Denys Wilkinson Building, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH
Professor Anastasia Fialkov, University of Cambridge
Title: First Stars and Beyond
Abstract: Following the Big Bang, the Universe transformed from a cold cosmos filled with neutral hydrogen gas to a lively and hot neighbourhood dotted with massive galaxies, as observed today. Some of the milestones of this evolution, such as the formation of the first stars and black hole binaries during the first billion years, have not been observed yet. The 21-cm signal of neutral hydrogen, produced by its spin-flip transition, offers a unique way to map these last white spots. In my talk, I will discuss the physics of the 21-cm signal and explore its potential to probe Cosmic Dawn and the Epoch of Reionization. I will discuss the existing upper limits and the prospects for the observations with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will dramatically improve our understanding of the properties of first stars and X-ray binaries.