Predictions for the sky-averaged depth of the 21cm absorption signal at high redshift in cosmologies with and without non-baryonic cold dark matter

Abstract

We consider the 21cm absorption signal expected at high redshift in cosmologies with and without non-baryonic cold dark matter. The expansion of the early universe decelerates strongly with dark matter, but approximately coasts without it. This results in a different path length across the epochs when absorption is expected, with the consequence that the absorption is predicted to be a factor of $\sim 2$ greater without dark matter than with it. Observation of such a signal would motivate consideration of extended theories of gravity in lieu of dark matter.

Comments: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Letters. 9 pages (4 of which are bibliography), 1 figure. Model data available at http://astroweb.case.edu/ssm/models/