Constraining the Evolution of the Ionizing Background and the Epoch of Reionization with<i>z</i> ~ 6 Quasars. II. A Sample of 19 Quasars

Fan, Xiaohui; Strauss, Michael A.; Becker, R. H.; White, R. L.; Gunn, James E.; Knapp, G. R.; Richards, Gordon T.; Schneider, Donald P.; Brinkmann, Jonathan; Fukugita, M.

doi:10.1086/504836

Cited by 1,340 publications

(1,456 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…First, the dot-hatched region in Fig. 9 shows models where reionization completes 5.8 zion 6.6, as inferred from the spectra of high-redshift QSOs (Fan et al 2006;Bolton et al 2011;McGreer et al 2015); these are also shown by the solid diamonds and open squares in Fig. 10.…”

Section: Other Reionization Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Attempts have also been made to measure the ionization state of the IGM directly. Reionization is relatively wellconstrained to be completed at z 6 by analysis of the Gunn-Peterson effect (Gunn & Peterson 1965) in the spectra of high-redshift QSOs (e.g., Fan et al 2006;Willott et al 2007;Bolton et al 2011;McGreer et al 2015) and gammaray bursts (GRBs, e.g., Chornock et al 2013). Preliminary measurements of the IGM neutral fraction at z ∼ 7-8 have been made using the Lyα emission fraction of star-forming galaxies (e.g., Stark et al 2010;Treu et al 2013;Pentericci et al 2014;Tilvi et al 2014;Faisst et al 2014;Schenker et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Constraints on the star formation efficiency of galaxies during the epoch of reionization

Sun

Furlanetto

2016

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

183

157

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Reionization is thought to have occurred in the redshift range of 6 < z < 9, which is now being probed by both deep galaxy surveys and CMB observations. Using halo abundance matching over the redshift range 5 < z < 8 and assuming smooth, continuous gas accretion, we develop a model for the star formation efficiency f of dark matter halos at z > 6 that matches the measured galaxy luminosity functions at these redshifts. We find that f peaks at ∼ 30% at halo masses M ∼ 10 11 -10 12 M , in qualitative agreement with its behavior at lower redshifts. We then investigate the cosmic star formation histories and the corresponding models of reionization for a range of extrapolations to small halo masses. We use a variety of observations to further constrain the characteristics of the galaxy populations, including the escape fraction of UV photons. Our approach provides an empirically-calibrated, physically-motivated model for the properties of star-forming galaxies sourcing the epoch of reionization. In the case where star formation in low-mass halos is maximally efficient, an average escape fraction ∼ 0.1 can reproduce the optical depth reported by Planck, whereas inefficient star formation in these halos requires either about twice as many UV photons to escape, or an escape fraction that increases towards higher redshifts. Our models also predict how future observations with JWST can improve our understanding of these galaxy populations.

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Section: Other Reionization Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constraints on the star formation efficiency of galaxies during the epoch of reionization

Sun

Furlanetto

2016

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

183

157

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“…As of today, the main observational constraints on reionization come from the CMB polarization data (e.g., those from the WMAP and Planck experiments, Planck Collaboration et al 2013a) and the quasar absorption spectra at z 5.5 (Fan et al 2006). Detailed models which are able to match these and a variety of other observations predict the reionization to be process extended over 6 z 15.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reionization constraints on primordial magnetic fields

Pandey

Choudhury

Sethi

et al. 2015

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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We study the impact of the extra density fluctuations induced by primordial magnetic fields on the reionization history in the redshift range: 6 < z < 10. We perform a comprehensive MCMC physical analysis allowing the variation of parameters related to primordial magnetic fields (strength, B 0 , and power-spectrum index n B ), reionization, and ΛCDM cosmological model. We find that magnetic field strengths in the range: B 0 ≃ 0.05-0.3 nG (for nearly scale-free power spectra) can significantly alter the reionization history in the above redshift range and can relieve the tension between the WMAP and quasar absorption spectra data. Our analysis puts upper-limits on the magnetic field strength B 0 < 0.358, 0.120, 0.059 nG (95 % c.l.) for n B = −2.95, −2.9, −2.85, respectively. These represent the strongest magnetic field constraints among those available from other cosmological observables.

