Papers for Monday, Feb 13 2023

We demonstrate how the stellar and nebular conditions in star-forming galaxies modulate the emission and spectral profile of HI Lya emission line. We examine the net Lya output, kinematics, and in particular emission of blue-shifted Lya radiation, using spectroscopy from with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on HST, giving a sample of 87 galaxies at redshift z=0.05-0.44. We contrast the Lya spectral measurements with properties of the ionized gas (from optical spectra) and stars (from stellar modeling). We demonstrate correlations of unprecedented strength between the Lya escape fraction (and equivalent width) and the ionization parameter (p~10^-15). The relative contribution of blue-shifted emission to the total Lya also increases from ~0 to ~40% over the range of O_32 ratios (p~10^-6). We also find particularly strong correlations with estimators of stellar age and nebular abundance, and weaker correlations regarding thermodynamic variables. Low ionization stage absorption lines suggest the Lya emission and line profile are predominantly governed by the column of absorbing gas near zero velocity. Simultaneous multi-parametric analysis over many variables shows we can predict 80% of the variance on Lya luminosity, and ~50% on the EW. We determine the most crucial predictive variables, finding that for tracers of the ionization state and Hb luminosity dominate the luminosity prediction whereas the Lya EW is best predicted by Hb EW and the Ha/Hb ratio. We discuss our results with reference to high redshift observations, focussing upon the use of Lya to probe the nebular conditions in high-z galaxies and cosmic reionization.

We have developed a technique to restore scientific usage in compromised (publicly-available) images collected with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the Galactic globular cluster NGC 104 (47 Tucanae). In spite of the degradation and limited data, we were able to recover photometry and astrometry for the coolest stellar objects ever observed within a globular cluster, possibly unveiling the brightest part of the brown dwarf (BD) sequence. This is supported by: (i) proper motion membership, derived by the comparison with positions obtained from Hubble Space Telescope archival early epochs; (ii) the predicted location of the BD sequence; and (iii) the mass function for low-mass stars derived from models. Future JWST observations will provide the necessary deep and precise proper motions to confirm the nature of the here-identified BD candidates belonging to this globular cluster.

High-spatial-resolution HI observations have led to the realisation that the nearby (within few hundreds of parsecs) Galactic atomic filamentary structures are aligned with the ambient magnetic field. Enabled by the high quality data from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope for the Galactic ASKAP HI (GASKAP-HI) survey, we investigate the potential magnetic alignment of the $\gtrsim 10\,{\rm pc}$-scale HI filaments in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Using the Rolling Hough Transform (RHT) technique that automatically identifies filamentary structures, combined with our newly devised ray-tracing algorithm that compares the HI and starlight polarisation data, we find that the HI filaments in the northeastern end of the SMC main body ("Bar" region) and the transition area between the main body and the tidal feature ("Wing" region) appear preferentially aligned with the magnetic field traced by starlight polarisation. Meanwhile, the remaining SMC volume lacks starlight polarisation data of sufficient quality to draw any conclusions. This suggests for the first time that filamentary HI structures can be magnetically aligned across a large spatial volume ($\gtrsim\,{\rm kpc}$) outside of the Milky Way. In addition, we generate maps of the preferred orientation of HI filaments throughout the entire SMC, revealing the highly complex gaseous structures of the galaxy likely shaped by a combination of the intrinsic internal gas dynamics, tidal interactions, and star formation feedback processes. These maps can further be compared with future measurements of the magnetic structures in other regions of the SMC.

In 2017, the LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave (GW) detectors, in conjunction with electromagnetic (EM) astronomers, observed the first GW multi-messenger astrophysical event, the binary neutron star (BNS) merger GW170817. This marked the beginning of a new era in multi-messenger astrophysics. To discover further GW multi-messenger events, we explore the synergies between the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and GW observations triggered by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration (LVK) detector network. TESS's extremely wide field of view of ~2300 deg^2 means that it could overlap with large swaths of GW localizations, which can often span hundreds of deg^2 or more. In this work, we use a recently developed transient detection pipeline to search TESS data collected during the LVK's third observing run, O3, for any EM counterparts. We find no obvious counterparts brighter than about 17th magnitude in the TESS bandpass. Additionally, we present end-to-end simulations of BNS mergers, including their detection in GWs and simulations of light curves, to identify TESS's kilonova discovery potential for the LVK's next observing run (O4). In the most optimistic case, TESS will observe up to one GW-found BNS merger counterpart per year. However, TESS may also find up to five kilonovae which did not trigger the LVK network, emphasizing that EM-triggered GW searches may play a key role in future kilonova detections. We also discuss how TESS can help place limits on EM emission from binary black hole mergers, and rapidly exclude large sky areas for poorly localized GW events.

Early photometric results from JWST have revealed a number of galaxy candidates above redshift 10. The initial estimates of inferred stellar masses and the associated cosmic star formation rates are above most theoretical model predictions up to a factor of 20 in the most extreme cases, while this has been moderated after the recalibration of NIRCam and subsequent spectroscopic detections. Using these recent JWST observations, we use galaxy scaling relations from cosmological simulations to model the star formation history to very high redshifts, back to a starting halo mass of 10^7 solar masses, to infer the intrinsic properties of the JWST galaxies. Here we explore the contribution of supermassive black holes, stellar binaries, and an excess of massive stars to the overall luminosity of high-redshift galaxies. Despite the addition of alternative components to the spectral energy distribution, we find stellar masses equal to or slightly higher than previous stellar mass estimates. Most galaxy spectra are dominated by the stellar component, and the exact choice for the stellar population model does not appear to make a major difference. We find that four of the 12 high-redshift galaxy candidates are best fit with a non-negligible active galactic nuclei component, but the evidence from the continuum alone is insufficient to confirm their existence. Upcoming spectroscopic observations of z > 10 galaxies will confirm the presence and nature of high-energy sources in the early universe and will constrain their exact redshifts.

Neutrinos allow the probing of stellar interiors during core collapse, helping to understand the different stages and processes in the collapse. To date, supernova neutrinos have only been detected from a single event, SN1987A. Most studies from then on have focused on two distance extremes: Galactic/local supernovae and all past cosmic supernovae forming the diffuse supernova neutrino background. We focus on the intermediate distance regime as a target for detecting core-collapse supernova neutrinos at next generation detectors like Hyper-Kamiokande. To quantify the significance of neutrino detections, we draw on expected discoveries by surveys of near galaxies as well as large synoptic surveys to monitor for optical counterparts of core-collapse supernovae. We find that detection prospects require approximately 10 years of operation. We discuss how the ability of electromagnetic surveys to pinpoint the time of core collapse to within the timescale of hours is key for confident neutrino detections. Transient surveys like DLT40 which frequently observe nearby galaxies can help with such crucial information.

One of the major challenges in Core-collapse Supernova (CCSN) theory is to predict which stars explode and which collapse to black holes. Gogilashvili and Murphy (2022) derived an analytic force explosion condition (FEC) and showed that the FEC is consistent with CCSN simulations that use the light-bulb approximation for neutrino heating and cooling. In this follow-up manuscript, we show that the FEC is consistent with the explosion condition when using actual neutrino transport in GR1D simulations (O'CONNOR 2015). Since most 1D simulations do not explode, to facilitate this test, we enhance the heating efficiency within the gain region. To compare the analytic FEC and radiation-hydrodynamic simulations, this manuscript also presents a practical translation of the physical parameters. For example: we replace the neutrino power deposited in the gain region, $L_\nu\tau_g$, with the net neutrino heating in the gain region; rather than assuming that $\dot{M}$ is the same everywhere, we calculate $\dot{M}$ within the gain region; and we use the neutrino opacity at the gain radius. With small, yet practical modifications, we show that the FEC predicts the explosion conditions in spherically symmetric CCSN simulations that use neutrino transport.

The structure of protoplanetary disks plays an essential role in planet formation. Disks that are highly inclined, or ''edge-on'', are of particular interest since their geometry provides a unique opportunity to study the disk's vertical structure and radial extent. Candidate edge-on protoplanetary disks are typically identified via their unique spectral energy distribution and subsequently confirmed through high-resolution imaging. However, this selection process is likely biased toward the largest, most massive disks, and the resulting sample may not accurately represent the underlying disk population. To investigate this, we generated a grid of protoplanetary disk models using radiative transfer simulations and determined which sets of disk parameters produce edge-on systems that could be recovered by aforementioned detection techniques--i.e., identified by their spectral energy distribution and confirmed through follow-up imaging with HST. In doing so, we adopt a quantitative working definition of "edge-on disks" that is observation-driven and agnostic about the disk inclination or other properties. Folding in empirical disk demographics, we predict an occurrence rate of 6.2% for edge-on disks and quantify biases towards highly inclined, massive disks. We also find that edge-on disks are under-represented in samples of Spitzer-studied young stellar objects, particularly for disks with M $\lesssim$ 0.5 $M_\odot$. Overall, our analysis suggests that several dozen edge-on disks remain undiscovered in nearby star-forming regions, and provides a universal selection process to identify edge-on disks for consistent, population-level demographic studies.

