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Semi-analytical approach to Ly$α$ multiple-scattering in 21-cm signal simulations
Authors:
Jordan Flitter,
Julian B. Muñoz,
Andrei Mesinger
Abstract:
A crucial physical quantity in determining the 21-cm signal during cosmic dawn is the inhomogeneous background of Ly$α$ photons originating from the first galaxies. As these photons travel through the intergalactic medium, their scattering cross-section is often approximated as a delta function at resonance due to computational cost. That is, photons with emitted wavelengths between Ly$α$ and Ly…
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A crucial physical quantity in determining the 21-cm signal during cosmic dawn is the inhomogeneous background of Ly$α$ photons originating from the first galaxies. As these photons travel through the intergalactic medium, their scattering cross-section is often approximated as a delta function at resonance due to computational cost. That is, photons with emitted wavelengths between Ly$α$ and Ly$β$ are assumed to travel in straight lines until they redshift into the Ly$α$ resonance. However, due to the damping wing in the Ly$α$ cross-section, this approximation fails as the frequency of the photon approaches the resonant frequency, resulting in multiple scatterings events that could be separated by non-negligible distances. Some previous works studied this effect of Ly$α$ multiple scattering by running computationally heavy radiative-transfer simulations. However, robustly interpreting the cosmic 21cm signal requires exploring a large parameter space of astrophysical uncertainties, motivating more computationally-efficient approaches. Here we incorporate Ly$α$ multiple scatterings in the public, semi-numerical simulation 21cmFAST. We employ Monte Carlo simulations to study the trajectories of Ly$α$ photons on different scales. We find that the distance distributions of Ly$α$ photons with respect to the absorption point can be modeled as analytical functions that are governed by a single parameter. Upon implementing the distance distributions in 21cmFAST, we find that the multiple scattering effect is important (about 50% difference in the 21-cm power spectrum) only at high redshifts before the spin temperature is fully coupled to the kinetic temperature. Furthermore, we find that Ly$α$ multiple scattering does not enhance Ly$α$ heating, and that the combined effect is negligible, especially under realistic X-ray heating scenarios.
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Submitted 1 June, 2026; v1 submitted 20 January, 2026;
originally announced January 2026.
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Does it matter? A more careful treatment of density fluctuations in 21-cm simulations
Authors:
Jordan Flitter,
Sarah Libanore,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
The cosmological 21-cm signal is sourced from hyperfine transitions in neutral hydrogen atoms. Yet, although the abundance of hydrogen atoms follows the baryon density field, semi-numerical codes that simulate the 21-cm signal simplify their treatment as if all the matter in the Universe was in the form of collisionless cold dark matter (CDM). This is usually done by evolving the density field via…
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The cosmological 21-cm signal is sourced from hyperfine transitions in neutral hydrogen atoms. Yet, although the abundance of hydrogen atoms follows the baryon density field, semi-numerical codes that simulate the 21-cm signal simplify their treatment as if all the matter in the Universe was in the form of collisionless cold dark matter (CDM). This is usually done by evolving the density field via a scale-independent growth factor (SIGF). In this work, we separate the baryons from CDM and evolve the two species with a proper scale-dependent growth factor (SDGF). By incorporating the SDGF in the 21cmFirstCLASS code, we demonstrate the effect that baryons and CDM have on the 21-cm signal at the linear dark ages epoch and the subsequent non-linear epochs of cosmic dawn and reionization. Our analysis shows that the baryonic nature of hydrogen cannot be ignored during the dark ages, and that non-linear effects in density-field evolution must be accounted for after stars have formed. Furthermore, we discuss how the 21-cm signal is modified at lower redshifts, where ground-based 21-cm interferometers are mostly sensitive, due to the choice of working with either the "linear" or "non-linear" matter over-density (that is, the over-density as computed from linear perturbation theory, and non-linear perturbation theory, respectively) in the extended Press-Schechter formalism. Our code is publicly available at https://github.com/jordanflitter/21cmFirstCLASS.
