The scale-invariant glitch statistics observed in individual pulsars (exponential waiting-time and power-law size distributions) are consistent with a critical self-organization process, wherein superfluid vortices pin metastably in macroscopic domai
ns and unpin collectively via nearest-neighbor avalanches. Macroscopic inhomogeneity emerges naturally if pinning occurs at crustal faults. If, instead, pinning occurs at lattice sites and defects, which are macroscopically homogeneous, we show that an alternative, noncritical self-organization process operates, termed coherent noise, wherein the global Magnus force acts uniformly on vortices trapped in a range of pinning potentials and undergoing thermal creep. It is found that vortices again unpin collectively, but not via nearest-neighbor avalanches, and that, counterintuitively, the resulting glitch sizes are scale invariant, in accord with observational data. A mean-field analytic theory of the coherent noise process, supported by Monte-Carlo simulations, yields a power-law size distribution, between the smallest and largest glitch, with exponent $a$ in the range $-2leq a leq 0$. When the theory is fitted to data from the nine most active pulsars, including the two quasiperiodic glitchers PSR J0537$-$6910 and PSR J0835$-$4510, it directly constrains the distribution of pinning potentials in the star, leading to two conclusions: (i) the potentials are broadly distributed, with the mean comparable to the standard deviation; and (ii) the mean potential decreases with characteristic age. An observational test is proposed to discriminate between nearest-neighbor avalanches and coherent noise.
We incorporate a contribution to reionization from X-rays within analytic and semi-numerical simulations of the 21-cm signal arising from neutral hydrogen during the epoch of reionization. We explore the impact that X-ray ionizations have on the powe
r spectrum (PS) of 21-cm fluctuations by varying both the average X-ray MFP and the fractional contribution of X-rays to reionization. In general, prior to the epoch when the intergalactic medium is dominated by ionized regions (H {sevensize II} regions), X-ray-induced ionization enhances fluctuations on spatial scales smaller than the X-ray MFP, provided that X-ray heating does not strongly supress galaxy formation. Conversely, at later times when H2 regions dominate, small-scale fluctuations in the 21-cm signal are suppressed by X-ray ionization. Our modelling also shows that the modification of the 21-cm signal due to the presence of X-rays is sensitive to the relative scales of the X-ray MFP, and the characteristic size of H2 regions. We therefore find that X-rays imprint an epoch and scale-dependent signature on the 21-cm PS, whose prominence depends on fractional X-ray contribution. The degree of X-ray heating of the IGM also determines the extent to which these features can be discerned. We show that the MWA will have sufficient sensitivity to detect this modification of the PS, so long as the X-ray photon MFP falls within the range of scales over which the array is most sensitive ($sim0.1$ Mpc$^{-1}$). In cases in which this MFP takes a much smaller value, an array with larger collecting area would be required.
We investigate the impact of neutral hydrogen (HI) in galaxies on the statistics of 21-cm fluctuations using analytic and semi-numerical modelling. Following the reionisation of hydrogen the HI content of the Universe is dominated by damped absorptio
n systems (DLAs), with a cosmic density in HI that is observed to be constant at a level equal to ~2% of the cosmic baryon density from z~1 to z~5. We show that extrapolation of this constant fraction into the reionisation epoch results in a reduction of 10-20% in the amplitude of 21-cm fluctuations over a range of spatial scales. The assumption of a different percentage during the reionisation era results in a proportional change in the 21-cm fluctuation amplitude. We find that consideration of HI in galaxies/DLAs reduces the prominence of the HII region induced shoulder in the 21-cm power spectrum (PS), and hence modifies the scale dependence of 21-cm fluctuations. We also estimate the 21cm-galaxy cross PS, and show that the cross PS changes sign on scales corresponding to the HII regions. From consideration of the sensitivity for forthcoming low-frequency arrays we find that the effects of HI in galaxies/DLAs on the statistics of 21-cm fluctuations will be significant with respect to the precision of a PS or cross PS measurement. In addition, since overdense regions are reionised first we demonstrate that the cross-correlation between galaxies and 21-cm emission changes sign at the end of the reionisation era, providing an alternative avenue to pinpoint the end of reionisation. The sum of our analysis indicates that the HI content of the galaxies that reionise the universe will need to be considered in detailed modelling of the 21-cm intensity PS in order to correctly interpret measurements from forthcoming low-frequency arrays.
