Papers for Wednesday, Dec 11 2024

The 2023-2032 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey Origins, Worlds, and Life recommended that "NASA develop scientific exploration strategies, as it has for Mars, in areas of broad scientific importance, e.g., Venus... that have an increasing number of U.S. missions and international collaboration opportunities" (OWL, p.22-10). In NASA's initial responses to that Decadal Survey, the agency asserted that "...specific scientific exploration strategies should be community generated by bodies such as the Analysis Groups," thus placing the onus on the planetary community to generate and support these exploration strategies. In late 2022, the Venus Exploration Analysis Group began a project to develop a new exploration strategy for Venus, reflecting the 2021 selections of the VERITAS, DAVINCI, and EnVision missions and the sweeping comparative planetology recommendations relevant to Venus in Origins, Worlds, and Life. This is that strategy. Taking a broad look at the scientific, technological, and programmatic advances required to address the key outstanding questions that Venus poses, and predicated on VERITAS, DAVINCI, and EnVision flying as planned in the early 2030s, this report outlines a set of actions available to NASA, VEXAG, and the planetary science community at large to establish a sustained program of Venus exploration in the years and decades ahead. Key to this approach is recognizing Venus as a unique setting where multiple, cross-disciplinary, Decadal-level planetary, Earth, heliophysics, and exoplanet science questions can be addressed, as well as being a worthy target of exploration in its own right. This report offers Assessments of the current state of Venus exploration, and Actions for the U.S. and international Venus community, as well as NASA, to consider. This strategy is a living document and should be updated as warranted.

The 21-cm forest signal is a promising probe of the Epoch of Reionization complementary to other 21-cm line observables and Ly$\alpha$ forest signal. Prospects of detecting it have significantly improved in the last decade thanks to the discovery of more than 30 radio-loud quasars at these redshifts, upgrades to telescope facilities, and the notion that neutral hydrogen islands persist down to $z\lesssim 5.5$. We forward-model the 21-cm forest signal using semi-numerical simulations and incorporate various instrumental features to explore the potential of detecting the 21-cm forest at $z=6$, both directly and statistically, with the currently available (uGMRT) and forthcoming (SKA1-low) observatories. We show that it is possible to detect the 1D power spectrum of the 21-cm forest spectrum, especially at large scales of $k\lesssim8.5\,\rm MHz^{-1}$ with the $500\,\rm hr$ of the uGMRT time and $k\lesssim32.4\,\rm MHz^{-1}$ with the SKA1-low over $50\,\rm hr$ if the intergalactic medium (IGM) is $25\%$ neutral and these neutral hydrogen regions have a spin temperature of $\lesssim30\,\rm K$. On the other hand, we infer that a null-detection of the signal with such observations of 10 radio-loud sources at $z\approx6$ can be translated into constraints on the thermal and ionization state of the IGM which are tighter than the currently available measurements. Moreover, a null-detection of the 1D 21-cm forest power spectrum with only $50\,\rm hr$ of the uGMRT observations of 10 radio-loud sources can already be competitive with the Ly$\alpha$ forest and 21-cm tomographic observations in disfavouring models of significantly neutral and cold IGM at $z=6$.

Using high-precision astrometric data from Gaia DR3 and updated systemic velocities from the literature, kinematical properties of cataclysmic variables (CVs) were investigated. By constraining the data according to the total space velocity error and Galactic population class, a reliable sample of data was obtained. Non-magnetic CVs located in the thin disk have been found to have a total space velocity dispersion of $\sigma_{\nu} = 46.33\pm4.23$ km s$^{-1}$, indicating that the thin disk CVs with a mean kinematical age of $\tau = 3.95\pm0.75$ Gyr are much younger than the local thin disk of the Galaxy with $\tau\sim$6-9 Gyr. Total space velocity dispersions of non-magnetic CVs belonging to the thin disk component of the Galaxy were found to be $\sigma_{\nu}=47.67\pm3.94$ and $\sigma_{\nu}=44.43\pm4.33$ km s$^{-1}$ for the systems below and above the orbital period gap, respectively, corresponding to kinematical ages of $\tau=4.19\pm0.71$ and $\tau=3.61\pm0.74$ Gyr. $\gamma$ velocity dispersions of the thin disk CVs below and above the gap were obtained $\sigma_{\gamma} = 27.52\pm2.28$ and $\sigma_{\gamma} = 25.65\pm2.44$ km s$^{-1}$, respectively. This study also shows that the orbital period is decreasing with increasing age, as expected from the standard theory. The age-orbital period relation for non-magnetic thin disk CVs was obtained as $dP/dt=-2.09\pm0.22\times10^{-5}$ sec yr$^{-1}$. However, a significant difference could not be found between the $\gamma$ velocity dispersions of the systems below and above the gap, which were calculated to be $\sigma_{\gamma} = 27.52\pm2.28$ and $\sigma_{\gamma} = 25.65\pm2.44$ km s$^{-1}$, respectively.

