Papers for Thursday, Jan 18 2024

Sixty years after the publication of the seminal 3CR catalogue, astronomers are getting to grips with the nature of the radio emissions in active galaxies: black-hole-accretion- and star-formation-driven radio emissions occur in concert, with greatly varying contributions. However, what exactly drives the formation of jets remains to be solved. To jet or not to jet-that is the question!

The Fourth Open Gravitational-wave Catalogue (4-OGC) presented parameter estimation analyses for a number of gravitational wave triggers which had not previously been presented in catalogues published by the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA Collaborations (LVK). In this paper we present an analysis of these new triggers using the same analysis workflow which was used to generate the GWTC-2.1 and GWTC-3 catalogues published by the LVK, using a comparable analysis configuration. We do not find any significant differences between our analysis and that previously presented by 4-OGC, providing a reassuring cross-check between two differing analysis techniques. We provide our parameter estimation results in a format comparable to those of the GWTC-3 data release.

We performed radiative transfer calculations and observing simulations to reproduce the 1.3-mm dust-continuum and C$^{18}$O (2-1) images in the Class I protostar R CrA IRS7B-a, observed with the ALMA Large Program ``Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk)". We found that the dust disk model passively heated by the central protostar cannot reproduce the observed peak brightness temperature of the 1.3-mm continuum emission ($\sim$195 K), regardless of the assumptions about the dust opacity. Our calculation suggests that viscous accretion heating in the disk is required to reproduce the observed high brightness temperature. The observed intensity profile of the 1.3-mm dust-continuum emission along the disk minor axis is skewed toward the disk far side. Our modeling reveals that such an asymmetric intensity distribution requires flaring of the dust along the disk's vertical direction with the scale-height following $h/r \sim r^{0.3}$ as function of radius. These results are in sharp contrast to those of Class II disks, which show geometrically flat dust distributions and lower dust temperatures. From our modeling of the C$^{18}$O (2-1) emission, the outermost radius of the gas disk is estimated to be $\sim$80 au, larger than that of the dust disk ($\sim$62 au), to reproduce the observed distribution of the C$^{18}$O (2-1) emission in IRS 7B-a. Our modeling unveils a hot and thick dust disk plus a larger gas disk around one of the eDisk targets, which could be applicable to other protostellar sources in contrast to more evolved sources.

We compare observed with predicted distributions of galaxy stellar masses $M_*$ and galaxy rest-frame ultra-violet luminosities per unit bandwidth $L_{UV}$, in the redshift range $z = 2$ to 13. The comparison is presented as a function of the comoving warm dark matter free-streaming cut-off wavenumber $k_{fs}$. For this comparison the theory is a minimal extension of the Press-Schechter formalism with only two parameters: the star formation efficiency, and a proportionality factor between the star formation rate per galaxy and $L_{UV}$. These two parameters are fixed to their values obtained prior to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data. The purpose of this comparison is to identify if, and where, detailed astrophysical evolution is needed to account for the new JWST observations.

Recently, the first successful attempt at computing stellar models in two dimensions has been presented with models that include the centrifugal deformation and self-consistently compute the velocity field. This paper aims at studying the rotational evolution of 2D models of stars rotating at a significant fraction of their critical angular velocity. From the predictions of these models, we aim to improve our understanding of the formation of single Be stars. Using the ESTER code that solves the stellar structure of a rotating star in two dimensions with time evolution, we have computed evolution tracks of stars between 4 and 10Msun for initial rotation rates ranging between 60 and 90% the critical rotation rate. A minimum initial rotation rate at the start of the main sequence is needed to spin up the star to critical rotation within its main sequence lifetime. This threshold depends on the stellar mass, and increases with increasing mass. The models do not predict any stars above 8Msun to reach (near) critical rotation during the main sequence. Furthermore, we find the minimum threshold of initial angular velocity is lower for SMC metallicity compared to Galactic metallicity, which is in agreement with the increased fraction in the number of observed Be stars in lower metallicity environments. Self-consistent 2D stellar evolution provide more insight into the rotational evolution of intermediate-mass stars, and our predictions are consistent with observations of velocity distributions and fraction of Be stars amongst B-type stars. We find that stars with a mass above 8Msun do not increase their fraction of critical rotation during the main sequence. Since a fraction of stars above 8Msun have been observed to display the Be phenomenon, other processes or formation channels must be at play, or critical rotation is not required for the Be phenomenon above this mass.

The second data release of ESA's $Gaia$ mission revealed numerous signatures of disequilibrium in the Milky Way's disc. These signatures are seen in the planar kinematics of stars, which manifest as ridges and ripples in $R-v_{\phi}$, and in vertical kinematics, where a prominent spiral is seen in the $z-v_z$ phase space. In this work, we show an equivalent $\Delta R-v_{\mathrm{R}}$ phase spiral forms following a perturbation to the disc. We demonstrate the behaviour of the $\Delta R-v_{\mathrm{R}}$ phase spirals in both a toy model and a high resolution $N$-body simulation of a satellite interaction. We then confront these models with the data, where we find partial $\Delta R-v_{\mathrm{R}}$ phase spirals in the Solar neighborhood using the most recent data from $Gaia$ DR3. This structure indicates ongoing radial phase mixing in the Galactic disc, suggesting a history of recent perturbations, either through internal or external (e.g., satellite) processes. Future work modelling the $z-v_z$ and $\Delta R-v_{\mathrm{R}}$ phase spirals in tandem may help break degeneracy's between possible origins of the perturbation.

We present an extended suite of the Auriga cosmological gravo-magnetohydrodynamical ``zoom-in'' simulations of 40 Milky Way-mass halos and 26 dwarf galaxy-mass halos run with the moving-mesh code Arepo. Auriga adopts the $\Lambda$ Cold Dark Matter ($\Lambda$CDM) cosmogony and includes a comprehensive galaxy formation physics model following the coupled cosmic evolution of dark matter, gas, stars, and supermassive black holes which has been shown to produce numerically well-converged galaxy properties for Milky Way-mass systems. We describe the first public data release of this augmented suite of Auriga simulations, which includes raw snapshots, group catalogues, merger trees, initial conditions, and supplementary data, as well as public analysis tools with worked examples of how to use the data. To demonstrate the value and robustness of the simulation predictions, we analyse a series of low-redshift global properties that compare well with many observed scaling relations, such as the Tully-Fisher relation, the star-forming main sequence, and HI gas fraction/disc thickness. Finally, we show that star-forming gas discs appear to build rotation and velocity dispersion rapidly for $z\gtrsim 3$ before they ``settle'' into ever-increasing rotation-dispersion ratios ($V/\sigma$). This evolution appears to be in rough agreement with some kinematic measurements from H$\alpha$ observations, and demonstrates an application of how to utilise the released data.

We apply the hierarchical probabilistic SED model BayeSN to analyse a sample of 475 SNe Ia (0.015 < z < 0.4) from Foundation, DES3YR and PS1MD to investigate the properties of dust in their host galaxies. We jointly infer the dust law $R_V$ population distributions at the SED level in high- and low-mass galaxies simultaneously with dust-independent, intrinsic differences. We find an intrinsic mass step of $-0.049\pm0.016$ mag, at a significance of 3.1$\sigma$, when allowing for a constant intrinsic, achromatic magnitude offset. We additionally apply a model allowing for time- and wavelength-dependent intrinsic differences between SNe Ia in different mass bins, finding $\sim$2$\sigma$ differences in magnitude and colour around peak and 4.5$\sigma$ differences at later times. These intrinsic differences are inferred simultaneously with a difference in population mean $R_V$ of $\sim$2$\sigma$ significance, demonstrating that both intrinsic and extrinsic differences may play a role in causing the host galaxy mass step. We also consider a model which allows the mean of the $R_V$ distribution to linearly evolve with redshift but find no evidence for any evolution - we infer the gradient of this relation $\eta_R = -0.38\pm0.70$. In addition, we discuss in brief a new, GPU-accelerated Python implementation of BayeSN suitable for application to large surveys which is publicly available and can be used for future cosmological analyses; this code can be found here: https://github.com/bayesn/bayesn.

The type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2020nlb was discovered in the Virgo Cluster galaxy M85 shortly after explosion. Here we present observations that include one of the earliest high-quality spectra and some of the earliest multi-colour photometry of a SN Ia to date. We calculated that SN 2020nlb faded 1.28+/-0.02 mag in the B band in the first 15d after maximum brightness. We independently fitted a power-law rise to the early flux in each filter, and found that the optical filters all give a consistent first light date estimate. In contrast to the earliest spectra of SN 2011fe, those of SN 2020nlb show strong absorption features from singly ionised metals, including Fe II and Ti II, indicating lower-excitation ejecta at the earliest times. The spectra of SN 2020nlb then evolve to become hotter and more similar to SN 2011fe as it brightens towards peak. We also obtained a sequence of nebular spectra that extend up to 594 days after maximum light, a phase out to which SNe Ia are rarely followed. The [Fe III]/[Fe II] flux ratio (as measured from emission lines in the optical spectra) begins to fall around 300 days after peak; by the +594d spectrum, the ionisation balance of the emitting region of the ejecta has shifted dramatically, with [Fe III] by then being completely absent. The final spectrum is almost identical to SN 2011fe at a similar epoch, and in sharp contrast to a late nebular spectrum of SN 1994D, which still displayed strong [Fe III] emission at these late times. Comparing our data to other SN Ia nebular spectra, there is a possible trend where SNe that were more luminous at peak tend to have a higher [Fe III]/[Fe II] flux ratio in the nebular phase, but there are also notable outliers. Finally, using light-curve fitting on our data, we estimate the distance modulus for M85 to be 30.99+/-0.19 mag, corresponding to a distance of 15.8^{+1.4}_{-1.3} Mpc.

This study involves a comparative analysis of the SFRs of AGN and non-AGN galaxies and of the SFRs of type 1 and 2 AGN. To carry out this investigation, we assembled a dataset consisting of 2\,677 X-ray AGN detected by the XMM-Newton observatory and a control sample of 64\,556 galaxies devoid of AGN. We generated SEDs for these objects using photometric data from the DES, VHS, and AllWISE surveys, and we harnessed the CIGALE code to extract measurements for the (host) galaxy properties. Our dataset encompasses sources spanning a range from $\rm 9.5<\log\,[M_*(M_\odot)]<12.0$, $\rm 42<\log\,[L_{X,2-10keV}(ergs^{-1})]<45.5$, and $\rm 0.3<z<2.5$. To compare SFRs, we calculated the SFR$_{norm}$ parameter. Our analysis revealed that AGN tend to exhibit elevated SFRs compared to non-AGN galaxies, particularly beyond a certain threshold in L$_X$. Notably, this threshold increases as we move towards more massive galaxies. Additionally, for AGN systems with the same L$_X$, the magnitude of the SFR$_{norm}$ decreases as we consider more massive galaxies. This suggests that in galaxies with AGN, the increase in SFR as a function of M$_*$ is not as prominent as in galaxies without AGN. This interpretation finds support in the shallower slope we identify in the X-ray star-forming MS in contrast to the galaxy MS. Employing CIGALE's measurements, we classified AGN into type 1 and type 2. In our investigation, we focused on a subset of 652 type 1 AGN and 293 type 2 AGN with $\rm 10.5<\log,[M_(M_\odot)]<11.5$. Based on our results, type 1 AGN display higher SFRs than type 2 AGN, at redshifts below $\rm z<1$. However, at higher redshifts, the SFRs of the two AGN populations tend to be similar. At redshifts $\rm z<1$, type 1 AGN show augmented SFRs in comparison to non-AGN galaxies. In contrast, type 2 AGN exhibit lower SFRs when compared to galaxies that do not host an AGN.

