Cosmic Reionization and High Redshift QSO Absorption Line Systems

Abstract

Full radiative transfer in 3D space has been solved to pursue the reionization history in an inhomogeneous universe. It has been shown that the reionization of an inhomogeneous universe is not a prompt event, but a fairly slow process. Also, QSO absorption line systems are simulated with using the results of radiative transfer calculations. Lyα continuum depression (D_A) implies that the metagalactic UV intensity decreases rapidly with z at z>5, and the reionization must have taken place between z=6 and 10. Finally, it is stressed that Hα forest is a more powerful probe to explore the reionization history and the density fluctuations in the universe at z>5.