Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2007-09-20
2008, ApJ, 672, 33
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Accepted for publication to ApJ
Scientific paper
10.1086/523872
At the epoch of reionization, when the high-redshift inter-galactic medium (IGM) is being enriched with metals, the 63.2 micron fine structure line of OI is pumped by the ~ 1300 AA soft UV background and introduces a spectral distortion in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Here we use a toy model for the spatial distribution of neutral oxygen, assuming metal bubbles surround dark matter halos, and compute the fluctuations of this distortion, and the angular power spectrum it imprints on the CMB. We discuss the dependence of the power spectrum on the velocity of the winds polluting the IGM with metals, the minimum mass of the halos producing these winds, and on the cosmic epoch when the OI pumping occurs. We find that, although the clustering signal of the CMB distortion is weak \delta y_{rms} ~ 10^{-7} (roughly corresponding to a temperature anisotropy of few nK), it may be reachable in deep integrations with high-sensitivity infrared detectors. Even without a detection, these instruments should be able to useful constraints on the heavy element enrichment history of the IGM.
Haiman Zoltan
Hernández-Monteagudo Carlos
Jimenez Raul
Verde Licia
No associations
LandOfFree
Oxygen pumping II: Probing the Inhomogeneous Metal Enrichment at the Epoch of Reionization with High Frequency CMB Observations 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 Oxygen pumping II: Probing the Inhomogeneous Metal Enrichment at the Epoch of Reionization with High Frequency CMB Observations, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Oxygen pumping II: Probing the Inhomogeneous Metal Enrichment at the Epoch of Reionization with High Frequency CMB Observations will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-256010