Theoretical Models of Helium Reionization

AST-0607470 Furlanetto氢和氦的再电离是宇宙历史上的里程碑事件，构成了星系际介质（IGM）的重要相变，并影响了后来各处的结构形成。 虽然氢的再电离受到了最多的关注，但令人兴奋的关于氦的新数据来自中等红移类星体的远紫外光谱。 本计画的目的是建立一个以物理为动机的氦再电离的综合模型，包括源聚集、不均匀性以及源与吸收体之间的相关性。 分析模型将与数值模拟进行比较，然后根据现有和未来的观测结果进行测试。 最终结果将揭示很多关于源的内在属性及其与IGM的关系。有一个紧密集成的教育组件，包括研究生的论文工作，以及通过耶鲁大学现有项目进行的本科生研究;该项目是模块化的，适合短期但有意义的研究。 这项工作应该在天体物理学界产生广泛的反响，对类星体演化、IGM和结构形成产生影响。

AST-0607470FurlanettoThe reionization of hydrogen and helium are landmark events in the history of the Universe, constituting important phase transitions for the intergalactic medium (IGM) and impacting later structure formation everywhere. Although hydrogen reionization has received the most attention, exciting new data on helium are coming from far-ultraviolet spectra of moderate redshift quasars. This project aims to build a physically motivated, comprehensive model for helium reionization, including source clustering, inhomogeneities, and the correlations between sources and absorbers. The analytic model will be compared to numerical simulations and then tested against existing and future observations. The end result will reveal a lot about the intrinsic properties of the sources and their relation to the IGM.There is a tightly integrated educational component, including a graduate student's thesis work, and undergraduate research through existing programs at Yale University; the project is modular and lends itself well to short-term but meaningful research. This work should have wide repercussions within the astrophysical community, with implications for quasar evolution, the IGM, and structure formation.