RECFAST: Calculate the Recombination History of the Universe

Details RECFAST: Calculate the Recombination History of the Universe RECFAST: Calculate the Recombination History of the Universe

Jun 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011ascl.soft06026s&link_type=abstract

Astrophysics Source Code Library, record ascl:1106.026

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Scientific paper

We have developed an improved recombination calculation of H, HeI, and HeII in the early Universe which involves a line-by-line treatment of each atomic level. We find two major differences compared with previous calculations. Firstly, the ionization fraction x_e is approximately 10 % smaller for redshifts <~800, due to non-equilibrium processes in the excited states of H. Secondly, HeI recombination is much slower than previously thought, and is delayed until just before H recombines. We describe the basic physics behind the new results and present a simple way to reproduce our calculation. This should enable fast computation of the ionization history (and quantities such as the power spectrum of CMB anisotropies which depend on it) for arbitrary cosmologies, without the need to consider the hundreds of atomic levels used in our complete model.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

RECFAST: Calculate the Recombination History of the Universe 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 RECFAST: Calculate the Recombination History of the Universe, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and RECFAST: Calculate the Recombination History of the Universe will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-911078