Spectral Features from the Reionization Epoch

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Abstract
Emission lines in hydrogen can be used to measure the approximate redshift of the reionization of the universe. This is an important measurement given the lack of a convincing theoretical prediction of this epoch. There is a rapid change in absorption at the reionization event, which can leave sharp features in the spectrum of recombining hydrogen. These features in the near-infrared background permit us to measure the redshift at which reionization occurs. We have calculated these signals based on numerical simulations of the ΛCDM cosmogony.