SKA Key science project: Radio observations of cosmic reionization and first light

Details SKA Key science project: Radio observations of cosmic reionization and first light SKA Key science project: Radio observations of cosmic reionization and first light

2008-02-12

arxiv.org/abs/0802.1727v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

24 pages. gzip pdf format. to appear in Proceedings of Science, 'From planets to Dark ages: the modern radio Universe,' ed. Be

Scientific paper

I update the SKA key science program (KSP) on first light and cosmic reionization. The KSP has two themes: (i) Using the 21cm line of neutral hydrogen as the most direct probe into the evolution of the neutral intergalactic medium during cosmic reionization. Such HI 21cm studies are potentially the most important new window on cosmology since the discovery of the CMB. (ii) Observing the gas, dust, star formation, and dynamics, of the first galaxies and AGN. Observations at cm and mm wavelengths, provide an unobscured view of galaxy formation within 1 Gyr of the Big Bang, and are an ideal complement to the study of stars, ionized gas, and AGN done using near-IR telescopes. I summarize HI 21cm signals, challenges, and telescopes under construction. I also discuss the prospects for studying the pre-galactic medium, prior to first light, using a low frequency telescope on the Moon. I then review the current status of mm and cm observations of the most known distant galaxies (z > 6). I make the simple argument that even a 10% SKA-high demonstrator will have a profound impact on the study of the first galaxies. In particular, extending the SKA to the 'natural' atmospheric limit (set by the O_2 line) of 45 GHz, increases the effective sensitivity to thermal emission by another factor four.

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