A new analytical formalism self-consistently predicts both the ionized fraction x_i(z) and photoionization rate Gamma_HI(z), achieving percent-level accuracy in x_i and 20-30% accuracy in Gamma_HI versus radiative transfer simulations at z less than or equal to 6.
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Cosmic Reionization and Early Star-Forming Galaxies: A Joint Analysis of New Constraints from Planck and Hubble Space Telescope
10 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
abstract
We discuss new constraints on the epoch of cosmic reionization and test the assumption that most of the ionizing photons responsible arose from high redshift star-forming galaxies. Good progress has been made in charting the end of reionization through spectroscopic studies of z~6-8 QSOs, gamma-ray bursts and galaxies expected to host Lyman-alpha emission. However, the most stringent constraints on its duration have come from the integrated optical depth, tau, of Thomson scattering to the cosmic microwave background. Using the latest data on the abundance and luminosity distribution of distant galaxies from Hubble Space Telescope imaging, we simultaneously match the reduced value tau=0.066 +/- 0.012 recently reported by the Planck collaboration and the evolving neutrality of the intergalactic medium with a reionization history within 6 <~ z <~ 10, thereby reducing the requirement for a significant population of very high redshift (z>>10) galaxies. Our analysis strengthens the conclusion that star-forming galaxies dominated the reionization process and has important implications for upcoming 21cm experiments and searches for early galaxies with James Webb Space Telescope.
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representative citing papers
Angular power spectra of 610 MHz radio halos show excess power-law fluctuations only in Abell 2744, requiring multiplicative C_ℓ ∝ ℓ^{-3} structure atop an exponential profile and consistent with ICM turbulence.
Empirical three-parameter fit to f_esc(M_h,z) yields steep redshift evolution with population-averaged escape fraction rising from ~2% at z=5 to ~9% at z=12.
Mass ratio reversals produce qualitatively different contributions to BBH merger rates and masses in COMPAS versus SEVN simulations, with core-growth dominating and most systems arising from massive low-metallicity progenitors.
Supernova models yield coupling limits g_a ≲ 0.9×10^{-10} and g_φ ≲ 0.4×10^{-10} for masses above 100 keV from gamma-ray observations, plus stronger trapping-regime limits from explosion energy, that are difficult to reconcile with a muon g-2 explanation.
No monotonic reionization history fits Planck τ, patchy kSZ from SPT/ACT, and Lyα endpoint; an early ionization phase at z≳12 relaxes ∑mν<0.39 eV and shifts σ8 via As-τ degeneracy.
Long gamma-ray bursts imply a higher cosmic star formation rate density at z>6 than galaxy surveys detect, sufficient to drive reionization with moderate ionizing efficiency and escape fraction, implying a large population of undetected faint galaxies.
SKA-Mid is predicted to yield samples of 10-100 low-metallicity Lyman continuum emitting galaxies per square degree, enabling multi-wavelength studies of feedback processes linked to ionizing photon escape.
Simulations show recombination-weighted clumping is systematically lower than density-based measures, density-only prescriptions overpredict rates by 1.29-1.84 depending on redshift, and a new phase-space clumping factor isolates thermal and ionization effects at fixed density.
A mission-proposal science book forecasting observational yields for a proposed JAXA 2–18 µm infrared space telescope; no new measurement or derivation is presented.
citing papers explorer
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A self-consistent analytical model for both the photoionization rate and reionization history
A new analytical formalism self-consistently predicts both the ionized fraction x_i(z) and photoionization rate Gamma_HI(z), achieving percent-level accuracy in x_i and 20-30% accuracy in Gamma_HI versus radiative transfer simulations at z less than or equal to 6.
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Intensity fluctuations of radio halo in galaxy cluster: Insights from power spectrum estimation
Angular power spectra of 610 MHz radio halos show excess power-law fluctuations only in Abell 2744, requiring multiplicative C_ℓ ∝ ℓ^{-3} structure atop an exponential profile and consistent with ICM turbulence.
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Steep Redshift Evolution of the Ionizing Escape Fraction at $z = 5$--$12$: Empirical Constraints and Comparison with Simulations
Empirical three-parameter fit to f_esc(M_h,z) yields steep redshift evolution with population-averaged escape fraction rising from ~2% at z=5 to ~9% at z=12.
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Massquerade: Impacts of Mass Ratio Reversals on Binary Black Hole Merger Rates and Mass Distributions
Mass ratio reversals produce qualitatively different contributions to BBH merger rates and masses in COMPAS versus SEVN simulations, with core-growth dominating and most systems arising from massive low-metallicity progenitors.
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Muonic Boson Limits: Supernova Redux
Supernova models yield coupling limits g_a ≲ 0.9×10^{-10} and g_φ ≲ 0.4×10^{-10} for masses above 100 keV from gamma-ray observations, plus stronger trapping-regime limits from explosion energy, that are difficult to reconcile with a muon g-2 explanation.
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A hidden reionization prior biases cosmological inference
No monotonic reionization history fits Planck τ, patchy kSZ from SPT/ACT, and Lyα endpoint; an early ionization phase at z≳12 relaxes ∑mν<0.39 eV and shifts σ8 via As-τ degeneracy.
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Gamma-ray bursts reveal the history and faint contributors of cosmic reionization
Long gamma-ray bursts imply a higher cosmic star formation rate density at z>6 than galaxy surveys detect, sufficient to drive reionization with moderate ionizing efficiency and escape fraction, implying a large population of undetected faint galaxies.
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Probing the Nature of Lyman Continuum Emitting and Low-metallicity Galaxies Using the SKA
SKA-Mid is predicted to yield samples of 10-100 low-metallicity Lyman continuum emitting galaxies per square degree, enabling multi-wavelength studies of feedback processes linked to ionizing photon escape.
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The Lumina Project: Intergalactic Clumping and Recombination Sinks
Simulations show recombination-weighted clumping is systematically lower than density-based measures, density-only prescriptions overpredict rates by 1.29-1.84 depending on redshift, and a new phase-space clumping factor isolates thermal and ionization effects at fixed density.
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GREX-PLUS Science Book v2
A mission-proposal science book forecasting observational yields for a proposed JAXA 2–18 µm infrared space telescope; no new measurement or derivation is presented.