Understanding the Epoch of Cosmic Reionization

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The aim of this volume is to summarize the current status and future outlook of the reionization field on both the theoretical and observational fronts. It brings together leading experts in many sub-disciplines, highlighting the measurements that are likely to drive the growing understanding of reionization and the cosmic dawn, and lays out a roadmap to interpreting the wealth of upcoming observations. The birth of the first stars and galaxies, and their impact on the diffuse matter permeating the early Universe, is one of the final frontiers in cosmology. Recently, measurements of the fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), sourced only a few hundred thousand years after the Big Bang, provided robust insight into the overall physical content of our Universe. On the other end of the timeline, groundbreaking telescopes provide us a picture of the complexities of the galaxy-rich universe in which we now live. However, we know almost nothing about the astrophysics of the first billion years. During this relatively brief epoch, a tiny fraction of matter condensed inside the first galaxies, forming the first stars. This culminated in the final major phase change of our universe, cosmological reionization, which lifted the cosmic fog and allowed visible light to spread throughout space. This mysterious epoch of reionization corresponds to the transition between the relative simplicity of the early universe and the complexity of the present-day one. It is fundamental in understanding cosmic origins, and its impact on structure formation resonates even to this day. Until recently, there was very little observational insight into the epoch of reionization. Subsequent observational and theoretical advancements have begun to paint a picture of a complicated, extended, inhomogeneous process. At its core, the process of cosmological reionization involves understanding how stars and clumps of gas impact each other and eventually the entire Universe. The challenges associated with such an enormous range of relevant scales, coupled with our relatively poor understanding of the dominant astrophysics, have thus far impeded efforts to form a solid theoretical framework. As such, the interpretation of the reionization data currently available remains controversial even as the wealth of data is increasing thanks to more sophisticated analytical and numerical approaches. Investigations have become subtler, discarding the “one size fits all” approach in favor of focused studies with specialized tools, placing astrophysics on the cusp of a dramatic increase in knowledge. What is the best use of limited observational resources? How to develop theoretical tools tailored for each observation? Ultimately, what will be learned about the epoch of reionization and the Universe’s galactic ancestors?
The dawn of the first stars, galaxies and black holes signaled a fundamental milestone in our Universe’s evolution: the Epoch of Reionization. The light from these galactic ancestors began spreading out, ionizing virtually every atom in existence. Our Universe transitioned from darkness to light, from cold to hot, from simple and boring to the wondrous cosmic zoo we see around us today. Despite its importance, observations of reionization have been few, and their interpretation has been highly controversial. Fortunately, this is rapidly changing. We will soon enter the "Big Data” era of this mysterious epoch, driven by an upcoming wave of observations with state-of-the-art telescopes as well as new sophisticated analysis tools. 

The aim of this volume is to summarize the current status and future outlook of the reionization field. We bring together leading experts in many sub-disciplines, highlighting the measurements that will illuminate our understanding of reionization and the cosmic dawn: (i) 21cm interferometry; (ii) high-redshift quasar spectra; (iii) high-redshift galaxy surveys; (iv) primary and secondary anisotropies of the Cosmic Microwave Background; (v) high-resolution studies of the metal content of early galaxies. We seek a roadmap to interpreting the wealth of upcoming observations. What is the best use of limited observational resources? How do we develop theoretical tools tailored for each observation? Ultimately, what will we learn about the epoch of reionization and our galactic ancestors?
Brings together experts from diverse fields to create a comprehensive picture of reionization and the cosmic dawn of the Universe Forms a timely guide for robustly interpreting the wave of recent and upcoming observations from Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe and more Provides a useful reference for experts on the latest developments in this rapidly-evolving frontier of cosmology and serves as a pedagogical and comprehensive guide for graduate students just embarking on their research careers Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Andrei Mesinger

Themen in »Understanding the Epoch of Cosmic Reionization«

Cosmic Background Radiation Cosmic Dawn Early Universe Astrophysics First Light Cosmology Future Observational Advances in Astrophysics Galaxy Formation Intergalactic Medium Observational Probes of Reionization Sloan Digital Sky Survey Universe's Dark Ages Visible Light's Emergence in Universe

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“This is an excellent introduction to the ‘Epoch of Reionization’. … It is very timely, as it is a relatively new frontier in several senses … . this is an excellent collection of articles that give a balanced and comprehensive review of the state of the subject, and it is thoroughly recommended for students embarking on the topic, for the wider community of cosmologists, and for experts in the field, who will probably also learn something new as well.” (Alan Heavens, The Observatory, Vol. 137 (1256), February, 2017)

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