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“…The fainter magnitude limit, corresponding to atomic cooling halos of mass M h ∼ 10 9 M , is fully consistent with the Planck results, considering the uncertainty in the reionization model parameters. This calculation shows that ultrafaint galaxies can in principle provide enough photons to fully reionize the universe by z ∼ 6 to match observations of the Lyα forest (Fan et al 2006). Both magnitude limits are broadly consistent with a range of constraints from observations, within the reionization model uncertainty: UV luminosity densities (Finkelstein et al 2012) for observable galaxies; quasar near zones (Venemans et al 2015); quasar spectra damping wings (Schroeder et al 2013); GRB spectra damping wings (McQuinn et al 2008); transmission (Fan et al 2006) and dark gaps (McGreer et al 2015) in the Lyα forest; and the clustering of Lyα emitting galaxies (Ouchi et al 2010).…”

Section: Q(z)mentioning

confidence: 62%

“…We plot our results from integrating the model UV LFs to two magnitude limits of Mab = −17 (green) and Mab = −12 (purple), with 1σ confidence regions as shaded regions. We also plot constraints derived from observations of: Lyα emission from galaxies (open circles, Ouchi et al 2010;Pentericci et al 2014;Tilvi et al 2014;Faisst et al 2014;Schenker et al 2014); the Lyα forest (filled circles, Fan et al 2006); the clustering of Lyα emitting galaxies (square, Ouchi et al 2010); GRB spectra damping wings (diamond, McQuinn et al 2008); dark gaps in the Lyα forest (upper triangles, McGreer et al 2015); quasar near zones (star, Venemans et al 2015); and quasar spectra damping wings (lower triangle, Schroeder et al 2013). We also plot the Planck Collaboration et al (2015) redshift of instantaneous reionization.…”

Section: Q(z)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Galaxy UV Luminosity Function Before the Epoch of Reionization

Mason

Trenti²,

Treu

2015

Proc. IAU

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We present a model for the evolution of the galaxy ultraviolet (UV) luminosity function (LF) across cosmic time where star formation is linked to the assembly of dark matter halos under the assumption of a mass dependent, but redshift independent, efficiency. We introduce a new self-consistent treatment of the halo star formation history, which allows us to make predictions at z > 10 (lookback time ∼ < 500 Myr), when growth is rapid. With a calibration at a single redshift to set the stellar-to-halo mass ratio, and no further degrees of freedom, our model captures the evolution of the UV LF over all available observations (0 ∼ < z ∼ < 10). The significant drop in luminosity density of currently detectable galaxies beyond z ∼ 8 is explained by a shift of star formation toward less massive, fainter galaxies. Assuming that star formation proceeds down to atomic cooling halos, we derive a reionization optical depth τ = 0.056 +0.007 −0.010 , fully consistent with the latest Planck measurement, implying that the universe is fully reionized at z = 7.84 +0.65 −0.98 . In addition, our model naturally produces smoothly rising star formation histories for galaxies with L ∼ < L * in agreement with observations and hydrodynamical simulations. Before the epoch of reionization at z > 10 we predict the LF to remain well-described by a Schechter function, but with an increasingly steep faint-end slope (α ∼ −3.5 at z ∼ 16). Finally, we construct forecasts for surveys with JWST and WFIRST and predict that galaxies out to z ∼ 14 will be observed. Galaxies at z > 15 will likely be accessible to JWST and WFIRST only through the assistance of strong lensing magnification.

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Constraining the Evolution of the Ionizing Background and the Epoch of Reionization withz ~ 6 Quasars. II. A Sample of 19 Quasars

Cited by 1,340 publications

References 108 publications

Constraints on the star formation efficiency of galaxies during the epoch of reionization

Constraints on the star formation efficiency of galaxies during the epoch of reionization

Reionization constraints on primordial magnetic fields

The Galaxy UV Luminosity Function Before the Epoch of Reionization

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