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Reionization and Cosmic Dawn: theory and simulations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2018

Andrei Mesinger Open the ORCID record for Andrei Mesinger [Opens in a new window]
Andrei Mesinger*
Affiliation:
Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri, 7 56126 Pisa, Italy email: andrei.mesinger@sns.it
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Abstract

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We highlight recent progress in the sophistication and diversification of the simulations of cosmic dawn and reionization. The application of these modeling tools to recent observations has allowed us narrow down the timing of reionization. The midpoint of reionization is constrained to z = 7.6−0.7+0.8 (1 σ), with the strongest constraints coming from the optical depth to the CMB measured with the Planck satellite and the first detection of ongoing reionization from the spectra of the z = 7.1 QSOs ULASJ1120+0641. However, we still know virtually nothing about the astrophysical sources during the first billion years. The revolution in our understanding will be led by upcoming interferometric observations of the cosmic 21-cm signal. The properties of the sources and sinks of UV and X-ray photons are encoded in the 3D patterns of the signal. The development of Bayesian parameter recovery techniques, which tap into the wealth of the 21-cm signal, will soon usher in an era of precision astrophysical cosmology.

Keywords

cosmology: theoryearly universediffuse radiationlarge-scale structure of universe
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 12 , Symposium S333: Peering towards Cosmic Dawn , October 2017 , pp. 3 - 11
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2018 

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