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Peering into the dark (ages) with low-frequency space interferometers: Using the 21-cm signal of neutral hydrogen from the infant universe to probe fundamental (Astro)physics.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Change log

Authors

Barkana, Rennan 
Bentum, Mark 
Bernardi, Gianni 
Boonstra, Albert-Jan 

Abstract

The Dark Ages and Cosmic Dawn are largely unexplored windows on the infant Universe (z ~ 200-10). Observations of the redshifted 21-cm line of neutral hydrogen can provide valuable new insight into fundamental physics and astrophysics during these eras that no other probe can provide, and drives the design of many future ground-based instruments such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA). We review progress in the field of high-redshift 21-cm Cosmology, in particular focussing on what questions can be addressed by probing the Dark Ages at z > 30. We conclude that only a space- or lunar-based radio telescope, shielded from the Earth's radio-frequency interference (RFI) signals and its ionosphere, enable the 21-cm signal from the Dark Ages to be detected. We suggest a generic mission design concept, CoDEX, that will enable this in the coming decades.

Description

Keywords

21-cm cosmology, Cosmic dawn, Dark ages, Epoch of reionization, Space or lunar-based radio telescopes

Journal Title

Exp Astron (Dordr)

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0922-6435
1572-9508

Volume Title

51

Publisher

Springer Nature
Sponsorship
European Research Council (884760)