The HR 2562 system is a rare case where a brown dwarf companion resides in a cleared inner hole of a debris disk, offering invaluable opportunities to study the dynamical interaction between a substellar companion and a dusty disk. We present the first ALMA observation of the system as well as the continued GPI monitoring of the companion's orbit with 6 new epochs from 2016 to 2018. We update the orbital fit and, in combination with absolute astrometry from GAIA, place a 3$\sigma$ upper limit of 18.5 $M_J$ on the companion's mass. To interpret the ALMA observations, we used radiative transfer modeling to determine the disk properties. We find that the disk is well resolved and nearly edge on. While the misalignment angle between the disk and the orbit is weakly constrained due to the short orbital arc available, the data strongly support a (near) coplanar geometry for the system. Furthermore, we find that the models that describe the ALMA data best have an inner radius that is close to the companion's semi-major axis. Including a posteriori knowledge of the system's SED further narrows the constraints on the disk's inner radius and place it at a location that is in reasonable agreement with, possibly interior to, predictions from existing dynamical models of disk truncation by an interior substellar companion. HR\,2562 has the potential over the next few years to become a new testbed for dynamical interaction between a debris disk and a substellar companion.

Planets which are smaller than Mercury and heated to sublimation temperatures of $\sim$2000 K lose mass catastrophically in dusty evaporative winds. The winds are observed to gust and recede largely without pattern; transit depths from the Kepler mission vary randomly from orbit to orbit by up to a factor of 10 or more. We explain how chaotic outflows may arise by constructing a map for the wind mass-loss rate as a function of time. The map is built on three statements: (1) The wind mass-loss rate scales in proportion to the surface equilibrium vapor pressure, rising exponentially with ground temperature. (2) Because the wind takes a finite time to escape the planet's gravity well, the surface mass-loss rate at any time determines the wind optical depth at a later time -- the atmosphere has hysteresis. (3) The ground temperature increases with optical depth (greenhouse effect) when the atmosphere is optically thin, and decreases with optical depth when the atmosphere is optically thick (nuclear winter). Statement (3) follows from how dust condenses in the face of intense stellar irradiation. As discussed recently, condensates initially naked before the star must be silicate-rich and iron-poor, staying cool enough for condensation by absorbing weakly in the visible and emitting strongly in the infrared. Later, when grains are numerous enough to self-shield from starlight, they may accrete more iron and reverse their visible-to-infrared opacity ratio. Depending on parameters, the map for the wind can regularly boom and bust between a greenhouse and a nuclear winter, or erupt into chaos. Lyapunov times are measured in orbital periods, the time for the wind to turn by Coriolis forces away from the planet's dayside, out of the Hill sphere.

Aims. Our main targets were to improve the understanding of the main properties of G316.8-0.1 (IRAS 14416-5937) radio source where the DBS 89-90-91 embedded clusters are located, to identify the stellar population present in this region, and to study the interaction of these stars with the interstellar medium. Methods. We analyzed some characteristics of the G316.8-0.1 radio source consulting the SUMSS to study the radio continuum emission at 843 MHz and the H I SGPS at 21 cm. We also used photometric data at the JHK bands in the region of DBS 89-90-91 clusters obtained from the VVV survey and supplemented with 2MASS catalogue. The investigation of possible stars associated with the H II region was complemented with the astrometric analysis using the Gaia Early Data Release 3. To study the young stellar objects we consulted the mid-infrared photometric information from WISE, Spitzer-GLIMPSE Surveys, and MSX point source catalog. Results. The photometric and astrometric research carried out in the IRAS 14416-5937 region allowed us to improve the knowledge about the DBS 89-90-91 embedded clusters and their interaction with the interstellar medium. In the case of DBS 89 cluster, we identified 9 astrophotometric candidate members and 19 photometric candidate members, whereas of DB S 90-91 clusters we found 18 candidate photometric members. We obtained a distance value for DBS 89 linked to G316.8-0.1 radio source of 2.9 (0.5) kpc. We also investigated 12 Class I YSOc, 35 Class II YSOc, 2 MYSOc and 1 CH II region distributed throughout the IRAS 14416-5937 region. Our analysis revealed that the G316.8-0.1 radio source is optically thin at frequency > 0.56 GHz. The H II regions G316.8-0.1-A and G316.8-0.1-B have similar radii and ionized hydrogen masses of 0.5 pc and 35 M, respectively.

AU Mic is a young (22 Myr) nearby exoplanetary system that exhibits excess TTVs that cannot be accounted for by the two known transiting planets nor stellar activity. In this work, we present the validation of the candidate planet AU Mic d. We add 18 new transits and nine midpoint times in an updated TTV analysis to prior work. We perform the joint modeling of transit light curves using EXOFASTv2 and extract the transit midpoint times. Next, we construct an O-C diagram and use Exo-Striker to model the TTVs. We generate TTV log-likelihood periodograms to explore possible solutions for the period of planet d and then follow those up with detailed TTV and RV MCMC modeling and stability tests. We find several candidate periods for AU Mic d, all of which are near resonances with AU Mic b and c of varying order. Based on our model comparisons, the most-favored orbital period of AU Mic d is 12.73812+/-0.00128 days (T_{C,d}=2458333.32110+/-0.35836 BJD), which puts the three planets near a 4:6:9 mean-motion orbital resonance. The mass for d is M_d=1.013+/-0.146 M_E, making this planet Earth-like in mass. The presence of orbital resonances in a very young system implies that compact planetary systems can develop resonant chains very early on, which can quickly establish the stability of the systems. Additional TTV observation of the AU Mic system are needed to further constrain the planetary masses, search for possible transits of AU Mic d, and detect possible additional planets beyond AU Mic c.

We present X-ray and radio observations of the recently-discovered bow shock pulsar wind nebula associated with PSR J0002+6216, characterizing the PWN morphology, which was unresolved in previous studies. The multi-frequency, multi-epoch Very Large Array radio observations reveal a cometary tail trailing the pulsar and extending up to 5.3', with multiple kinks along the emission. The presented radio continuum images from multi-configuration broadband VLA observations are one of the first results from the application of multi-term multi-frequency synthesis deconvolution in combination with the awproject gridder implemented in the Common Astronomy Software Applications package (CASA). The X-ray emission observed with Chandra extends to only 21'', fades quickly, and has some hot spots present along the extended radio emission. These kinks could indicate the presence of density variation in the local ISM or turbulence. The bow shock standoff distance estimates a small bow shock region with a size 0.003-0.009 pc, consistent with the pulsar spin-down power of Edot=1.51x10^35 ergs/s estimated from timing. The high-resolution radio image reveals the presence of an asymmetry in the bow shock region which is also present in the X-ray image. The broadband radio image shows an unusually steep spectrum along with a flat-spectrum sheath, which could indicate varying opacity or energy injection into the region. Spatially-resolved X-ray spectra provide marginal evidence of synchrotron cooling along the extended tail. Our analysis of the X-ray data also shows that this pulsar has a low spin-down power and one of the lowest X-ray efficiencies observed in these objects.

Thermal Pulse (LTP) stellar evolution models experience a helium pulse that occurs following Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) departure and causes a rapid looping evolution in the HR Diagram between the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) and Planetary Nebula phase (PN). The transient LTP phases only last decades to centuries while increasing and decreasing in temperature, luminosity, and size over orders of magnitude. LTP objects have often been described in the context of their more dramatic counterparts, very late thermal pulses (VLTP). LTP stars do not evolve as quickly and do not become as hydrogen deficient as VLTP objects. They do not become conspicuous until after resembling a Planetary Nebula for thousands of years. We present stellar evolution calculations from the AGB to the PN phase for models over a range of metallicities from, Z = 0.0015 through Z = 0.03, and for masses 0.90 $M_\odot$, 1.2 $M_\odot$, and 2.0 $M_\odot$. We focus in on our most dense series (1.2 $M_\odot$, Z = 0.015) and designate a stratification of late thermal pulse types based on at what temperature they erupt, which may hint at the progenitor mass. We discuss one type that fits neither a LTP nor VLTP, which may offer an explanation for the star FG Sge. We present the timescales during which LTP models heat up until they reach peak helium burning luminosity, during the rapid luminosity decline, and during the period of cooling and brightening, and we briefly discuss four LTP candidates.