We present a novel way of probing non-gravitational dark matter interactions: dark astronomy, which leverages the dark radiation emitted by dissipative dark sectors. If the mediator of the dark matter self interactions is a dark photon with a small mass that kinetically mixes with the visible photon, the dark radiation flux becomes accessible to underground experiments. We argue that the emission may be dominantly longitudinally polarized, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of direct detection experiments such as XENON and SENSEI to this signal. We introduce a new detection mechanism based on resonant dark-photon-to-photon conversion at the surface of conducting materials, which offers unique directional sensitivity to dark radiation. This mechanism facilitates the development of experiments that combine dark matter detection techniques with methods of traditional astronomy, opening the possibility to map dark radiation sources within our galaxy.

Observations of supermassive black holes at high redshift challenge our understanding of the evolution of the first generation of black holes (BHs) in proto-galactic environments. One possibility is that they grow much more rapidly than current estimates of feedback and accretion efficiency permit. Following our previous analysis of super-Eddington accretion onto stellar-mass black holes in mini-haloes under no-feedback conditions, we now investigate whether this can be sustained when thermal feedback is included. We use four sets of cosmological simulations at sub-pc resolution with initial black hole masses varying from $1 \times 10^3 - 6 \times 10^4 M_\odot$, exploring a range of feedback efficiencies. We also vary the feedback injection radius to probe the threshold of numerical overcooling. We find that super-Eddington growth sustained on the order of $\sim$$100 \, \rm kyr$ is possible with very weak thermal feedback efficiency in all environments and moderate efficiency for the $6 \times 10^4 M_\odot$ BH. Trans-Eddington growth is possible for a $3 \times 10^3 - 6 \times 10^6 M_\odot$ BH at moderate feedback efficiencies. We discuss the effectiveness of thermal feedback in heating the gas, suppressing accretion, and driving outflows at these parameter configurations. Our results suggest that super-Eddington growth may be possible in the presence of thermal feedback for black holes formed from the first stars.

We present precision measurements of the bias parameters of the one-loop power spectrum model of the Lyman-alpha (Lya) forest, derived within the effective field theory of large-scale structure (EFT). We fit our model to the three-dimensional flux power spectrum measured from the ACCEL2 hydrodynamic simulations. The EFT model fits the data with an accuracy of below 2 percent up to a wavenumber of k = 2 h/Mpc. Further, we analytically derive how non-linearities in the three-dimensional clustering of the Lya forest introduce biases in measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) scaling parameters in radial and transverse directions. From our EFT parameter measurements, we obtain a theoretical error budget of -0.2 (-0.3) percent for the radial (transverse) parameters at redshift two. This corresponds to a shift of -0.3 (0.1) percent for the isotropic (anisotropic) distance measurements. We provide an estimate for the shift of the BAO peak for Lya-quasar cross-correlation measurements assuming analytical and simulation-based scaling relations for the non-linear quasar bias parameters resulting in a shift of -0.2 (-0.1) percent for the radial (transverse) dilation parameters, respectively. This analysis emphasizes the robustness of Lya forest BAO measurements to the theory modeling. We provide informative priors and an error budget for measuring the BAO feature -- a key science driver of the currently observing Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). Our work paves the way for full-shape cosmological analyses of Lya forest data from DESI and upcoming surveys such as the Prime Focus Spectrograph, WEAVE-QSO, and 4MOST.

The very long-term evolution of the hierarchical restricted three-body problem with a slightly aligned precessing quadrupole potential is investigated analytically and solved for both rotating and librating Kozai-Lidov cycles (KLCs) with high eccentricities. We describe the finding of a striking similarity between librating and rotating KLCs for some range of precession rates. We show that the main effect occurs in both categories when the KLC frequency is equal to the precession rate of the perturbing potential. We solve the resonant dynamics analytically and show that it is equivalent to a simple pendulum model allowing us to map the strikingly rich structures that arise for precession rates similar to the Kozai-Lidov timescale (ratio of a few) and explain the similarity and when it vanishes. Additionally, we show that the regular KLCs at high eccentricities can also be described using a simple pendulum.

