Formation of the First Galaxies: Theory and Simulations
  The properties of the first galaxies are shaped in large part by the first
generations of stars, which emit high energy radiation and unleash both large
amounts of mechanical energy and the first heavy elements when they explode as
supernovae. We survey the theory of the formation of the first galaxies in this
context, focusing on the results of cosmological simulations to illustrate a
number of the key processes that define their properties. We first discuss the
evolution of the primordial gas as it is incorporated into the earliest
galaxies under the influence of the high energy radiation emitted by the
earliest stars; we then turn to consider how the injection of heavy elements by
the first supernovae transforms the evolution of the primordial gas and alters
the character of the first galaxies. Finally, we discuss the prospects for the
detection of the first galaxies by future observational missions, in particular
focusing on the possibility that primordial star-forming galaxies may be
uncovered.