The study of the global structure of the large-scale magnetic field of the Sun is extremely important for creating a theoretical model of the dynamics of the Sun and predictions of the real situation in the helio- and geomagnetosphere. The purpose of the present study was to calculate the differential rotation period of a large-scale photospheric magnetic field, to study its behavior over time and to find out whether there is a sectoral structure of this field along the longitude. However, the choice of the coordinate system in which to search for it is far from unambiguous. This is closely related to the fact that the rotation of the Sun is differential in latitude and varies with depth and over time. Based on the observational data of the J. Wilcox Solar Observatory for three complete cycles of solar activity 21, 22 and 23, the period of rotation of the magnetic field at various latitudes and its change in time were calculated. A uniquely stable over 30 years longitude structure was found. It was determined that its speed of rotation coincides with the one with which the base of the convective shell rotates, that is, the structuring of the magnetic field of the Sun occurs in tachocline. This result clearly demonstrates the close connection of solar activity processes with the topology of magnetic fields, with their dynamics and depth stratification.

Free-floating planets (FFPs) can result from dynamical scattering processes happening in the first few million years of a planetary system's life. Several models predict the possibility, for these isolated planetary-mass objects, to retain exomoons after their ejection. The tidal heating mechanism and the presence of an atmosphere with a relatively high optical thickness may support the formation and maintenance of oceans of liquid water on the surface of these satellites. In order to study the timescales over which liquid water can be maintained, we perform dynamical simulations of the ejection process and infer the resulting statistics of the population of surviving exomoons around free-floating planets. The subsequent tidal evolution of the moons' orbital parameters is a pivotal step to determine when the orbits will circularize, with a consequential decay of the tidal heating. We find that close-in ($a \lesssim 25 $R$_{\rm J}$) Earth-mass moons with CO$_2$-dominated atmospheres could retain liquid water on their surfaces for long timescales, depending on the mass of the atmospheric envelope and the surface pressure assumed. Massive atmospheres are needed to trap the heat produced by tidal friction that makes these moons habitable. For Earth-like pressure conditions ($p_0$ = 1 bar), satellites could sustain liquid water on their surfaces up to 52 Myr. For higher surface pressures (10 and 100 bar), moons could be habitable up to 276 Myr and 1.6 Gyr, respectively. Close-in satellites experience habitable conditions for long timescales, and during the ejection of the FFP remain bound with the escaping planet, being less affected by the close encounter.

We present a series of ground-based photometry and spectroscopy of the superluminous Type IIn supernova (SN) ASASSN-15ua, which shows evidence for strong interaction with pre-existing dense circumstellar material (CSM). Our observations constrain the speed, mass-loss rate, and extent of the progenitor wind shortly before explosion. A narrow P Cygni absorption component reveals a progenitor wind speed of $\sim$100 km s$^{-1}$. As observed in previous SNe IIn, the intermediate-width H$\alpha$ emission became progressively more asymmetric and blueshifted, suggesting either an asymmetric CSM, an asymmetric explosion, or increasing selective extinction from dust within the post-shock shell or SN ejecta. Based on the CSM radius and speed, we find that the progenitor suffered extreme eruptive mass loss on the order of 0.1-1 M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ during the $\sim$12 years immediately preceding its death, imparting $\sim$ 8 $\times$ 10$^{47}$ erg of kinetic energy to the CSM. Integrating its light curve over the first 200 days after discovery, we find that ASASSN-15ua radiated at least 3.1$\times$10$^{50}$ erg in visual light alone, giving a lower limit to the total radiated energy that may have approached 10$^{51}$ erg. ASASSN-15ua exhibits many similarities to two well-studied superluminous SNe IIn: SN 2006tf and SN 2010jl. Based on a detailed comparison of these three, we find that ASASSN-15ua falls in between these two events in a wide variety of observed properties and derived physical parameters, illustrating a continuum of behavior across superluminous SNe IIn.

Understanding the solar corona requires knowledge of its dynamics through its various layers and subsequent connectivity to the heliosphere. This requires understanding the nature of the outflows and the physical transitions through the middle corona (~1.5-6.0 Rs). While this region is still inaccessible to in situ measurements, remote sensing observations are available, but their interpretation can be controversial due to line-of-sight effects and the non-radial motion of outflowing structures close to the Sun (<3.0 Rs). In this work, we describe a method to mitigate these challenges by generating non-radial Height-Time profiles of outflows by using advanced image processing techniques. The North and South boundaries of a large equatorial streamer during the 2008 solar minimum were identified in STEREO/SECCHI solar images, using two different methodologies based on thresholds of brightness and piece-wise polynomial function fitting. To address line-of-sight issues, we used tomographic reconstruction of the 3D distribution of the coronal electron density based on SECCHI/COR2 images. Spectral analysis of the time series of the position angle of the streamer boundary revealed its oscillatory nature at some heights at 36-48 hours and 10.5-14.6 hours. Dividing the distance between the North and South streamer boundaries in equal parts at each height, we obtained non-radial Height-Time paths from which we generated non-radial profiles of corona/solar wind plasma outflow. We tracked outflows as they moved uninterruptedly from the Sun in EUVI, through COR1 and into COR2. Finally, we discuss preliminary results of non-radial plane-of-sky velocities for a CME and two small-scale features.

The knowledge of the main features of the bulk flow in the Local Universe is important for a better determination of the relative motions there, an information that would contribute to a precise calculation of the Hubble-Lema\^{\i}tre law at very low redshifts. We study how to obtain the Hubble-Lema\^{\i}tre law in two sky regions using the catalog of HI sources of the ALFALFA survey, with data $cz_{\odot} < 6000$ km/s. Our methodology aims to compute $H_0$ in two regions -- located in opposite galactic hemispheres -- mapped by the ALFALFA survey, and look for dependence with distance, direction, and also test for reference frame changes. We calculate the Hubble constant, in the Cosmic Microwave Background reference frame, in opposite galactic hemispheres: $H_0^N = 70.87 \pm 2.38$ and $H_0^S = 66.07 \pm 3.02$, which allows us to measure the bulk flow velocity $V_{BF} = 401.06 \pm 150.55$ km/s at the effective distance $31.3 \pm 6.26$ Mpc, a novel result found analysing the ALFALFA data at low redshift. We confirm the influence of the bulk flow on the structures of the Local Universe which manifests through a dipolar behavior of the Hubble constant in opposite hemispheres.

Energy balance models (EBMs) are one- or two-dimensional climate models that can provide insight into planetary atmospheres, particularly with regard to habitability. Because EBMs are far less computationally intensive than three-dimensional general circulation models (GCMs), they can be run over large, uncertain parameter spaces and can be used to explore long-period phenomena like carbon and Milankovitch cycles. Because horizontal dimensions are incorporated in EBMs, they can explore processes that are beyond the reach of one-dimensional radiative-convective models (RCMs). EBMs are, however, dependent on parameterizations and tunings to account for physical processes that are neglected. Thus, EBMs rely on observations and results from GCMs and RCMs. Different EBMs have included a wide range of parameterizations (for albedo, radiation, and heat diffusion) and additional physics, such as carbon cycling and ice sheets. This CUISINES exoplanet model intercomparison project (exoMIP) will compare various EBMs across a set of numerical experiments. The set of experiments will include Earth-like planets at different obliquities, parameter sweeps across obliquity, and variations in instellation and CO$_2$ abundance to produce hysteresis diagrams. We expect a range of different results due to the choices made in the various codes, highlighting which results are robust across models and which are dependent on parameterizations or other modeling choices. Additionally, it will allow developers to identify model defects and determine which parameterizations are most useful or relevant to the problem of interest. Ultimately, this exoMIP will allow us to improve the consistency between EBMs and accelerate the process of discovering habitable exoplanets.

