Abstract
Experiments aimed at detecting highly-redshifted 21 cm emission from the epoch of reionization (EoR) are plagued by the contamination of foreground emission. A potentially important source of contaminating foregrounds may be Faraday-rotated, polarized emission, which leaks into the estimate of the intrinsically unpolarized EoR signal. While these foregrounds' intrinsic polarization may not be problematic, the spectral structure introduced by the Faraday rotation could be. To better understand and characterize these effects, we present a simulation of the polarized sky between 120 and 180 MHz. We compute a single visibility, and estimate the three-dimensional power spectrum from that visibility using the delay spectrum approach presented in Parsons et al. Using the Donald C. Backer Precision Array to Probe the Epoch of Reionization as an example instrument, we show the expected leakage into the unpolarized power spectrum to be several orders of magnitude above the expected 21 cm EoR signal.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 154 |
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 769 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2013 |
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Keywords
- cosmology: observations
- instrumentation: interferometers
- instrumentation: polarimeters
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
Cite this
The effects of polarized foregrounds on 21 cm epoch of reionization power spectrum measurements. / Moore, David F.; Aguirre, James E.; Parsons, Aaron R.; Jacobs, Daniel; Pober, Jonathan C.
In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 769, No. 2, 154, 01.06.2013.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of polarized foregrounds on 21 cm epoch of reionization power spectrum measurements
AU - Moore, David F.
AU - Aguirre, James E.
AU - Parsons, Aaron R.
AU - Jacobs, Daniel
AU - Pober, Jonathan C.
PY - 2013/6/1
Y1 - 2013/6/1
N2 - Experiments aimed at detecting highly-redshifted 21 cm emission from the epoch of reionization (EoR) are plagued by the contamination of foreground emission. A potentially important source of contaminating foregrounds may be Faraday-rotated, polarized emission, which leaks into the estimate of the intrinsically unpolarized EoR signal. While these foregrounds' intrinsic polarization may not be problematic, the spectral structure introduced by the Faraday rotation could be. To better understand and characterize these effects, we present a simulation of the polarized sky between 120 and 180 MHz. We compute a single visibility, and estimate the three-dimensional power spectrum from that visibility using the delay spectrum approach presented in Parsons et al. Using the Donald C. Backer Precision Array to Probe the Epoch of Reionization as an example instrument, we show the expected leakage into the unpolarized power spectrum to be several orders of magnitude above the expected 21 cm EoR signal.
AB - Experiments aimed at detecting highly-redshifted 21 cm emission from the epoch of reionization (EoR) are plagued by the contamination of foreground emission. A potentially important source of contaminating foregrounds may be Faraday-rotated, polarized emission, which leaks into the estimate of the intrinsically unpolarized EoR signal. While these foregrounds' intrinsic polarization may not be problematic, the spectral structure introduced by the Faraday rotation could be. To better understand and characterize these effects, we present a simulation of the polarized sky between 120 and 180 MHz. We compute a single visibility, and estimate the three-dimensional power spectrum from that visibility using the delay spectrum approach presented in Parsons et al. Using the Donald C. Backer Precision Array to Probe the Epoch of Reionization as an example instrument, we show the expected leakage into the unpolarized power spectrum to be several orders of magnitude above the expected 21 cm EoR signal.
KW - cosmology: observations
KW - instrumentation: interferometers
KW - instrumentation: polarimeters
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878072451&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84878072451&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/769/2/154
DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/769/2/154
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84878072451
VL - 769
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
SN - 0004-637X
IS - 2
M1 - 154
ER -