The impact of spin-temperature fluctuations on the 21-cm moments
OA Location
Author(s)
Watkinson, CA
Pritchard, JR
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
This paper considers the impact of Lyman α coupling and X-ray heating on the 21-cm brightness-temperature one-point statistics (as predicted by seminumerical simulations). The X-ray production efficiency is varied over four orders of magnitude and the hardness of the X-ray spectrum is varied from that predicted for high-mass X-ray binaries, to the softer spectrum expected from the hot interstellar medium. We find peaks in the redshift evolution of both the variance and skewness associated with the efficiency of X-ray production. The amplitude of the variance is also sensitive to the hardness of the X-ray spectral energy distribution. We find that the relative timing of the coupling and heating phases can be inferred from the redshift extent of a plateau that connects a peak in the variance's evolution associated with Lyman α coupling to the heating peak. Importantly, we find that late X-ray heating would seriously hamper our ability to constrain reionization with the variance. Late X-ray heating also qualitatively alters the evolution of the skewness, providing a clean way to constrain such models. If foregrounds can be removed, we find that LOFAR, MWA and PAPER could constrain reionization and late X-ray heating models with the variance. We find that HERA and SKA (phase 1) will be able to constrain both reionization and heating by measuring the variance using foreground-avoidance techniques. If foregrounds can be removed they will also be able to constrain the nature of Lyman α coupling.
Date Issued
2015-10-02
Date Acceptance
2015-08-27
Citation
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2015, 454 (2), pp.1416-1431
ISSN
0035-8711
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Start Page
1416
End Page
1431
Journal / Book Title
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume
454
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2015 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sponsor
Imperial College Trust
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Commission of the European Communities
Science and Technology Facilities Council [2006-2012]
Grant Number
N/A
ST/K001051/1
321933
ST/K001051/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
methods: statistical
intergalactic medium
cosmology: theory
dark ages, reionization, first stars
21 CM SIGNAL
STAR-FORMING GALAXIES
X-RAY-EMISSION
H II REGIONS
COSMIC REIONIZATION
INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM
POWER SPECTRUM
HIGH-REDSHIFT
1ST STARS
CENTIMETER TOMOGRAPHY
Publication Status
Published