Simulating Cosmic Reionization: Character, Observability and Feedback on Galaxy Formation

by Dr Ilian Iliev (University of Sussex)

Monday 14 May 2007, 15:00 → 16:00 Europe/Stockholm

The Epoch of Reionization (EOR) at redshift z>6 resulted in the last global transition of the IGM. It had profound effects on early cosmological structures and the subsequent galaxy and star formation. In recent years there has been considerable progress in our theoretical understanding of this process. We have recently performed the first large-scale radiative transfer simulations of reionization. We showed that EOR is strongly self-regulated, with large characteristic scales similar to the typical resolution of the planned experiments. This breakthrough allowed us to make the first realistic simulation-based predictions for the EOR observables. I will present our results for the EOR features under different scenarios and will discuss in detail its observability with current and upcoming experiments at redshifted 21-cm line of hydrogen (LOFAR, GMRT, MWA and SKA), Ly-alpha absorbers and emitter surveys, and through the EOR imprint on small-scale CMB anisotropies from kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (ACT and SPT), and on CMB polarization. I would also discuss some implications of reionization for subsequent galaxy formation.