Speaker
Description
During the Epoch of Reionization (EoR), the ultraviolet radiation from the first stars and galaxies ionized the neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium (IGM), which can emit radiation through the 21-cm hyperfine transition. Due to this, the 21-cm signal from the EoR is a direct probe of the IGM and the first ionizing sources, and its measurement is a key science priority of radio interferometers, such as the LOFAR, MWA, HERA, and the prospective SKA.
These observatories are actively placing valuable upper limits on the 21-cm power spectrum, giving us a first glimpse into how reionization has transpired. However, as the detection of the 21-cm signal approaches, thoroughly understanding its features becomes increasingly important.
In this talk, I will present the interpretation of the IGM-based framework pioneered by the LOFAR collaboration and how it can be applied to interpret its latest upper limits. I will discuss our latest advancements in the physical interpretation of the IGM framework and how we can adapt our model across the EoR redshift range. Our results showcase key relations between the 21 cm power spectrum and parameters such as the halo clustering bias, the effective bubble sizes of ionized regions, and the global neutral fraction.