The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity

The epoch of hydrogen reionization is complete by z = 5, but its progression at higherredshiftsis uncertain. Measurements of Ly α forest opacity show large scatter at z<6,suggestive ofspatial fluctuationsin neutral fraction, temperature, or ionizing background, either individually or in combinati...

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Autores: Doughty, Caitlin C., Hennawi, Joseph F., Oñorbe Bernis, José, Davies, Frederick B., Lukic, Zarija
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:idus.us.es:11441/176031
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/176031
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf616
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:intergalactic medium – quasars: absorption lines – dark ages
reionization
first stars
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spelling The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacityDoughty, Caitlin C.Hennawi, Joseph F.Oñorbe Bernis, JoséDavies, Frederick B.Lukic, Zarijaintergalactic medium – quasars: absorption lines – dark agesreionizationfirst starsThe epoch of hydrogen reionization is complete by z = 5, but its progression at higherredshiftsis uncertain. Measurements of Ly α forest opacity show large scatter at z<6,suggestive ofspatial fluctuationsin neutral fraction, temperature, or ionizing background, either individually or in combination. However, there are degeneracies in the impact of such fluctuations, necessitating careful modelling. We develop a framework for modelling the reionization history and associated temperature fluctuations, with the intention of incorporating ionizing background fluctuations at a later time. We generate several reionization histories using seminumerical code AMBER, and implement them in the Nyx cosmological hydrodynamics code to examine the impact on the evolution of gas within the simulation and the associated metrics of the Ly α forest opacity. We find that the pressure smoothing scale within the intergalactic medium is strongly correlated with the adiabatic index of the temperature–density relation. We find that while models with 20 000 K photoheating at reionization are better able to reproduce the shape of the observed z = 5 1D flux power spectrum than colder ones, they fail to match the highest wavenumbers. The simulated autocorrelation function and optical depth distributions are systematically low and narrow, respectively, compared to the observed values, but are in better agreement when the reionization history is longer in duration, more symmetric in its distribution of reionization redshifts, or if there are remaining neutral regions at z<6.Oxford University PressFísica Atómica, Molecular y NuclearEuropean Union (UE)Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). EspañaAgencia Estatal de Investigación. EspañaMinisterio de Hacienda y Función Pública. EspañaJunta de Andalucía2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/11441/176031https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf616reponame:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevillainstname:Universidad de Sevilla (US)InglésMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 539 (4), 3027-3045.H2020 885301CNS2022-135878PID2022-138855NB-32PPIT2024-31833https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf616info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:idus.us.es:11441/1760312026-06-17T12:51:07Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
title The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
spellingShingle The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
Doughty, Caitlin C.
intergalactic medium – quasars: absorption lines – dark ages
reionization
first stars
title_short The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
title_full The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
title_fullStr The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
title_full_unstemmed The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
title_sort The impact of varying inhomogeneous reionization histories on metrics of Ly α opacity
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Doughty, Caitlin C.
Hennawi, Joseph F.
Oñorbe Bernis, José
Davies, Frederick B.
Lukic, Zarija
author Doughty, Caitlin C.
author_facet Doughty, Caitlin C.
Hennawi, Joseph F.
Oñorbe Bernis, José
Davies, Frederick B.
Lukic, Zarija
author_role author
author2 Hennawi, Joseph F.
Oñorbe Bernis, José
Davies, Frederick B.
Lukic, Zarija
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear
European Union (UE)
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España
Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España
Ministerio de Hacienda y Función Pública. España
Junta de Andalucía
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv intergalactic medium – quasars: absorption lines – dark ages
reionization
first stars
topic intergalactic medium – quasars: absorption lines – dark ages
reionization
first stars
description The epoch of hydrogen reionization is complete by z = 5, but its progression at higherredshiftsis uncertain. Measurements of Ly α forest opacity show large scatter at z<6,suggestive ofspatial fluctuationsin neutral fraction, temperature, or ionizing background, either individually or in combination. However, there are degeneracies in the impact of such fluctuations, necessitating careful modelling. We develop a framework for modelling the reionization history and associated temperature fluctuations, with the intention of incorporating ionizing background fluctuations at a later time. We generate several reionization histories using seminumerical code AMBER, and implement them in the Nyx cosmological hydrodynamics code to examine the impact on the evolution of gas within the simulation and the associated metrics of the Ly α forest opacity. We find that the pressure smoothing scale within the intergalactic medium is strongly correlated with the adiabatic index of the temperature–density relation. We find that while models with 20 000 K photoheating at reionization are better able to reproduce the shape of the observed z = 5 1D flux power spectrum than colder ones, they fail to match the highest wavenumbers. The simulated autocorrelation function and optical depth distributions are systematically low and narrow, respectively, compared to the observed values, but are in better agreement when the reionization history is longer in duration, more symmetric in its distribution of reionization redshifts, or if there are remaining neutral regions at z<6.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/11441/176031
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf616
url https://hdl.handle.net/11441/176031
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf616
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 539 (4), 3027-3045.
H2020 885301
CNS2022-135878
PID2022-138855NB-32
PPIT2024-31833
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf616
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Oxford University Press
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Oxford University Press
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
instname:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
instname_str Universidad de Sevilla (US)
reponame_str idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
collection idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,812429

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