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SUMMARY:The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) - Dave DeBoer (Uni
 versity of California\, Berkeley)
DTSTART:20150701T130000Z
DTEND:20150701T140000Z
UID:TALK59976@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:David Titterington
DESCRIPTION:The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA)\, currently un
 der construction\, is a staged project that uses the unique properties of 
 the 21-cm line from neutral hydrogen to probe the Epoch of Reionization (E
 oR) and the preceding Dark Ages.  During these epochs\, roughly 0.3-1Gyr a
 fter the Big Bang\, the first stars and black holes heat and reionize the 
 Universe following cosmic recombination.  Direct observation of the large 
 scale structure of reionization and its evolution with time will have a pr
 ofound impact on our understanding of the birth of the first galaxies and 
 black holes\, their influence on the intergalactic medium (IGM)\, and cosm
 ology.\n   Detecting\, characterising and ultimately imaging this epoch is
  a key goal for the community and was the top priority in the recent US Na
 tional Science Foundation decadal astronomy survey.  Current projects (PAP
 ER\, MWA\, LOFAR) are striving to make the first detection of the statisti
 cal power spectrum of the signal\, but current best limits still fall abov
 e even optimistic predictions of its intrinsic strength.  It is recognised
  that an optimised array based on our new understanding of the signal char
 acteristics is needed to make a strong detection and begin to characterise
  this signal over multiple scales and redshifts.  HERA is a collaboration 
 responding to this need and intends to deploy in a timeframe useful in pro
 viding data to aid SKA optimisation for EOR science.  HERA will have a sta
 ged deployment of 14-metre antennas in a close-packed hexagonal configurat
 ion to maximise sensitivity in the EoR “window”.  It is currently unde
 r construction in the South African SKA site in the Karoo where PAPER is c
 urrently deployed.  This talk will provide an overview.\n
LOCATION:Martin Ryle Seminar Room\, Kavli Institute
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