Astrophysics and cosmology from the epoch of reionization with SKA and REACH

One of the last frontiers of astrophysics is the first billion years of the Universe, when the formation of the first galaxies and black holes produced the first star light leading to a Cosmic Dawn. Observations of the 21 cm line of neutral hydrogen in the radio promises to open a window onto this period (z=6-27) for the first time. Interferometers like LOFAR, HERA, and SKA will map fluctuations in the 21cm signal, while single dipole experiments like EDGES and REACH hope to detect the all sky global signal. These new experiments are expected to provide new insights into astrophysics and cosmology and are already starting to provide interesting data. The student will be part of a collaboration preparing for SKA observations and thinking about the analysis of REACH to develop new statistical and modelling techniques for 21cm experiments. The PhD will explore new methods for analysing global signal data to constrain low order multipoles, such as the dipole, to validate detection and constrain isotropy on large scales. The PhD will also explore modelling of the the 21cm signal for interferometric observations and new physics that needs to be included.