Abstract: Cosmic Dawn and Reionization (when the first luminous objects formed and subsequently reionized our Universe) are crucial epochs in our Universe’s history, and yet they remain relatively unexplored. In this talk, I will argue that a multi-probe approach is necessary for making progress on changing this status quo. I will begin with a review of recent upper limits on 21cm line emission that were set by the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA), and give a preview of what science results one can expect to come in the near future. I will then discuss how 21cm measurements can be fruitfully combined with Cosmic Microwave Background measurements of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect to produce model-independent constraints on the timeline of reionization. Finally, I will show how future observations of the near infrared background can provide an opportunity to spot reionization feedback effects on galaxy populations. All of these probes (plus others!) will soon provide a complementary picture of Cosmic Dawn and Reionization, opening up new eras of our cosmic timeline for exploration.
A multi-probe view of Cosmic Dawn and Reionization
Adrian Liu (McGill University) // June 21, 2022
Abstract: Cosmic Dawn and Reionization (when the first luminous objects formed and subsequently reionized our Universe) are crucial epochs in our Universe’s history, and yet they remain relatively unexplored. In this talk, I will argue that a multi-probe approach is necessary for making progress on changing this status quo. I will begin with a review of recent upper limits on 21cm line emission that were set by the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA), and give a preview of what science results one can expect to come in the near future. I will then discuss how 21cm measurements can be fruitfully combined with Cosmic Microwave Background measurements of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect to produce model-independent constraints on the timeline of reionization. Finally, I will show how future observations of the near infrared background can provide an opportunity to spot reionization feedback effects on galaxy populations. All of these probes (plus others!) will soon provide a complementary picture of Cosmic Dawn and Reionization, opening up new eras of our cosmic timeline for exploration.