We present a stringent measurement of the dust-obscured star-formation rate density (SFRD) at $z=4-6$ from the ASPIRE JWST Cycle-1 medium and ALMA Cycle-9 large program. We obtained JWST/NIRCam grism spectroscopy and ALMA 1.2-mm continuum map along 25 independent quasar sightlines, covering a total survey area of $\sim$35 arcmin$^2$ where we search for dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at $z = 0 - 7$. We identify eight DSFGs in seven fields at $z=4-6$ through the detection of H$\alpha$ or [O III] $\lambda$5008 lines, including fainter lines such as H$\beta$, [O III] $\lambda$4960, [N II] $\lambda$6585, [S II] $\lambda\lambda$6718,6733 for six sources. With this spectroscopically complete DSFG sample at $z=4-6$ and negligible impact from cosmic variance (shot noise), we measure the infrared luminosity function (IRLF) down to $L_\mathrm{IR} \sim 2\times10^{11}$ $L_\odot$. We find flattening of IRLF at $z=4-6$ towards the faint end (power-law slope $\alpha = 0.59_{-0.45}^{+0.39}$). We determine the dust-obscured cosmic SFRD at this epoch as $\log[\rho_\mathrm{SFR,IR} / (\mathrm{M}_\odot\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}\,\mathrm{Mpc}^{-3})] = -1.52_{-0.13}^{+0.14}$. This is significantly higher than previous determination using ALMA data in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, which is void of DSFGs at $z=4-6$ because of strong cosmic variance (shot noise). We conclude that the majority ($66\pm7$%) of cosmic star formation at $z \sim 5$ is still obscured by dust. We also discuss the uncertainty of SFRD propagated from far-IR spectral energy distribution and IRLF at the bright end, which will need to be resolved with future ALMA and JWST observations.

We detect Ly$\alpha$ emission from a ~5 Mpc-long (comoving) portion of the cosmic web hosting an overdensity ($\delta \approx 25$) of 19 Ly$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs) at $z\approx 4$ within the MUSE Ultra Deep Field (MUDF), reaching an average surface brightness (SB) of $5\times 10^{-20}~\rm{erg~s^{-1}~ cm^{-2}~arcsec^{-2}}$. This large-scale structure has an average SB similar to the filament across the two MUDF quasars at $z\approx 3.22$. However, deep multiwavelength data do not show a clear presence of active galactic nuclei, suggesting that the emission is mainly regulated by the underlying gas density. We find $\approx 0.2$ dex higher star formation compared to control samples and a remarkable predominance (5/7) of blue-peaked emission lines in the spectra of the embedded LAEs, indicative of favorable conditions for gas accretion. Lastly, we quantify the contribution of intragalactic gas to the Ly$\alpha$ SB profile at large distances from LAEs. By studying samples of filaments detected in emission within diverse environments, we are finally gaining new insight into the physics of gas accretion within the cosmic web.

The Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Sgr dSph) is a satellite orbiting the Milky Way that has experienced multiple stripping events due to tidal interactions with our Galaxy. Its accretion history has led to a distinct stellar overdensity, which is the remnant of the core of the progenitor. We present a complete chemical analysis of 111 giant stars in the core of Sgr dSph to investigate the chemical evolution and enrichment history of this satellite. Employing the metallicity-sensitive Ca H&K photometry from the Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey, we selected stars spanning a wide metallicity range and obtained high-resolution spectra with the ESO FLAMES/GIRAFFE multi-object spectrograph. For the stellar sample covering $-2.13 < \rm{[Fe/H] < -0.35}$, we derived abundances for up to 14 chemical elements with average uncertainties of $\sim 0.09$ dex and a set of stellar ages which allowed us to build an age-metallicity relation (AMR) for the entire sample. With the most comprehensive set of chemical species measured for the core of Sgr, we studied several [X/Fe] ratios. Most trends align closely with Galactic chemical trends, but notable differences emerge in the heavy $n$-capture elements, which offer independent insights into the star formation history of a stellar population. The deficiency in the $\alpha$-elements with respect the Milky Way suggests a slower, less efficient early star formation history, similar to other massive satellites. $S$-process element patterns indicate significant enrichment from AGB stars over time. The AMR and chemical ratios point to an extended star formation history, with a rapid early phase in the first Gyr, followed by declining activity and later star-forming episodes. These findings are consistent with Sgr hosting multiple stellar populations, from young ($\sim 4$ Gyr) to old, metal-poor stars ($\sim 10$ Gyr)

