A Beginner's Guide to Line Intensity Mapping Power Spectra

TL;DR

This paper introduces line intensity mapping (LIM) power spectra, explaining their modeling and potential to study galaxy evolution and large-scale structure, using the [CII] line at redshift 3 as a case study.

Contribution

It provides an accessible introduction to LIM power spectrum modeling, aimed at non-experts, and discusses how these spectra can constrain cosmological and galaxy evolution properties.

Findings

Demonstrates how LIM power spectra can be modeled and interpreted.

Uses [CII] emission at redshift 3 as a case study.

Provides educational resources for new researchers in the field.

Abstract

Line intensity mapping (LIM) is an emerging technique in measuring galaxy evolution and the large-scale structure of the universe. LIM surveys measure the cumulative emission from all galaxies emitting a given line at a particular redshift, which trace the distribution of dark matter throughout the universe. In this proceeding, we provide an introduction to LIM modeling, focusing on power spectrum calculation. Beyond these calculations, we describe how these power spectra may be used to constrain properties of galaxy evolution and large-scale structure cosmology. Throughout, we use the anticipated EXCLAIM signal of ionized carbon ([CII]) at redshift $z=3$ as a case study. Our goal is to provide a starting point to non-experts, e.g. upper-level undergraduate and graduate students familiar with the basics of cosmology, with the tools necessary to understand the literature and generate LIM power spectrum models themselves, while also describing a wide array of literature for continued studies.