TY - JOUR
T1 - An MCMC approach to extracting the global 21-cm signal during the cosmic dawn from sky-averaged radio observations
AU - Harker, Geraint J A
AU - Pritchard, Jonathan R.
AU - Burns, Jack O.
AU - Bowman, Judd
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - Efforts are being made to observe the 21-cm signal from the 'cosmic dawn' using sky-averaged observations with individual radio dipoles. In this paper, we develop a model of the observations accounting for the 21-cm signal, foregrounds and several major instrumental effects. Given this model, we apply Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques to demonstrate the ability of these instruments to separate the 21-cm signal from foregrounds and quantify their ability to constrain properties of the first galaxies. For concreteness, we investigate observations between 40 and 120MHz with the proposedDark Ages Radio Explorermission in lunar orbit, showing its potential for science return.
AB - Efforts are being made to observe the 21-cm signal from the 'cosmic dawn' using sky-averaged observations with individual radio dipoles. In this paper, we develop a model of the observations accounting for the 21-cm signal, foregrounds and several major instrumental effects. Given this model, we apply Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques to demonstrate the ability of these instruments to separate the 21-cm signal from foregrounds and quantify their ability to constrain properties of the first galaxies. For concreteness, we investigate observations between 40 and 120MHz with the proposedDark Ages Radio Explorermission in lunar orbit, showing its potential for science return.
KW - Cosmology: theory
KW - Diffuse radiation
KW - Methods: statistical
KW - Radio lines: general
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19766.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19766.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:83855162798
SN - 0035-8711
VL - 419
SP - 1070
EP - 1084
JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
IS - 2
ER -