Constraining low redshift [CII] Emission by Cross-Correlating FIRAS and BOSS Data

Abstract

We perform a tomographic cross-correlation analysis of archival FIRAS data and the BOSS galaxy redshift survey to constrain the amplitude of [C II] 2 𝑃 3/2 → 2 𝑃 1/2 fine structure emission. Our analysis employs spherical harmonic tomography (SHT), which is based on the angular cross-power spectrum between FIRAS maps and BOSS galaxy over-densities at each pair of redshift bins, over a redshift range of 0.24 < 𝑧 < 0.69. We develop the SHT approach for intensity mapping, where it has several advantages over existing power spectral estimators. Our analysis constrains the product of the [C II] bias and [C II] specific intensity, 𝑏 [C II] 𝐼 [C II] , to be < 0.31 MJy/sr at 𝑧≈0.35 and < 0.28 MJy/sr at 𝑧≈0.57 at 95% confidence. These limits are consistent with most current models of the [C II] signal, as well as with higher-redshift [C II] cross-power spectrum measurements from the Planck satellite and BOSS quasars. We also show that our analysis, if applied to data from a more sensitive instrument such as the proposed PIXIE satellite, can detect pessimistic [C II] models at high significance.

Snowmass 2021 Cosmic Frontier White Paper: Cosmology with Millimeter-Wave Line Intensity Mapping

“…Beyond the fundamental physics goals outlined above, a wide-field high-redshift LIM survey would also be a valuable tool for a broader range of astrophysical studies; see e.g., [1,86]. LIM surveys provide a unique window into the aggregate properties of faint, distant galaxies unobservable by traditional surveys, probing galaxy growth and evolution [10,13,[87][88][89][90] as well as the process of cosmic reionization [91].…”