Simulations of the 21cm emission line for upcoming large-scale HI galaxy surveys

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Mayor, Joël, Spinelli, Marta, De Lucia, Gabriella, Yates, Robert, Refregier, Alexandre, Fontanot, Fabio, Xie, Lizhi, Hirschmann, Michaela
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
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author Mayor, Joël
Spinelli, Marta
De Lucia, Gabriella
Yates, Robert
Refregier, Alexandre
Fontanot, Fabio
Xie, Lizhi
Hirschmann, Michaela
author_facet Mayor, Joël
Spinelli, Marta
De Lucia, Gabriella
Yates, Robert
Refregier, Alexandre
Fontanot, Fabio
Xie, Lizhi
Hirschmann, Michaela
contents Upcoming galaxy surveys with the SKA Observatory will detect neutral hydrogen (HI) across unprecedented volumes, and their scientific return will crucially depend on predictive models for HI observables. In this work, we present a framework to simulate the neutral hydrogen 21cm emission line in such large-scale HI galaxy surveys. This framework is developed as a modular layer that builds on semi-analytical models. In particular we use as bases the Galaxy Evolution and Assembly (GAEA) and L-Galaxies semi-analytical models, coupled to merger trees from the Millennium Simulation suite. We validate our framework against local Universe observations, demonstrating consistency with velocity functions, and generalised Tully-Fisher relations. Predictions based on GAEA and L-Galaxies exhibit mutual consistency despite the distinct underlying physical prescriptions. We construct mock galaxy catalogues that incorporate forward-modelled selection functions, inclination effects, and redshift broadening, reproducing the statistical distributions of HI-selected galaxies in the ALFALFA survey. Finally, we present redshift distribution forecasts for future SKA Observatory HI galaxy surveys. This framework offers a flexible tool for interpreting upcoming large-scale radio surveys and studying HI line observables as cosmological probes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_21058
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Simulations of the 21cm emission line for upcoming large-scale HI galaxy surveys
Mayor, Joël
Spinelli, Marta
De Lucia, Gabriella
Yates, Robert
Refregier, Alexandre
Fontanot, Fabio
Xie, Lizhi
Hirschmann, Michaela
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Upcoming galaxy surveys with the SKA Observatory will detect neutral hydrogen (HI) across unprecedented volumes, and their scientific return will crucially depend on predictive models for HI observables. In this work, we present a framework to simulate the neutral hydrogen 21cm emission line in such large-scale HI galaxy surveys. This framework is developed as a modular layer that builds on semi-analytical models. In particular we use as bases the Galaxy Evolution and Assembly (GAEA) and L-Galaxies semi-analytical models, coupled to merger trees from the Millennium Simulation suite. We validate our framework against local Universe observations, demonstrating consistency with velocity functions, and generalised Tully-Fisher relations. Predictions based on GAEA and L-Galaxies exhibit mutual consistency despite the distinct underlying physical prescriptions. We construct mock galaxy catalogues that incorporate forward-modelled selection functions, inclination effects, and redshift broadening, reproducing the statistical distributions of HI-selected galaxies in the ALFALFA survey. Finally, we present redshift distribution forecasts for future SKA Observatory HI galaxy surveys. This framework offers a flexible tool for interpreting upcoming large-scale radio surveys and studying HI line observables as cosmological probes.
title Simulations of the 21cm emission line for upcoming large-scale HI galaxy surveys
topic Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.21058