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Submitted 18 July, 2025; v1 submitted 31 October, 2024;
originally announced November 2024.
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Early Dark Energy Effects on the 21cm Signal
Authors:
Tal Adi,
Jordan Flitter,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
Early dark energy (EDE) is one of the leading models proposed to resolve the perplexing Hubble tension. Despite extensive scrutiny and testing against various observables, conclusive constraints remain elusive as we await new data. In this paper, we study the impact of EDE on the 21cm signal, a powerful probe of cosmic dawn, and the epoch of reionization. First, we examine the signatures of the sh…
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Early dark energy (EDE) is one of the leading models proposed to resolve the perplexing Hubble tension. Despite extensive scrutiny and testing against various observables, conclusive constraints remain elusive as we await new data. In this paper, we study the impact of EDE on the 21cm signal, a powerful probe of cosmic dawn, and the epoch of reionization. First, we examine the signatures of the shift in cosmological parameters and the new EDE parameters on the evolution of the 21cm signal compared to $Λ$CDM. We then focus on the implications of these signatures for upcoming radio interferometer telescopes, such as the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA), and their ability to differentiate between EDE and $Λ$CDM. Finally, we forecast HERA's sensitivity to the fractional energy density of EDE, $f_{\rm EDE}$, assuming a fiducial EDE model. We find significant modifications to the 21cm signal due to the presence of EDE. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that HERA, operating in its designed configuration, is poised to differentiate between the models and be sensitive to $f_{\rm EDE}$ within $2σ$ after $\mathcal{O}(100)$ days of observation and $5σ$ after 2 years.
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Submitted 29 October, 2024;
originally announced October 2024.
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Probing Dark Relativistic Species and Their Interactions with Dark Matter through CMB and 21cm surveys
Authors:
Hugo Plombat,
Théo Simon,
Jordan Flitter,
Vivian Poulin
Abstract:
We investigate the sensitivity of the 21cm power spectrum from cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization to models of free-streaming dark radiation (parameterized through $N_{\rm eff}$) and interacting dark radiation-dark matter models (DM-DR). The latter models have gained attention for their potential in addressing recent cosmological tensions and structure formation challenges. We perform a Fis…
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We investigate the sensitivity of the 21cm power spectrum from cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization to models of free-streaming dark radiation (parameterized through $N_{\rm eff}$) and interacting dark radiation-dark matter models (DM-DR). The latter models have gained attention for their potential in addressing recent cosmological tensions and structure formation challenges. We perform a Fisher matrix analysis under different assumptions regarding the astrophysical modeling, and forecast the sensitivity of HERA observations, combined with CMB data from Planck and the Simons Observatory (SO), to $N_{\rm eff}$ and DM-DR interaction modeled using the ETHOS framework assuming a constant scattering rate between the two components. Most importantly, we find that 21cm observations can improve the sensitivity to the DM-DR interaction rate by up to four order of magnitude compared to Planck and SO. Conversely, in the limit of low interaction rate (which asymptotically matches $N_{\rm eff}$), CMB data dominates the constraining power, but the inclusion of HERA data can provide a $\sim 20\%$ improvement in sensitivity over CMB data alone. Moreover, we find that HERA observations will be able to probe a region of the DM-DR interaction parameter space which is promising to explain the weak lensing amplitude `$S_8$' tension. Our results demonstrate the complementarity of 21cm and CMB data in exploring dark sector interactions.
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Submitted 18 January, 2025; v1 submitted 2 October, 2024;
originally announced October 2024.
