Imaging neutral hydrogen on large scales during the Epoch of Reionization with LOFAR

Zaroubi, Saleem; Bruyn, de Antonius; Harker, G.; Thomas, Rajat Mani; Labropolous, P.; Jelić, Vibor; Koopmans, L. V. E.; Brentjens, M. A.; Bernardi, G.; Ciardi, B.; Daiboo, S.; Kazemi, S.; Martinez-Rubi, O.; Mellema, Garrelt; Offringa, A. R.; Pandey, V. N.; Schaye, Joop; Veligatla, V.; Vedantham, H. K.; Yatawatta, S.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21500.x

Cited by 58 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…This maximum size is found to have a value of ∼ 100 Mpc (Wyithe & Loeb, 2004a). In agreement with the simulations of Zaroubi et al (2012), this implies that reionisation experiments with SKA1-LOW should be sensitive to a characteristic angular scale of ∼ 1 degree for detection of the largest-scale 21 cm flux fluctuations near the end of reionisation, and have a field of view sufficiently large to image these features.…”

Section: Field Of View For Ska1-lowsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…However simulations suggest that very large structures of HI, with sizes of up to 100 Mpc will still be present during the later stages of reionisation (Zaroubi et al, 2012). Such large areas of patchy reionisation in the IGM result from the clustering of the large-scale structure on scales of up to ∼ 120h −1 Mpc, or ∼ 1 degree (see Figure 1).…”

Section: Field Of View For Ska1-lowmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such large areas of patchy reionisation in the IGM result from the clustering of the large-scale structure on scales of up to ∼ 120h −1 Mpc, or ∼ 1 degree (see Figure 1). Detection of these large-scale features may be possible at moderate significance with first generation arrays including LOFAR, and will be valuable for answering many cosmological questions (Zaroubi et al, 2012). However these expected large-scale features imply that the field of view for reionisation experiments performed with SKA1-LOW should have a size of at least several degrees.…”

Section: Field Of View For Ska1-lowmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Imaging HII Regions from Galaxies and Quasars During Reionisation with SKA

Wyithe¹,

Geil²,

Kim³

2015

Proceedings of Advancing Astrophysics With the Square Kilometre Array — PoS(AASKA14)

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The ionisation structure of the Intergalactic Medium (IGM) during reionisation is sensitive to the unknown galaxy formation physics that prevailed at that time. This structure introduces non-Gaussian statistics into the redshifted 21 cm fluctuation amplitudes that can only be studied through tomographic imaging, which will clearly discriminate between different galaxy formation scenarios. Imaging the ionisation structure and cosmological HII regions during reionisation is therefore a key goal for the SKA. For example, the SKA1-LOW baseline design with a 1 km diameter core will resolve HII regions expected from galaxy formation models which include strong feedback on low-mass galaxy formation. Imaging the smaller HII regions that result from galaxy formation in the absence of SNe feedback will also be possible for SKA1-LOW in the later stages of reionisation, but may require the greater sensitivity of SKA early in the reionisation era. In addition to having baselines long enough to resolve the HII regions, the field of view for SKA1-LOW reionisation experiments should be at least several degrees in order to image the largest HI structures towards the end of reionisation. The baseline design with 35 meter diameter stations has a field of view within a single primary pointing which is sufficient for this purpose.Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Kilometre Array

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Section: Field Of View For Ska1-lowsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Field Of View For Ska1-lowmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Field Of View For Ska1-lowmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Imaging HII Regions from Galaxies and Quasars During Reionisation with SKA

Wyithe¹,

Geil²,

Kim³

2015

Proceedings of Advancing Astrophysics With the Square Kilometre Array — PoS(AASKA14)

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“…The EoR power spectrum can be observed over about two orders of magnitude in wave numbers and other higher-order statistical measures can be obtained as well (Jelić et al 2008;Harker et al 2009Harker et al , 2010Labropoulos et al 2009). It might even be possible to image the EoR as it unfolds on very large scales after several thousand hours of integration time on a single field (Zaroubi et al 2012). Finally, using total-power measurements, LOFAR might also be able to probe the total (i.e.…”

Section: Epoch Of Reionizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among the most interesting application of the low-frequency arrays is the detection of highly redshifted 21 cm line emission from the epoch of reionization (HI redshifts z = 6 to 20) and a phase called cosmic dawn (HI redshifts from z = 50 to z = 20; see Zaroubi et al 2012). However, the science case for LOFAR has continued to broaden since 2000 to include the detection of nanosecond radio flashes from ultra-high energy cosmic rays (CRs; Falcke et al 2005), deep surveys of the sky in search for high redshift radio sources (Röttgering et al 2011), surveys of pulsars and cosmic radio transients , or the radio detection of exoplanets (Zarka 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

