A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization

Nithyanandan Thyagarajan; N. Udaya Shankar; Ravi Subrahmanyan; Wayne Arcus; Gianni Bernardi; Judd Bowman; Frank Briggs; John D. Bunton; Roger J. Cappallo; Brian E. Corey; Ludi Desouza; David Emrich; Bryan M. Gaensler; Robert F. Goeke; Lincoln J. Greenhill; Bryna J. Hazelton; David Herne; Jacqueline N. Hewitt; Melanie Johnston-Hollitt; David L. Kaplan; Justin C. Kasper; Barton B. Kincaid; Ronald Koenig; Eric Kratzenberg; Colin J. Lonsdale; Mervyn J. Lynch; S. Russell McWhirter; Daniel A. Mitchell; Miguel F. Morales; Edward H. Morgan; Divya Oberoi; Stephen M. Ord; Joseph Pathikulangara; Ronald A. Remillard; Alan E E Rogers; D. Anish Roshi; Joseph E. Salah; Robert J. Sault; K. S. Srivani; Jamie B. Stevens; Prabu Thiagaraj; Steven J. Tingay; Randall B. Wayth; Mark Waterson; Rachel L. Webster; Alan R. Whitney; Andrew J. Williams; Christopher L. Williams; J. Stuart B Wyithe

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/6

A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization

Nithyanandan Thyagarajan, N. Udaya Shankar, Ravi Subrahmanyan, Wayne Arcus, Gianni Bernardi, Judd Bowman, Frank Briggs, John D. Bunton, Roger J. Cappallo, Brian E. Corey, Ludi Desouza, David Emrich, Bryan M. Gaensler, Robert F. Goeke, Lincoln J. Greenhill, Bryna J. Hazelton, David Herne, Jacqueline N. Hewitt, Melanie Johnston-Hollitt, David L. KaplanJustin C. Kasper, Barton B. Kincaid, Ronald Koenig, Eric Kratzenberg, Colin J. Lonsdale, Mervyn J. Lynch, S. Russell McWhirter, Daniel A. Mitchell, Miguel F. Morales, Edward H. Morgan, Divya Oberoi, Stephen M. Ord, Joseph Pathikulangara, Ronald A. Remillard, Alan E E Rogers, D. Anish Roshi, Joseph E. Salah, Robert J. Sault, K. S. Srivani, Jamie B. Stevens, Prabu Thiagaraj, Steven J. Tingay, Randall B. Wayth, Mark Waterson, Rachel L. Webster, Alan R. Whitney, Andrew J. Williams, Christopher L. Williams, J. Stuart B Wyithe

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

116 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, we explore for the first time the relative magnitudes of three fundamental sources of uncertainty, namely, foreground contamination, thermal noise, and sample variance, in detecting the H I power spectrum from the epoch of reionization (EoR). We derive limits on the sensitivity of a Fourier synthesis telescope to detect EoR based on its array configuration and a statistical representation of images made by the instrument. We use the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) configuration for our studies. Using a unified framework for estimating signal and noise components in the H I power spectrum, we derive an expression for and estimate the contamination from extragalactic point-like sources in three-dimensional k-space. Sensitivity for EoR H I power spectrum detection is estimated for different observing modes with MWA. With 1000 hr of observing on a single field using the 128 tile MWA, EoR detection is feasible (S/N >1 for k ≲ 0.8 Mpc^-1). Bandpass shaping and refinements to the EoR window are found to be effective in containing foreground contamination, which makes the instrument tolerant to imaging errors. We find that for a given observing time, observing many independent fields of view does not offer an advantage over a single field observation when thermal noise dominates over other uncertainties in the derived power spectrum.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	776
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/6
State	Published - Oct 10 2013

Keywords

dark ages, reionization, first stars
large-scale structure of universe
methods: statistical
radio continuum: galaxies
radio lines: general
techniques: interferometric

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/6

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Thyagarajan, N., Udaya Shankar, N., Subrahmanyan, R., Arcus, W., Bernardi, G., Bowman, J., Briggs, F., Bunton, J. D., Cappallo, R. J., Corey, B. E., Desouza, L., Emrich, D., Gaensler, B. M., Goeke, R. F., Greenhill, L. J., Hazelton, B. J., Herne, D., Hewitt, J. N., Johnston-Hollitt, M., ... Wyithe, J. S. B. (2013). A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization. Astrophysical Journal, 776(1), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/6