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Constraints on the fuzzy dark matter mass window from high-redshift observables
Authors:
Hovav Lazare,
Jordan Flitter,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
We use a combination of high-redshift observables to extract the strongest constraints to date on the fraction of axion fuzzy dark matter (FDM) in the mass window $10^{-26}\,\mathrm{eV}\!\lesssim\! m_\mathrm{FDM}\!\lesssim\!10^{-23}\,\mathrm{eV}$. These observables include ultraviolet luminosity functions (UVLFs) at redshifts $4-10$ measured by the Hubble Space Telescope, a constraint on the neutr…
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We use a combination of high-redshift observables to extract the strongest constraints to date on the fraction of axion fuzzy dark matter (FDM) in the mass window $10^{-26}\,\mathrm{eV}\!\lesssim\! m_\mathrm{FDM}\!\lesssim\!10^{-23}\,\mathrm{eV}$. These observables include ultraviolet luminosity functions (UVLFs) at redshifts $4-10$ measured by the Hubble Space Telescope, a constraint on the neutral hydrogen fraction from high-redshift quasar spectroscopy, the cosmic microwave background optical depth to reionization measurement from Planck and upper bounds on the 21cm power spectrum from HERA. In order to calculate these signals for FDM cosmology, we use the 21cmFirstCLASS code to interface between AxiCLASS and 21cmFAST and consistently account for the full cosmic history from recombination to reionization. To facilitate a full Bayesian likelihood analysis, we developed a machine-learning based pipeline, which is both accurate, and enables a swift statistical inference, orders of magnitude faster than a brute force approach. We find that FDM of mass $m_\mathrm{FDM} \!= \!10^{-23} \, \mathrm{eV}$ is bound to less than $16\%$ of the total dark matter, where the constrains strengthen towards smaller masses, reaching down to $1\%$ for $m_\mathrm{FDM}\! =\! 10^{-26} \, \mathrm{eV}$, both at $95\%$ confidence level. In addition, we forecast that a future detection of the 21cm power spectrum with HERA will lower the upper bound at $m_\mathrm{FDM}\! =\! 10^{-23} \, \mathrm{eV}$ to $\lesssim\!1\%$.
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Submitted 8 January, 2025; v1 submitted 28 July, 2024;
originally announced July 2024.
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Effects of feedback-free starburst galaxies on the 21-cm signal and reionization history
Authors:
Sarah Libanore,
Jordan Flitter,
Ely D. Kovetz,
Zhaozhou Li,
Avishai Dekel
Abstract:
Different star-formation models at Cosmic Dawn produce detectable signatures in the observables of upcoming 21-cm experiments. In this work, we consider the physical scenario of feedback-free starbursts (FFB), according to which the star-formation efficiency (SFE) is enhanced in sufficiently massive halos at early enough times, thus explaining the indication from the James Webb Space Telescope for…
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Different star-formation models at Cosmic Dawn produce detectable signatures in the observables of upcoming 21-cm experiments. In this work, we consider the physical scenario of feedback-free starbursts (FFB), according to which the star-formation efficiency (SFE) is enhanced in sufficiently massive halos at early enough times, thus explaining the indication from the James Webb Space Telescope for an excess of bright galaxies at $z \geq 10$. We model the contribution of FFBs to popII SFE and compute the impact these have on the 21-cm global signal and power spectrum. We show that FFBs affect the evolution of the brightness temperature and the 21-cm power spectrum, but they only have a limited effect on the neutral hydrogen fraction. We investigate how the observables are affected by changes in the underlying star formation model and by contribution from popIII stars. Finally, we forecast the capability of next-generation Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) to detect the existence of FFB galaxies via power spectrum measurements. Our results show the possibility of a significant detection, provided that popII stars are the main drivers of lowering the spin temperature. Efficient popIII star formation will make the detection more challenging.
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Submitted 1 July, 2024; v1 submitted 4 October, 2023;
originally announced October 2023.
