Collaborative Research: Exploring Reionization and the Cosmic Dawn through Cross-Correlations

在接下来的几年里，新的天文天文台将彻底改变我们对宇宙中形成的最早几代星系的理解。詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜将对这些星系进行史无前例的普查，而西蒙斯天文台和再电离阵列氢纪元等仪器将探索它们对周围宇宙的影响。然而，要最大限度地提高这些望远镜的科学回报，就需要对第一代星系进行复杂的建模。这个项目是内华达大学、加州大学洛杉矶分校和亚利桑那州立大学的科学家合作的，目的是开发一套灵活、强大的模型来解释来自这些强大望远镜的即将到来的观测。作为该项目的一部分，该团队还将专注于为来自代表性不足群体的本科生提供研究培训，从而帮助多样化下一代天文学研究人员。此外，该团队将开发在线教材，让孩子们参与到科学过程中来。这个项目有三个主要目标。首先，提议团队将开发一系列新的星系建模工具，以改进对再电离时代的半数值模拟。从他们现有的这些星系的分析模型开始，研究小组将增加莱曼-阿尔法发射线的处方，然后将其与星系场的大体积数值模拟相结合。该团队将使用这些模型来研究再电离对莱曼-阿尔法线的影响，不仅在平均意义上，而且在应用于特定星系群时也是如此。其次，该项目将开发用于数据集之间的“交叉比较”的工具。目标是探索星系勘测如何测量大范围的密度和电离场，以便为星系间介质的测量提供信息，该团队将研究低频无线电测量如何识别电离区域，以便为星系测量提供信息。最后，这个项目将预测高红移星系测量、21厘米信号、线强度映射信号和宇宙微波背景测量之间的交叉相关结果。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Over the next several years, new astronomical observatories are poised to revolutionize our understanding of the earliest generations of galaxies to form in our Universe. The James Webb Space Telescope will provide an unprecedented census of these galaxies, while instruments such as the Simons Observatory and Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array will explore their impact on the surrounding Universe. However, maximizing the science return of these telescopes requires sophisticated modeling of this first generation of galaxies. This project is a collaboration between scientists at the University of Nevada, the University of California, Los Angeles, and Arizona State University, to develop a suite of flexible, powerful models for interpreting the up-coming observations from these powerful telescopes. As a part of this project, the team will also focus on providing research training for undergraduate students from underrepresented groups, and thus help diversify the next generation of astronomy researchers. In addition, the team will develop online teaching materials to engage children in the scientific process.This project has three principal aims. First, the proposing team will develop a series of new galaxy modeling tools to improve semi-numeric simulations of the Epoch of Reionization. Beginning with their existing analytic models of these galaxies, the team will add prescriptions for Lyman-alpha emission lines, which will then be combined with large-volume numerical simulations of the galaxy field. The team will use these models to study how reionization impacts the Lyman-alpha lines, not only in an average sense but also when applied to specific galaxy populations. Second, this project will develop tools for "cross-comparisons" between data sets. The goal is to explore how galaxy surveys can measure the large-scale density and ionization fields to inform measurements of the intergalactic medium, and the team will examine how low-frequency radio measurements can identify ionized regions to inform galaxy measurements. Finally, this project will forecast the results of cross-correlations between measurements of high-redshift galaxy surveys, the 21cm signal, line intensity mapping signals, and the cosmic microwave background.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.