S21A0074
S21A0074
This is to regain the time loss in S20A due to the pandemic. Our S20A proposal was approved with grade A but “without carryover” and intended to complete a crucial part of the program. We aim to understand the origin of the observed large-scale fluctuations in the effective H i optical depth (τeff) of the IGM at the tail end of reionization. Revealing the origin of the τeff variations will provide us with new insights about the detailed processes of reionization. Four possible scenarios have been proposed to account for the observed τeff variation. These models predict quite different relationships between density and τeff, and thus can in principle be tested by observations. We are currently carrying out LBG surveys in multiple quasar fields, where Lyα forest measurements (i.e., τeff(z)) are available, to achieve this goal. The first observations have proven that our strategy works well and are already giving us a striking indication of an association between a high-τeff region and an underdensity of galaxies. In S21A, we request additional observing time to complete observations of the target fields that are only visible in the A term, which are essential for more conclusive statements.
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