Clusters of galaxies at z>1 are expected to be increasingly active sites of star formation. To test this, an 850um survey was undertaken of eight high-redshift clusters at z=1.6-2.0 using SCUBA-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. Mid-infrared properties were used to identify 53 probable counterparts to 45 SCUBA-2 sources with colours that suggested that the majority of these were likely to be cluster members. This uncovered a modest average projected overdensity of 850um-selected sources with far-infrared luminosities Lir>10^12Lo (SFR>100Mo/yr) and colours consistent with being cluster members of a factor of 4+/-1 within the central 1Mpc radius of the clusters. The submillimetre photometry of these galaxies was used to estimate the total cluster star formation rates. These showed that the mass-normalised rates in the clusters are two orders of magnitude higher than in local systems, evolving as (1+z)^(5.5+/-0.6). This rapid evolution means that the mass-normalised star formation rates in these clusters matched that of average halos in the field at z~1.8+/-0.2 marking the epoch where the local star formation-density relation reverses in massive halos. The estimated stellar masses of the cluster submillimetre galaxies suggest that their descendants will be amongst the most massive galaxies in z~0 clusters. This reinforces the suggestion that the majority of the massive early-type galaxy population in z~0 clusters were likely to have formed at z>1.5-2 through very active, but dust-obscured, starburst events.

We present a novel method for anomaly detection in Solar System object data, in preparation for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. We train a deep autoencoder for anomaly detection and use the learned latent space to search for other interesting objects. We demonstrate the efficacy of the autoencoder approach by finding interesting examples, such as interstellar objects, and show that using the autoencoder, further examples of interesting classes can be found. We also investigate the limits of classic unsupervised approaches to anomaly detection through the generation of synthetic anomalies and evaluate the feasibility of using a supervised learning approach. Future work should consider expanding the feature space to increase the variety of anomalies that can be uncovered during the survey using an autoencoder.

Nearly a decade ago, we began to see indications that reionization-era galaxies power hard radiation fields rarely seen at lower redshift. Most striking were detections of nebular CIV emission in what appeared to be typical low mass galaxies, requiring an ample supply of 48 eV photons to triply ionize carbon. The nature of this population has long remained unclear owing to limitations of ground-based spectroscopy. We have obtained deep JWST/NIRSpec R=1000 spectroscopy of the two z>6 CIV-emitting galaxies known prior to JWST. Here we present a rest-UV to optical spectrum of one of these two systems, the multiply-imaged z=6.1 lensed galaxy RXCJ2248-ID. NIRCam imaging reveals two compact (<22pc) clumps separated by 220pc, with one comprising a dense concentration of massive stars ($>10,400M_{\odot}$/yr/kpc$^2$) formed in a recent burst. We stack spectra of 3 images of the galaxy (J=24.8-25.9), yielding a very deep spectrum providing a high S/N template of strong emission line sources at z>6. The spectrum reveals narrow high ionization lines (HeII, CIV, NIV]) with line ratios consistent with powering by massive stars. The rest-optical spectrum is dominated by very strong emission lines ([OIII] EW=2798\AA), albeit with weak emission from low-ionization transitions ([OIII]/[OII]=184). The electron density is found to be very high($6.4-31\times10^4$cm$^{-3}$) based on three UV transitions. The ionized gas is metal poor ($12+\log(\rm O/H)=7.43^{+0.17}_{-0.09}$), yet highly enriched in nitrogen ($\log(\rm N/O)=-0.39^{+0.11}_{-0.10}$). The spectrum appears broadly similar to that of GNz11 at z=10.6, without showing the same AGN signatures. We suggest that the hard radiation field and rapid nitrogen enrichment may be a short-lived phase that many z>6 galaxies go through as they undergo strong bursts of star formation. We comment on the potential link of such spectra to globular cluster formation.

We present new HI observations of the REionization-Limited HI Cloud (RELHIC) candidate, M94-CL9, detected around M94 by Zhou et al. using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST). M94-CL9's HI properties as detected by FAST are consistent with a RELHIC as noted by Benitez-Llambay & Navarro. Our observations with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) detect greater HI emission in M94-CL9 and result in HI properties that are larger (corrected velocity width, $W_{50,c,t}=35.7\pm0.6\,\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}}$; and integrated flux, $\int\mathrm{Sdv}=0.28\pm0.04\,\mathrm{Jy}\cdot\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}}$) than those found by Zhou et al. but that match those from the FAST All-Sky HI (FASHI) survey. These larger properties do not preclude M94-CL9 from being a RELHIC, but the wider spectral extent and spectral asymmetry reported here may be in tension with predictions of RELHIC properties.

Understanding stellar evolution and its effect on planetary systems is crucial for correctly interpreting the chemical constraints of exo-planetary material that can be given to us by white dwarfs. This article will describe how asteroids, moons, and comets, as well as boulders, pebbles and dust, evolve into eventual targets for chemical spectroscopy, and how planets and companion stars play a vital role in reshaping system architectures for this purpose.

Recent years have seen broad observational support for the presence of a clumpy component within the circumnuclear gas around SMBHs. In the X-ray band, individual clouds can manifest themselves when they transit the line of sight to the X-ray corona, temporarily obscuring the X-ray continuum and thereby indicating the characteristics and location of these clouds. X-ray flux monitoring with SRG/eROSITA has revealed that in the Seyfert 1 AGN EC 04570-5206, the soft X-ray flux dipped abruptly for about 10-18 months over 2020-2021, only to recover and then drop a second time by early 2022. Here, we investigate whether these flux dips and recoveries could be associated with cloud occultation events. We complemented the eROSITA scans with multiwavelength follow-up observations, including X-ray/UV observations with Swift, XMM-Newton, and NICER, along with ground-based optical photometric and spectroscopic observations to investigate the spectral and flux variability. XMM-Newton spectra confirm that the soft X-ray flux dips were caused by partial-covering obscuration by two separate clouds. The 2020-2021 event was caused by a cloud with column density near 1e22 /cm2 and a covering fraction near 0.6. The cloud in the 2022 event had a column density near 3e23 /cm2 and a covering fraction near 0.8. The optical/UV continuum flux varied minimally and the optical emission line spectra showed no variability in Balmer profiles or intensity. The transiting gas clouds are neutral or lowly-ionized, while the lower limits on their radial distances are commensurate with the dust sublimation zone (cloud 1) or the optical broad line region (cloud 2). One possible explanation is a dust-free, outflowing wind with embedded X-ray clumps. These events are the first cloud obscuration events detected in a Seyfert galaxy using eROSITA's X-ray monitoring capabilities.

We present observational evidence for a stellar Fundamental Metallicity Relation (FMR), a smooth relation between stellar mass, star-formation rate (SFR) and the light-weighted stellar metallicity of galaxies (analogous to the well-established gas-phase FMR). We use the flexible, non-parametric software pPXF to reconstruct simultaneously the star-formation and chemical-enrichment history of a representative sample of galaxies from the local MaNGA survey. We find that (i) the metallicity of individual galaxies increases with cosmic time and (ii) at all stellar masses, the metallicity of galaxies is progressively higher, moving from the star-burst region above the main sequence (MS) towards the passive galaxies below the MS, manifesting the stellar FMR. These findings are in qualitative agreement with theoretical expectations from IllustrisTNG, where we find a mass-weighted stellar FMR. The scatter is reduced when replacing the stellar mass $M_{*}$ with $M_{*}/R_{\rm e}$ (with $R_{\rm e}$ being the effective radius), in agreement with previous results using the velocity dispersion $\sigma_{\rm e}$, which correlates with $M_{*}/R_{\rm e}$. Our results point to starvation as the main physical process through which galaxies quench, showing that metal-poor gas accretion from the intergalactic/circumgalactic medium -- or the lack thereof -- plays an important role in galaxy evolution by simultaneously shaping both their star-formation and their metallicity evolutions, while outflows play a subordinate role. This interpretation is further supported by the additional finding of a young stellar FMR, tracing only the stellar populations formed in the last 300 Myr. This suggests a tight co-evolution of the chemical composition of both the gaseous interstellar medium and the stellar populations, where the gas-phase FMR is continuously imprinted onto the stars over cosmic times.

We present results from the first spatially resolved kinematic and dynamical modelling analysis of the unique SDSSJ0946+1006 ('Jackpot') triple-source lens system, where a single massive foreground $z\,=\,0.222$ galaxy multiple-images three background sources at different redshifts. Deep IFU spectroscopic data were obtained using the MUSE instrument on the VLT, which, compared to previous single-slit observations, provides full azimuthal area coverage, high sensitivity (5 hour integration) and high angular resolution ($0.5\,$arcsec FWHM). To account for the strong continuum contributions from the $z\,=\,0.609$ source, a multiple-component stellar template fitting technique is adopted to fit to the spectra of both the lens galaxy and the bright lensed background arc simultaneously. Through this, we robustly measure the first and second moments of the two-dimensional stellar kinematics out to about $10\,$kpc from the centre of the lens, as well as resolving the inner profile inwards to $\sim1\,$kpc. The two-dimensional kinematic maps show a steep velocity dispersion gradient and a clear rotational component. We constrain the characteristic properties of the stellar and dark matter (DM) mass components with a sufficiently flexible parameterised dynamical model and an imposed lensing mass and find a DM density slope of $\gamma\,=\,1.73\substack{+0.17 \\ -0.26}$, i.e. significantly steeper than an unmodified NFW profile ($\gamma\,=\,1$) and consistent with a contracted DM halo. Our fitted models have a lensing-equivalent density slope of $\eta\,=\,0.96\pm0.02$, and thus we confirm most pure lensing results in finding a near isothermal profile for this galaxy.

