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arXiv · 2004.07819

Quantifying Excess Power from Radio Frequency Interference in Epoch of Reionization Measurements

Michael J. Wilensky·Nichole Barry·Miguel F. Morales·Bryna J. Hazelton·Ruby Byrne
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Abstract

We quantify the effect of radio frequency interference (RFI) on measurements of the 21-cm power spectrum during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR). Specifically, we investigate how the frequency structure of RFI source emission generates contamination in higher-order wave modes that is much more problematic than smooth-spectrum foreground sources. Using a relatively optimistic EoR model, we find that even a single relatively dim RFI source can overwhelm the EoR power spectrum signal of $\sim10\text{ mK}^2$ for modes $0.1 \text{ }h\text{ Mpc}^{-1} < k < 2 \text{ }h\text{ Mpc}^{-1}$. If total apparent RFI flux density in the final power spectrum integration is kept below 1 mJy, an EoR signal resembling this optimistic model should be detectable for modes $k < 0.9\text{ }h\text{ Mpc}^{-1}$, given no other systematic contaminants and an error tolerance as high as 10%. More pessimistic models will be more restrictive. These results emphasize the need for highly effective RFI mitigation strategies for telescopes used to search for the EoR.

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Michael J. Wilensky, Nichole Barry, Miguel F. Morales, Bryna J. Hazelton, Ruby Byrne. 2020-08-11. Quantifying Excess Power from Radio Frequency Interference in Epoch of Reionization Measurements. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstaa2442

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