TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterizing Signal Loss in the 21 cm Reionization Power Spectrum
T2 - A Revised Study of PAPER-64
AU - Cheng, Carina
AU - Parsons, Aaron R.
AU - Kolopanis, Matthew
AU - Jacobs, Daniel
AU - Liu, Adrian
AU - Kohn, Saul A.
AU - Aguirre, James E.
AU - Pober, Jonathan C.
AU - Ali, Zaki S.
AU - Bernardi, Gianni
AU - Bradley, Richard F.
AU - Carilli, Chris L.
AU - Deboer, David R.
AU - Dexter, Matthew R.
AU - Dillon, Joshua S.
AU - Klima, Pat
AU - Macmahon, David H.E.
AU - Moore, David F.
AU - Nunhokee, Chuneeta D.
AU - Walbrugh, William P.
AU - Walker, Andre
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/11/20
Y1 - 2018/11/20
N2 - The Epoch of Reionization (EoR) is an uncharted era in our universe's history during which the birth of the first stars and galaxies led to the ionization of neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium. There are many experiments investigating the EoR by tracing the 21 cm line of neutral hydrogen. Because this signal is very faint and difficult to isolate, it is crucial to develop analysis techniques that maximize sensitivity and suppress contaminants in data. It is also imperative to understand the trade-offs between different analysis methods and their effects on power spectrum estimates. Specifically, with a statistical power spectrum detection in HERA's foreseeable future, it has become increasingly important to understand how certain analysis choices can lead to the loss of the EoR signal. In this paper, we focus on signal loss associated with power spectrum estimation. We describe the origin of this loss using both toy models and data taken by the 64-element configuration of the Donald C. Backer Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Reionization (PAPER). In particular, we highlight how detailed investigations of signal loss have led to a revised, higher 21 cm power spectrum upper limit from PAPER-64. Additionally, we summarize errors associated with power spectrum error estimation that were previously unaccounted for. We focus on a subset of PAPER-64 data in this paper; revised power spectrum limits from the PAPER experiment are presented in a forthcoming paper by Kolopanis et al. and supersede results from previously published PAPER analyses.
AB - The Epoch of Reionization (EoR) is an uncharted era in our universe's history during which the birth of the first stars and galaxies led to the ionization of neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium. There are many experiments investigating the EoR by tracing the 21 cm line of neutral hydrogen. Because this signal is very faint and difficult to isolate, it is crucial to develop analysis techniques that maximize sensitivity and suppress contaminants in data. It is also imperative to understand the trade-offs between different analysis methods and their effects on power spectrum estimates. Specifically, with a statistical power spectrum detection in HERA's foreseeable future, it has become increasingly important to understand how certain analysis choices can lead to the loss of the EoR signal. In this paper, we focus on signal loss associated with power spectrum estimation. We describe the origin of this loss using both toy models and data taken by the 64-element configuration of the Donald C. Backer Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Reionization (PAPER). In particular, we highlight how detailed investigations of signal loss have led to a revised, higher 21 cm power spectrum upper limit from PAPER-64. Additionally, we summarize errors associated with power spectrum error estimation that were previously unaccounted for. We focus on a subset of PAPER-64 data in this paper; revised power spectrum limits from the PAPER experiment are presented in a forthcoming paper by Kolopanis et al. and supersede results from previously published PAPER analyses.
KW - dark ages, reionization, first stars
KW - early universe
KW - large-scale structure of universe
KW - methods: data analysis
KW - methods: statistical
KW - techniques: interferometric
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U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/aae833
DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/aae833
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85057167001
SN - 0004-637X
VL - 868
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
IS - 1
M1 - 26
ER -