Search

We reconstruct the history of reionization using Gaussian process regression. Using the UV luminosity data compilation from Hubble Frontiers Fields we reconstruct the redshift evolution of UV luminosity density and thereby the evolution of the source term in the ionization equation. This model-independent reconstruction rules out single power-law evolution of the luminosity density but supports the logarithmic double power-law parameterization. We obtain reionization history by integrating ionization equations with the reconstructed source term. Using the optical depth constraint from Planck cosmic microwave background observation, measurement of UV luminosity function integrated until truncation magnitude of âˆ'17 and âˆ'15, and derived ionization fraction from high redshift quasar, galaxies, and gamma-ray burst observations, we constrain the history of reionization. In the conservative case we find the constraint on the optical depth as Ď„ = 0.052 ± 0.001 ± 0.002 at 68% and 95% confidence intervals. We find the redshift duration between 10% and 90% ionization to be 2.05 âˆ' 0.21 âˆ' 0.30 + 0.11 + 0.37 . Longer duration of reionization is supported if UV luminosity density data with truncation magnitude of âˆ'15 is used in the joint analysis. Our results point out that even in a conservative reconstruction, a combination of cosmological and astrophysical observations can provide stringent constraints on the epoch of reionization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]