CMBPol Mission Concept Study: Reionization Science with the Cosmic Microwave Background

2008/11/24 by Matías Zaldarriaga, Matias Zaldarriaga, L. P. L. Colombo +20 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #FOS: Physical sciences #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Superconducting and THz Device Technology #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0811.3918

arxiv created 2008/11/24 · openalex publication_date 2008/11/24 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We summarize existing constraints on the epoch of reionization and discuss the observational probes that are sensitive to the process. We focus on the role large scale polarization can play. Polarization probes the integrated optical depth across the entire epoch of reionization. Future missions such as Planck and CMBPol will greatly enhance our knowledge of the reionization history, allowing us to measure the time evolution of the ionization fraction. As large scale polarization probes high redshift activity, it can best constrain models where the Universe was fully or partially ionized at early times. In fact, large scale polarization could be our only probe of the highest redshifts.

Citations

• The Experimental Probe of Inflationary Cosmology (EPIC): A Mission Concept Study for NASA's Einstein Inflation Probe
• HeII Reionization and its Effect on the IGM
• FIVE-YEARWILKINSON MICROWAVE ANISOTROPY PROBEOBSERVATIONS: COSMOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

Cited by

• Boosting the optical depth to Thomson scattering with primordial black hole evaporation at high redshift

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• Cosmological reionization after WMAP: perspectives from PLANCK and future CMB missions
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• Task Force on Cosmic Microwave Background Research
• Mapping the ionizing sources with CMB polarization measurements
• The Cosmic Microwave Background and Its Polarization