The Epoch of Reionization of the Universe.
Understanding galaxy evolution and the Universe from its last phase transition
Abstract:
Following the Big Bang and the subsequent recombination of electrons with the primordial elements, the baryonic matter in the Universe was fully neutral as it began its gravitational descent onto the first structures forming in the dark matter-dominated cosmic web. This matter would eventually go on to form the first stars and galaxies, the majority of which are likely too faint, and too distant, to be observed even with state-of-the-art facilities. However, the first galaxies reveal their presence indirectly via the ionizing impact of their far-ultraviolet light on the baryons in Universe as a whole, a global phase transition known as the "Epoch of Reionization." Studying and characterizing the epoch of reionization is a key priority of observational and theoretical cosmology today.
The course will start with the physics of the early Universe -- the so-called "cosmic dawn" -- including the formation of the first collapsed structures; dark matter halos, stars, and galaxies. Next, we will cover the fundamentals of the reionization epoch, from balancing the ionizing photon budget to the growth and percolation of ionized "bubbles" millions of light years across. Finally, we will look forward to the frontiers of reionization research, both observationally and theoretically, currently being explored with the most powerful telescopes and supercomputers in the world.