We study the potential of the galaxy cluster sample expected from the China Space Station Telescope (CSST) survey to constrain dark energy properties. By modelling the distribution of observed cluster mass for a given true mass to be log-normal and adopting a selection threshold in the observed mass $M_{200m} \geq 0.836 \times 10^{14} h^{-1}M_{\odot}$, we find about $4.1 \times 10^{5}$ clusters in the redshift range $0 \leq z \leq 1.5$ can be detected by the CSST. We construct the Fisher matrix for the cluster number counts from CSST, and forecast constraints on dark energy parameters for models with constant ($w_0$CDM) and time dependent ($w_0w_a$CDM) equation of state. In the self-calibration scheme, the dark energy equation of state parameter $w_0$ of $w_0$CDM model can be constrained to $\Delta w_0 = 0.036$. If $w_a$ is added as a free parameter, we obtain $\Delta w_0 = 0.077$ and $\Delta w_a = 0.39$ for the $w_0w_a$CDM model, with a Figure of Merit for ($w_0,w_a$) to be 68.99. Should we had perfect knowledge of the observable-mass scaling relation (``known SR" scheme), we would obtain $\Delta w_0 = 0.012$ for $w_0$CDM model, $\Delta w_0 = 0.062$ and $\Delta w_a = 0.24$ for $w_0w_a$CDM model. The dark energy Figure of Merit of ($w_0,w_a$) increases to 343.25. By extending the maximum redshift of the clusters from $z_{max} \sim 1.5$ to $z_{max} \sim 2$, the dark energy Figure of Merit for ($w_0,w_a$) increases to 89.72 (self-calibration scheme) and 610.97 (``known SR" scheme), improved by a factor of $\sim 1.30$ and $\sim 1.78$, respectively. We find that the impact of clusters' redshift uncertainty on the dark energy constraints is negligible as long as the redshift error of clusters is smaller than 0.01, achievable by CSST. We also find that the bias in logarithm mass must be calibrated to be $0.30$ or better to avoid significant dark energy parameter bias.

The correlation between the kinetic jet power $P_{\rm jet}$, intrinsic $\gamma$-ray luminosity ($L^{\rm int}$) and accretion ($L_{\rm disk}$) may reveal the underlying jet physics in various black hole systems. We study the relation between kinetic jet power, intrinsic $\gamma$-ray luminosity, and accretion by using a large sample of jetted AGN, including flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs), gamma-ray Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies ($\gamma$NLS1s) and radio galaxies. Our main results are as follows: (1) The slope indices of the relation between $P_{\rm jet}$ and $L^{\rm int}$ are $0.85\pm0.01$ for the whole sample, $0.70\pm0.02$ for the FSRQs, $0.83\pm0.03$ for the BL Lacs, $0.68\pm0.11$ for the $\gamma$NLS1s, and $0.93\pm0.09$ for the radio galaxies, respectively. The jets in $\gamma$NLS1s and radio galaxies almost follow the same $P_{\rm jet}$-$L^{\rm int}$ correlation that was obtained for Fermi blazars. (2) The slope indices of the relation between $L^{\rm int}$ and $L_{\rm disk}$ are $1.05\pm0.02$ for the whole sample, $0.94\pm0.05$ for the FSRQs, $1.14\pm0.05$ for the BL Lacs, and $0.92\pm0.18$ for the $\gamma$NLS1s, respectively. The $\gamma$NLS1s and radio galaxies almost also follow the $L^{\rm int}$-$L_{\rm disk}$ correlation derived for Fermi blazars. (3) The jet power is larger than the luminosity of accretion disks for almost all jetted AGN. Jet power depends on both the Eddington ratio and black hole mass. We obtain $\log P_{\rm jet}\sim(1.00\pm0.02)\log L_{\rm disk}$ for the whole sample, which is consistent with the theoretically predicted coefficient. These results may imply that the jets of jetted AGN are powered by the Blandford-Znajek mechanism.

A recent analysis of Chandra X-ray data of the metal-polluted white dwarf (WD) G29-38 has revealed X-ray emission that can be attributed to the accretion of debris from a planetary body. In the light of this detection we revisit here archival XMM-Newton observations of G29-38 from which only an upper limit was derived in the past due to the presence of a relatively bright nearby X-ray source. An analysis of these data in multiple energy bands allows disentangling the X-ray emission at the location of G29-38 from that of the nearby source. The similar spectral properties of the source in the XMM-Newton and Chandra observations and their spatial shift, consistent with the proper motion of G29-38 between these observations, strengthen the origin of that X-ray emission from G29-38. The X-ray luminosities from both observations are consistent within 1-$\sigma$ uncertainties, so too are the best-fit plasma temperatures. Although the count number is small, there is tantalizing evidence for line emission in the 0.7-0.8 keV energy band from an optically-thin hot plasma. The most likely candidate for this line emission would be the Fe complex at 16 \r{A}.

We compare an observed Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation (BTFR) from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) and HI-MaNGA surveys to a simulated BTFR from the cosmological magnetohydrodynamical simulation IllustrisTNG. To do so, we calibrate the BTFR of the local universe using 377 galaxies from the MaNGA and HI-MaNGA surveys, and perform mock 21 cm observations of matching galaxies from IllustrisTNG. The mock observations are used to ensure that the comparison with the observed galaxies is fair since it has identical measurement algorithms, observational limitations, biases and uncertainties. For comparison, we also calculate the BTFR for the simulation without mock observations, and demonstrate how mock observations are necessary to fairly and consistently compare between observational and theoretical data. We report a MaNGA BTFR of log$_{10} (M_{ \rm Bary}/M_\odot)= (2.97 \pm 0.18)$ log$_{10} V_{ \rm Rot} + (4.04 \pm 0.41)\,\log_{10}{M_{\odot}}$ and an IllustrisTNG BTFR of log$_{10} (M_{ \rm Bary}/M_\odot) = (2.94 \pm 0.23$) log$_{10} V_{ \rm Rot} + (4.15 \pm 0.44)\,\log_{10}{M_{\odot}}$. Thus, MaNGA and IllustrisTNG produce BTFRs that agree within uncertainties, demonstrating that IllustrisTNG has created a galaxy population that obeys the observed relationship between mass and rotation velocity in the observed universe.

The performance of a large-scale water Cherenkov neutrino telescope relies heavily on the transparency of the surrounding water, quantified by its level of light absorption and scattering. A pathfinder experiment was carried out to measure the optical properties of deep seawater in South China Sea with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources, photon multiplier tubes (PMTs) and cameras as photon sensors. Here, we present an optical simulation program employing the Geant4 toolkit to understand the absorption and scattering processes in the deep seawater, which helps to extract the underlying optical properties from the experimental data. The simulation results are compared with the experimental data and show good agreements. We also verify the analysis methods that utilize various observables of the PMTs and the cameras with this simulation program, which can be easily adapted by other neutrino telescope pathfinder experiments and future large-scale detectors.

Lenticular (S0) galaxies are galaxies that exhibit a bulge and disk component, yet lack any clear spiral features. With features considered intermediary between spirals and ellipticals, S0s have been proposed to be a transitional morphology, however their exact origin and nature is still debated. In this work, we study the redshift evolution of the S0 fraction out to $z \sim 1$ using deep learning to classify F814W ($i$-band) HST-ACS images of 85,378 galaxies in the Cosmological Evolution Survey (COSMOS). We classify galaxies into four morphological categories: elliptical (E), S0, spiral (Sp), and irregular/miscellaneous (IrrM). Our deep learning models, initially trained to classify SDSS images with known morphologies, have been successfully adapted to classify high-redshift COSMOS images via transfer learning and data augmentation, enabling us to classify S0s with superior accuracy. We find that there is an increase in the fraction of S0 galaxies with decreasing redshift, along with a corresponding reduction in the fraction of spirals. We find a bimodality in the mass distribution of our classified S0s, from which we find two separate S0s populations: high-mass S0s, which are mostly red and quiescent; and low-mass S0s, which are generally bluer and include both passive and star-forming S0s, the latter of which cannot solely be explained via the faded spiral formation pathway. We also find that the S0 fraction in high-mass galaxies begins rising at higher $z$ than in low-mass galaxies, implying that high-mass S0s evolved earlier.