The two innermost planets of the Proxima Centauri system are separated by just 0.02 au, inducing strong gravitational interactions between them. We assess this interaction by leveraging fast orbital stability indicators and find that orbital stability is very likely if the initial eccentricities of planets b and d are less than $\sim 0.2$, but cannot confirm stability at larger values. We find that stability is not strongly affected by the true masses of the planets or by the distant planet c. However, mutual inclinations between 95$^\circ$ and 142$^\circ$ often result in unstable motion. We further explore the long-term evolution of the orbits in these stable regions of parameter space and find that circularization can take over 5 Gyr. This tidal evolution could support surface energy fluxes in excess of 1 W m$^{-2}$ for over 1 Gyr, possibly affecting planet b's habitability.

We use new 144 MHz observations over 5634 deg$^2$ from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) to compile the largest sample of uniformly-selected, spectroscopically-confirmed quasars from the 14th data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-DR14). Using the classical definition of radio-loudness, $R=\log(L_{\rm{1.4GHz}}/L_{i})$, we identify 3,697 radio-loud (RL) and 111,132 radio-quiet (RQ) sources at $0.6<z<3.4$. To study their properties, we develop a new rest-frame spectral stacking algorithm, designed with forthcoming massively-multiplexed spectroscopic surveys in mind, and use it to create high signal-to-noise composite spectra of each class, matched in redshift and absolute $i$-band magnitude. We show that RL quasars have redder continuum and enhanced [OII] emission than their RQ counterparts. These results persist when additionally matching in black hole mass, suggesting that this parameter is not the defining factor in making a QSO radio-loud. We find that these features are not gradually varying as a function of radio-loudness but are maintained even when probing deeper into the RQ population, indicating that a clear-cut division in radio-loudness is not apparent. Upon examining the star formation rates (SFRs) inferred from the [OII] emission line, with the contribution from AGN removed using the [NeV] line, we find that RL quasars have a significant excess of star-formation relative to RQ quasars out to $z=1.9$ at least. Given our findings, we suggest that radio-loud sources either preferably reside in gas-rich systems with rapidly-spinning black holes, or represent an earlier obscured phase of QSO evolution.

The properties of warm-hot gas around $\sim L_{*}$ galaxies can be studied with absorption lines from highly ionized metals. We predict Ne VIII column densities from cosmological zoom-in simulations of halos with masses in $\sim 10^{12}$ and $\sim 10^{13}\,\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ from the FIRE project. Ne VIII traces the volume-filling, virial-temperature gas in $\sim 10^{12}\,\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ halos. In $\sim 10^{13}\,\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ halos the Ne VIII gas is clumpier, and biased towards the cooler part of the warm-hot phase. We compare the simulations to observations by the CASBaH and CUBS surveys. We show that when inferring halo masses from stellar masses to compare simulated and observed halos, it is important to account for the scatter in the stellar-mass-halo-mass relation, especially at $\,\mathrm{M}_{\star} \gtrsim 10^{10.5} \,\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$. Median Ne VIII columns in the fiducial FIRE-2 model are about as high as observed upper limits allow, while the simulations analyzed do not reproduce the highest observed columns. This suggests that the median Ne VIII profiles predicted by the simulations are consistent with observations, but that the simulations may underpredict the scatter. We find similar agreement with analytical models that assume a product of the halo gas fraction and metallicity (relative to solar) $\sim 0.1$-$0.3$, indicating that observations are consistent with plausible CGM temperatures, metallicities, and gas masses. Variants of the FIRE simulations with a modified supernova feedback model and/or AGN feedback included (as well as some other cosmological simulations from the literature) more systematically underpredict Ne VIII columns. The circumgalactic Ne VIII observations therefore provide valuable constraints on simulations that otherwise predict realistic galaxy properties.

Photometrically derived stellar masses are known to suffer from systematic uncertainties, particularly due to nebular emission contributions to the spectral energy distribution. Using \emph{JWST} NIRCam imaging from the CAnadian NIRISS Unbiased Cluster Survey (CANUCS), we introduce a comparison study of photometrically-derived redshifts and stellar masses based on two photometric catalogs of the same field spanning $\sim$0.4-4.5$\mu$m: one consisting solely of wide band photometry, and another employing a combination of wide and medium band photometry. We find that \tilda70\% of galaxies have consistent photometric redshifts between both catalogs, with median stellar mass difference between the two catalogs of \lessthan\ 0.2 dex across all redshift bins. There are however a subset of galaxies (5\% at z\tilda2 up to 15\% at z\tilda6) where wide bands underestimate star formation rates and infer older stellar populations, leading to median stellar mass differences of \tilda0.7 dex. Examination of the SEDs for galaxies with inconsistent photometric redshifts shows this is caused by the inability of the wide bands to distinguish continuum emission from emission lines. Computing a stellar mass density with our sample we find that it is potentially underestimated using wide-band photometry by \tilda10-20\% at z \lessthan\ \ 4, and potentially overestimated by as much as a factor of 2-3 at z \greaterthan\ 5. These systematic differences caused by the poor spectral resolution of wide bands have implications for both ongoing and future planned observing programs which determine stellar mass and other physical properties of high redshift galaxies solely via wide band photometry.

We study little red dots (LRD) detected by JADES and covered by the SMILES MIRI survey. Our sample contains 31 sources, $\sim70$% detected in the two bluest MIRI bands, 40% in redder filters. The median/quartiles redshifts are $z=6.9_{5.9}^{7.7}$ (55% spectroscopic). We analyze the rest-frame ultraviolet through near/mid-infrared spectral energy distributions of LRDs combining NIRCam and MIRI observations, using a variety of modeling techniques that include emission from stars, dust, and (un)obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN). The NIRCam$-$MIRI colors, for $\geq10$ $\mu$m, are bluer than direct pure emission from AGN tori; the spectral slope flattens in the rest-frame near-infrared, consistent with a 1.6 $\mu$m stellar bump. Both observations imply that stellar emission makes the dominant contribution at these wavelengths, expediting a stellar mass estimation: the median/quartiles are $\log \mathrm{M_\star/M_\odot}=9.4_{9.1}^{9.7}$. The number density of LRDs is $10^{-4.0\pm0.1}$ Mpc$^{-3}$, accounting for $14\pm3$% of the global population of galaxies with similar redshifts and masses. The flat ultraviolet spectral range is dominated by young stars. The rest-frame near/mid-infrared (2-4 $\mu$m) spectral slope reveals significant amounts of dust (bolometric stellar attenuation $\sim3-4$ mag) heated by strong radiation fields arising from highly embedded compact sources. Our models imply $<0.4$ kpc heating knots, containing dust-enshrouded OB stars or an AGN producing a similar radiation field, obscured by $\mathrm{A(V)}>10$ mag. We conclude that LRDs are extremely intense and compact starburst galaxies with mass-weighted ages 5-10 Myr, very efficient in producing dust, their global energy output dominated by the direct and dust-recycled emission from OB stars, with some contribution from obscured AGN in the mid-infrared.

I present results of the analysis of a set of images obtained in the field of the Milky Way globular cluster NGC 6362 using the Dark Energy Camera, which is mounted in the 4.0m Victor Blanco telescope of the Cerro-Tololo Interamerican observatory. The cluster was selected as a science case for deep high-quality photometry because of the controversial observational findings and theoretical predictions on the existence of cluster tidal tails. The collected data allowed us to build an unprecedented deep cluster field color-magnitude diagram, from which I filtered stars to produce a stellar density map, to trace the stellar density variation as a function of the position angle for different concentric annulii centered on the cluster, and to construct a cluster stellar density radial profile. I also built a stellar density map from a synthetic color-magnitude diagram generated from a model of the stellar population distribution in the Milky Way. All the analysis approached converge toward a relatively smooth stellar density between 1 and $\sim$ 3.8 cluster Jacobi radii, with a slightly difference smaller than 2 times the background stellar density fluctuation between the mean stellar density of the south-eastern and that of north-western hemispheres, the latter being higher. Moreover, the spatial distribution of the recently claimed tidal tail stars agrees well not only with the observed composite star field distribution, but also with the region least affected by interstellar absorption. Nevertheless, I detected a low stellar density excess around the cluster Jacobi radius, from which I conclude that NGC 6362 present a thin extra tidal halo.

Big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) probes the cosmic mass-energy density at temperatures $\sim 10$ MeV to $\sim 100$ keV. Here, we consider the effect of a cosmic matter-like species that is non-relativistic and pressureless during BBN. Such a component must decay; doing so during BBN can alter the baryon-to-photon ratio, $\eta$, and the effective number of neutrino species. We use light element abundances and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) constraints on $\eta$ and $N_\nu$ to place constraints on such a matter component. We find that electromagnetic decays heat the photons relative to neutrinos, and thus dilute the effective number of relativistic species to $N_{\rm eff} < 3$ for the case of three Standard Model neutrino species. Intriguingly, likelihood results based on {\em Planck} CMB data alone find $N_{\nu} = 2.800 \pm 0.294$, and when combined with standard BBN and the observations of D and \he4 give $N_{\nu} = 2.898 \pm 0.141$. While both results are consistent with the Standard Model, we find that a nonzero abundance of electromagnetically decaying matter gives a better fit to these results. Our best-fit results are for a matter species that decays entirely electromagnetically with a lifetime $\tau_X = 0.89 \ \rm sec$ and pre-decay density that is a fraction $\xi = (\rho_X/\rho_{\rm rad})|_{10 \ \rm MeV} = 0.0026$ of the radiation energy density at 10 MeV; similarly good fits are found over a range where $\xi \tau_X^{1/2}$ is constant. On the other hand, decaying matter often spoils the BBN+CMB concordance, and we present limits in the $(\tau_X,\xi)$ plane for both electromagnetic and invisible decays. For dark (invisible) decays, standard BBN (i.e. $\xi=0$) supplies the best fit. We end with a brief discussion of the impact of future measurements including CMB-S4.

The study of binary stars in different astronomical environments offers insights into the dynamical state of the hosting stellar systems. The Binary Fraction in fact plays a crucial role in the dynamical evolution of stellar system, regulating processes like mass segregation and dynamical heating, and in some cases leading to the formation exotic object, like for instance blue straggler stars. We used two methodologies to estimate the binary fraction in three different-age open star clusters: FSR 866, NGC 1960 (M36), and Stock 2. The first, a photometric approach based on colour-magnitude diagram analysis, and the second, a spectroscopic technique which employs radial velocity measurements. We used Gaia DR3 data in tandem with new spectroscopic observations, and employed the DBSCAN clustering algorithm to identify probable cluster members based on proper motion and parallax in 3D space. The new sample of cluster members allows us to provide new estimates of the cluster fundamental parameters. As a by-product, we found two previously undetected, small physical groups of stars in the background of NGC 1960. The resulting binary fractions lie in the range 0.3 - 0.5 and are in good agreement with those expected theoretically for open clusters.

