Daniel J. Mortlock

Daniel J. Mortlock works on statistical inference in astrophysics. He led the 2011 report of the quasar ULAS J1120+0641 at cosmological redshift $z=7.085$.

The observation connected two questions about the early universe: how a very massive black hole could already have grown, and how much of the surrounding intergalactic gas remained neutral. The paper interpreted the small ionized region and the absorption profile as evidence about cosmic reionization. Its quoted age and black hole mass are inferences within the adopted physical model, alongside the measured radiation spectrum.^[ref]