Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 6-24-2021

Abstract

The redshifted 21 cm signal from neutral hydrogen offers one of the best observational probes of Cosmic Dawn and the Epoch of Reionization. This dissertation presents an effort to detect the redshifted 21 cm signal using the Long Wavelength Array station located on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, USA (LWA-SV). The major goal is to validate the potential detection reported by the EDGES collaboration. This measurement requires a dynamic range on the order of 105 in order to disentangle the cosmological signal from the Galactic foregrounds. The beamforming capability of LWA-SV is novel to this search. The presented work introduces observational and data analysis methodology as well as an achromatic beamforming framework for LWA-SV. Residual RMS limits on the order of a few Kelvin, a factor of 103 times lower than the foreground brightness, are achieved and possible strategies for improvement are presented.

Degree Name

Physics

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Physics & Astronomy

First Committee Member (Chair)

Gregory B Taylor

Second Committee Member

Jayce Dowell

Third Committee Member

Ylva Pihlström

Fourth Committee Member

Rouzbeh Allahverdi

Fifth Committee Member

Frank Schinzel

Project Sponsors

National Science Foundation

Language

English

Keywords

Cosmic Dawn, Epoch of Reionization, Long Wavelength Array, Cosmology

Document Type

Dissertation

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