In the theoretical framework of hierarchical structure formation, galaxy clusters evolve through continuous accretion and mergers of substructures. Cosmological simulations have revealed the best picture of the Universe as a 3-D filamentary network of dark-matter distribution called the cosmic web. Galaxy clusters are found to form at the nodes of this network and are the regions of high merging activity. Such mergers being highly energetic, contain a wealth of information about the dynamical evolution of structures in the Universe. Observational validation of this scenario needs a colossal effort to identify numerous events from all-sky surveys. Therefore, such efforts are sparse in literature and tend to focus on individual systems. In this work, we present an improved search algorithm for identifying interacting galaxy clusters and have successfully produced a comprehensive list of systems from SDSS DR-17. By proposing a set of physically motivated criteria, we classified these interacting clusters into two broad classes, 'merging' and 'pre-merging/postmerging' systems. Interestingly, as predicted by simulations, we found that most cases show cluster interaction along the prominent cosmic filaments of galaxy distribution (i.e., the proxy for DM filaments), with the most violent ones at their nodes. Moreover, we traced the imprint of interactions through multi-band signatures, such as diffuse cluster emissions in radio or X-rays. Although we could not find direct evidence of diffuse emission from connecting filaments and ridges; our catalogue of interacting clusters will ease locating such faintest emissions as data from sensitive telescopes like eROSITA or SKA, becomes accessible

Type Ia supernovae are the outcome of the explosion of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf in a close binary system. They are thought to be the main contributors to the galactic nucleosynthesis of iron-peak elements, with important contributions to the yields of intermediate mass elements. Recent analyses of the phase diagram of carbon and oxygen containing impurities such as $^{22}$Ne and $^{56}$Fe in conditions relevant to white dwarf interiors suggest that both isotopes can partially separate when the temperature of the star is low enough to start solidifying. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of such a segregation on the yields of the different chemical species synthesized during explosions. A one-dimensional supernova code has been used to evaluate the impact of the sedimentation assuming different degrees of chemical separation. It is found that the main properties of the ejecta, kinetic energy and ejected mass of $^{56}$Ni do only vary slightly when the separation is taken into account. However, the yields of important isotopes that are used as diagnostic tools such as manganese can be strongly modified. Furthermore, the chemical segregation studied here is able to change several indicators related to progenitor metallicity (such as the mass ratio of calcium to sulphur in the ejecta or the UV flux of the supernova) and to its mass, whether it is a Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf or a substantially lighter one (such as the imprint of stable nickel on late-time infrared spectra or those related to the presence of radioactive nickel at the centre of the ejecta).

We propose measuring the arrival time difference of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) along two adjacent sightlines as a new probe to dark matter substructures on scales down to $\sim 1\,$AU. We discuss two observational scenarios in which it may be possible to place interesting constraints on such models through monitoring repeating FRB sources: 1) By sending radio receivers to space to form a baseline of tens of AU or more and measuring the temporal variation of the arrival time difference between receivers. 2) By measuring the temporal variation of the arrival time difference between two lensed images of one strongly lensed repeater. In both scenarios, obtaining interesting constraints requires correlating the voltage time series to measure the radio-signal arrival time to sub-nanosecond precision. We find that two radio dishes separated by $20\,$AU may be sensitive to the enhancement of small-scale structures at $\sim 10^{-8}M_\odot$ masses in the QCD axion dark matter scenario or from an early epoch of matter-domination with a reheating temperature up to 60 MeV. Other dark matter models such as those composed of $\sim 10^{-13}M_{\odot}$ primordial black holes produced during inflation would also be probed by this method. We further show that a strong lensing situation of multiple images provides an equivalent $\sim 2000\,$AU baseline, which can be much more sensitive but with the uncertainty that intervening ISM decoherence may degrade the timing precision and that spatial variation in the FRB emission spot may result in confounding signals. We show that the lensing magnifications of Type Ia supernovea constrain a similar quantity to such FRB timing, with present limits being equivalent to ruling out the same parameter space that would be probed by a $0.14~$AU baseline.

The Ice Giants represent a unique and relatively poorly characterized class of planets that have been largely unexplored since the brief Voyager 2 flyby in the late 1980's. Uranus is particularly enigmatic, due to its extreme axial tilt, offset magnetic field, apparent low heat budget, mysteriously cool stratosphere and warm thermosphere, as well as a lack of well-defined, long-lived storm systems and distinct atmospheric features. All these characteristics make Uranus a scientifically intriguing target, particularly for missions able to complete in situ measurements. The 2023-2032 Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology prioritized a flagship orbiter and probe to explore Uranus with the intent to "...transform our knowledge of Ice Giants in general and the Uranian system in particular" (National Academies of Sciences and Medicine, 2022). In support of this recommendation, we present community-supported science questions, key measurements, and a suggested instrument suite that focuses on the exploration and characterization of the Uranian atmosphere by an in situ probe. The scope of these science questions encompasses the origin, evolution, and current processes that shape the Uranian atmosphere, and in turn the Uranian system overall. Addressing these questions will inform vital new insights about Uranus, Ice Giants and Gas Giants in general, the large population of Neptune-sized exoplanets, and the Solar System as a whole.

We investigate the 2023 season data from high-cadence microlensing surveys with the aim of detecting partially covered short-term signals and revealing their underlying astrophysical origins. Through this analysis, we ascertain that the signals observed in the lensing events KMT-2023-BLG-0416, KMT-2023-BLG-1454, and KMT-2023-BLG-1642 are of planetary origin. Considering the potential degeneracy caused by the partial coverage of signals, we thoroughly investigate the lensing-parameter plane. In the case of KMT-2023-BLG-0416, we have identified two solution sets, one with a planet-to-host mass ratio of $q\sim 10^{-2}$ and the other with $q\sim 6\times 10^{-5}$, within each of which there are two local solutions emerging due to the inner-outer degeneracy. For KMT-2023-BLG-1454, we discern four local solutions featuring mass ratios of $q\sim (1.7-4.3)\times 10^{-3}$. When it comes to KMT-2023-BLG-1642, we identified two locals with $q\sim (6-10)\times 10^{-3}$ resulting from the inner-outer degeneracy. We estimate the physical lens parameters by conducting Bayesian analyses based on the event time scale and Einstein radius. For KMT-2023-BLG-0416L, the host mass is $\sim 0.6~M_\odot$, and the planet mass is $\sim (6.1-6.7)~M_{\rm J}$ according to one set of solutions and $\sim 0.04~M_{\rm J}$ according to the other set of solutions. KMT-2023-BLG-1454Lb has a mass roughly half that of Jupiter, while KMT-2023-BLG-1646Lb has a mass in the range of between 1.1 to 1.3 times that of Jupiter, classifying them both as giant planets orbiting mid M-dwarf host stars with masses ranging from 0.13 to 0.17 solar masses.

Galaxy morphology offers significant insights into the evolutionary pathways and underlying physics of galaxies. As astronomical data grows with surveys such as Euclid and Vera C. Rubin , there is a need for tools to classify and analyze the vast numbers of galaxies that will be observed. In this work, we introduce a novel classification technique blending unsupervised clustering based on morphological metrics with the scalability of supervised Convolutional Neural Networks. We delve into a comparative analysis between the well-known CAS (Concentration, Asymmetry, and Smoothness) metrics and our newly proposed EGG (Entropy, Gini, and Gradient Pattern Analysis). Our choice of the EGG system stems from its separation-oriented metrics, maximizing morphological class contrast. We leverage relationships between metrics and morphological classes, leading to an internal agreement between unsupervised clustering and supervised classification. Applying our methodology to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, we obtain 95% of Overall Accuracy of purely unsupervised classification and when we replicate T-Type and visually classified galaxy catalogs with accuracy of 88% and 89% respectively, illustrating the method's practicality. Furthermore, the application to Hubble Space Telescope data heralds the potential for unsupervised exploration of a higher redshift range. A notable achievement is our 95% accuracy in unsupervised classification, a result that rivals when juxtaposed with Traditional Machine Learning and closely trails when compared to Deep Learning benchmarks.

Gravitational lensing by massive galaxy clusters distorts the observed cosmic microwave background (CMB) on arcminute scales, and these distortions carry information about cluster masses. Standard approaches to extracting cluster mass constraints from the CMB cluster lensing signal are either sub-optimal, ignore important physical or observational effects, are computationally intractable, or require additional work to turn the lensing measurements into constraints on cluster masses. We apply simulation based inference (SBI) using neural likelihood models to the problem. We show that in circumstances where the exact likelihood can be computed, the SBI constraints on cluster masses are in agreement with the exact likelihood, demonstrating that the SBI constraints are close to optimal. In scenarios where the exact likelihood cannot be feasibly computed, SBI still recovers unbiased estimates of individual cluster masses and combined constraints from multiple clusters. SBI will be a powerful tool for constraining the masses of galaxy clusters detected by future cosmic surveys. Code to run the analyses presented here will be made publicly available.

The hosts of two low-luminosity high-z quasars, J2255+0251 and J2236+0032, were recently detected using JWST's NIRCam instrument. These represent the first high-z quasar host galaxy stellar detections and open a new window into studying high-z quasars. We examine the implications of the measured properties of J2255+0251 and J2236+0032 within the context of the hydrodynamic simulation BlueTides at z = 6.5. We find that these observed quasars fall on the BlueTides stellar to black hole mass relation and have similar luminosities to the brightest simulated quasars. We predict their star formation rates, estimating approximately $10^{2-3}$ $M_{\odot}/ \rm yr$ for both quasar hosts. J2255+0251 and J2236+0032's host galaxy radii also fall within estimates of the radii of the simulated host galaxies of similar luminosity quasars. We generate mock JWST NIRCam images of analogs to the observed quasars within BlueTides and perform a point source removal to illustrate both a qualitative and quantitative comparison of the measured and simulated radii and magnitudes. The quasar subtraction works well for similar luminosity quasars, and the recovered host images are consistent with what was observed for J2255+0251 and J2236+0032, further supporting the success of those observations. We also use our mock imaging pipeline to make predictions for the detection of J2255+0251 and J2236+0032's hosts in upcoming JWST observations. We anticipate that the simulation analogs of future high-z quasar host discoveries will allow us to make accurate predictions of their properties beyond the capabilities of JWST.

We present a search for intraday transient gamma-ray signals using 15 years of the Fermi Large Area Telescope data. The search is based on a recently developed variable-size sliding-time-window (VSSTW) analysis and aimed at studying variable gamma-ray emission from gamma-ray bursts and the Sun. We refined the algorithm for searches for transient sources in order to solve the search problem within a reasonable amount of CPU time. These refinements allowed us to increase the number of gamma-ray bursts, solar flares, and quiescent solar events detected with the VSSTW technique by several times compared to the previous VSSTW search. The current search revealed a new gamma-ray signal recorded with Fermi-LAT on 2018 January 12. This signal is probably from a GRB and deserves an exploration of the existing archival multi-wavelength observations in order to identify it in an unambiguous way. We furthermore report a gamma-ray signal from the solar flare on 2023 December 31 which occurred during the 25th solar cycle.

