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.
The Growth of HII Regions During Reionization
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abstract
Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in understanding the reionization of hydrogen in the intergalactic medium (IGM). One of the major outstanding questions is how this event proceeds on large scales. Motivated by numerical simulations, we develop a model for the growth of HII regions during the reionization era. We associate ionized regions with large-scale density fluctuations and use the excursion set formalism to model the resulting size distribution. We then consider ways in which to characterize the morphology of ionized regions. We show how to construct the power spectrum of fluctuations in the neutral hydrogen field. The power spectrum contains definite features from the HII regions that should be observable with the next generation of low-frequency radio telescopes through surveys of redshifted 21 cm emission from the reionization era. Finally, we also consider statistical descriptions beyond the power spectrum and show that our model of reionization qualitatively changes the distribution of neutral gas in the IGM.
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2026 5representative citing papers
Self-interacting dark matter increases the Euler characteristic of the reionization ionization field by 60-70% for cross-sections above 2 cm2/g through changes in ionizing source populations.
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.
Using JWST UV luminosity functions, the surface density of galaxy-driven ionized bubbles with radius ≥2.5 cMpc at z≈13 is estimated at 1.33×10^{-2} arcmin^{-2} per Δz=1 in a fiducial model with f_esc=0.2 and log ξ_ion=25.5.
This review summarizes SKA-Low's tomographic imaging potential for the 21-cm signal and its connection to the global 21-cm signal.
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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Reionization Topology as a Probe of Self-Interacting Dark Matter
Self-interacting dark matter increases the Euler characteristic of the reionization ionization field by 60-70% for cross-sections above 2 cm2/g through changes in ionizing source populations.
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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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The Incidence of Large Ionized Bubbles at Redshift 13
Using JWST UV luminosity functions, the surface density of galaxy-driven ionized bubbles with radius ≥2.5 cMpc at z≈13 is estimated at 1.33×10^{-2} arcmin^{-2} per Δz=1 in a fiducial model with f_esc=0.2 and log ξ_ion=25.5.
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Imaging the 21-cm Signal from the Cosmic Dawn & Epoch of Reionization and the Connection with the Global Signal
This review summarizes SKA-Low's tomographic imaging potential for the 21-cm signal and its connection to the global 21-cm signal.