Thyagarajan, N, Udaya Shankar, N, Subrahmanyan, R, Arcus, W, Bernardi, G, Bowman, J, Briggs, F, Bunton, JD, Cappallo, RJ, Corey, BE, Desouza, L, Emrich, D, Gaensler, BM, Goeke, RF, Greenhill, LJ, Hazelton, BJ, Herne, D, Hewitt, JN, Johnston-Hollitt, M, Kaplan, DL, Kasper, JC, Kincaid, BB, Koenig, R, Kratzenberg, E, Lonsdale, CJ, Lynch, MJ, McWhirter, SR, Mitchell, DA, Morales, MF, Morgan, EH, Oberoi, D, Ord, SM, Pathikulangara, J, Remillard, RA, Rogers, AEE, Roshi, DA, Salah, JE, Sault, RJ, Srivani, KS, Stevens, JB, Thiagaraj, P, Tingay, SJ, Wayth, RB, Waterson, M, Webster, RL, Whitney, AR, Williams, AJ, Williams, CL & Wyithe, JSB 2013, 'A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 776, no. 1, 6. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/6

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title = "A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization",

abstract = "In this paper, we explore for the first time the relative magnitudes of three fundamental sources of uncertainty, namely, foreground contamination, thermal noise, and sample variance, in detecting the H I power spectrum from the epoch of reionization (EoR). We derive limits on the sensitivity of a Fourier synthesis telescope to detect EoR based on its array configuration and a statistical representation of images made by the instrument. We use the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) configuration for our studies. Using a unified framework for estimating signal and noise components in the H I power spectrum, we derive an expression for and estimate the contamination from extragalactic point-like sources in three-dimensional k-space. Sensitivity for EoR H I power spectrum detection is estimated for different observing modes with MWA. With 1000 hr of observing on a single field using the 128 tile MWA, EoR detection is feasible (S/N >1 for k ≲ 0.8 Mpc-1). Bandpass shaping and refinements to the EoR window are found to be effective in containing foreground contamination, which makes the instrument tolerant to imaging errors. We find that for a given observing time, observing many independent fields of view does not offer an advantage over a single field observation when thermal noise dominates over other uncertainties in the derived power spectrum.",

keywords = "dark ages, reionization, first stars, large-scale structure of universe, methods: statistical, radio continuum: galaxies, radio lines: general, techniques: interferometric",

author = "Nithyanandan Thyagarajan and {Udaya Shankar}, N. and Ravi Subrahmanyan and Wayne Arcus and Gianni Bernardi and Judd Bowman and Frank Briggs and Bunton, {John D.} and Cappallo, {Roger J.} and Corey, {Brian E.} and Ludi Desouza and David Emrich and Gaensler, {Bryan M.} and Goeke, {Robert F.} and Greenhill, {Lincoln J.} and Hazelton, {Bryna J.} and David Herne and Hewitt, {Jacqueline N.} and Melanie Johnston-Hollitt and Kaplan, {David L.} and Kasper, {Justin C.} and Kincaid, {Barton B.} and Ronald Koenig and Eric Kratzenberg and Lonsdale, {Colin J.} and Lynch, {Mervyn J.} and McWhirter, {S. Russell} and Mitchell, {Daniel A.} and Morales, {Miguel F.} and Morgan, {Edward H.} and Divya Oberoi and Ord, {Stephen M.} and Joseph Pathikulangara and Remillard, {Ronald A.} and Rogers, {Alan E E} and Roshi, {D. Anish} and Salah, {Joseph E.} and Sault, {Robert J.} and Srivani, {K. S.} and Stevens, {Jamie B.} and Prabu Thiagaraj and Tingay, {Steven J.} and Wayth, {Randall B.} and Mark Waterson and Webster, {Rachel L.} and Whitney, {Alan R.} and Williams, {Andrew J.} and Williams, {Christopher L.} and Wyithe, {J. Stuart B}",

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T1 - A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization

AU - Thyagarajan, Nithyanandan

AU - Udaya Shankar, N.