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21cmFirstCLASS II. Early linear fluctuations of the 21cm signal
Authors:
Jordan Flitter,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
In a companion paper we introduce 21cmFirstCLASS, a new code for computing the 21-cm anisotropies, assembled from the merger of the two popular codes 21cmFAST and CLASS. Unlike the standard 21cmFAST, which begins at $z=35$ with homogeneous temperature and ionization boxes, our code begins its calculations from recombination, evolves the signal through the dark ages, and naturally yields an inhomog…
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In a companion paper we introduce 21cmFirstCLASS, a new code for computing the 21-cm anisotropies, assembled from the merger of the two popular codes 21cmFAST and CLASS. Unlike the standard 21cmFAST, which begins at $z=35$ with homogeneous temperature and ionization boxes, our code begins its calculations from recombination, evolves the signal through the dark ages, and naturally yields an inhomogeneous box at $z=35$. In this paper, we validate the output of 21cmFirstCLASS by developing a new theoretical framework which is simple and intuitive on the one hand, but is robust and precise on the other hand. As has been recently claimed, using consistent inhomogeneous initial conditions mitigates inaccuracies, which according to our analysis can otherwise reach the $\mathcal O\left(20\%\right)$ level. On top of that, we also show for the first time that 21cmFAST over-predicts the 21-cm power spectrum at $z\gtrsim20$ by another $\mathcal O\left(20\%\right)$, due to the underlying assumption that $δ_b=δ_c$, namely that the density fluctuations in baryons and cold dark matter are indistinguishable. We propose an elegant solution to this discrepancy by introducing an appropriate scale-dependent growth factor into the evolution equations. Our analysis shows that this modification will ensure sub-percent differences between 21cmFirstCLASS and the Boltzmann solver CAMB at $z\leq50$ for all scales between the horizon and the Jeans scale. This will enable 21cmFirstCLASS to consistently and reliably simulate the 21-cm anisotropies both in the dark ages and cosmic dawn, for any cosmology. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/jordanflitter/21cmFirstCLASS.
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Submitted 27 May, 2024; v1 submitted 7 September, 2023;
originally announced September 2023.
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21cmFirstCLASS I. Cosmological tool for $Λ$CDM and beyond
Authors:
Jordan Flitter,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
In this work we present 21cmFirstCLASS, a modified version of 21cmFAST, the most popular code in the literature for computing the anisotropies of the 21-cm signal. Our code uses the public cosmic microwave background (CMB) Boltzmann code CLASS, to establish consistent initial conditions at recombination for any set of cosmological parameters and evolves them throughout the dark ages, cosmic dawn,…
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In this work we present 21cmFirstCLASS, a modified version of 21cmFAST, the most popular code in the literature for computing the anisotropies of the 21-cm signal. Our code uses the public cosmic microwave background (CMB) Boltzmann code CLASS, to establish consistent initial conditions at recombination for any set of cosmological parameters and evolves them throughout the dark ages, cosmic dawn, the epoch of heating and reionization. We account for inhomogeneity in the temperature and ionization fields throughout the evolution, crucial for a robust calculation of both the global 21-cm signal and its fluctuations. We demonstrate how future measurements of the CMB and the 21-cm signal can be combined and analyzed with 21cmFirstCLASS to obtain constraints on both cosmological and astrophysical parameters and examine degeneracies between them. As an example application, we show how 21cmFirstCLASS can be used to study cosmological models that exhibit non-linearities already at the dark ages, such as scattering dark matter (SDM). For the first time, we present self-consistent calculations of the 21-cm power spectrum in the presence of SDM during the non-linear epoch of cosmic dawn. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/jordanflitter/21cmFirstCLASS.
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Submitted 28 May, 2024; v1 submitted 7 September, 2023;
originally announced September 2023.