Relative Sunspot Number is one of the major parameters for the study of long-term solar activity. The automatic calculation of the Relative Sunspot Number is more stable and accurate as compared to manual methods. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that can detect sunspots and divide them into groups, to automatically calculate the Relative Sunspot Number. Mathematical Morphology was adopted to detect sunspots then group them. The dataset used were the continuum images from SDO/HMI. The process was carried out on the overall HMI data available on the timespan from January 2022 to May 2023 with a time cadence of one day. The experimental results indicated that the method achieved high accuracy of 85.3\%. It was well fitted with the international Relative Sunspot Number provided by Solar Influences Data Analysis Center (SIDC) (CC=0.91). We calculated the conversion factor K value of SDO/HMI for calculating the Relative Sunspots Number(K=1.03).

This article is the rapporteur's summary of the cosmic ray indirect sessions of the 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference in Nagoya, Japan. The rapporteur highlights cosmic ray indirect observatories around the world, and reviews a selection of the latest results regarding the cosmic ray energy spectrum, mass composition, anisotropy, hadronic interaction models, theory, geophysics, interdisciplinary research, and future projects.

Diffusive Shock Acceleration, resulting from first-order Fermi acceleration occurring near Magnetohydrodynamic shock waves, is essential in explaining the power law spectrum in various astrophysical radiation and cosmic rays. We perform Monte Carlo simulations to model the stochastic scattering process in Fermi acceleration, capturing the confinement of particles around the shock within the ambient fluid. The model is tested and validated by comparing it with the spectral index obtained with analytical calculation. Assuming a relativistic EoS, we calculate the power-law spectral index for different diffusion coefficients. With constant diffusion co-efficient and stiffer EoS, the observed range of the spectral index is very narrow; however, as the EoS becomes softer, the range increases. With varying diffusion co-efficient stiffer EoS fails to give a well-defined spectral index (no linear spectrum); however, as the EoS becomes softer, the spectral index lies between $2-4$. For ultra-relativistic shocks, we consistently obtained a linear spectrum; however, the spectral index range varied considerably with the diffusion coefficient.

We present the first polarimetric analysis of Quasi-Periodic Oscillations (QPO) in a black hole binary utilizing \textit{IXPE} data. Our study focuses on Swift J1727.8--1613, which experienced a massive outburst that was observed by various telescopes across different wavelengths. The \textit{IXPE} observation we studied was conducted during the Hard-Intermediate state. The polarization degree (PD) and polarization angle (PA) were measured at 4.28$\pm$0.20\% and $1.9^{\circ}\pm1.4^{\circ}$, respectively. Remarkably, significant QPO signals were detected during this observation, with a QPO frequency of approximately 1.34 Hz and a fractional root-mean-square (RMS) amplitude of about 12.3\%. Furthermore, we conducted a phase-resolved analysis of the QPO using the Hilbert-Huang transform technique. The photon index showed a strong modulation with respect to the QPO phase. In contrast, the PD and PA exhibit no modulations in relation to the QPO phase, which is inconsistent with the expectation of the Lense-Thirring precession of the inner flow. Further theoretical studies are needed to conform with the observational results.

We present an analysis of the effects of spectral resolution and aperture scales on derived galaxy properties using far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectra of local star-forming galaxies from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (R~250, FOV~10"x20") and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope (R~15,000, FOV~2.5"). Using these spectra, we measured FUV luminosities, spectral slopes, dust attenuation, and equivalent widths. We find that galaxies with one dominant stellar cluster have FUV properties that are independent of aperture size, while galaxies with multiple bright clusters are sensitive to the total light fraction captured by the aperture. Additionally, we find significant correlations between the strength of stellar and interstellar absorption-lines and metallicity, indicating metallicity-dependent line-driven stellar winds and interstellar macroscopic gas flows shape the stellar and interstellar spectral lines, respectively. The observed line-strength versus metallicity relation of stellar-wind lines agrees with the prediction of population synthesis models for young starbursts. In particular, measurements of the strong stellar CIV 1548,1550 line provide an opportunity to determine stellar abundances as a complement to gas-phase abundances. We provide a relation between the equivalent width of the CIV line and the oxygen abundance of the galaxy. We discuss this relation in terms of the stellar-wind properties of massive stars. As the driving lines in stellar winds are mostly ionized iron species, the CIV line may eventually offer a method to probe alpha-element-to-iron ratios in star-forming galaxies once consistent models with non-solar abundance ratios are available. These results have important implications for the galaxy-scale, low-resolution observations of high-redshift galaxies from JWST (R~100-3,500).

Neutron star magnetic field evolution is mediated through the Hall effect and Ohmic dissipation in the crust while ambipolar diffusion is taking place in the core. These effects have been studied in detail in either part of the star, however, their combined, simultaneous evolution and interplay has not been explored in detail yet. Here, we present simulation results of the simultaneous evolution of the magnetic field in the core due to ambipolar diffusion and the crust due to Hall effect and Ohmic decay, under the assumption of axial symmetry. We find that a purely poloidal field generates a toroidal field in the crust, due to the Hall effect, that sinks into the core. A purely toroidal field remains toroidal and spreads into the core and the crust. Finally, for a mixed poloidal-toroidal field, the north-south symmetry is broken due to the Hall effect in the crust, however, ambipolar diffusion, tends to restore it. We examine the role of ambipolar diffusion to the magnetic field decay and we compare the rate of the conversion of magnetic field energy into heat, finding that it enhances the magnetic field decay in neutron stars.

The detailed structure of core-collapse supernova progenitors is crucial for studying supernova explosion engines and the corresponding multimessenger signals. In this paper, we investigate the influence of stellar rotation on binary systems consisting of a 30 solar mass donor star and a 20 solar mass accretor using the MESA stellar evolution code. We find that through mass transfer in binary systems, fast-rotating red- and blue-supergiant progenitors can be formed within a certain range of initial orbital periods, albeit the correlation is not linear. We also find that even with the same initial mass ratio of the binary system, the resulting final masses of the collapsars, the iron core masses, the compactness parameters, and the final rotational rates can vary widely and are sensitive to the initial orbital periods. For instance, the progenitors with strong convection form a thinner Si-shell and a wider O-shell compared to those in single-star systems. In addition, we conduct two-dimensional self-consistent core-collapse supernova simulations with neutrino transport for these rotating progenitors derived from binary stellar evolution. We find that the neutrino and gravitational-wave signatures of these binary progenitors could exhibit significant variations. Progenitors with larger compactness parameters produce more massive proto-neutron stars, have higher mass-accretion rates, and emit brighter neutrino luminosity and louder gravitational emissions. Finally, we observe stellar-mass black hole formation in some of our failed exploding models.

Forbush decreases (FDs) are short-term depressions in the galactic cosmic ray flux and one of the common signatures of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the heliosphere. They often show a two-step profile, the second one associated with the CMEs magnetic structure (flux rope, FR), which can be described by the recently developed model ForbMod. The aim of this study is to utilise ForbMod to develop a best-fit procedure to be applied on FR-related FDs as a convenient measurement tool. We develop a best-fit procedure that can be applied to a data series from an arbitrary detector. Thus, the basic procedure facilitates measurement estimation of the magnitude of the FR-related FD, with the possibility of being adapted for the energy response of a specific detector for a more advanced analysis. The non-linear fitting was performed by calculating all possible ForbMod curves constrained within the FR borders to the designated dataset and minimising the mean square error (MSE). In order to evaluate the performance of the ForbMod best-fit procedure, we used synthetic measurements produced by calculating the theoretical ForbMod curve for a specific example CME and then applying various effects to the data to mimic the imperfection of the real measurements. We also tested the ForbMod best-fit function on the real data, measured by detector F of the SOHO-EPHIN instrument on a sample containing 30 events, all of which have a distinct FD corresponding to the CMEs magnetic structure. Overall, we find that the ForbMod best-fit procedure performs similar to the traditional algorithm-based observational method, but with slightly smaller values for the FD amplitude, as it is taking into account the noise in the data. Furthermore, we find that the best-fit procedure has an advantage compared to the traditional method as it can estimate the FD amplitude even when there is a data gap at the onset of the FD.

We present a thorough investigation of the long standing sulfur anomaly enigma. Our analysis uses chemical abundances from the most extensive dataset available for 126 planetary nebulae (PNe) with improved accuracy and reduced uncertainties from a 10x10 degree Galactic bulge region. By using argon as a superior PNe metallicity indicator, the anomaly is significantly reduced and better constrained. For the first time in PNe we show sulfur alpha-element lock-step with both oxygen and argon. We dispel hypotheses that the anomaly originates from underestimation of higher sulfur ionization stages. Using a machine learning approach, we show that earlier ionization correction factor (ICFs) schemes contributed significantly to the anomaly. We find a correlation between the sulfur anomaly and the age/mass of PNe progenitors, with the anomaly either absent or significantly reduced in PNe with young progenitors. Despite inherent challenges and uncertainties, we link this to PNe dust chemistry, noting those with carbon-dust chemistry show a more pronounced anomaly. By integrating these findings, we provide a plausible explanation for the residual, reduced sulfur anomaly and propose its potential as an indicator of relative galaxy age compositions based on PNe.

By means of HARM\_COOL\_EOS, which is our code for conservative relativistic magnetohydrodynamics, we developed a new scheme for the simulation of a system formed after compact binary merger. Our code works with a tabulated equation of state of dense matter, accounts for the neutrino leakage, and follows the mass outflows via the tracer particle method. We discuss the numerical scheme, and present the recovery method included in our code. We also show results of a numerical simulation, addressed to the post-merger system after the coalescence of binary neutron stars, or a neutron star with a stellar mass black hole. The plasma is very neutron-rich, so the r-process nucleosynthesis in the ejected material may lead to unstable heavy isotopes creation. They are responsible for an electromagnetic signal, observed as a kilonova. In addition, the magnetized, neutrino-driven wind can act as a collimating mechanism for the relativistic jet.

In several B-type supergiants photometric and spectroscopic variabilities together with episodes of enhanced mass-loss have been observed. Here we present the preliminary results of linear stability analysis followed by nonlinear numerical simulations in two B-type supergiants MWC 137 and MWC 314. All the considered models of MWC 137 having mass in the range of 30 M$_{\odot}$ to 70 M$_{\odot}$ are unstable while for the case of MWC 314 models with mass below 31 M$_{\odot}$ are unstable. The instabilities have been followed into nonlinear regime for selected models of these two supergiants. During the nonlinear numerical simulations, instabilities lead to finite amplitude pulsation with a well defined saturation level in the considered models of MWC 137 with mass greater than 42 M$_{\odot}$. The model of MWC 314 with mass of 40 M$_{\odot}$ - the suggested mass for the primary star - does not show any instabilities both in linear stability analysis and nonlinear numerical simulations. Velocity amplitude reaches to 10$^7$ cm/s in the nonlinear regime for the model of MWC 314 with mass of 30 M$_{\odot}$. Further extensive numerical simulations and observations are required to understand the origin of the observed variabilities in these stars.