AU - Subrahmanyan, Ravi

AU - Arcus, Wayne

AU - Bernardi, Gianni

AU - Bowman, Judd

AU - Briggs, Frank

AU - Bunton, John D.

AU - Cappallo, Roger J.

AU - Corey, Brian E.

AU - Desouza, Ludi

AU - Emrich, David

AU - Gaensler, Bryan M.

AU - Goeke, Robert F.

AU - Greenhill, Lincoln J.

AU - Hazelton, Bryna J.

AU - Herne, David

AU - Hewitt, Jacqueline N.

AU - Johnston-Hollitt, Melanie

AU - Kaplan, David L.

AU - Kasper, Justin C.

AU - Kincaid, Barton B.

AU - Koenig, Ronald

AU - Kratzenberg, Eric

AU - Lonsdale, Colin J.

AU - Lynch, Mervyn J.

AU - McWhirter, S. Russell

AU - Mitchell, Daniel A.

AU - Morales, Miguel F.

AU - Morgan, Edward H.

AU - Oberoi, Divya

AU - Ord, Stephen M.

AU - Pathikulangara, Joseph

AU - Remillard, Ronald A.

AU - Rogers, Alan E E

AU - Roshi, D. Anish

AU - Salah, Joseph E.

AU - Sault, Robert J.

AU - Srivani, K. S.

AU - Stevens, Jamie B.

AU - Thiagaraj, Prabu

AU - Tingay, Steven J.

AU - Wayth, Randall B.

AU - Waterson, Mark

AU - Webster, Rachel L.

AU - Whitney, Alan R.

AU - Williams, Andrew J.

AU - Williams, Christopher L.

AU - Wyithe, J. Stuart B

PY - 2013/10/10

Y1 - 2013/10/10

N2 - In this paper, we explore for the first time the relative magnitudes of three fundamental sources of uncertainty, namely, foreground contamination, thermal noise, and sample variance, in detecting the H I power spectrum from the epoch of reionization (EoR). We derive limits on the sensitivity of a Fourier synthesis telescope to detect EoR based on its array configuration and a statistical representation of images made by the instrument. We use the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) configuration for our studies. Using a unified framework for estimating signal and noise components in the H I power spectrum, we derive an expression for and estimate the contamination from extragalactic point-like sources in three-dimensional k-space. Sensitivity for EoR H I power spectrum detection is estimated for different observing modes with MWA. With 1000 hr of observing on a single field using the 128 tile MWA, EoR detection is feasible (S/N >1 for k ≲ 0.8 Mpc-1). Bandpass shaping and refinements to the EoR window are found to be effective in containing foreground contamination, which makes the instrument tolerant to imaging errors. We find that for a given observing time, observing many independent fields of view does not offer an advantage over a single field observation when thermal noise dominates over other uncertainties in the derived power spectrum.

AB - In this paper, we explore for the first time the relative magnitudes of three fundamental sources of uncertainty, namely, foreground contamination, thermal noise, and sample variance, in detecting the H I power spectrum from the epoch of reionization (EoR). We derive limits on the sensitivity of a Fourier synthesis telescope to detect EoR based on its array configuration and a statistical representation of images made by the instrument. We use the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) configuration for our studies. Using a unified framework for estimating signal and noise components in the H I power spectrum, we derive an expression for and estimate the contamination from extragalactic point-like sources in three-dimensional k-space. Sensitivity for EoR H I power spectrum detection is estimated for different observing modes with MWA. With 1000 hr of observing on a single field using the 128 tile MWA, EoR detection is feasible (S/N >1 for k ≲ 0.8 Mpc-1). Bandpass shaping and refinements to the EoR window are found to be effective in containing foreground contamination, which makes the instrument tolerant to imaging errors. We find that for a given observing time, observing many independent fields of view does not offer an advantage over a single field observation when thermal noise dominates over other uncertainties in the derived power spectrum.

KW - dark ages, reionization, first stars

KW - large-scale structure of universe

KW - methods: statistical

KW - radio continuum: galaxies

KW - radio lines: general

KW - techniques: interferometric

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U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/6

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/776/1/6

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84885002769

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 776

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

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M1 - 6

ER -

A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization

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