Definition of «reionization»

Reionization refers to a cosmic event that occurred in the early universe, where neutral hydrogen atoms were once again ionized (losing their electrons) by energetic radiation. This allowed the light from celestial objects to continue traveling freely, after a period in which the universe was filled with opaque ionized gas.

Phrases with «reionization»

Sentences with «reionization»

The final phase of reionization of the Universe may have occurred swiftly. (haystack.mit.edu)
Computer simulations of cosmic reionization suggest the Universe was fully opaque to Lyman - alpha radiation in the first 400 million years of cosmic history and then gradually, as the first galaxies were born, the intense ultraviolet radiation from their young stars, burned off this obscuring hydrogen in bubbles of increasing radius which, eventually, overlapped so the entire space between galaxies became «ionized», that is composed of free electrons and protons. (keckobservatory.org)
All three gamma - ray bursts (GRB 090423, 080913, and 050904) occurred during the Epoch of Reionization in the early universe. (members.nova.org)
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