The mapping of the Galactic Magnetic Field (GMF) in three dimensions is essential to comprehend various astrophysical processes that occur within the Milky Way. This study endeavors to map the GMF by utilizing the latest MM2 technique, the Velocity Gradient Technique (VGT), the Column Density Variance Approach, and the GALFA-H I survey of Neutral Hydrogen (H I) emission. The MM2 and VGT methods rely on an advanced understanding of magnetohydrodynamics turbulence to determine the magnetic field strength and orientation respectively. The H I emission data, combined with the Galactic rotational curve, gives us the distribution of H I gas throughout the Milky Way. By combining these two techniques, we map the GMF orientation and strength, as well as the Alfv\'en Mach number $M_{\rm A}$ in 3D for a low galactic latitude ($b<30^{\rm o}$) region close to the Perseus Arm. The analysis of column density variance gives the sonic Mach number $M_{\rm s}$ distribution, The results of this study reveal the sub-Alfv\'enic and subsonic (or trans-sonic) nature of the H I gas. The variation of mean $M_{\rm A}$ along the line-of-sight approximately ranges from 0.6 to 0.9, while that of mean $M_{\rm s}$ is from 0.2 to 1.5. The mean magnetic field strength varies from ~0.5 $\mu$G to ~2.5 $\mu$G exhibiting a decreasing trend towards the Galaxy's outskirt. This work provides a new avenue for mapping the GMF, especially the magnetic field strength, in 3D. We discuss potential synergetic applications with other approaches.

In this Letter, we report the outcomes of 1-D modelling of a rotating 25 M$_{\odot}$ zero-age main-sequence Population III star up to the stage of the onset of core collapse. Rapidly rotating models display violent and sporadic mass losses after the Main-Sequence stage. In comparison to the solar metallicity model, Pop III models show very small pre-supernova radii. Further, with models at the stage of the onset of core collapse, we simulate the hydrodynamic simulations of resulting supernovae. Depending upon the mass losses due to corresponding rotations and stellar winds, the resulting supernovae span a class from weak Type II to Type Ib/c. We find that the absolute magnitudes of the core-collapse supernovae resulting from Pop III stars are much fainter than that resulting from a solar metallicity star. From our simulation results, we also conclude that within the considered limits of explosion energies and Nickel masses, these transient events are very faint, making it difficult for them to be detected at high redshifts.

We present jax-cosmo, a library for automatically differentiable cosmological theory calculations. It uses the JAX library, which has created a new coding ecosystem, especially in probabilistic programming. As well as batch acceleration, just-in-time compilation, and automatic optimization of code for different hardware modalities (CPU, GPU, TPU), JAX exposes an automatic differentiation (autodiff) mechanism. Thanks to autodiff, jax-cosmo gives access to the derivatives of cosmological likelihoods with respect to any of their parameters, and thus enables a range of powerful Bayesian inference algorithms, otherwise impractical in cosmology, such as Hamiltonian Monte Carlo and Variational Inference. In its initial release, jax-cosmo implements background evolution, linear and non-linear power spectra (using halofit or the Eisenstein and Hu transfer function), as well as angular power spectra with the Limber approximation for galaxy and weak lensing probes, all differentiable with respect to the cosmological parameters and their other inputs. We illustrate how autodiff can be a game-changer for common tasks involving Fisher matrix computations, or full posterior inference with gradient-based techniques. In particular, we show how Fisher matrices are now fast, exact, no longer require any fine tuning, and are themselves differentiable. Finally, using a Dark Energy Survey Year 1 3x2pt analysis as a benchmark, we demonstrate how jax-cosmo can be combined with Probabilistic Programming Languages to perform posterior inference with state-of-the-art algorithms including a No U-Turn Sampler, Automatic Differentiation Variational Inference,and Neural Transport HMC. We further demonstrate that Normalizing Flows using Neural Transport are a promising methodology for model validation in the early stages of analysis.

The orbital evolution of a binary system consisting of two primordial black hole clusters is investigated. Such clusters are predicted in some theoretical models with broken symmetry in the inflation Lagrangian. A cluster consists of the most massive central black hole surrounded by many smaller black holes. Similar to single primordial black holes, clusters can form gravitationally bounded pairs and merge during their orbital evolution. The replacement of single black holes by such clusters significantly changes the entire merger process and the final rate of gravitational wave bursts in some parameter ranges (with sufficiently large cluster radii). A new important factor is the tidal gravitational interaction of the clusters. It leads to an additional dissipation of the orbital energy, which is transferred into the internal energy of the clusters or carried away by black holes flying out of the clusters. Comparison with the data of gravitational-wave telescopes allows one to constrain the fractions of primordial black holes in clusters, depending on their mass and compactness. Even the primordial black hole fraction in the composition of dark matter $\simeq1$ turns out to be compatible with LIGO/Virgo observational data, if the black holes are in clusters.

The Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS) is a NASA Astrophysics MIDEX-class mission concept, with the stated goal of following water from galaxies, through protostellar systems, to Earth's oceans. This paper details the protoplanetary disk science achievable with OASIS. OASIS's suite of heterodyne receivers allow for simultaneous, high spectral resolution observations of water emission lines spanning a large range of physical conditions within protoplanetary disks. These observations will allow us to map the spatial distribution of water vapor in disks across evolutionary stages and assess the importance of water, particularly the location of the midplane water snowline, to planet formation. OASIS will also detect the H2 isotopologue HD in 100+ disks, allowing for the most accurate determination of total protoplanetary disk gas mass to date. When combined with the contemporaneous water observations, the HD detection will also allow us to trace the evolution of water vapor across evolutionary stages. These observations will enable OASIS to characterize the time development of the water distribution and the role water plays in the process of planetary system formation.

LiteBIRD is a planned JAXA-led CMB B-mode satellite experiment aiming for launch in the late 2020s, with a primary goal of detecting the imprint of primordial inflationary gravitational waves. Its current baseline focal-plane configuration includes 15 frequency bands between 40 and 402 GHz, fulfilling the mission requirements to detect the amplitude of gravitational waves with the total uncertainty on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, $\delta r$, down to $\delta r<0.001$. A key aspect of this performance is accurate astrophysical component separation, and the ability to remove polarized thermal dust emission is particularly important. In this paper we note that the CMB frequency spectrum falls off nearly exponentially above 300 GHz relative to the thermal dust SED, and a relatively minor high frequency extension can therefore result in even lower uncertainties and better model reconstructions. Specifically, we compare the baseline design with five extended configurations, while varying the underlying dust modeling, in each of which the HFT (High-Frequency Telescope) frequency range is shifted logarithmically towards higher frequencies, with an upper cutoff ranging between 400 and 600 GHz. In each case, we measure the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ uncertainty and bias using both parametric and minimum-variance component-separation algorithms. When the thermal dust sky model includes a spatially varying spectral index and temperature, we find that the statistical uncertainty on $r$ after foreground cleaning may be reduced by as much as 30--50 % by extending the upper limit of the frequency range from 400 to 600 GHz, with most of the improvement already gained at 500 GHz. We also note that a broader frequency range leads to better ability to discriminate between models through higher $\chi^2$ sensitivity. (abridged)

Gravitational microlensing is a powerful method for detecting and characterizing free-floating planetary-mass objects (FFPs). FFPs could have exomoons rotating them. In this work, we study the probability of realizing these systems (i.e., free-floating moon-planet ones) through microlensing observations. These systems make mostly close caustic configurations with a considerable finite-source effect. We investigate finite-source microlensing light curves owing to free-floating moon-planet systems. We conclude that crossing planetary caustics causes an extensive extra peak at light curves' wing that only changes its width if the source star does not cross the central caustic. If the source trajectory is normal to the moon-planet axis, the moon-induced perturbation has a symmetric shape with respect to the magnification peak, and its light curve is similar to a single-lens one with a higher finite-source effect. We evaluate the \wfirst~efficiency for realizing moon-induced perturbations, which is $\left[0.002-0.094\right]\%$ by assuming a log-uniform distribution for moon-planet mass ratio in the range $\in\left[-9,~-2\right]$. The highest detection efficiency (i.e., $\simeq 0.094\%$) happens for Saturn-mass planets when moon-planet distance is $\sim 43 R_{\rm p}$, where $R_{\rm p}$ is the Saturn radius. Enhancing planetary mass extends the event's time scale and decreases the finite-source effect, but it reduces the projected moon-planet distance normalized to the Einstein radius $s(R_{\rm E})$ which in turn decreases the size of planetary caustics and takes them away from the host planet's position in close caustic configurations.

We report the discovery of a new stream (dubbed as Yangtze) detected in $Gaia$ Data Release 3. The stream is at a heliocentric distance of $\sim$ 9.12 kpc and spans nearly 27$\deg$ by 1.9$\deg$ on sky. The colour-magnitude diagram of Yangtze indicates a stellar population of Age $\sim$ 11 Gyr and [M/H] $\sim$ -0.7 dex. It has a number density of about 5.5 stars degree$^{-2}$ along with a surface brightness of $\Sigma_G \simeq$ 34.9 mag arcsec$^{-2}$. The dynamics and metallicity estimate suggest that Yangtze may be closely related to Palomar 1 and the Anticenter stream.

