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This study introduces novel constraints on the free streaming of thermal relic warm dark matter (WDM) from Lyman- $\alpha$forest flux power spectra. Our analysis utilizes a high resolution, high redshift sample of quasar spectra observed using the HIRES and UVES spectrographs ( $z=4.2–5.0$). We employ a Bayesian inference framework and a simulation-based likelihood that encompasses various parameters including the free streaming of dark matter, cosmological parameters, the thermal history of the intergalactic medium, and inhomogeneous reionization to establish lower limits on the mass of a thermal relic WDM particle of 5.7 keV (at 95% CL). This result surpasses previous limits from the Lyman- $\alpha$forest through reduction of the measured uncertainties due to a larger statistical sample and by measuring clustering to smaller scales ( $k_{\max }=0.2{\mathrm{km}}^{-1}\mathrm{s}$). The approximately two-fold improvement due to the expanded statistical sample suggests that the effectiveness of Lyman- $\alpha$forest constraints on WDM models at high redshifts are limited by the availability of high quality quasar spectra. Restricting the analysis to comparable scales and thermal history priors as in prior studies ( $k_{\max }<0.1{\mathrm{km}}^{-1}\mathrm{s}$) lowers the bound on the WDM mass to 4.1 keV. As the precision of the measurements increases, it becomes crucial to examine the instrumental and modeling systematics. On the modeling front, we argue that the impact of the thermal history uncertainty on the WDM particle mass constraint has diminished due to improved independent observations. At the smallest scales, the primary source of modeling systematic arises from the structure in the peculiar velocity of the intergalactic medium and inhomogeneous reionization. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

ABSTRACT Intervening metal absorbers in quasar spectra at z > 6 can be used as probes to study the chemical enrichment of the Universe during the Epoch of Reionization. This work presents the comoving line densities (dn/dX) of low-ionization absorbers, namely, Mg ii (2796 Å), C ii (1334 Å), and O  i (1302 Å) across 2 < z < 6 using the E-XQR-30 metal absorber catalogue prepared from 42 XSHOOTER quasar spectra at 5.8 < z < 6.6. Here, we analyse 280 Mg ii (1.9 < z < 6.4), 22 C ii (5.2 < z < 6.4), and 10 O i (5.3 < z < 6.4) intervening absorbers, thereby building up on previous studies with improved sensitivity of 50 per cent completeness at an equivalent width of W > 0.03 Å. For the first time, we present the comoving line densities of 131 weak (W < 0.3 Å) intervening Mg ii absorbers at 1.9 < z < 6.4 which exhibit constant evolution with redshift similar to medium (0.3 < W < 1.0 Å) absorbers. However, the cosmic mass density of Mg ii – dominated by strong Mg ii systems – traces the evolution of global star formation history from redshift 1.9 to 5.5. E-XQR-30 also increases the absorption path-length by a factor of 50 per cent for C ii and O i whose line densities show a rising trend towards z > 5, in agreement with previous works. In the context of a decline in the metal enrichment of the Universe at z > 5, the overall evolution in the incidence rates of absorption systems can be explained by a weak – possibly soft fluctuating – ultraviolet background. Our results, thereby, provide evidence for a late reionization continuing to occur in metal-enriched and therefore, biased regions in the Universe. 

Abstract The variations in Lyαforest opacity observed atz> 5.3 between lines of sight to different background quasars are too strong to be caused by fluctuations in the density field alone. The leading hypothesis for the cause of this excess variance is a late, ongoing reionization process at redshifts below six. Another model proposes strong ionizing background fluctuations coupled to a short, spatially varying mean free path of ionizing photons, without explicitly invoking incomplete reionization. With recent observations suggesting a short mean free path atz∼ 6, and a dramatic improvement inz> 5 Lyαforest data quality, we revisit this latter possibility. Here, we apply the likelihood-free inference technique of approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to jointly constrain the hydrogen photoionization rate Γ_HIand the mean free path of ionizing photonsλ_mfpfrom the effective optical depth distributions atz= 5.0–6.1 from XQR-30. We find that the observations are well-described by fluctuating mean free path models with average mean free paths that are consistent with the steep trend implied by independent measurements atz∼ 5–6, with a concomitant rapid evolution of the photoionization rate. 

