Alexander A. Kaurov

Cosmic reionization on computers. II. Reionization history and its back-reaction on early galaxies

We compare the results from several sets of cosmological simulations of cosmic reionization, produced under the Cosmic Reionization On Computers project, with existing observational data on the high-redshift Lyα forest and the abundance of Lyα emitters. We find good consistency with the observational measurements and previous simulation work. By virtue of having several independent realizations for each set of numerical parameters, we are able to explore the effect of cosmic variance on observable quantities. One unexpected conclusion we are forced into is that cosmic variance is unusually large at z > 6, with both our simulations and, most likely, observational measurements still not fully converged for even such basic quantities as the average Gunn-Peterson optical depth or the volume-weighted neutral fraction. We also find that reionization has little effect on the early galaxies or on global cosmic star formation history, because galaxies whose gas content is affected by photoionization contain no molecular (i.e., star-forming) gas in the first place. In particular, measurements of the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function by the James Webb Space Telescope are unlikely to provide a useful constraint on reionization.

EFFECT OF HALO BIAS AND LYMAN LIMIT SYSTEMS ON THE HISTORY OF COSMIC REIONIZATION

We extend the existing analytical model of reionization by Furlanetto et?al. to include the biasing of reionization sources and additional absorption by Lyman limit systems. Both effects enhance the original model in non-trivial ways, but do not change its qualitative features. Our model is, by construction, consistent with the observed evolution of the galaxy luminosity function at z 8 and with the observed evolution of Ly? forest at z 6. We find that the same model can match the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe/Planck constraint on the Thompson optical depth and the South Pole Telescope and EDGES constraints on the duration of reionization for values of the relative escape fraction that are consistent with the observational measurements at lower redshifts. However, such a match is only possible if dwarf galaxies contribute substantially to the ionizing photon budget. The latter condition is inconsistent with simulations and observational upper limits on the escape fraction from dwarfs at z ~ 3. Whether such a disagreement is due to the different nature of z > 6 galaxies, the inadequacy of simulations and/or some of the observational constraints, or indicates an additional source of ionizing radiation at z > 8 remains to be seen.

Recombination clumping factor during cosmic reionization

We discuss the role of recombinations in the intergalactic medium, and the related concept of the clumping factor, during cosmic reionization. The clumping factor is, in general, a local quantity that depends on both the local overdensity and the scale below which the baryon density field can be assumed smooth. That scale, called the filtering scale, depends on over-density and local thermal history. We present a method for building a self-consistent analytical model of inhomogeneous reionization, assuming the linear growth rate of the density fluctuation, which simultaneously accounts for these effects. We show that taking into account the local clumping factor introduces significant corrections to the total recombination rate, compared to the model with a globally uniform clumping factor.

Cosmic reionization on computers. Mean and fluctuating redshifted 21 CM signal

We explore the mean and fluctuating redshifted 21 cm signal in numerical simulations of cosmic reionization from the Cosmic Reionization On Computers (CROC) project. We find that the mean signal varies between about

The Effects of Dark Matter Annihilation on Cosmic Reionization

\pm20\rm{mK}

ENERGY DISSIPATION OF ENERGETIC ELECTRONS IN THE INHOMOGENEOUS INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM DURING THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION

. Most significantly, we find that the negative pre-reionization dip at

ON IMPROVING ANALYTICAL MODELS OF COSMIC REIONIZATION FOR MATCHING NUMERICAL SIMULATION

z\sim10-15

Probing Dark Matter Subhalos in Galaxy Clusters Using Highly Magnified Stars

only extends to

COSMIC REIONIZATION ON COMPUTERS. III. THE CLUMPING FACTOR

\langle\Delta T_B\rangle\sim-20\rm{mK}

Quasi-periodical features in the distribution of Luminous Red Galaxies

, in agreement with prior simulation results and in significant contrast to Pritchard & Loeb analytical model, requiring substantially higher sensitivity from global signal experiments that operate in this redshift range (EDGES-II, LEDA, SCI-HI, and DARE). We also explore the role of dense substructure (filaments and embedded galaxies) in the formation of 21 cm power spectrum. We find that by neglecting the semi-neutral substructure inside ionized bubbles, the power spectrum can be mis-estimated by 25-50\% at scales