Current models of the observable consequences of cosmic reionization and their detectability
I T Iliev, G Mellema, U L Pen, J R Bond, P R Shapiro
2008
A number of large current experiments aim to detect the signatures of the cosmic reionization at redshifts z > 6. Their success depends crucially on understanding the character of the reionization process and its observable consequences and designing the best strategies to use. We use large-scale simulations of cosmic reionization to evaluate the reionization signatures at redshifted 21-cm and smallscale cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies in the best current model for the background
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... universe, with fundamental cosmological parameters given by Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe three-year results. We find that the optimal frequency range for observing the 'global step' of the 21-cm emission is 120-150 MHz, while statistical studies should aim at 140-160 MHz, observable by GMRT. Some strongly non-Gaussian brightness features should be detectable at frequencies up to 190 MHz. In terms of sensitivity-signal trade-off relatively low resolutions, corresponding to beams of at least a few arcminutes, are preferable. The CMB anisotropy signal from the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect from reionized patches peaks at tens of K at arcminute scales and has an rms of 1 K, and should be observable by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the South Pole Telescope. We discuss the various observational issues and the uncertainties involved, mostly related to the poorly known reionization parameters and, to a lesser extend, to the uncertainties in the background cosmology. ABSTRACT A number of large current experiments aim to detect the signatures of the Cosmic Reionization at redshifts z > 6. Their success depends crucially on understanding the character of the reionization process and its observable consequences and designing the best strategies to use. We use large-scale simulations of cosmic reionization to evaluate the reionization signatures at redshifted 21-cm and small-scale CMB anisotropies in the best current model for the background universe, with fundamental cosmological parameters given by WMAP 3year results (WMAP3). We find that the optimal frequency range for observing the "global step" of the 21-cm emission is 120-150 MHz, while statistical studies should aim at 140-160 MHz, observable by GMRT. Some strongly-nongaussian brightness features should be detectable at frequencies up to ∼ 190 MHz. In terms of sensitivity-signal trade-off relatively low resolutions, corresponding to beams of at least a few arcminutes, are preferable. The CMB anisotropy signal from the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect from reionized patches peaks at tens of µK at arcminute scales and has an rms of ∼ 1µK, and should be observable by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the South Pole Telescope. We discuss the various observational issues and the uncertainties involved, mostly related to the poorly-known reionization parameters and, to a lesser extend, to the uncertainties in the background cosmology.
doi:10.5167/uzh-16519
fatcat:dn6k2clgvrep7i25gqpjpud2zi