The motion of planetesimals initially located in the feeding zone of the planet Proxima Centauri c, at distances of 500 AU from the star to the star's Hill sphere radius of 1200 AU was considered. In the analyzed non-gaseous model, the primary ejection of planetesimals from most of the feeding zone of an almost formed planet c to distances greater than 500 AU from the star occurred during the first 10 million years. Only for planetesimals originally located at the edges of the planet's feeding zone, the fraction of planetesimals that first reached 500 AU over the time greater than 10 million years was more than half. Some planetesimals could reach the outer part of the star's Hill sphere over hundreds of millions of years. Most of the planetesimals that first reached 500 AU from Proxima Centauri first reached 1200 AU from the star in less than 1 million years. In the considered model, the disk of planetesimals in the outer part of the star's Hill sphere was rather flat. The results may be of interest for understanding the motion of bodies in other exoplanetary systems, especially those with a single dominant planet. The strongly inclined orbits of bodies in the outer part of Proxima Centauri's Hill sphere can primarily result from bodies that entered the Hill sphere from outside. The radius of Proxima Centauri's Hill sphere is an order of magnitude smaller than the radius of the outer boundary of the Hills cloud in the Solar System and two orders of magnitude smaller than the radius of the Sun's Hill sphere. Therefore, it is difficult to expect the existence of a similarly massive cloud around this star as the Oort cloud around the Sun.

We analyze the formation of the redshifted hyperfine structure line 21-cm of hydrogen atoms in Dark Ages at $30\le z\le300$ in the different cosmologies. To study its dependence on the values of cosmological parameters and physical conditions in the intergalactic medium, the evolution of the global (sky-averaged) differential brightness temperature in this line was computed in standard and non-standard cosmological models with different parameters. The standard $\Lambda$CDM model with post-Planck parameters predicts a value of the differential brightness temperature in the center of the absorption line $\delta T_{br}\approx35$ mK at $z\approx87$. The frequency of the line in the absorption maximum is 16 MHz, the effective half-width of the line is 17 MHz. The depth of line is moderately sensitive to $\Omega_b$ and $H_0$, weakly sensitive to $\Omega_{dm}$, and insensitive to other parameters of the standard $\Lambda$CDM model. But line is very sensitive to the additional mechanisms of heating or cooling of baryonic matter during the Dark Ages, so it can be a good test of non-standard cosmological models. In the models with decaying and self-annihilating dark matter, as well as with a primordial stochastic magnetic field, the temperature of baryonic matter in this period is higher if the larger is the fraction of these energy components of dark matter and magnetic field strength. The absorption line becomes shallower, desappers and transitions to emission at values of the component parameters lower than the upper limits on them following from the current observational data. Estimates show that such spectral features may be detected by radio telescopes in the decameter wavelength range in the near future.

We analyze the possibilities of detecting a signal in the hydrogen 21 cm line, which was formed in the early universe during the Dark Ages, using the Ukrainian radio telescopes UTR-2 and GURT of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. As a result of cosmological expansion, this line is shifted to the decameter range of wavelengths ($\lambda_{obs}\approx18$ m, $\nu_{obs}\approx16$ MHz) and is in the band of operating frequencies of these telescopes. The brightness temperature of the predicted sky-averaged global signal ranges from $\sim-0.08$ to $\sim0.02$ K, depending on the cosmological model. Such a weak signal is a big challenge even for the world's largest radio telescope in the decameter wavelength range UTR-2, since the signal level of the synchrotron radiation of the Galaxy at these frequencies is 20,000-40,000 K. The paper highlights the peculiarities of spectroscopy at decameter waves, interfering factors of natural and instrumental origin and ways to eliminate them in order to reliably detect the signal in the 21 cm line, which can become an important source of information both about the environment in which the first stars and galaxies were born, and about the nature of dark matter particles and the magnitude of primordial magnetic fields. It was concluded that the detection of such a signal using the most sensitive radio telescopes of the decameter wavelength range is quite possible (with a frequency accumulation of 25 MHz, the detection time will be ~50 days) and can be implemented in the coming years of peace in Ukraine.

Galaxy environment plays an important role in driving the transformation of galaxies from blue and star-forming to red and quenched. Recent works have focused on the role of cosmic web filaments in galaxy evolution and have suggested that stellar mass segregation, quenching of star formation and gas-stripping may occur within filaments. We study the relationship between distance to filament and the stellar mass, colour and HI gas content of galaxies using data from the REsolved Spectroscopy of a Local VolumE (RESOLVE) survey and Environmental COntext (ECO) catalogue, two overlapping census-style, volume-complete surveys. We use the Discrete Persistence Structures Extractor (DisPerSE) to identify cosmic web filaments over the full ECO area. We find that galaxies close to filaments have higher stellar masses, in agreement with previous results. Controlling for stellar mass, we find that galaxies also have redder colours and are more gas poor closer to filaments. When accounting for group membership and halo mass, we find that these trends in colour and gas content are dominated by the increasing prevalence of galaxy group environments close to filaments, particularly for high halo mass and low stellar mass galaxies. Filaments have an additional small effect on the gas content of galaxies in low-mass haloes, possibly due to cosmic web stripping.

Conventionally, the helium-to-hydrogen ratio for the stars are adopted to be 0.1, as standard, unless, the stars are severely deficient in hydrogen like in RCB-class, or the stars' helium abundance is accurately measured using He I transitions in warm/hotter stars. In our study, the small change in helium-to-hydrogen ratio (from standard value, 0.1) in normal giants were detected from the large difference (> 0.3 dex) in the Mg-abundance measured from Mg I lines and the subordinate lines of (0,0) MgH band. These are the stars that are mildly hydrogen-deficient/He-enhanced. Such stars were spectroscopically discovered for the first time among giants of the globular cluster Omega Centauri. The sample selection, observations, methodology and results are discussed in detail.

Threads are the main constituents of prominences and are subjected to oscillations that might be interpreted as MHD waves. Moreover, the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) has been reported in prominences. Both waves and KHI may affect the thermodynamic state of the threads. We investigate the triggering of turbulence in a thread caused by the nonlinear evolution of standing torsional Alfv\'en waves as well as possible observational signatures of this dynamics and the plasma heating. We modeled the thread as a radially and longitudinally nonuniform cylindrical flux tube with a uniform axial magnetic field embedded in a coronal environment. We perturbed the flux tube with the longitudinally fundamental mode of standing torsional Alfv\'en waves and numerically solved the 3D MHD equations to study the temporal evolution in both ideal and dissipative scenarios. We also performed forward modeling to calculate the synthetic H{\alpha} imaging. Standing torsional Alfv\'en waves undergo phase-mixing owing to the radially nonuniform density. The phase-mixing generates azimuthal shear flows that eventually trigger the KHI and, later, turbulence. If nonideal effects are included, plasma heating is localized in an annulus region at the thread boundary and does not increase the temperature in the cool core. Instead, the average temperature in the thread decreases owing to the mixing of internal and external plasmas. In the synthetic observations, first we find periodic pulsations in the H{\alpha} intensity caused by the integration of the phase-mixing flows along the line of sight. Later, we find fine strands that may be associated with the KHI vortices. Turbulence can be generated by standing torsional Alfv\'en waves in a thread after the onset of KHI, but this mechanism is not enough to heat globally the structure. The dynamics could be seen in high-resolution H{\alpha} observations.

This study presents the implementation of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodologies, particularly the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), in prioritizing technosignatures (TSs) for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). By incorporating expert opinions and weighted criteria based on the established Axes of Merit, our analysis offers insights into the relative importance of various TSs. Notably, radio and optical communications are emphasized, in contrast to dark side illumination and starshades in transit. We introduce a new axis, Scale Sensitivity, designed to assess the variability of TS metrics. A sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of our approach. Our findings, especially the highlighted significance of artifacts orbiting Earth, the Moon, or the Sun, indicate a need to broaden evaluative criteria within SETI research. This suggests an enhancement of the Axes of Merit, with a focus on addressing the plausibility of TSs. As the quest to resolve the profound question of our solitude in the cosmos continues, SETI efforts would benefit from exploring innovative prioritization methodologies that effectively quantify TS search strategies.

Seyfert galaxy NGC 5252 harbors enormously extended ionization cones, which have been previously detected in the optical and X-ray band, offering a unique opportunity to investigate the interaction between the central active galactic nucleus (AGN) and the surrounding gas in the AGN host galaxy. We present deep Chandra imaging spectroscopy of NGC 5252 with a total exposure time of 230 ks. The morphology in the soft X-rays shows resolved extended structure from nucleus to a large radial distance, and for the first time we detect the outermost X-ray arc at $\sim$20 kpc. The X-ray cone mostly follows the direction of the optical ionization cones in the southeast and northwest direction, about 20 degrees misaligned with the major axis of the galactic disk of NGC 5252. Fitting the spectra extracted from radial sectors with photoionization models supports that extended emission is mainly photoionized by the central AGN. We also examine the variation of the photoionization parameter along the radial extension, and infer a decreasing ionizing continuum of the central engine by a factor of $\sim$50 over the past 64000 years. These findings are consistent with previous suggestion that NGC 5252 resembles a quasar relic with a $M\sim 10^9 M_{\odot}$ supermassive black hole, which went through a minor merger event and switched to a low accretion rate state.

Cen X-3 shows alternate spin-up/spin-down episodes lasting for tens of days. We study the orbital profiles and spectra of Cen X-3 during these spin-up/spin-down intervals, using long-term data monitored by Fermi/GBM, Swift/BAT and MAXI/GSC. In spin-up intervals, its orbital profile in 2-10 keV is symmetrically peaked around orbital phase 0.42, while in spin-down intervals of similar fluxes and similar magnitudes of spin change rate, its profile reaches a peak around orbital phase 0.22 and then declines gradually. Such a distinct orbital difference between spin-up and spin-down states of similar flux is hard to explain in the standard disk model and indicates that its torque reversals are related to processes on the orbital scale. The durations of continuous spin-up/spin-down trend (tens of days) also point to a superorbital variation. One possible scenario is the irradiation-driven warping disk instability, which may produce a flipped inner disk for tens of days.

