The impact of Lyman series photons on the intergalactic medium during the Epoch of Reionisation

TL;DR

This paper investigates how higher order Lyman series photons influence the intergalactic medium during the Epoch of Reionisation, affecting 21cm signals, heating, and observable emission halos, with implications for understanding reionisation.

Contribution

It demonstrates the significant role of higher order Lyman photons in IGM heating, 21cm signal modulation, and the formation of emission halos, expanding current models of reionisation effects.

Findings

Higher order Lyman photons cause substantial IGM heating.

Radiative cascades increase Lyman-alpha photon density near sources.

Extended emission halos can confirm large-scale neutral IGM presence.

Abstract

The role of higher order Lyman series photons on the 21cm absorption or emission signature of the IGM against the background CMB during the Epoch of Reionisation is examined. It is shown that, taking into account the diminishing resonance line scattering cross section with increasing Lyman order, a non-negligible net scattering rate of higher order Lyman photons is expected. The resulting radiative cascades will substantially enhance the number density of Lyman-alpha photons near a radiation source. It is also shown that the higher order Lyman series photons are able to collisionally heat the IGM by amounts of tens to hundreds of degrees kelvin. The possibility that the Wouthuysen-Field effect may be suppressed by the presence of dust near a galaxy is discussed, and it is shown that the higher order Lyman series photons would still induce the effect, but with a somewhat reduced 21cm radiation efficiency. It is also demonstrated that extended low surface brightness emission line halos will be produced from radiative cascades following the scattering of higher order Lyman series photons. These halos would provide a unique means of confirming that reionisation source candidates were surrounded by an IGM that was still largely neutral on large scales.