Using the MURCHISON WIDEFIELD ARRAY (MWA) telescope in the CSIRO's Murchison Radio-Astronomy observatory, astronomers are looking for an elusive era of rheonization, the period at the beginning of the history of the Universe, which is predicted by theory, but remains to be found using radio telescope; This means the end of the cosmic dark centuries, about a billion years after the big explosion, when the gas between the galaxies moved from opaque to transparent, which allows the light from the first stars and galaxies to pass throughout the universe.
A small part of the sky, visible in radio waves using the Murchison Widefield array. The image is provided: Nunhoki and othersField / icrar / Kertin University.
“Our study was conducted at two stages,” said Dr. Ridhima Nunhoue, an astronomer from the University of the University of the University of the International Center for Rado -Astronomy Research (ICRAR) and the ARC Center of Excellence for all Sky astrophysics in 3 dimensions (Astro 3D).
“During the initial study, we received our first evidence of the heating of the intergalactic environment, the gas between the galaxies, 800 million years after the Big Bang.”
“In order to study this early period of the universe, we must isolate a weak signal from the era of reonization, identify and delete any other source of radio waves in the universe from their observations.”
“These include emissions from nearby stars and galaxies, interference in the atmosphere of the Earth, and even the noise created by the telescope itself.”
“Only after a thorough deduction of these“ front -plan signals ”will the remaining data show signals from the era of rheonization.”
“From this study we have developed Methods to cope with the front plan pollution and subtract the signals that we do not want, but it is also better to understand our telescope and come up with a pure signal. ”
“We were also able to integrate About ten years of MWA data together to watch the sky longer than we are before. ”
“This is another reason why we came closer than when to find a signal.”
According to the team, the quality and quantity of this new data set made this discovery possible.
The cold universe will give a signal that would be visible in new data.
The absence of this signal excludes such a “cold start” for the rheonization, and means that the Universe should have been “preheated” before the reonization occurred.
“As the universe develops, the gas between the galaxies expands and cools, so we expect it to be very, very cold,” said Professor Katherine Trott, astronomies of the University of Kertin in Icrar, Astro 3D and the Institute of Radio Astronomy Kertin.
“Our measurements show that this is at least heated by a certain amount. Not a lot, but this tells us that a very cold rheonization is excluded. It's really interesting. ”
“The study shows that this heating is probably due to energy from early sources of X -rays from early black holes and star residues spreading through the Universe.”
The results appear in two work in Astrophysical magazineField
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CD Nunhokee and othersField 2025. Restrictions on a power spectrum of 21 cm at Z = 6.5–7.0 from observations of the MURCHISON WIDEFILD massage. APJ 989, 57; Two: 10.3847/1538-4357/Adda45
Katherine M. Trott and othersThe field 2025. Improved restrictions on a signal of 21 cm at Z = 6.5–7.0 with the MURCHISON WIDEFIELD array using gowns. APJ 991, 211; Two: 10.3847/1538-4357/AdFF80