In the presented work we consider the influence of a hypothetical sterile neutrino (with eV-scale mass) on the determination of cosmological parameters. If it is detected, it will be necessary to include it into the $\Lambda \rm CDM$ model with the fixed values of its mass $m_{\rm s}$ and mixing angle $\theta_{s}$, which is the main method used through this paper. Apart from that, the seesaw mechanism requires there to be at least two sterile states, one of them being much heavier than the active ones. The heavier sterile state ($m_{s}\sim1$ keV) would decay and increase the effective number of active neutrinos. Therefore, the influence of a change in the effective number of relativistic neutrino species $N_{\rm eff}$ was studied as well, which could be caused by, for example, the decay processes of the above-mentioned sterile neutrinos, as well as processes leading to an increase in the temperature of relic neutrinos $T_{\rm C\nu B}$. The effects studied in this work lead to a significant change in the estimates of the cosmological parameters, including the value of $H_{0}$. It has been discovered that the accounting of the sterile neutrino with masses $m=1$ and $2.7$ eV leads to a decrease in the estimate of the current Hubble parameter value $H_{0}$ and, therefore, exacerbates the ``$H_{0}$-tension'' problem. An increase in the value of the effective number of relativistic neutrino species leads, on the contrary, to an increase in the $H_{0}$ estimate, resolving the above-mentioned problem at $N_{\rm eff}=3.0+0.9$, which is equivalent to an increase of the neutrino temperature up to $T ^{\,0}_{\rm C\nu B}=1.95+0.14\,\rm K$. At the same time, the rest of the cosmological parameters do not change significantly, leaving us within the framework of the standard $\Lambda \rm CDM$ model.

Spectroscopic reverberation mapping (RM) is a direct approach widely used to estimate the mass of black holes (BHs) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). However, it is very time-consuming and difficult to apply to a large AGN sample. The empirical relation between the broad-line region (BLR) size and luminosity (H$\beta$ $R_{\rm BLR}\unicode{x2013}L_{\rm}$) provides a practical alternative yet subject to large scatter and systematic bias. AGN continuum RM (CRM) recently discovered a similar relation between the continuum emitting region (CER) size and luminosity ($R_{\rm CER}\unicode{x2013}L$). Here we present a new method to estimate BH masses via optical CRM assuming continuum lags dominated by the diffuse continuum emission. This method will significantly facilitate the estimation of RM BH mass thanks to the short continuum lags and the easily accessible high-cadence and large-area photometric data. Using a sample of 21 AGNs with both CER and BLR size, we find a tight $R_{\rm BLR}\unicode{x2013}R_{\rm CER}$ relation (scatter $\sim0.28$ dex), with $R_{\rm BLR}$ on average 8.1 times of $R_{\rm CER}$ at 5100\r{A}. This tight relation enables the BH mass estimation based on the CRM combined with the velocity information. Applying the relation to rest objects in our CRM sample, we demonstrate that the predicted $R_{\rm BLR,CRM}$ follow the existing H$\beta$ $R_{\rm BLR}\unicode{x2013}L_{\rm}$ relation well and the estimated CRM BH masses are consistent with the RM/single-epoch BH masses using H$\beta$. Our proposed method will be a promising BH mass estimator in the era of Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

We study the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in relativistic collisionless plasma, as an astrophysical process for nonthermal particle acceleration. We consider dense plasma on top of a highly magnetized cavity with sheared magnetic field. Using particle-in-cell simulations, we show that small plumes grow and merge progressively to form a large-scale plume, which triggers magnetic reconnection upon relaxation. We find efficient particle acceleration capable of explaining flares from the inner accretion flow onto the black hole Sgr A*.

We study three different extended scalar-tensor theories of gravity by also allowing a negative sign for the kinetic term for the scalar field in the Jordan frame. Our scope is to understand how the observational constraints for these models cope with the volume of the parameter space in which the theory is healthy. Models with a negative kinetic term lead to decreasing effective gravitational constant with redshift and behave as an effective relativistic component with a negative energy density as opposite to their corresponding version with a standard kinetic term. As a consequence, we find that the extended branch with a negative sign for the kinetic term correspond in general to lower $H_0$ and $\sigma_8$ compared to $\Lambda$CDM. We find that in all the cases with a negative sign for the kinetic term studied here, cosmological observations constrain these models around GR and prefer a volume of the parameter space in which the theory is not healthy since the scalar field behave as a ghost also in the related Einstein frame. We show that also in the phantom branch early modify gravity with a quartic coupling can substantially reduce the $H_0$ tension fitting the combination of cosmic microwave background data from Planck, baryon acoustic oscillations from BOSS and eBOSS, and Supernovae from the Pantheon sample with calibration information by SH0ES.

We investigate the cosmological constraints that can be expected from measurement of the cross-correlation of galaxies with cosmic voids identified in the Euclid spectroscopic survey, which will include spectroscopic information for tens of millions of galaxies over $15\,000$ deg$^2$ of the sky in the redshift range $0.9\leq z<1.8$. We do this using simulated measurements obtained from the Flagship mock catalogue, the official Euclid mock that closely matches the expected properties of the spectroscopic data set. To mitigate anisotropic selection-bias effects, we use a velocity field reconstruction method to remove large-scale redshift-space distortions from the galaxy field before void-finding. This allows us to accurately model contributions to the observed anisotropy of the cross-correlation function arising from galaxy velocities around voids as well as from the Alcock-Paczynski effect, and we study the dependence of constraints on the efficiency of reconstruction. We find that Euclid voids will be able to constrain the ratio of the transverse comoving distance $D_{\rm M}$ and Hubble distance $D_{\rm H}$ to a relative precision of about $0.3\%$, and the growth rate $f\sigma_8$ to a precision of between $5\%$ and $8\%$ in each of four redshift bins covering the full redshift range. In the standard cosmological model, this translates to a statistical uncertainty $\Delta\Omega_\mathrm{m}=\pm0.0028$ on the matter density parameter from voids, better than can be achieved from either Euclid galaxy clustering and weak lensing individually. We also find that voids alone can measure the dark energy equation of state to $6\%$ precision.

We propose the use of automatic differentiation through the programming framework jax for accelerating a variety of analysis tasks throughout gravitational wave (GW) science. Firstly, we demonstrate that complete waveforms which cover the inspiral, merger, and ringdown of binary black holes (i.e. IMRPhenomD) can be written in jax and demonstrate that the serial evaluation speed of the waveform (and its derivative) is similar to the lalsuite implementation in C. Moreover, jax allows for GPU-accelerated waveform calls which can be over an order of magnitude faster than serial evaluation on a CPU. We then focus on three applications where efficient and differentiable waveforms are essential. Firstly, we demonstrate how gradient descent can be used to optimize the $\sim 200$ coefficients that are used to calibrate the waveform model. In particular, we demonstrate that the typical match with numerical relativity waveforms can be improved by more than 50% without any additional overhead. Secondly, we show that Fisher forecasting calculations can be sped up by $\sim 100\times$ (on a CPU) with no loss in accuracy. This increased speed makes population forecasting substantially simpler. Finally, we show that gradient-based samplers like Hamiltonian Monte Carlo lead to significantly reduced autocorrelation values when compared to traditional Monte Carlo methods. Since differentiable waveforms have substantial advantages for a variety of tasks throughout GW science, we propose that waveform developers use jax to build new waveforms moving forward. Our waveform code, ripple, can be found at https://github.com/tedwards2412/ripple, and will continue to be updated with new waveforms as they are implemented.

We present a lightweight, flexible, and high-performance framework for inferring the properties of gravitational-wave events. By combining likelihood heterodyning, automatically-differentiable and accelerator-compatible waveforms, and gradient-based Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling enhanced by normalizing flows, we achieve full Bayesian parameter estimation for real events like GW150914 and GW170817 within a minute of sampling time. Our framework does not require pretraining or explicit reparameterizations and can be generalized to handle higher dimensional problems. We present the details of our implementation and discuss trade-offs and future developments in the context of other proposed strategies for real-time parameter estimation. Our code for running the analysis is publicly available on GitHub https://github.com/kazewong/jim.