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21-cm fluctuations from primordial magnetic fields
Authors:
Hector Afonso G. Cruz,
Tal Adi,
Jordan Flitter,
Marc Kamionkowski,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
The fluid forces associated with primordial magnetic fields (PMFs) generate small-scale fluctuations in the primordial density field, which add to the $\mathrm{ΛCDM}$ linear matter power spectrum on small scales. These enhanced small-scale fluctuations lead to earlier formation of galactic halos and stars and thus affect cosmic reionization. We study the consequences of these effects on 21 cm obse…
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The fluid forces associated with primordial magnetic fields (PMFs) generate small-scale fluctuations in the primordial density field, which add to the $\mathrm{ΛCDM}$ linear matter power spectrum on small scales. These enhanced small-scale fluctuations lead to earlier formation of galactic halos and stars and thus affect cosmic reionization. We study the consequences of these effects on 21 cm observables using the semi-numerical code 21cmFAST v3.1.3. We find the excess small-scale structure generates strong stellar radiation backgrounds in the early Universe, resulting in altered 21 cm global signals and power spectra commensurate with earlier reionization. We restrict the allowed PMF models using the CMB optical depth to reionization. Lastly, we probe parameter degeneracies and forecast experimental sensitivities with an information matrix analysis subject to the CMB optical depth bound. Our forecasts show that interferometers like HERA are sensitive to PMFs of order $\sim \mathrm{pG}$, nearly an order of magnitude stronger than existing and next-generation experiments.
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Submitted 29 March, 2024; v1 submitted 8 August, 2023;
originally announced August 2023.
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Magnetic Fields from Compensated Isocurvature Perturbations
Authors:
Jordan Flitter,
Cyril Creque-Sarbinowski,
Marc Kamionkowski,
Liang Dai
Abstract:
Compensated isocurvature perturbations (CIPs) are perturbations to the primordial baryon density that are accompanied by dark-matter-density perturbations so that the total matter density is unperturbed. Such CIPs, which may arise in some multi-field inflationary models, can be long-lived and only weakly constrained by current cosmological measurements. Here we show that the CIP-induced modulation…
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Compensated isocurvature perturbations (CIPs) are perturbations to the primordial baryon density that are accompanied by dark-matter-density perturbations so that the total matter density is unperturbed. Such CIPs, which may arise in some multi-field inflationary models, can be long-lived and only weakly constrained by current cosmological measurements. Here we show that the CIP-induced modulation of the electron number density interacts with the electron-temperature fluctuation associated with primordial adiabatic perturbations to produce, via the Biermann-battery mechanism, a magnetic field in the post-recombinaton Universe. Assuming the CIP amplitude saturates the current BBN bounds, this magnetic field can be stronger than $10^{-15}\,\mathrm{nG}$ at $z\simeq20$ and stronger by an order of magnitude than that (produced at second order in the adiabatic-perturbation amplitude) in the standard cosmological model, and thus can serve as a possible seed for galactic dynamos.
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Submitted 2 June, 2023; v1 submitted 6 April, 2023;
originally announced April 2023.
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Closing the window on fuzzy dark matter with the 21cm signal
Authors:
Jordan Flitter,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
Fuzzy dark matter (FDM) is a well motivated candidate for dark matter (DM) as its tiny mass and large de-Broglie wavelength suppress small-scale matter fluctuations, thereby solving some of the small-scale discrepancies in $Λ$CDM. Although it has been ruled out as the single component of DM by several observables, there is still a region in the FDM parameter space (the "FDM window",…
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Fuzzy dark matter (FDM) is a well motivated candidate for dark matter (DM) as its tiny mass and large de-Broglie wavelength suppress small-scale matter fluctuations, thereby solving some of the small-scale discrepancies in $Λ$CDM. Although it has been ruled out as the single component of DM by several observables, there is still a region in the FDM parameter space (the "FDM window", $10^{-25}\,\mathrm{eV}\lesssim m_\mathrm{FDM}\lesssim10^{-23}\,\mathrm{eV}$) where FDM is allowed to comprise a large portion of the total DM. In this work, for the first time, we study the signature of FDM (comprised of ultra-light axions) in fractions less than unity on the 21cm signal and its detectability by 21cm interferometers such as HERA, taking into account the degeneracy with both astrophysical and cosmological parameters, using a new pipeline that combines modified versions of the CAMB and 21cmFAST codes. Our forecasts imply that HERA in its design performance will be sensitive to FDM fractions as small as 1% in the FDM window, and improve over existing bounds for other masses by up to an order of magnitude.
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Submitted 24 August, 2022; v1 submitted 11 July, 2022;
originally announced July 2022.