Diffraction-limited radial velocity instruments offer a pathway towards improved precision and stability, and the exploration of new parameter spaces at high spatial and spectral resolution. However, achieving the necessary performance requires careful instrument design and considerable on-sky testing. We describe the design and construction of ``Little iLocater'' (Lili), a compact spectrograph that has been used to validate the performance of the front-end fibre-injection system of the iLocater spectrograph. We present the design, assembly, and performance using on-sky data obtained at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), including extraction of spectra from standard stars, testing of the atmospheric dispersion corrector to elevations of 40 degrees, and spatially resolved spectra from close companion systems. These results show the front-end fibre-injection system is performing as expected and is indicative of iLocater's capabilities once installed at the LBT.

We investigate the interaction between a shock-driven hot wind and a cold multi-cloud layer, for conditions commonly found in interstellar and circumgalactic gas. We present a method for identifying distinct clouds using a Friends-of-Friends algorithm. This approach unveils novel detailed information about individual clouds and their collective behaviour. By tracing the evolution of individual clouds, our method provides comprehensive descriptions of cloud morphology, including measures of the elongation and fractal dimension. Combining the kinematics and morphology of clouds, we refine previous models for drag and entrainment processes. Our by-cloud analysis allows to discern the dominant entrainment processes at different times. We find that after the initial shock passage, momentum transfer due to condensation becomes increasingly important, compared to ram pressure, which dominates at early times. We also find that internal motions within clouds act as an effective dynamic pressure that exceeds the thermal pressure by an order of magnitude. Our analysis shows how the highly efficient cooling of the warm mixed gas at temperatures $\sim 10^{5}$ K is effectively balanced by the kinetic energy injected by the hot wind into the warm and cold phases via shocks and shear motions. Compression-driven condensation and turbulence dissipation maintain a multi-phase outflow and can help explain the presence of dense gas in galaxy-scale winds. Finally, we show that applying our Friends-of-Friends analysis to $\rm{H}_\rm{I}$-emitting gas and correcting for beam size and telescope sensitivity can explain two populations of $\rm{H}_\rm{I}$ clouds within the Milky-Way nuclear wind as structures pertaining to the same outflow.

Determining reliable ages for old stellar objects at different redshifts offers a powerful means to constrain cosmology without relying on a specific cosmological model: this is known as the cosmic clocks method. Globular clusters (GCs), long recognised as hosts of the Universe's oldest stars, have served as the archetypical cosmic clocks. However, their age estimates have traditionally been confined to redshift z=0, limiting their role to constraining the present-day age of the Universe. Here we explore how to measure reliable ages of GCs well beyond $z=0$, leveraging their potential to extend cosmic clock measurements to earlier epochs. Specifically, we use 6-band JWST/NIRCam high-precision photometry of candidate stellar clusters in the Sparkler galaxy, located at redshift $z$=1.378 and strongly lensed by the galaxy cluster SMACS J0723.3-7327. By employing stellar population models within a Bayesian inference framework, we constrain the GCs' ages, star formation histories, metallicities, and dust attenuation. The five compact sources previously identified as GCs, based on their red spectral energy distributions being consistent with the colours of old stellar systems, yield a formation age of $1.9\pm0.4$ Gyr on average. This result implies a total age of the Universe that aligns well with the $\Lambda$CDM model derived from Planck18 data. Recent space-based observations have uncovered a wealth of lensed GCs as well as globulars within the member galaxies of the clusters themselves. These findings suggest that the pool of objects available for cosmic clock studies is enormous. A systematic multi-band photometric survey of GCs in and behind galaxy clusters, using facilities like Euclid and JWST, would therefore be a powerful tool for estimating cluster ages across a large range of redshifts, allowing the Universe to be dated across an unprecedented range of epochs.