LOFAR: The LOw-Frequency ARray

Haarlem

Wise

Gunst

et al. 2013

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2,021

783

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LOFAR, the LOw-Frequency ARray, is a new-generation radio interferometer constructed in the north of the Netherlands and across europe. Utilizing a novel phased-array design, LOFAR covers the largely unexplored low-frequency range from 10-240 MHz and provides a number of unique observing capabilities. Spreading out from a core located near the village of Exloo in the northeast of the Netherlands, a total of 40 LOFAR stations are nearing completion. A further five stations have been deployed throughout Germany, and one station has been built in each of France, Sweden, and the UK. Digital beam-forming techniques make the LOFAR system agile and allow for rapid repointing of the telescope as well as the potential for multiple simultaneous observations. With its dense core array and long interferometric baselines, LOFAR achieves unparalleled sensitivity and angular resolution in the low-frequency radio regime. The LOFAR facilities are jointly operated by the International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) foundation, as an observatory open to the global astronomical community. LOFAR is one of the first radio observatories to feature automated processing pipelines to deliver fully calibrated science products to its user community. LOFAR's new capabilities, techniques and modus operandi make it an important pathfinder for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). We give an overview of the LOFAR instrument, its major hardware and software components, and the core science objectives that have driven its design. In addition, we present a selection of new results from the commissioning phase of this new radio observatory.

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Reionization and the Cosmic Dawn with the Square Kilometre Array

et al. 2013

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The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will have a low frequency component (SKA-low) which has as one of its main science goals the study of the redshifted 21cm line from the earliest phases of star and galaxy formation in the Universe. This 21cm signal provides a new and unique window both on the time of the formation of the first stars and accreting black holes and the subsequent period of substantial ionization of the intergalactic medium. The signal will teach us fundamental new things about the earliest phases of structure formation, cosmology and even has the potential to lead to the discovery of new physical phenomena. Here we present a white paper with an Executive SummaryThe Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will have a low frequency component (AA-low/SKA-low 1 ) which has as one of its main science goals the study of the redshifted 21cm line from the earliest phases of star and galaxy formation in the Universe (see SKA Memo 125). It is during this phase that the first building blocks of the galaxies that we see around us today, including our own Milky Way, were formed. It is a crucial period for understanding the history of the Universe and one for which we have currently very little observational data.We divide the period into two different phases based on the physical processes which affect the Intergalactic Medium. The first period, which we call the Cosmic Dawn, saw the formation of the first stars and accreting black holes, which changed the quantum state of the still neutral Intergalactic Medium. The second period, known as the Epoch of Reionization, is the one during which large areas between the galaxies were photo-ionized by the radiation produced in galaxies and which ended when the Intergalactic Medium had become completely ionized.Observations of the redshifted 21-cm line with SKA will provide a new and unique window on the entire period of Cosmic Dawn and Reionization. The signal is sensitive to the emergence of the first stellar populations, radiation from growing massive black holes and the formation of larger groups of galaxies and bright quasars. At the same time it maps the distribution of most of the baryonic matter in the Universe. The study of the redshifted 21cm line will teach us fundamental new things about the earliest phases of structure formation and cosmology. It even has the potential to lead to the discovery of new physical phenomena. Here we present an overview of the science questions that SKA-low can address, how we plan to tackle these questions and what this implies for the basic design of the telescope.The redshifted 21cm signal will be analyzed with different techniques, which each come with their own requirements for the SKA: (i) Tomography, (ii) power-spectra and higher-order statistics, (iii) hydrogen absorption, (iv) global/total-intensity signal. Whereas all precursors/pathfinders aim to study the signal statistically through its power spectrum, SKA will be able to image the neutral hydrogen distribution directly and its focus will therefore be more on tomograph...

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Imaging neutral hydrogen on large scales during the Epoch of Reionization with LOFAR

Cited by 58 publications

References 55 publications

Imaging HII Regions from Galaxies and Quasars During Reionisation with SKA

Imaging HII Regions from Galaxies and Quasars During Reionisation with SKA

LOFAR: The LOw-Frequency ARray

Reionization and the Cosmic Dawn with the Square Kilometre Array

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