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are explosions of white dwarf stars that facilitate exquisite measurements of cosmological expansion history, but improvements in accuracy and precision are hindered by observational biases. Of particular concern is the apparent difference in the corrected brightnesses of SNe Ia in different host galaxy environments. SNe Ia in more massive, passive, older environments appear brighter after having been standardized by their light-curve properties. The luminosity difference commonly takes the form of a step function. Recent works imply that environmental characteristics that trace the age of the stellar population in the vicinity of SNe show the largest steps. Here we use simulations of SN Ia populations to test the impact of using different tracers and investigate promising new models of the step. We test models with a total-to-selective dust extinction ratio $R_V$ that changes between young and old SN Ia host galaxies, as well as an intrinsic luminosity difference between SNe from young and old progenitors. The data are well replicated by a model driven by a galaxy-age varying $R_V$ and no intrinsic SN luminosity difference, and we find that specific star-formation rate measured locally to the SN is a relatively pure tracer of this galaxy age difference. We cannot rule out an intrinsic difference causing part of the observed step and show that if luminosity differences are caused by multiple drivers then no single environmental measurement is able to accurately trace them. We encourage the use of multiple tracers in luminosity corrections to negate this issue.

On 2 September 2017 MAXI J1535-571 went into outburst and peaked at ~5 Crab in the 2-20 keV energy range. Early in the flare INTEGRAL performed Target of Opportunity pointings and monitored the source as it transitioned from the hard state to the soft state. Using quasi-simultaneous observations from MAXI/GSC and INTEGRAL/SPI, we studied the temporal and spectral evolution of MAXI J1535-571 in the 2-500 keV range. Early spectra show a Comptonized spectrum and a high-energy component dominant above ~150 keV. CompTT fits to the SPI data found electron temperatures (kTe) evolves from ~31 keV to 18 keV with a tied optical depth (tau ~ 0.85) or tau evolving from ~1.2-0.65 with a tied kTe (~24 keV). To investigate the nature of the high-energy component, we performed a spectral decomposition of the 100-400 keV energy band. The CompTT flux varies significantly during the hard state while the high-energy component flux is consistent with a constant flux. This result suggests that the two components originate from different locations, which favors a jet origin interpretation for the high-energy component over a hybrid corona interpretation. Lastly, two short rebrightenings during the hard-to-soft transition are compared to similar events reported in MAXI J1820+070.

Brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) are among the most massive galaxies in the Universe. Their star formation (SF) history and stellar mass assembly are debated. Recent studies suggest the presence of an emerging population of intermediate-$z$ star forming and gas-rich BCGs, where the molecular gas reservoirs are impacted by strong environmental processing. We have selected three among the most star-forming $z\sim0.4$ BCGs in the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS), and observed them with the IRAM 30m telescope in the first three CO transitions. We found double-horn CO(1$\rightarrow$0) and CO(3$\rightarrow$2) emission for the KiDS 1433 BCG, yielding a large molecular gas reservoir with $M_{H_2}=(5.9\pm1.2)\times10^{10}~M_\odot$ and a high gas-to-stellar mass ratio $M_{H_2}/M_\star=(0.32^{+0.12}_{-0.10})$. We increase the limited sample of distant BCGs with detections in multiple CO transitions. The double-horn emission for the KiDS 1433 BCG implies a low gas concentration, while a modeling of the spectra yields an extended molecular gas reservoir, with a characteristic radius of $\sim$(5-7) kpc, which is reminiscent of a mature extended-disk phase observed in some local BCGs. For the other two BCGs we are able to set upper limits of $M_{H_2}/M_\star<0.07$ and $<0.23$, which are among the lowest for distant BCGs. We then combined our observations with available stellar, SF, and dust properties of the targeted BCGs, and compared them with $\sim100$ distant cluster galaxies, including additional intermediate-$z$ BCGs, with observations in CO from the literature. The molecular gas properties of star forming BCGs are heterogeneous. On one side, gas-rich BCGs show extended gas reservoirs, which sustain the significant SF activity, which is reminiscent of recent gas infall. Conversely, the existence of similarly star forming, but gas-poor, BCGs suggest that gas depletion precedes SF quenching.

In this paper, we present the formalism of simulating Lyman-$\alpha$ emission and polarization around reionization ($z$ = 8) from a plane-parallel ionization front. We accomplish this by using a Monte Carlo method to simulate the production of a Lyman-$\alpha$ photon, its propagation through an ionization front, and the eventual escape of this photon. This paper focuses on the relation of the input parameters of ionization front speed $U$, blackbody temperature $T_{\rm bb}$, and neutral hydrogen density $n_{\rm HI}$, on intensity $I$ and polarized intensity $P$ as seen by a distant observer. The resulting values of intensity range from $3.18\times 10^{-14}$ erg/cm$^{2}$/s/sr to $1.96 \times 10^{-9}$ erg/cm$^{2}$/s/sr , and the polarized intensity ranges from $5.73\times 10^{-17}$ erg/cm$^{2}$/s/sr to $5.31 \times 10^{-12}$ erg/cm$^{2}$/s/sr. We found that higher $T_{\rm bb}$, higher $U$, and higher $n_{\rm HI}$ contribute to higher intensity, as well as polarized intensity, though the strongest dependence was on the hydrogen density. The dependence of viewing angle of the front is also explored. We present tests to support the validity model, which makes the model suitable for further use in a following paper where we will calculate the intensity and polarized intensity power spectrum on a full reionization simulation.

This is the second paper in a series whose aim is to predict the power spectrum of intensity and polarized intensity from cosmic reionization fronts. After building the analytic models for intensity and polarized intensity calculations in paper I, here we apply these models to simulations of reionization. We construct a geometric model for identifying front boundaries, calculate the intensity and polarized intensity for each front, and compute a power spectrum of these results. This method was applied to different simulation sizes and resolutions, so we ensure that our results are convergent. We find that the power spectrum of fluctuations at $z=8$ in a bin of width $\Delta z=0.5$ ($\lambda/\Delta\lambda=18$) is $\Delta_\ell \equiv [\ell(\ell+1)C_\ell/2\pi]^{1/2}$ is $3.2\times 10^{-11}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ sr$^{-1}$ for the intensity $I$, $7.6\times10^{-13}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ sr$^{-1}$ for the $E$-mode polarization, and $5.8\times10^{-13}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ sr$^{-1}$ for the $B$-mode polarization at $\ell=1.5\times10^4$. After computing the power spectrum, we compare results to detectable scales and discuss implications for observing this signal based on a proposed experiment. We find that, while fundamental physics does not exclude this kind of mapping from being attainable, an experiment would need to be highly ambitious and require significant advances to make mapping Lyman-$\alpha$ polarization from cosmic reionization fronts a feasible goal.

We present a case for significantly enhancing the utility and efficiency of the ngEHT by incorporating an additional 86 GHz observing band. In contrast to 230 or 345 GHz, weather conditions at the ngEHT sites are reliably good enough for 86 GHz to enable year-round observations. Multi-frequency imaging that incorporates 86 GHz observations would sufficiently augment the ($u,v$) coverage at 230 and 345 GHz to permit detection of the M87 jet structure without requiring EHT stations to join the array. The general calibration and sensitivity of the ngEHT would also be enhanced by leveraging frequency phase transfer techniques, whereby simultaneous observations at 86 GHz and higher-frequency bands have the potential to increase the effective coherence times from a few seconds to tens of minutes. When observation at the higher frequencies is not possible, there are opportunities for standalone 86 GHz science, such as studies of black hole jets and spectral lines. Finally, the addition of 86 GHz capabilities to the ngEHT would enable it to integrate into a community of other VLBI facilities $-$ such as the GMVA and ngVLA $-$ that are expected to operate at 86 GHz but not at the higher ngEHT observing frequencies.

We present the direct imaging discovery of a giant planet orbiting the young star AF Lep, a 1.2 $M_{\odot}$ member of the 24 $\pm$ 3 Myr $\beta$ Pic moving group. AF Lep was observed as part of our ongoing high-contrast imaging program targeting stars with astrometric accelerations between Hipparcos and Gaia that indicate the presence of substellar companions. Keck/NIRC2 observations in $L'$ with the Vector Vortex Coronagraph reveal a point source, AF Lep b, at ${\approx}340$ mas which exhibits orbital motion at the 6-$\sigma$ level over the course of 13 months. A joint orbit fit yields precise constraints on the planet's dynamical mass of 3.2$^{+0.7}_{-0.6}$ $M_\mathrm{Jup}$, semi-major axis of $8.4^{+1.1}_{-1.3}$ au, and eccentricity of $0.24^{+0.27}_{-0.15}$. AF Lep hosts a debris disk located at $\sim$50 au, but it is unlikely to be sculpted by AF Lep b, implying there may be additional planets in the system at wider separations. The stellar inclination ($i_* = 54^{+11}_{-9} {}^\circ$) and orbital inclination ($i_o = 50^{+9}_{-12} {}^\circ$) are in good agreement, which is consistent with the system having spin-orbit alignment. AF Lep b is the lowest-mass imaged planet with a dynamical mass measurement and highlights the promise of using astrometric accelerations as a tool to find and characterize long-period planets.