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Exploring delaying and heating effects on the 21-cm signature of fuzzy dark matter
Authors:
Debanjan Sarkar,
Jordan Flitter,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
In the fuzzy dark matter (FDM) model, dark matter is composed of ultra-light particles with a de Broglie wavelength of $\sim$kpc, above which it behaves like cold dark matter (CDM). Due to this, FDM suppresses the growth of structure on small scales, which delays the onset of the cosmic dawn (CD) and the subsequent epoch of reionization (EoR). This leaves potential signatures in the sky averaged 2…
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In the fuzzy dark matter (FDM) model, dark matter is composed of ultra-light particles with a de Broglie wavelength of $\sim$kpc, above which it behaves like cold dark matter (CDM). Due to this, FDM suppresses the growth of structure on small scales, which delays the onset of the cosmic dawn (CD) and the subsequent epoch of reionization (EoR). This leaves potential signatures in the sky averaged 21-cm signal (global), as well as in the 21-cm fluctuations, which can be sought for with ongoing and future 21-cm global and intensity mapping experiments. To do so reliably, it is crucial to include effects such as the dark-matter/baryon relative velocity and Lyman-Werner star-formation feedback, which also act as delaying mechanisms, as well as CMB and \lya heating effects, which can significantly change the amplitude and timing of the signal, depending on the strength of X-ray heating sourced by the remnants of the first stars. Here we model the 21-cm signal in FDM cosmologies across CD and EoR using a modified version of the public code 21cmvFAST that accounts for all these additional effects, and is directly interfaced with the Boltzmann code CLASS so that degeneracies between cosmological and astrophysical parameters can be fully explored. We examine the prospects to distinguish between the CDM and FDM models and forecast joint astrophysical, cosmological and FDM parameter constraints achievable with intensity mapping experiments such as HERA and global signal experiments like EDGES. We find that HERA will be able to detect FDM particle masses up to $m_{\rm FDM}\! \sim \!10^{-19}\,{\rm eV}\!-\!10^{-18}\,{\rm eV}$, depending on foreground assumptions, despite the mitigating effect of the delaying and heating mechanisms included in the analysis.
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Submitted 10 January, 2022;
originally announced January 2022.
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Outliers in the LIGO Black Hole Mass Function from Coagulation in Dense Clusters
Authors:
Jordan Flitter,
Julian B. Muñoz,
Ely D. Kovetz
Abstract:
The advanced LIGO O3a run catalog has been recently published, and it includes several events with unexpected mass properties, including mergers with individual masses in the lower and upper mass gaps, as well as mergers with unusually small mass ratios between the binary components. Here we entertain the possibility that these outliers are the outcome of hierarchical mergers of black holes or neu…
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The advanced LIGO O3a run catalog has been recently published, and it includes several events with unexpected mass properties, including mergers with individual masses in the lower and upper mass gaps, as well as mergers with unusually small mass ratios between the binary components. Here we entertain the possibility that these outliers are the outcome of hierarchical mergers of black holes or neutron stars in the dense environments of globular clusters. We use the coagulation equation to study the evolution of the black hole mass function within a typical cluster. Our prescription allows us to monitor how various global quantities change with time, such as the total mass and number of compact objects in the cluster, its overall merger rate, and the probability to form intermediate-mass black holes via a runaway process. By accounting for the LIGO observational bias, we predict the merger event distributions with respect to various variables such as the individual masses M1 and M2, their ratio q, and redshift z, and we compare our predictions with the published O3a data. We study how these distributions depend on the merger-rate and ejections parameters and produce forecasts for the (tight) constraints that can be placed on our model parameters using the future dataset of the O5 run. Finally, we also consider the presence of a static channel with no coagulation producing merger events alongside the dynamic channel, finding that the two can be distinguished based solely on the merger mass distribution with future O5 data.
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Submitted 1 August, 2021; v1 submitted 18 August, 2020;
originally announced August 2020.