HI Intensity Mapping with MeerKAT

TL;DR

This paper investigates using MeerKAT for HI intensity mapping, proposing cross-correlation with optical surveys to improve measurement robustness and constrain cosmological parameters effectively.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining MeerKAT HI intensity mapping with optical surveys to enhance cosmological measurements and mitigate systematics.

Findings

Forecasts indicate precise HI signal measurements are achievable soon.

Cross-correlation techniques improve robustness against systematic errors.

Potential to constrain HI and cosmological parameters across various redshifts.

Abstract

We explore the possibility of performing an HI intensity mapping survey with the South African MeerKAT radio telescope, which is a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). We propose to use cross-correlations between the MeerKAT intensity mapping survey and optical galaxy surveys, in order to mitigate systematic effects and produce robust cosmological measurements. Our forecasts show that precise measurements of the HI signal can be made in the near future. These can be used to constrain HI and cosmological parameters across a wide range of redshift.