In the framework of our extensive modeling study of the spectral evolution of white dwarfs, we present here a new set of detailed calculations of the transport of residual hydrogen in helium-rich white dwarfs. First, we investigate the so-called float-up process at high effective temperature, whereby the upward diffusion of trace hydrogen leads to the formation of a hydrogen atmosphere. We examine the dependence of this phenomenon on the initial hydrogen abundance and on the strength of the radiative wind that opposes gravitational settling. Combined with our empirical knowledge of spectral evolution, our simulations provide new quantitative constraints on the hydrogen content of the hot helium-dominated white dwarf population. Then, we study the outcome of the so-called convective dilution process at low effective temperature, whereby the superficial hydrogen layer is mixed within the underlying helium-rich envelope. In stark contrast with previous works on convective dilution, we demonstrate that, under reasonable assumptions, our models successfully reproduce the observed atmospheric composition of cool DBA stars, thereby solving one of the most important problems of spectral evolution theory. This major improvement is due to our self-consistent modeling of the earlier float-up process, which predicts the existence of a massive hydrogen reservoir underneath the thin superficial layer. We argue that the trace hydrogen detected at the surface of DBA white dwarfs is, in most cases, of primordial origin rather than the result of external accretion.

The widely used MASTER approach for angular power spectrum estimation was developed as a fast $C_{\ell}$ estimator on limited regions of the sky. This method expresses the power spectrum of a masked map ("pseudo-$C_\ell$") in terms of the power spectrum of the unmasked map (the true $C_\ell$) and that of the mask or weight map. However, it is often the case that the map and mask are correlated in some way, such as point source masks used in cosmic microwave background (CMB) analyses, which have nonzero correlation with CMB secondary anisotropy fields and other mm-wave sky signals. In such situations, the MASTER approach gives biased results, as it assumes that the unmasked map and mask have zero correlation. While such effects have been discussed before with regard to specific physical models, here we derive a completely general formalism for any case where the map and mask are correlated. We show that our result ("reMASTERed") reconstructs ensemble-averaged pseudo-$C_\ell$ to effectively exact precision, with significant improvements over traditional estimators for cases where the map and mask are correlated. In particular, we obtain an improvement in the mean absolute percent error from 30% with the MASTER result to essentially no error with the reMASTERed result for an integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) field map with a mask built from the thresholded ISW field, and 10% to effectively zero for a Compton-$y$ map combined with an infrared source mask (the latter being directly relevant to actual data analysis). An important consequence of our result is that for maps with correlated masks it is no longer possible to invert a simple equation to obtain the true $C_\ell$ from the pseudo-$C_\ell$. Instead, our result necessitates the use of forward modeling from theory space into the observable domain of the pseudo-$C_\ell$. Our code is publicly available at https://github.com/kmsurrao/reMASTERed.

The paper describes a system and experimental procedure that use integrating passive detectors, such as thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), for the measurement of ultra-low-level ambient dose equivalent rate values at the underground SNOLAB facility located in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Because these detectors are passive and can be exposed for relatively long periods of time, they can provide better sensitivity for measuring ultra-low activity levels. The final characterization of ultra-low-level ambient dose around water shielding for ongoing direct dark matter search experiments in Cube Hall at SNOLAB underground laboratory is given. The conclusion is that TLDs provide reliable results in the measurement of the ultra-low-level environmental radiation background.

The standard model extension (SME) is an effective field theory framework that can be used to study the possible violations of Lorentz symmetry in the gravitational interaction. In the SME's gauge invariant linearized gravity sector, the dispersion relation of GWs is modified, resulting in anisotropy, birefringence, and dispersion effects in the propagation of GWs. In this paper, we mainly focus on the non-birefringent and anisotropic dispersion relation in the propagation of GWs due to the violation of Lorentz symmetry. With the modified dispersion relation, we calculate the corresponding modified waveform of GWs generated by the coalescence of compact binaries. We consider the effects from the operators with the lowest mass dimension $d=6$ in the gauge invariant linearized gravity sector of the SME which are expected to have the dominant Lorentz-violating effect on the propagation of GWs. For this case, the Lorentz-violating effects are presented by 25 coefficients and we constrain them independently by the ``maximal-reach" approach. We use 90 high-confidence GW events in the GWTC-3 catalog and use {\tt Bilby}, an open source software, and {\tt Dynest}, a nested sampling package, to perform parameter estimation with the modified waveform. We do not find any evidence of Lorentz violation in the GWs data and give a $90\%$ confidence interval for each Lorentz violating coefficient.

Universal relations are important in testing many theories of physics. In the case of general relativity, we have the celebrated no-hair theorem for black holes. Unfortunately, the other compact stars, like neutron stars and white dwarfs, do not have such universal relation. However, neutron stars (and quark stars) have recently been found to follow certain universality, the I-Love-Q relations. These relations can provide a greater understanding of the structural and macro properties of compact astrophysical objects with knowledge of any one of the observables. The reason behind this is the lack of sensitivity to the relations with the equation of state of matter. In our present work, we have investigated the consistency of universal relations for a generic family of equations of state, which follows all the recent astrophysical constraints. Although the spread in the EoS is significant the universal nature of the trio holds relatively well up to a certain tolerance limit. The deviation from universality is seen to cross the tolerance limit with EoS, which is characteristically different from the original set.

In this work we investigate the inflationary era in the presence of a canonical scalar field and Chern-Simons parity violating corrections. It was also assumed that a non minimal coupling between curvature and the scalar field is present. For the shake of completeness, the slow-roll and the constant-roll scenarios were examined separately. In the context of this scalar-tensor theory, inflation can be viable for both scenarios since the observational indices take acceptable values according to the most recent Planck data. Furthermore, the involvement of the Chern-Simons term has no effect on the background equations, in contrast to the scalar function which couples with the Ricci scalar and participates in the equations of motion. However, the Chern-Simons term ensures the chirality of stochastic gravitational waves. A blue-tilted tensor spectral index of primordial curvature perturbations can be manifested since, tensor modes are strongly affected by the Chern-Simons term. Lastly, the Swampland criteria and the Lyth-bound were examined in order to distinguish the effective field theories towards the path of a consistent M-theory.

We present long-term density trends of the Earth's upper atmosphere at altitudes between 71 and 116 km, based on atmospheric occultations of the Crab Nebula observed with X-ray astronomy satellites, ASCA, RXTE, Suzaku, NuSTAR, and Hitomi. The combination of the five satellites provides a time period of 28 yr from 1994 to 2022. To suppress seasonal and latitudinal variations, we concentrate on the data taken in autumn (49< doy <111) and spring (235< doy <297) in the northern hemisphere with latitudes of 0--40 degrees. With this constraint, local times are automatically limited either around noon or midnight. We obtain four sets (two seasons times two local times) of density trends at each altitude layer. We take into account variations due to a linear trend and the 11-yr solar cycle using linear regression techniques. Because we do not see significant differences among the four trends, we combine them to provide a single vertical profile of trend slopes. We find a negative density trend of roughly -5 %/decade at every altitude. This is in reasonable agreement with inferences from settling rate of the upper atmosphere. In the 100--110 km altitude, we found an exceptionally high density decline of about -12 %/decade. This peak may be the first observational evidence for strong cooling due to water vapor and ozone near 110 km, which was first identified in a numerical simulation by Akmaev et al. (2006). Further observations and numerical simulations with suitable input parameters are needed to establish this feature.

Using the effective field theory of inflation and the conformal invariance of gravitational waves, we show that for a modified gravity theory with gravitational waves propagating at the speed of light, the gravitational-wave propagation and gravitational-wave luminosity distance are the same as in general relativity. If however in such theories electromagnetism is minimally coupled to the Jordan frame metric, then the photon propagation and electromagnetic-wave luminosity distance get modified. This affects the relation between the gravitational-wave and electromagnetic-wave luminosity distance, despite gravitational-wave propagation being unaffected. We show that the modified relation is also valid for non-luminal theories with Jordan frame matter-gravity coupling. We generalize our analysis for a time-dependent speed of gravitational waves with matter minimally coupled to either the Jordan or Einstein frame metrics.