ABSTRACT We measure the mean free path ($$\lambda _{\rm mfp,H\, \small {I}}$$), photoionization rate ($$\langle \Gamma _{\rm H\, \small {I}} \rangle$$), and neutral fraction ($$\langle f_{\rm H\, \small {I}} \rangle$$) of hydrogen in 12 redshift bins at 4.85 < z < 6.05 from a large sample of moderate resolution XShooter and ESI QSO absorption spectra. The fluctuations in ionizing radiation field are modelled by post-processing simulations from the Sherwood suite using our new code ‘EXtended reionization based on the Code for Ionization and Temperature Evolution’ (ex-cite). ex-cite uses efficient Octree summation for computing intergalactic medium attenuation and can generate large number of high resolution $$\Gamma _{\rm H\, \small {I}}$$ fluctuation models. Our simulation with ex-cite shows remarkable agreement with simulations performed with the radiative transfer code Aton and can recover the simulated parameters within 1σ uncertainty. We measure the three parameters by forward-modelling the  Lyα forest and comparing the effective optical depth ($$\tau _{\rm eff, H\, \small {I}}$$) distribution in simulations and observations. The final uncertainties in our measured parameters account for the uncertainties due to thermal parameters, modelling parameters, observational systematics, and cosmic variance. Our best-fitting parameters show significant evolution with redshift such that $$\lambda _{\rm mfp,H\, \small {I}}$$ and $$\langle f_{\rm H\, \small {I}} \rangle$$ decreases and increases by a factor ∼6 and ∼104, respectively from z ∼ 5 to z ∼ 6. By comparing our $$\lambda _{\rm mfp,H\, \small {I}}$$, $$\langle \Gamma _{\rm H\, \small {I}} \rangle$$ and $$\langle f_{\rm H\, \small {I}} \rangle$$ evolution with that in state-of-the-art Aton radiative transfer simulations and the Thesan and CoDa-III simulations, we find that our best-fitting parameter evolution is consistent with a model in which reionization completes by z ∼ 5.2. Our best-fitting model that matches the $$\tau _{\rm eff, H\, \small {I}}$$ distribution also reproduces the dark gap length distribution and transmission spike height distribution suggesting robustness and accuracy of our measured parameters. 

ABSTRACT We present the Sherwood–Relics simulations, a new suite of large cosmological hydrodynamical simulations aimed at modelling the intergalactic medium (IGM) during and after the cosmic reionization of hydrogen. The suite consists of over 200 simulations that cover a wide range of astrophysical and cosmological parameters. It also includes simulations that use a new lightweight hybrid scheme for treating radiative transfer effects. This scheme follows the spatial variations in the ionizing radiation field, as well as the associated fluctuations in IGM temperature and pressure smoothing. It is computationally much cheaper than full radiation hydrodynamics simulations, and circumvents the difficult task of calibrating a galaxy formation model to observational constraints on cosmic reionization. Using this hybrid technique, we study the spatial fluctuations in IGM properties that are seeded by patchy cosmic reionization. We investigate the relevant physical processes and assess their impact on the z > 4 Lyman-α forest. Our main findings are: (i) consistent with previous studies patchy reionization causes large-scale temperature fluctuations that persist well after the end of reionization, (ii) these increase the Lyman-α forest flux power spectrum on large scales, and (iii) result in a spatially varying pressure smoothing that correlates well with the local reionization redshift. (iv) Structures evaporated or puffed up by photoheating cause notable features in the Lyman-α forest, such as flat-bottom or double-dip absorption profiles. 

ABSTRACT Proximity zones of high-redshift quasars are unique probes of their central supermassive black holes as well as the intergalactic medium (IGM) in the last stages of reionization. We present 22 new measurements of proximity zones of quasars with redshifts between 5.8 and 6.6, using the enlarged XQR-30 sample of high-resolution, high-SNR quasar spectra. The quasars in our sample have ultraviolet magnitudes of M1450 ∼ −27 and black hole masses of 109–1010 M⊙. Our inferred proximity zone sizes are 2–7 physical Mpc, with a typical uncertainty of less than 0.5 physical Mpc, which, for the first time, also includes uncertainty in the quasar continuum. We find that the correlation between proximity zone sizes and the quasar redshift, luminosity, or black hole mass, indicates a large diversity of quasar lifetimes. Two of our proximity zone sizes are exceptionally small. The spectrum of one of these quasars, with z  = 6.02, displays, unusually for this redshift, damping wing absorption without any detectable metal lines, which could potentially originate from the IGM. The other quasar has a high-ionization absorber ∼0.5 pMpc from the edge of the proximity zone. This work increases the number of proximity zone measurements available in the last stages of cosmic reionization to 87. This data will lead to better constraints on quasar lifetimes and obscuration fractions at high redshift, that in turn will help probe the seed mass and formation redshift of supermassive black holes. 

Abstract The mean free path of ionizing photons,λ_mfp, is a critical parameter for modeling the intergalactic medium (IGM) both during and after reionization. We present direct measurements ofλ_mfpfrom QSO spectra over the redshift range 5 <z< 6, including the first measurements atz≃ 5.3 and 5.6. Our sample includes data from the XQR-30 VLT large program, as well as new Keck/ESI observations of QSOs nearz∼ 5.5, for which we also acquire new [Cii] 158μm redshifts with ALMA. By measuring the Lyman continuum transmission profile in stacked QSO spectra, we find ${\lambda }_{\mathrm{mfp}}={9.33}_{-1.80}^{+2.06}$, ${5.40}_{-1.40}^{+1.47}$, ${3.31}_{-1.34}^{+2.74}$, and ${0.81}_{-0.48}^{+0.73}$pMpc atz= 5.08, 5.31, 5.65, and 5.93, respectively. Our results demonstrate thatλ_mfpincreases steadily and rapidly with time over 5 <z< 6. Notably, we find thatλ_mfpdeviates significantly from predictions based on a fully ionized and relaxed IGM as late asz= 5.3. By comparing our results to model predictions and indirectλ_mfpconstraints based on IGM Lyαopacity, we find that the evolution ofλ_mfpis consistent with scenarios wherein the IGM is still undergoing reionization and/or retains large fluctuations in the ionizing UV background well below redshift 6. 