We aimed to measure the CMF in the evolved W33-Main star-forming protocluster to compare it with CMF recently obtained in other Galactic star-forming regions, including the ones included in the ALMA-IMF program. We used observations from the ALMA-IMF large program: 2'x2' maps of emission from the continuum and selected lines at 1.3mm and 3mm observed by the ALMA 12m only antennas. Our angular resolution was typically 1'', that is 2400au at a distance of 2.4kpc. The lines we analysed are CO(2-1), SiO(5-4), N2H+(1-0), H41alpha as well as He41alpha blended with C41alpha. We built a census of dense cores in the region, and we measured the associated CMF based on a core-dependent temperature value. We confirmed the 'evolved' status of W33-Main by identifiying three HII regions within the field, and to a lesser extent based on the number and extension of N2H+ filaments. We produced a filtered core catalog of 94 candidates, that we refined to take into account the contamination of the continuum by free-free and line emission, obtaining 80 cores with masses that range from 0.03 to 13.2Msun. We fitted the resulting high-mass end of the CMF with a single power law of the form N(log(M)) ~ M^alpha, obtaining alpha = -1.44(+0.16)(-0.22), slightly steeper but consistent with the Salpeter index. We categorized our cores in pre- and protostellar, mostly based on outlow activity and hot core nature. We found the prestellar CMF to be steeper than a Salpeter-like distribution, and the protostellar CMF to be slightly top heavy. We found a higher proportion of cores within the HII regions and their surroundings than in the rest of the field. We also found that the cores' masses were rather low (maximum mass of 13Msun).

Classical barium stars are red giants that received from their evolved binary companions material exposed to the \textit{slow} neutron-capture nucleosynthesis, i.e., the $s$-process. Such a mechanism is expected to have taken place in the interiors of Thermally-Pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch (TP-AGB) stars. As post-interacting binaries, barium stars figure as powerful tracers of the $s$-process nucleosynthesis, evolution of binary systems, and mechanisms of mass transfer. The present study is the fourth in a series of high-resolution spectroscopic analyses on a sample of 180 barium stars, for which we report tungsten (W, $Z=74$) abundances. The abundances were derived from synthetic spectrum computations of the W\,{\sc i} absorption features at 4\,843.8~\AA\ and 5\,224.7~\AA. We were able to extract abundances for 94 stars; the measured [W/Fe] ratios range from $\sim0.0$ to $2.0$ dex, increasing with decreasing of metallicity. We noticed that in the plane [W/Fe] versus [$s$/Fe] barium stars follow the same trend observed in post-AGB stars. The observational data were also compared with predictions of the {\sc fruity} and Monash AGB nucleosynthesis models. These expect values between $-0.20$ and $+0.10$ dex for the [W/hs] ratios, whereas a larger spread is observed in the program stars, with [W/hs] ranging from $-0.40$ to $+0.60$ dex. The stars with high [W/hs] ratios may represent evidence for the operation of the intermediate neuron-capture process at metallicities close to solar.

We report on recent progress in the development of Laue lenses for applications in hard X/soft gamma-ray astronomy. Here we focus on the realization of a sector of such a lens made of 11 bent Germanium crystals and describe the technological challenges involved in their positioning and alignment with adhesive-based bonding techniques. The accurate alignment and the uniformity of the curvature of the crystals are critical for achieving optimal X-ray focusing capabilities. We have assessed how the errors of misalignment with respect to the main orientation angles of the crystals affect the point spread function (PSF) of the image diffracted by a single sector. We have corroborated these results with simulations carried out with our physical model of the lens, based on a Monte Carlo ray-tracing technique, adopting the geometrical configuration of the Laue sector, the observed assembly accuracy and the measured curvatures of the crystals. An extrapolation of the performances achieved on a single sector to an entire Laue lens based on this model has shown that a PSF with half-power-diameter of 4.8 arcmin can be achieved with current technology. This has the potential to lead to a significant improvement in sensitivity of spectroscopic and polarimetric observations in the 50-600 keV band

Detailed chemical composition of stars is of prime interest for a range of topics in modern stellar astrophysics, such as the chemical evolution of the Galaxy or the formation, composition, and structure of exoplanets. In this work, we derive the C and O abundances and update Sc, V, Mn, and Co abundances considering hyperfine structure effects (HFS) and correcting for non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) for a sample of 196 late-F, G-, and early-K stars with wide resolved M-dwarf companions. We accomplished this by employing the equivalent width (EW) method and high-resolution spectroscopic data. Furthermore, we investigated the distributions of [X/Fe] ratios and [C/O] as a function of metallicity ([Fe/H]) and kinematic population. The observed trends are consistent with previous findings reported in the literature. Additionally, we searched for confirmed exoplanets around our primary stars in the literature and found 24 exoplanets in 17 systems, while none of the M-dwarf companions in our sample presented confirmed exoplanets. In conclusion, our study provides homogeneous abundances from high-resolution spectra for a large sample of FGK primary stars, paving the way for further research on stellar abundances of the M secondaries and exoplanetary science.

Recent works have used a linear birth metallicity gradient to estimate the evolution of the [Fe/H] profile in the Galactic disk over time, and infer stellar birth radii (R$_\text{birth}$) from [Fe/H] and age measurements. These estimates rely on the evolution of [Fe/H] at the Galactic center ([Fe/H](0, $\tau$)) and the birth metallicity gradient ($\nabla$[Fe/H]($\tau)$) over time -- quantities that are unknown and inferred under key assumptions. In this work, we use the sample of Milky Way/Andromeda analogues from the TNG50 simulation to investigate the ability to recover [Fe/H](R, $\tau$) and R$_\text{birth}$ in a variety of galaxies. Using stellar disk particles, we test the assumptions required in estimating R$_\text{birth}$, [Fe/H](0, $\tau$), and $\nabla$[Fe/H]($\tau)$ using recently proposed methods to understand when they are valid. We show that $\nabla$[Fe/H]($\tau)$ can be recovered in most galaxies to within 22% from the range in [Fe/H] across age, with better accuracy for more massive and stronger barred galaxies. We also find that the true central metallicity is unrepresentative of the genuine disk [Fe/H] profile; thus we propose to use a projected central metallicity instead. About half of the galaxies in our sample do not have a continuously enriching projected central metallicity, with a dilution in [Fe/H] correlating with mergers. Most importantly, galaxy-specific [Fe/H](R, $\tau$) can be constrained and confirmed by requiring the R$_\text{birth}$ distributions of mono-age, solar neighborhood populations to follow inside-out formation. We conclude that examining trends with R$_\text{birth}$ is valid for the Milky Way disk and similarly structured galaxies, where we expect R$_\text{birth}$ can be recovered to within 16% assuming today's measurement uncertainties in TNG50.

This paper discusses the B\"ohm-Vitense gap, a gap in the colours of stars that occurs when the atmosphere changes from radiative to convective in deep layers. We are using different algorithms for detecting gaps in colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs), including the k-nearest neighbours (k-NN) and UniDip algorithms. We propose using a combination of the k-NN algorithm and the UniDip algorithm and manual verification to identify gaps unlikely to be of a statistical origin. Using the $Gaia$ photometric system, i.e. BP-RP, we took the data of 130 star clusters and searched for gaps in the ranges of 0.40 to 0.47 mag, and 0.56 to 0.60 mag, respectively. We analysed all data statistically and identified the gaps in the individual clusters. Finally, we applied the kernel density estimator to see how the gaps are distributed.

We explore binary asteroid formation by spin-up and rotational disruption considering the NASA DART mission's encounter with the Didymos-Dimorphos binary, which was the first small binary visited by a spacecraft. Using a suite of $N$-body simulations, we follow the gravitational accumulation of a satellite from meter-sized particles following a mass-shedding event from a rapidly rotating primary. The satellite's formation is chaotic, as it undergoes a series of collisions, mergers, and close gravitational encounters with other moonlets, leading to a wide range of outcomes in terms of the satellite's mass, shape, orbit, and rotation state. We find that a Dimorphos-like satellite can form rapidly, in a matter of days, following a realistic mass-shedding event in which only ${\sim}2-3\%$ of the primary's mass is shed. Satellites can form in synchronous rotation due to their formation near the Roche limit. There is a strong preference for forming prolate (elongated) satellites, although some simulations result in oblate spheroids like Dimorphos. The distribution of simulated secondary shapes is broadly consistent with other binary systems, measured through radar or lightcurves. Unless Dimorphos's shape is an outlier, and considering the observational bias against lightcurve-based determination of secondary elongations for oblate bodies, we suggest there could be a significant population of oblate secondaries. If these satellites initially form with elongated shapes, a yet-unidentified pathway is needed to explain how they become oblate. Finally, we show that this chaotic formation pathway occasionally forms asteroid pairs and stable triples, including co-orbital satellites and satellites in mean motion resonances.

We discuss the possible association of an astrophysical neutrino (IC220405B) with the recently reported, extremely energetic tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate AT2021lwx (ZTF20abrbeie, aka ``Scary Barbie'') at redshift $z=0.995$. Although the TDE is about $2.6^\circ$ off the direction of the reconstructed neutrino event (${outside}$ the 90% C.L. localization region), the TDE candidate shares some important characteristics with so far reported neutrino-TDE associations: a strong infrared dust echo, high bolometric luminosity, a neutrino time delay with respect to the peak mass accretion rate of the order of hundred days, and a high observed X-ray luminosity. We interpret this new association using an isotropic emission model, where neutrinos are produced by the collision of accelerated protons with infrared photons. After accounting for the high redshift of AT2021lwx (by interpreting the data in the SMBH frame), we find that the expected neutrino fluences and neutrino time delays are qualitatively comparable to the other TDEs. Since data are only available up to 300 days post-peak in the SMBH frame, significant uncertainties exist in the dust echo interpretation, and therefore in the predicted number of neutrinos detected, $\mathcal N_{\nu}\simeq3.0\times10^{-3}-0.012$. We recommend further follow-up on this object for an extended period, and suggest refining the reconstruction the neutrino arrival direction in this particular case.

We carry out three dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations to study the role of gravitational and drag forces on the concentration of large dust grains (St > 1) in the spiral arms of gravitationally unstable protoplanetary discs, and the resulting implications for planet formation. We find that both drag and gravity play an important role in the evolution of large dust grains. If we include both, grains that would otherwise be partially decoupled will become well coupled and trace the spirals. For the dust grains most influenced by drag (with Stokes numbers near unity), the dust disc quickly becomes gravitationally unstable and rapidly forms clumps with masses between 0.15 - 6 Earth masses. A large fraction of clumps are below the threshold where runaway gas accretion can occur. However, if dust self-gravity is neglected, the dust is unable to form clumps, despite still becoming trapped in the gas spirals. When large dust grains are unable to feel either gas gravity or drag, the dust is unable to trace the gas spirals. Hence, full physics is needed to properly simulate dust in gravitationally unstable discs. Dust trapping of large grains in spiral arms of discs stable to gas fragmentation could explain planet formation in very young discs by a population of planetesimals formed due to the combined roles of drag and gravity in the earliest stages of a disc's evolution. Furthermore, it highlights that gravitationally unstable discs are not just important for forming gas giants quickly, it can also rapidly form Earth mass bodies.

