Periodic Reporting for period 2 - QuasarChronicles (Quasars in a Neutral Universe: Chronicling the History of Reionization, Enrichment, and Black Hole Growth)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-05-31
The first sources of light formed several hundred million years after the Big Bang, ending what astronomers refer to as the cosmic dark ages. The earliest supermassive black holes play a key role in deciphering this poorly understood epoch of our Universe's history. First, they are bright beacons in the young Universe that are easily observed at cosmological distances with existing telescopes. Second, studying the first generation of supermassive black holes could provide a Rosetta stone for understanding how black holes form and grow. The study of this poorly understood period of our Universe's history and the formation of supermassive black holes are key science questions that are especially ripe for investigation. This is because emerging capabilities and techniques offer great promise for major advances. This project will obtain new constraints on the first sources of light and the earliest supermassive black holes by applying novel statistical methods to astronomical data collected with the world's largest telescopes. These data will be compared to state-of-the-art supercomputer calculations to yield new insights into cosmic history. This project will support the research of PhD students, postdocs, and master and undergraduate students in cutting edge astronomical research.
Thus far this project has resulted in the development of new methods that address the fundamental questions touched upon above. Namely, new methods for constraining the reionization epoch have been developed. Studies have been published that aim to place the growth of supermassive black holes in a cosmological context, and new methodology for measuring the buildup of heavy elements in the vast expanse of intergalactic space have been developed.
Multiple scientific deliverables that represent progress beyond the state-of-the-art have been published in high impact peer reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.