852 research outputs found
Power Spectrum Sensitivity and the Design of Epoch of Reionization Observatories
Recent theoretical developments for observing the Epoch of Reionization (EOR)
have concentrated on the power spectrum signature of redshifted 21 cm emission.
These studies have demonstrated the great potential of statistical EOR
observations, however, the sensitivity calculations for proposed low frequency
radio arrays have been highly approximate. The formalism developed for
interferometric measurements of the cosmic microwave background can be extended
to three dimensions to naturally incorporate the line-of-sight information
inherent in the EOR signal. In this paper we demonstrate how to accurately
calculate the EOR power spectrum sensitivity of an array, and develop scaling
relationships which can be used to guide the design of EOR observatories. The
implications for antenna distribution, antenna size, and correlator
requirements on the EOR sensitivity are detailed.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Ap
HI Structure Observations of Reionization and Dark Energy
This proceeding concentrates on the BAO signature of dark energy, and how the
SKA dark energy case has been complicated by the emergence of HI structure
experiments modeled after the Epoch of Reionization observatories. The purpose
of the conference talk was to review the current status of the Murchison
Widefield Array (MWA), and show the applications of HI structure observations
for both reionization and dark energy measurements. Since the status of the MWA
is changing weekly, please see the website www.haystack.mit.edu/ast/arrays/mwa/
for the current status. This proceedings will instead concentrate on HI
structure observations, their applicability to reionization and cosmography,
and the implications for the SKA and future HI structure observations of dark
energy.Comment: Proceeding from The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral
Hydrogen Window, Arecibo, 2008, AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 103
Reionization and Cosmology with 21 cm Fluctuations
Measurement of the spatial distribution of neutral hydrogen via the
redshifted 21 cm line promises to revolutionize our knowledge of the epoch of
reionization and the first galaxies, and may provide a powerful new tool for
observational cosmology from redshifts 1<z<4 . In this review we discuss recent
advances in our theoretical understanding of the epoch of reionization (EoR),
the application of 21 cm tomography to cosmology and measurements of the dark
energy equation of state after reionization, and the instrumentation and
observational techniques shared by 21 cm EoR and post reionization cosmology
machines. We place particular emphasis on the expected signal and observational
capabilities of first generation 21 cm fluctuation instruments.Comment: Invited review for Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics (2010
volume
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