Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Dec 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006aas...20922402b&link_type=abstract
2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #224.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society,
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Within the next two years, the Mileura Widefield Array_Low Frequency Demonstrator (MWA-LFD) will begin observations leading toward the detection of redshifted 21 cm emission from neutral hydrogen gas in the high-redshift (z>6) intergalactic medium (IGM). We present the first realistic simulations to characterize the ability of the upcoming measurements to isolate foreground contaminants and constrain the reionization signal.
The redshifted 21 cm hyperfine line of neutral hydrogen gas in the high-redshift IGM is an extraordinary resource for studying some of the most pressing topics in contemporary astrophysics, including the nature of the first luminous objects and the processes responsible for reionization, structure formation, and inflationary cosmology. The extent to which this resource can be exploited, however, depends on the success of a new class of low-frequency radio arrays, including the MWA-LFD, that are pioneering new approaches to radio astronomy. The MWA-LFD is currently under development in Western Australia and is designed specifically to detect the power spectrum of fluctuations in the 21 cm emission between redshifts 6 and 12. When completed, the array will consist of 500 phased-array antenna tiles that are sensitive to wavelengths between 1 and 3 meters (300 to 100 MHz) and scattered over a 1.5 km diameter region.
The separation of Galactic and extragalactic foreground contaminants from the desired signal will be a significant challenge. As with the cosmic microwave background, the astrophysical foregrounds in redshifted 21 cm measurements are approximately five orders of magnitude brighter than the ( 10 mK) signal and can only be isolated due to their spectral properties. We describe the foreground sources and the unique properties of the MWA-LFD; and discuss the derived foreground contamination and the implications for the interpretation with the upcoming measurements of the underlying processes responsible for reionization.
No associations
LandOfFree
Revealing the Epoch of Reionization with Redshifted 21 cm Measurements does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Revealing the Epoch of Reionization with Redshifted 21 cm Measurements, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Revealing the Epoch of Reionization with Redshifted 21 cm Measurements will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1164350