The chemical enrichment in the early Universe as probed by JWST via direct metallicity measurements at z ∼ 8

We analyse the chemical properties of three z~ 8 galaxies behind the galaxy cluster SMACS J0723.3-7327, observed as part of the Early Release Observations programme of the James Webb Space Telescope. Exploiting [O III]λ4363 auroral line detections in NIRSpec spectra, we robustly apply the direct T_e method for the very first time at such high redshift, measuring metallicities ranging from extremely metal poor (12 + log(O/H)≈ 7) to about one-third solar. We also discuss the excitation properties of these sources, and compare them with local strong-line metallicity calibrations. We find that none of the considered diagnostics match simultaneously the observed relations between metallicity and strong-line ratios for the three sources, implying that a proper re-assessment of the calibrations may be needed at these redshifts. On the mass-metallicity plane, the two galaxies at z ~ 7.6 ($\rm log(M_*/M_{\odot }) = 8.1, 8.7$) have metallicities that are consistent with the extrapolation of the mass-metallicity relation at z~2-3, while the least massive galaxy at z ~ 8.5 ($\rm log(M_*/M_{\odot }) = 7.8$) shows instead a significantly lower metallicity. The three galaxies show different level of offset relative to the Fundamental Metallicity Relation, with two of them (at z~ 7.6) being marginally consistent, while the z~ 8.5 source deviating significantly, being probably far from the smooth equilibrium between gas flows, star formation, and metal enrichment in place at later epochs.