Abstract We present a new investigation of the intergalactic medium (IGM) near the end of reionization using “dark gaps” in the Ly α forest. Using spectra of 55 QSOs at z em > 5.5, including new data from the XQR-30 VLT Large Programme, we identify gaps in the Ly α forest where the transmission averaged over 1 comoving h −1 Mpc bins falls below 5%. Nine ultralong ( L > 80 h −1 Mpc) dark gaps are identified at z < 6. In addition, we quantify the fraction of QSO spectra exhibiting gaps longer than 30 h −1 Mpc, F 30 , as a function of redshift. We measure F 30 ≃ 0.9, 0.6, and 0.15 at z = 6.0, 5.8, and 5.6, respectively, with the last of these long dark gaps persisting down to z ≃5.3. Comparing our results with predictions from hydrodynamical simulations, we find that the data are consistent with models wherein reionization extends significantly below redshift six. Models wherein the IGM is essentially fully reionized that retain large-scale fluctuations in the ionizing UV background at z ≲6 are also potentially consistent with the data. Overall, our results suggest that signatures of reionization in the form of islands of neutral hydrogen and/or large-scale fluctuations in the ionizing background remain present in the IGM until at least z ≃ 5.3. 

ABSTRACT The presence of excess scatter in the Ly-α forest at z ∼ 5.5, together with the existence of sporadic extended opaque Gunn-Peterson troughs, has started to provide robust evidence for a late end of hydrogen reionization. However, low data quality and systematic uncertainties complicate the use of Ly-α transmission as a precision probe of reionization’s end stages. In this paper, we assemble a sample of 67 quasar sightlines at z > 5.5 with high signal-to-noise ratios of >10 per ≤15 km s−1 spectral pixel, relying largely on the new XQR-30 quasar sample. XQR-30 is a large program on VLT/X-Shooter which obtained deep (SNR > 20 per pixel) spectra of 30 quasars at z > 5.7. We carefully account for systematics in continuum reconstruction, instrumentation, and contamination by damped Ly-α systems. We present improved measurements of the mean Ly-α transmission over 4.9 < z < 6.1. Using all known systematics in a forward modelling analysis, we find excellent agreement between the observed Ly-α transmission distributions and the homogeneous-UVB simulations Sherwood and Nyx up to z ≤ 5.2 (<1σ), and mild tension (∼2.5σ) at z = 5.3. Homogeneous UVB models are ruled out by excess Ly-α transmission scatter at z ≥ 5.4 with high confidence (>3.5σ). Our results indicate that reionization-related fluctuations, whether in the UVB, residual neutral hydrogen fraction, and/or IGM temperature, persist in the intergalactic medium until at least z = 5.3 (t = 1.1 Gyr after the big bang). This is further evidence for a late end to reionization. 

ABSTRACT We compare a sample of five high-resolution, high S/N  Ly α forest spectra of bright 6 < z < ∼6.5 QSOs aimed at spectrally resolving the last remaining transmission spikes at z > 5 with those obtained from mock absorption spectra from the Sherwoodand Sherwood–Relics simulation suites of hydrodynamical simulations of the intergalactic medium (IGM). We use a profile-fitting procedure for the inverted transmitted flux, 1 − F, similar to the widely used Voigt profile fitting of the transmitted flux F at lower redshifts, to characterize the transmission spikes that probe predominately underdense regions of the IGM. We are able to reproduce the width and height distributions of the transmission spikes, both with optically thin simulations of the post-reionization Universe using a homogeneous UV background and full radiative transfer simulations of a late reionization model. We find that the width of the fitted components of the simulated transmission spikes is very sensitive to the instantaneous temperature of the reionized IGM. The internal structures of the spikes are more prominent in low temperature models of the IGM. The width distribution of the observed transmission spikes, which require high spectral resolution (≤ 8  km s−1) to be resolved, is reproduced for optically thin simulations with a temperature at mean density of T0 = (11 000 ± 1600, 10 500 ± 2100, 12 000 ± 2200) K at z = (5.4, 5.6, 5.8). This is weakly dependent on the slope of the temperature-density relation, which is favoured to be moderately steeper than isothermal. In the inhomogeneous, late reionization, full radiative transfer simulations where islands of neutral hydrogen persist to z ∼ 5.3, the width distribution of the observed transmission spikes is consistent with the range of T0 caused by spatial fluctuations in the temperature–density relation.