We present algorithms and software for constructing high-precision difference images to detect and measure transients, such as microlensing events, in crowded stellar fields using the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Our method generates difference images by subtracting an over-sampled reference, with iterative masking to address outlier pixels. We also provide an analytic correction for small dither offset errors. Microlensing event detection is achieved through a three-dimensional matched-filtering technique, optimized with Gaussian kernels to capture varying event durations, and verified through synthetic tests with high recovery rates. Transient photometry is performed via PSF fitting on difference images, using Nelder-Mead optimization for sub-pixel accuracy. The software, Dazzle, is available as an open-source Python package built on widely used libraries, offering accessible tools for the detection and characterization of transient phenomena in crowded fields.

While the subclass of interacting supernovae with narrow hydrogen emission lines (SNe IIn) consists of some of the longest-lasting and brightest SNe ever discovered, their progenitors are still not well understood. Investigating SNe IIn as they emit across the electromagnetic spectrum is the most robust way to understand the progenitor evolution before the explosion. This work presents X-Ray, optical, infrared, and radio observations of the strongly interacting Type IIn SN 2020ywx covering a period $>1200$ days after discovery. Through multiwavelength modeling, we find that the progenitor of 2020ywx was losing mass at $\sim10^{-2}$--$10^{-3} \mathrm{\,M_{\odot}\,yr^{-1}}$ for at least 100 yr pre-explosion using the circumstellar medium (CSM) speed of $120$ km/s measured from our optical and NIR spectra. Despite the similar magnitude of mass-loss measured in different wavelength ranges, we find discrepancies between the X-ray and optical/radio-derived mass-loss evolution, which suggest asymmetries in the CSM. Furthermore, we find evidence for dust formation due to the combination of a growing blueshift in optical emission lines and near-infrared continuum emission which we fit with blackbodies at $\sim$ 1000 K. Based on the observed elevated mass loss over more than 100 years and the configuration of the CSM inferred from the multiwavelength observations, we invoke binary interaction as the most plausible mechanism to explain the overall mass-loss evolution. SN 2020ywx is thus a case that may support the growing observational consensus that SNe IIn mass loss is explained by binary interaction.

The B2 star $\epsilon$ CMa, at parallax distance $d = 124\pm2$~pc, dominates the H I photoionization of the local interstellar cloud (LIC). At its closer parallax distance compared to previous estimates, $\epsilon$ CMa has a 0.9 mag fainter absolute magnitude $M_V =-3.97\pm0.04$. We combine measurements of distance with the integrated flux $f = (41.5\pm3.3) \times 10^{-6}~{\rm erg~cm}^{-2}~{\rm s}^{-1}$ and angular diameter $\theta_d = 0.80\pm0.05$~mas to produce a consistent set of stellar parameters: radius $R = 10.7\pm0.7~R_{\odot}$, mass $M = 13.1\pm2.3~M_{\odot}$, gravity $\log g = 3.50\pm0.05$, effective temperature $T_{\rm eff} \approx 21,000$~K, and luminosity $L \approx 20,000~L_{\odot}$. These parameters place Epsilon CMa outside the $\beta$ Cephei instability strip, consistent with its observed lack of pulsations. The observed EUV spectrum yields a hydrogen photoionization rate $\Gamma_{\rm HI} \approx 10^{-15}$ s$^{-1}$ (at Earth). The total flux decrement factor at the Lyman limit ($\Delta_{\rm LL} = 5000\pm500$) is a combination of attenuation in the stellar atmosphere ($\Delta_{\rm star} = 110\pm10$) and interstellar medium ($\Delta_{\rm ISM} = 45\pm5$) with optical depth $\tau_{\rm LL} = 3.8\pm0.1$. After correcting for interstellar HI column density $N_{\rm HI} = (6\pm1)\times10^{17}~{\rm cm}^{-2}$, we find a stellar LyC photon flux $\Phi_{\rm LyC} \approx 3000~{\rm cm}^{-2}~{\rm s}^{-1}$ and ionizing luminosity $Q_{\rm LyC} = 10^{45.7\pm0.3}$ photons s$^{-1}$. The photoionization rate $\Gamma_{\rm H} \approx$ (1-2)$\times 10^{-14}~{\rm s}^{-1}$ at the cloud surface produces an ionization fraction (30-40\%) for total hydrogen density $n_{\rm H} = 0.2$ cm$^{-3}$. With its $27.3\pm0.4$ km/s heliocentric radial velocity and small proper motion, $\epsilon$ CMa passed within $9.3\pm0.5$ pc of the Sun 4.4 Myr ago, with a 180 times higher photoionization rate.

