Exploring the Epoch of Reionization with low-frequency radio telescopes

Author

Parsons, Aaron R.

Author_Institution

Univ. of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

fYear

2011

fDate

13-20 Aug. 2011

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

2

Abstract

The Epoch of Reconization (EoR) represents a major frontier of cosmic evolution yet to be explored. Red-shifted emission from the 21cm hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen provides a unique tracer of the primordial intergalactic medium. But with foregrounds that exceed the expected EoR signal by more than five orders of magnitude, the level of calibration needed for detecting this signal is unprecedented in the 100-200MHz band expected to encompass EoR. We will discuss the various instrumental approaches underway for achieving the necessary sensitivity and calibration, and discuss plans for second-generation antenna arrays that might explore EoR tomographically.

Keywords

antenna arrays; cosmology; intergalactic matter; radioastronomy; radiofrequency cosmic radiation; red shift; cosmic evolution; low frequency radiotelescopes; neutral hydrogen hyperfine transition; primordial intergalactic medium tracer; red shifted emission; reionization epoch; second generation antenna arrays; wavelength 21 cm; Antenna arrays; Calibration; Correlation; Imaging; Periodic structures; Radio astronomy; Sensitivity;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

General Assembly and Scientific Symposium, 2011 XXXth URSI

Conference_Location

Istanbul

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-5117-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/URSIGASS.2011.6051304

Filename

6051304