200 most important Astronomy topics - Sykalo Eugen 2023

The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) First Results

The universe is an incredibly vast and complex place, with many mysteries waiting to be uncovered. For centuries, astronomers have been studying the cosmos and making groundbreaking discoveries, but there are still many questions that remain unanswered. One of the most pressing issues in the field of astronomy today is how the universe became reionized after the Big Bang. The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) is a radio telescope designed to help answer this question.

What is the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA)?

The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) is a radio telescope located in South Africa. It is a collaboration between scientists from universities and institutions around the world, including the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. HERA is designed to study the reionization of the universe after the Big Bang, which is one of the most significant events in the history of the cosmos.

The telescope is made up of 350 individual antennas, each 14 meters in diameter. These antennas are arranged in a hexagonal grid and are connected to a central computer. The antennas work together to collect radio waves from the universe, focusing on a specific frequency range that is sensitive to hydrogen gas. This allows HERA to study the reionization of the universe, which is essential to understanding how the universe evolved over time.

What are the first results from HERA?

In 2021, HERA released its first results, which were published in the Astrophysical Journal. The findings provide important insights into the reionization of the universe.

The first results from HERA showed that the universe was reionized much later than previously thought. Previous estimates suggested that reionization occurred between 150 million and 500 million years after the Big Bang. However, the HERA results indicate that reionization actually occurred between 500 million and 1 billion years after the Big Bang. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the timeline of reionization and raises new questions about the events that took place in the early universe.

Another significant takeaway from the HERA results is that reionization was a gradual process, rather than a sudden event. This means that the universe was not completely reionized all at once, but rather it happened gradually over a long period of time. This discovery provides valuable insights into the mechanisms that drove the reionization process and the factors that influenced its evolution.

Finally, the HERA results indicate that reionization was likely driven by galaxies, rather than quasars. Quasars are incredibly bright objects that emit large amounts of energy, and scientists have long believed that they were responsible for the reionization of the universe. However, the HERA results suggest that galaxies were the primary drivers of reionization. This discovery has significant implications for future studies of the universe, as it suggests that more research should be focused on understanding how galaxies formed and evolved in the early universe.

Why are these results important?

The first results from HERA are important because they provide new insights into the reionization of the universe. Understanding the reionization process is crucial for understanding how the universe evolved over time. By studying the reionization of the universe, astronomers can gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that drove the evolution of galaxies and other celestial bodies.

In addition, the HERA results have significant implications for future studies of the universe. By revealing that reionization was likely driven by galaxies, rather than quasars, the HERA results suggest that more research should be focused on understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies in the early universe. This could lead to new discoveries and a greater understanding of the forces that shaped the cosmos as we know it today.