WD\,0141--675 was reported as the first astrometrically detected white dwarf planet host candidate as part of the third data release from \textit{Gaia}, just to be later retracted via a news item on the \textit{Gaia} web site$^1$. We present time-resolved, high-resolution optical ESPRESSO spectroscopy of \obj. A radial velocity analysis of the \Ion{Ca}~K absorption line reveals a tentative periodic signal of $15.6\pm0.9$\,d. Phase-folding the ESPRESSO spectroscopy on this signal exhibits weak variability in the morphology of \Ion{Ca}~K close to the core of the line. A violet-to-red ratio analysis of the Ca~K line shows a periodic signal of $16.1\pm0.9$\,d. The periods from both methods agree, within their uncertainties, with half the period of the astrometric planet candidate, however, both measurements are of low statistical significance. Nonetheless, our results imply possible solutions to the mass function within the planetary regime. And when combined with existing infrared photometry, which rules out a brown dwarf companion, yield a lower limit on the orbital inclination of $\sim7^\circ$. Our study demonstrates that ESPRESSO observations are well capable of detecting short-period (days to weeks) giant planets orbiting white dwarfs.

Context: The study of quasar outflows is essential in understanding the connection between active galactic nuclei (AGN) and their host galaxies. We analyze the VLT/UVES spectrum of quasar SDSS J0932+0840 and identify several narrow and broad outflow components in absorption, with multiple ionization species including Fe II, which puts it among a rare class of outflows known as FeLoBALs. Aims: We study one of the outflow components to determine its physical characteristics by determining the total hydrogen column density, ionization parameter and the hydrogen number density. Through these parameters, we aim to obtain the distance of the outflow from the central source, its mass outflow rate and kinetic luminosity, and to constrain the contribution of the outflow to AGN feedback. Methods: We obtain the ionic column densities from the absorption troughs in the spectrum, and use photoionization modeling to extract the physical parameters of the outflow, including the total hydrogen column density and ionization parameter. The relative population of the observed excited states of Fe II is used to model the hydrogen number density of the outflow. Results: We use the Fe II excited states to model the electron number density ($n_e$) and hydrogen number density ($n_H$) independently and obtain $n_e$ $\simeq$ $10^{3.4}$ cm$^{-3}$ and $n_H$ $\simeq$ $10^{4.8}$ cm$^{-3}$. Our analysis of the physical structure of the cloud shows that these two results are consistent with each other. This places the outflow system at a distance of $0.7_{-0.4}^{+0.9}$ kpc from the central source, with mass flow rate ($\dot{M}$) of $43^{+65}_{-26}$ $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ and kinetic luminosity ($\dot{E_k}$) of $0.7^{+1.1}_{-0.4}$ $\times$ $10^{43}$ erg s$^{-1}$.

Bending waves are perhaps the most fundamental and analytically tractable phenomena in warped disc dynamics. In this work we conduct 3D grid-based, numerical experiments of bending waves in laminar, viscous hydrodynamic and turbulent, weakly magnetised discs, capturing their behaviour in unprecedented detail. We clearly elucidate the theory from first principles, wherein the general Fourier-Hermite formalism can be simplified to a reduced framework which extends previous results towards locally isothermal discs. We obtain remarkable agreement with our laminar simulations wherein the tilt evolution is well described by the reduced theory, whilst higher order vertical modes should be retained for capturing the detailed disc twisting and internal velocity profiles. We then relax this laminar assumption and instead launch bending waves atop a magnetorotationally turbulent disc. Although the turbulence can be quantified with an effective $\alpha$ parameter, the bending waves behave distinctly from a classical viscous evolution and are readily disrupted when the turbulent velocity is comparable to the induced warping flows. This may have implications for the inclination damping rates induced by planet-disc interactions, the capture rate of black holes in AGN discs or the warped shapes assumed by discs in misaligned systems.

