Synthetic Observations with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) -- development towards an end-to-end pipeline

TL;DR

This paper presents an end-to-end simulation pipeline for the SKA that models realistic 21-cm observations, including foregrounds and systematics, aiding in the detection of the Cosmic Dawn and Epoch of Reionization signals.

Contribution

It introduces a versatile, end-to-end interferometric simulation pipeline capable of modeling realistic observational effects for SKA, supporting diverse science goals.

Findings

Pipeline accurately simulates calibration and position errors at 0.01%

Performance remains consistent across different models and parameters

Supports EoR science and broader SKA observational needs

Abstract

Detection of the redshifted 21-cm signal of neutral hydrogen from the Cosmic Dawn and the Epoch of Reionization is one of the final frontiers of modern observational cosmology. The inherently faint signal makes it susceptible to contamination by several sources like astrophysical foregrounds and instrumental systematics. Nevertheless, developments achieved in the recent times will combine to make signal detection possible with the upcoming Square Kilometer Array (SKA), both statistically and via tomography. This review describes an indigenously developed end-to-end pipeline that simulates sensitive interferometric observations. It mainly focuses on the requirements for \hi detection in interferometers. In its present form, it can mimic the effects of realistic point source foregrounds and systematics- calibration error and position error on 21-cm observations. The performance of the pipeline is demonstrated for test cases with 0.01\% calibration error and position error. Its performance is consistent across telescope, foreground, and signal models. The focus of the simulation pipeline during the initial stages was for EoR science. But since this is a general interferometric simulation pipeline, it will be helpful to the entire SKA user community, irrespective of the science goals.