
,
, and
. The maximum number of bits of information that will ever be available to describe the distribution of matter within the universe is
. Mass of the observable universe inside the event horizon
with Hubble constant
, critical energy density
, and vacuum energy fraction
. Half of the bits of information on the horizon provide information on distribution of matter within the horizon and the other half of the bits of information on the horizon provide information on distribution of anti-matter within the horizon. So the mass of matter associated with one bit of information is
.
This holographic analysis then finds the bits of information describing an isolated system with definite mass
within the universe are available on a spherical surface surrounding the system with radius
and holographic radii of isolated systems with definite mass
are
.
3. Large-Scale Structures and Redshift
Visible large-scale structures (LSS) in our expanding universe, comprised of individual stars, exist within isothermal spheres of cold dark matter. Three levels of LSS, respectively categorized as galaxy clusters, galaxies, or star clusters, consist of widely separated sub-elements in a sea of cosmic microwave background radiation.
Looking out in the universe at distant luminous objects, light traveling at constant speed
shows those objects at the time in the past when the light was emitted. Wavelength of light emitted by sources moving away from us is increased (redshifted), and redshift
relates wavelength observed
to wavelength emitted
by
.
Radius
of our observable closed, homogeneous, isotropic, and expanding Friedmann universe at time
years ago was
, with radius
today at
. In our expanding universe, all LSS move away from us and redshifted light from those distant structures reveals conditions in the smaller universe in the past. Total matter density in the universe today is
and radiation density is
. Total matter density in the universe at redshift
was
and radiation density was
.
Jeans length
is the scale of the largest structures of matter (galaxy clusters) stable against gravitational collapse at redshift
, where speed of pressure waves in matter in the universe is
and
. So, Jeans mass
, is maximum galaxy cluster mass at redshift
.
, with solar mass
, is consistent with the
mass of Quipu, the largest cosmic structure found to date [4].
Average density within Jeans mass holographic radius is
and second level Jeans mass, the maximum mass of galaxies within galaxy clusters at redshift
, is
with
.
is consistent with estimated mass about
for IC 1101, one of the most massive galaxies found to date.
Average density within second level Jeans mass holographic radius is
and third level Jeans mass, the maximum mass of star clusters within galaxies at redshift
, is
with
.
is consistent with an estimated upper limit on total star cluster mass [5].
Average density within third level Jeans mass holographic radius is
and fourth level Jeans mass, an upper bound on stellar masses within star clusters at redshift
, is
with
and
.
In what follows,
is maximum mass (Jeans mass) for LSS at a given structural level and
, minimum mass for LSS at that structural level is Jeans mass for the next lower structural level (or, in the case of star clusters, maximum stellar mass).
4. Minimum Stellar Mass at Redshift z
Star formation results from thermonuclear reactions between strongly interacting protons in the baryon fraction of matter density in the universe. Mass of the smallest gravitationally bound systems (stars) at redshift
is estimated by setting escape velocity of protons at holographic radius
of stars with minimum mass
equal to average velocity of protons in thermal equilibrium with CMB radiation at redshift
outside
.
Escape velocity
for protons with mass
gravitationally bound at radius
from the centroid of a structure with mass
is determined by
. If proton escape velocity
at holographic radius
of minimum mass stars at redshift
is proton velocity in thermal equilibrium with CMB radiation at redshift
,
. With CMB temperature
at
and Boltzmann constant
,
.
If outgoing protons at
are in thermal equilibrium with outgoing photon flow from minimum mass stars, stars must have mass >
to appear against the CMB. If population III stars first appeared [6] when
at
, they may have had mass
. Minimum star mass today [7]
is consistent with hydrogen burning mass threshold separating brown dwarfs from lowest mass stars.
5. Central Black Holes in Large-Scale Structures at Redshift z
In isothermal spheres of cold dark matter inhabited by LSS, core radius
of an LSS containing concentrated mass in the central black hole is determined by the holographic radius of sub-elements orbiting the center just outside the core without being disrupted and drawn into the central black hole. Sub-elements of an LSS at a given structural level are LSS in the structural level in the next lower LSS mass range. Central black hole mass is
, where
is total large-scale structure mass and
is mass of LSS sub-elements that can occupy a circular orbit just outside the core without being disrupted and drawn into the central black hole.
The most massive black holes allowed by holographic analysis are at the center of the most massive galactic clusters with Jeans mass
after all but lowest mass galaxies (with mass
) are engulfed in the central black hole. The
holographic upper limit on black hole mass is considerably greater than
mass of the most massive black hole found to date.
6. Holographic Analysis Predicts Unexpected JWST Observations
Holographic analysis determines total mass
of galaxies at redshift
as
and total number of galaxies at redshift
as
. Average total galaxy mass at redshift
is
and
. Average visible mass
for galaxies at
identified by holographic analysis is consistent with JWST data finding early galaxies with stellar masses
when the universe was only a few hundred million years old. Such large galaxies in the early universe were not expected in traditional galaxy formation models involving galaxies increasing in mass by clustering and merging [1].
JWST found abundant compact red sources, called Little Red Dots (LRDs), within large-scale structures. LRDs were largely missed by previous telescopes.
LRDs, with masses ranging from about
to
, are within the holographic radii of large-scale structures. Possible explanations for LRDs include:
Primordial galaxies [8]. This holographic analysis finds galaxies with masses ranging from about
to
existed in the very early universe at redshift
.
Quasi-stars (black hole stars) [9]. This holographic analysis shows central black holes with masses ranging from about
to
existed in early galaxies at redshift
. If some of them were quasi-stars, they could appear as LRDs.
Star clusters containing supermassive stars [9]. At redshift
, this holographic analysis shows star clusters with masses ranging from
to
existed in early galaxies at redshift
, and supermassive stars with masses up to
could be present.