We propose a novel mechanism of electroweak baryogenesis based on the standard model only and explaining the coincidence between the baryon and dark matter densities in the Universe, as well as the observed value of the baryon-to-photon ratio. In our scenario, large curvature fluctuations slightly below the threshold for Primordial Black Hole (PBH) formation locally reheat the plasma above the sphaleron barrier when they collapse gravitationally but without forming a black hole. This rapid process can lead to a maximal baryogenesis in those regions at the Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) epoch at thermal temperatures between 20 MeV and 50 MeV. Compared to another mechanism relying on shock waves associated to the formation of PBHs, our mechanism instead applies to aborted PBHs. Using simulations in numerical relativity, we calculate the overdensity threshold for baryogenesis and show that the baryon-to-photon ratio is generically between two and three times larger than the relative abundance of PBHs formed at those temperatures. Finally, we show that PBH formation models at the QCD epoch leading to an abundance comparable to the dark matter could have generated a baryon density and an averaged baryon-to-photon ratio consistent with observations.

We study the formation of primordial black holes (PBHs) from density fluctuations due to supercooled phase transitions (PTs) triggered in an axion-like particle (ALP) model. We find that the mass of the PBHs is inversely correlated with the ALP decay constant $f_a$. For instance, for $f_a$ varying from ${\cal O}$(100 MeV) to ${\cal O}$($10^{12}$ GeV), the PBH mass varies between $(10^{3} - 10^{-24}) M_{\odot}$. We then identify the ALP parameter space where the PBH can account for the entire (or partial) dark matter fraction of the Universe, in a single (multi-component) dark matter scenario, with the ALP being the other dark matter candidate. The PBH parameter space ruled out by current cosmological and microlensing observations can thus be directly mapped onto the ALP parameter space, thus providing new bounds on ALPs, complementary to the laboratory and astrophysical ALP constraints. Similarly, depending on the ALP couplings to other Standard Model particles, the ALP constraints on $f_a$ can be translated into a lower bound on the PBH mass scale. Moreover, the supercooled PT leads to a potentially observable stochastic gravitational wave (GW) signal at future GW observatories, such as aLIGO, LISA and ET, that acts as another complementary probe of the ALPs, as well as of the PBH dark matter. Finally, we show that the recent NANOGrav signal of stochastic GW in the nHz frequency range can be explained in our model with $f_a\simeq (10~{\rm GeV}-1~{\rm TeV})$.

We present a framework to compute amplitudes for the gravitational analog of the Raman process, a quasi-elastic scattering of waves off compact objects, in worldline effective field theory (EFT). As an example, we calculate third post-Minkowskian (PM) order ($\mathcal{O}(G^3)$), or two-loop, phase shifts for the scattering of a massless scalar field including all tidal effects and dissipation. Our calculation unveils two sources of the classical renormalization-group flow of dynamical Love numbers: a universal running independent of the nature of the compact object, and a running self-induced by tides. Restricting to the black hole case, we find that our EFT phase shifts agree exactly with those from general relativity, provided that the relevant static Love numbers are set to zero. In addition, we carry out a complete matching of the leading scalar dynamical Love number required to renormalize a universal short scale divergence in the S-wave. Our results pave the way for systematic calculations of gravitational Raman scattering at higher PM orders.

Dirac delta distributionally sourced differential equations emerge in many dynamical physical systems from neuroscience to black hole perturbation theory. Most of these lack exact analytical solutions and are thus best tackled numerically. This work describes a generic numerical algorithm which constructs discontinuous spatial and temporal discretisations by operating on discontinuous Lagrange and Hermite interpolation formulae recovering higher order accuracy. It is shown by solving the distributionally sourced wave equation, which has analytical solutions, that numerical weak-form solutions can be recovered to high order accuracy by solving a first-order reduced system of ordinary differential equations. The method-of-lines framework is applied to the DiscoTEX algorithm i.e through discontinuous collocation with implicit-turned-explicit (IMTEX) integration methods which are symmetric and conserve symplectic structure. Furthermore, the main application of the algorithm is proved, for the first-time, by calculating the amplitude at any desired location within the numerical grid, including at the position (and at its right and left limit) where the wave- (or wave-like) equation is discontinuous via interpolation using DiscoTEX. This is shown, firstly by solving the wave- (or wave-like) equation and comparing the numerical weak-form solution to the exact solution. Finally, one shows how to reconstruct the scalar and gravitational metric perturbations from weak-form numerical solutions of a non-rotating black hole, which do not have known exact analytical solutions, and compare against state-of-the-art frequency domain results. One concludes by motivating how DiscoTEX, and related algorithms, open a promising new alternative Extreme-Mass-Ratio-Inspiral (EMRI)s waveform generation route via a self-consistent evolution for the gravitational self-force programme in the time-domain.

The thermal plasma filling the early universe generated a stochastic gravitational wave background that peaks in the microwave frequency range today. If the graviton production rate is expressed as a series in a fine-structure constant, $\alpha$, and the temperature over the Planck mass, $T^2_{ } / m_{\rm pl}^2$, then the lowest-order contributions come from single ($\sim \alpha T^2_{ }/m_{\rm pl}^2$) and double ($\sim T^4_{ }/m_{\rm pl}^4$) graviton production via $2\to 2$ scatterings. We show that in the Standard Model, single-graviton production dominates if the maximal temperature is smaller than $4\times 10^{18}_{ }$ GeV. This justifies previous calculations which relied solely on single-graviton production. We mention Beyond the Standard Model scenarios in which the single and double-graviton contributions could be of comparable magnitudes. Finally, we elaborate on what these results imply for the range of applicability of General Relativity as an effective theory.

As a prospective resolution of the Hubble tension, early dark energy (EDE) suffers from the coincidence problem, why EDE is active just at matter-radiation equality (equivalently why the slope of EDE potential is required to approximately equal to the Hubble parameter at that time). In this paper we present a dark-matter-trapped EDE mechanism, by which the bound on the slope of EDE potential can be relieved. We show how this mechanism can work, and discuss the possibility that after inflation ended EDE can settle down at the initial conditions required by observations.

We investigate the nano-Hertz gravitational waves emitted by axion domain walls annihilation from the double level crossings. The double level crossings exists in the mass mixing between two axion fields, one of which is the $Z_{\mathcal N}$ QCD axion. Here we consider a general mixing case that the heavy and light mass eigenvalues do not necessarily have to coincide with the axion masses. In order to form the domain walls, the axions should start to oscillate slightly before the first level crossing, and the initial oscillation energy density should be large to climb over the barrier of potential. In this case, the axion dynamics has a chaotic run-away behavior, which is considered to be accompanied by domain walls formation. Then we investigate the gravitational waves emitted by axion domain walls annihilation, which is determined by their peak frequency and peak amplitude. Finally, we show the predicted nano-Hertz gravitational waves spectra from the double level crossings, which can be tested by the current and future pulsar timing array projects.

It is a fundamental unsolved question in general relativity how to unambiguously characterize the effective collective dynamics of an ensemble of fluid elements sourcing the local geometry, in the absence of exact symmetries. In a cosmological context this is sometimes referred to as the averaging problem. At the heart of this problem in relativity is the non-uniqueness of the choice of foliation within which the statistical properties of the local spacetime are quantified, which can lead to ambiguity in the formulated average theory. This has led to debate in the literature on how to best construct and view such a coarse-grained hydrodynamic theory. Here, we address this ambiguity by performing the first quantitative investigation of foliation dependence in cosmological spatial averaging. Starting from the aim of constructing slicing-independent integral functionals (volume, mass, entropy, etc.) as well as average functionals (mean density, average curvature, etc.) defined on spatial volume sections, we investigate infinitesimal foliation variations and derive results on the foliation dependence of functionals and on extremal leaves. Our results show that one may only identify fully foliation-independent integral functionals in special scenarios, requiring the existence of associated conserved currents. We then derive bounds on the foliation dependence of integral functionals for general scalar quantities under finite variations within physically motivated classes of foliations. Our findings provide tools that are useful for quantifying, eliminating or constraining the foliation dependence in cosmological averaging.

We propose an innovative approach to the concurrent exploration of gravitational waves originating from Galactic binaries through the development of a new Local Maxima Particle Swarm Optimization (LMPSO) algorithm. Our methodology employs strategic Create Voids (CV) to streamline parameter space, maximizing the identification of local maxima for the $\mathcal{F}$-statistic even in the overlapped signals case. Subsequently, a ``find-real-$\mathcal{F}$-statistic-analysis", which implements the astrophysical models and properties of $\mathcal{F}$-statistic in parameter space, is conducted to reveal Galactic binary gravitational wave signals within the dataset. Our new approach eliminates inaccuracies associated with signal subtraction contamination, which is a challenge for traditional iterative-subtraction methods when addressing low signal-to-noise ratio signals (e.g., SNR $<$ 15). To demonstrate the efficacy of our approach, we utilize the residuals from the LISA mock data challenge (LDC1-4), where 10982 injection sources with optimal SNR $>$ 15 have been eliminated. The LMPSO-CV method efficiently identifies 8995 signals with a 47.7\% false source fraction or 3463 signals with a 26.9\% false source fraction when the correlation coefficient threshold is set to 0.8.

In this work, we have systematically investigated the Krylov complexity of the modified dispersion relation in inflation, using the algorithm in closed system and open system. Since many quantum gravitational frameworks could lead to this kind of modified dispersion relation, our analysis could be applied to the string cosmology, loop gravity, $\it e.t.c$. Following the Lanczos algorithm, we find the very early universe is an infinite, many-body, and maximal chaotic system. Our numerics shows that the Lanczos coefficient and Lyapunov index of the standard dispersion relation are mainly determined by the scale factor. As for the modified case, it is nearly determined by the momentum. In a method of the closed system, we discover that the Krylov complexity will show irregular oscillation before the horizon exits. The modified case will present faster growth after the horizon exists. As for the approach of an open system, we construct the exact wave function which is very robust only requiring the Lanczos coefficient proportional to $n$ (main quantum number). Based on it, we find the Krylov complexity and Krylov entropy could nicely recover in the case of a closed system under the weak dissipative approximation, in which our analysis shows that the evolution of Krylov complexity will not be the same with the original situation. Meanwhile, our numerics clearly shows the Krylov complexity will grow during the whole inflationary period. But for the small scales, there will be a peak after the horizon exits. Our analysis reveals that the dramatic change in background (inflation) will significantly impact the evolution of Krylov complexity. Since the curvature perturbation will transit from the classical level to the quantum level. We could expect that the decoherence will highly impact the Krylov complexity during inflation.