Heating the IGM by X-rays from Population III Binaries in High Redshift Galaxies

TL;DR

This study models how X-rays from Population III binaries in early galaxies heat and ionize the intergalactic medium, affecting cosmic reionization and 21-cm signals, with detailed simulations of X-ray propagation and effects.

Contribution

It introduces a combined approach using cosmological simulations and multiple modeling methods to analyze X-ray impacts from Population III binaries on the early universe.

Findings

IGM heated to over 100 K by redshift 10

High-density regions reach temperatures around 10,000 K

X-ray ionizations have limited impact on CMB optical depth

Abstract

Due to their long mean free path, X-rays are expected to have an important impact on cosmic reionization by heating and ionizing the IGM on large scales, especially after simulations have suggested that Population III stars may form in pairs at redshifts as high as 20 - 30. We use the Pop III distribution and evolution from a self-consistent cosmological radiation hydrodynamics simulation of the formation of the first galaxies and a simple Pop III X-ray binaries model to estimate their X-ray output in a high density region larger than 100 comoving (Mpc)$^3$. We then combine three different methods --- ray tracing, a one-zone model, and X-ray background modeling --- to investigate the X-ray propagation, intensity distribution, and long term effects on the IGM thermal and ionization state. The efficiency and morphology of photo-heating and photo-ionization are dependent on the photon energies. The sub-keV X-rays only impact the IGM near the sources while the keV photons contribute significantly to the X-ray background and heat and ionize the IGM smoothly. The X-rays just below 1 keV are most efficient in heating and ionizing the IGM. We find that the IGM might be heated to over 100 K by $z=10$ and the high density source region might reach 10$^4$ K, limited by atomic hydrogen cooling. This may be important for predicting the 21-cm neutral hydrogen signals. But, on the other hand, the free electrons from X-ray ionizations are not enough to contribute significantly to the optical depth of CMB to the Thomson scattering.