Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function
The autocorrelation function of the Lyman-α (Ly α) forest flux from high-z quasars probes the small-scale structure of the intergalactic medium (IGM). The thermal state of the IGM, determined by the physics of reionization, sets the small-scale power observed in the Ly α forest. To explore the sensi...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Estado: | Versão publicada |
| Data de publicação: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
| Repositório: | idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:idus.us.es:11441/174966 |
| Acesso em linha: | https://hdl.handle.net/11441/174966 https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf753 |
| Access Level: | Acceso aberto |
| Palavra-chave: | Methods: statistical Intergalactic medium Quasars: absorption lines Dark ages Reionization First stars |
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Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation functionWolfson, MollyHennawi, Joseph F.Davies, Frederick B.Lukic, ZarijaOñorbe Bernis, JoséMethods: statisticalIntergalactic mediumQuasars: absorption linesDark agesReionizationFirst starsThe autocorrelation function of the Lyman-α (Ly α) forest flux from high-z quasars probes the small-scale structure of the intergalactic medium (IGM). The thermal state of the IGM, determined by the physics of reionization, sets the small-scale power observed in the Ly α forest. To explore the sensitivity of the autocorrelation function to the IGM’s thermal state, we compute the autocorrelation function from a cosmological hydrodynamical simulation with an instantaneous reionization model and 135 post-processed thermal states. Using mock data sets of 20 quasars, we forecast constraints on T0 and γ , which characterize the post-processed IGM thermalstate, at 5.4 ≤ z ≤ 6. While this model simplifiesthe IGM’sthermalstate, itserves as a key firststep in assessing future observational prospects. We also perform an inference test on mocks and re-weight out posterior distributions to guarantee that they exhibit statistically correct behaviour. At z = 5.4, we find that an idealized data set constrains T0 to 59 per cent and γ to 16 per cent at the 1σ equivalent confidence level. To explore more realistic, non-instantaneous reionization scenarios, we analyse four models combining temperature and ultraviolet background (UVB) fluctuations at z = 5.8. We find that mock data generated from a model with both temperature and UVB fluctuations can rule out a model with only temperature fluctuations at the > 1σ level 73.9 per cent of the time.Oxford University PressFísica Atómica, Molecular y NuclearNational Energy Research Scientific Computing Center National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) U. S.2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/11441/174966https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf753reponame:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevillainstname:Universidad de Sevilla (US)InglésMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 540 (2), 1412-1431.DE-AC02-05CH11231https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf753info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:idus.us.es:11441/1749662026-06-17T12:51:07Z |
| dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function |
| title |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function |
| spellingShingle |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function Wolfson, Molly Methods: statistical Intergalactic medium Quasars: absorption lines Dark ages Reionization First stars |
| title_short |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function |
| title_full |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function |
| title_fullStr |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function |
| title_sort |
Forecasting constraints on the high-z IGM thermal state from the Lyman-α forest flux autocorrelation function |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv |
Wolfson, Molly Hennawi, Joseph F. Davies, Frederick B. Lukic, Zarija Oñorbe Bernis, José |
| author |
Wolfson, Molly |
| author_facet |
Wolfson, Molly Hennawi, Joseph F. Davies, Frederick B. Lukic, Zarija Oñorbe Bernis, José |
| author_role |
author |
| author2 |
Hennawi, Joseph F. Davies, Frederick B. Lukic, Zarija Oñorbe Bernis, José |
| author2_role |
author author author author |
| dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv |
Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) U. S. |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv |
Methods: statistical Intergalactic medium Quasars: absorption lines Dark ages Reionization First stars |
| topic |
Methods: statistical Intergalactic medium Quasars: absorption lines Dark ages Reionization First stars |
| description |
The autocorrelation function of the Lyman-α (Ly α) forest flux from high-z quasars probes the small-scale structure of the intergalactic medium (IGM). The thermal state of the IGM, determined by the physics of reionization, sets the small-scale power observed in the Ly α forest. To explore the sensitivity of the autocorrelation function to the IGM’s thermal state, we compute the autocorrelation function from a cosmological hydrodynamical simulation with an instantaneous reionization model and 135 post-processed thermal states. Using mock data sets of 20 quasars, we forecast constraints on T0 and γ , which characterize the post-processed IGM thermalstate, at 5.4 ≤ z ≤ 6. While this model simplifiesthe IGM’sthermalstate, itserves as a key firststep in assessing future observational prospects. We also perform an inference test on mocks and re-weight out posterior distributions to guarantee that they exhibit statistically correct behaviour. At z = 5.4, we find that an idealized data set constrains T0 to 59 per cent and γ to 16 per cent at the 1σ equivalent confidence level. To explore more realistic, non-instantaneous reionization scenarios, we analyse four models combining temperature and ultraviolet background (UVB) fluctuations at z = 5.8. We find that mock data generated from a model with both temperature and UVB fluctuations can rule out a model with only temperature fluctuations at the > 1σ level 73.9 per cent of the time. |
| 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/11441/174966 https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf753 |
| url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11441/174966 https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf753 |
| 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, 540 (2), 1412-1431. DE-AC02-05CH11231 https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf753 |
| dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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openAccess |
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application/pdf application/pdf |
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Oxford University Press |
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Oxford University Press |
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reponame:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla instname:Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
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Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
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idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
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