It is well known that departure from sphericity in the geometry of primordial dark matter halos modifies their mass function. The ellipsoidal collapse model yields a better agreement with simulations of hierarchical clustering than the original, spherical model. In the present paper, we examine the same issue in the context of star formation by studying the impact of non-sphericity of density perturbations in a gravoturbulent medium on the prestellar core mass function (CMF). An important question, notably, is to find out how ellipsoidal, instead of spherical, initial density fluctuations modify both the high-mass and low-mass tails of the CMF. Our study shows that triaxial density fluctuations indeed depart from a purely spherical form but the deformation (prolateness and ellipticity) remains modest, suggesting that the usual hypothesis of spherical collapse in existing theories of the IMF is reasonable. We find that, as in the cosmological case, the departure from sphericity increases the collapse barrier, stabilizing the prestellar cores. The striking difference between the stellar case and the cosmological one for the ellipsoidal collapse model is that, although in both cases the less dense structures are the most deformed, they correspond to small scales, thus low mass halos in cosmology but to large scales, thus large mass cores in star formation. As a result, the high mass range of the CMF is the most affected by the ellipsoidal collapse, resulting in a slightly less steep slope than the one predicted with the spherical hypothesis and a peak slightly shifted toward lower masses.

Precision radial velocity (RV) spectrographs that use adaptive optics (AO) show promise to advance telescope observing capabilities beyond those of seeing-limited designs. We are building a spectrograph for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) named iLocater that uses AO to inject starlight directly into single mode fibers (SMF). iLocater's first acquisition camera system (the `SX' camera), which receives light from one of the 8.4m diameter primary mirrors of the LBT, was initially installed in summer 2019 and has since been used for several commissioning runs. We present results from first-light observations that include on-sky measurements as part of commissioning activities. Imaging measurements of the bright B3IV star 2 Cygni ($V=4.98$) resulted in the direct detection of a candidate companion star at an angular separation of only $\theta = 70$ mas. Follow-up AO measurements using Keck/NIRC2 recover the candidate companion in multiple filters. An $R\approx1500$ miniature spectrograph recently installed at the LBT named ``Lili'' provides spatially resolved spectra of each binary component, indicating similar spectral types and strengthening the case for companionship. Studying the multiplicity of young runaway star systems like 2 Cygni ($36.6 \pm 0.5$ Myr) can help to understand formation mechanisms for stars that exhibit anomalous velocities through the galaxy. This on-sky demonstration illustrates the spatial resolution of the iLocater SX acquisition camera working in tandem with the LBT AO system; it further derisks a number of technical hurdles involved in combining AO with Doppler spectroscopy.

The presence, distribution and kinematics of atomic neutral hydrogen in the central regions of galaxies can be traced by the HI 21~cm line observed in absorption. Depending only on the strength of the radio continuum, the associated absorption can trace the gas down to pc scale, which is ideal for exploring the HI in the nuclear regions of radio AGN. This paper gives a brief overview of the main recent findings with particular focus on the AGN-driven HI outflows. Absorption has made possible the discovery of fast and massive HI outflows and their clumpy structure on pc scales. The similarities with the predictions of numerical simulations confirm the impact of young radio jets in the feedback cycle and galaxy evolution. The field of HI absorption is rapidly expanding thanks to new ``blind" surveys and the increased spectral capabilities of the radio telescopes. This opens many possibilities for future discoveries and complements the studies of HI emission.

The theory of jet emitting disks (JEDs) provides a mathematical framework for a self-consistent treatment of steady-state accretion and ejection. A large-scale vertical magnetic field threads the accretion disk where magnetic turbulence occurs in a strongly magnetized plasma. A fraction of mass leaves the disk and feeds the two laminar super-Alfénic jets. In previous treatments of JEDs, the disk turbulence has been considered to provide only anomalous transport coefficients, namely magnetic diffusivities and viscosity. However, 3D numerical experiments show that turbulent magnetic pressure also sets in. We included this additional pressure term using a prescription that is consistent with the latest 3D global (and local) simulations. We then solved the complete system of self-similar magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, accounting for all dynamical terms. The disk becomes puffier and less electrically conductive, causing radial and toroidal electric currents to flow at the disk surface. Field lines within the disk become straighter, with their bending and shearing occurring mainly at the surface. Accretion remains supersonic, but becomes faster at the disk surface. Large values of both turbulent pressure and magnetic diffusivities allow powerful jets to be driven, and their combined effects have a constructive influence. Nevertheless, cold outflows do not seem to be able to reproduce mass-loss rates as large as those observed in numerical simulations. Our results are a major upgrade of the JED theory, allowing a direct comparison with full 3D global numerical simulations. We argue that JEDs provide a state-of-the-art mathematical description of the disk configurations observed in numerical simulations, commonly referred to as magnetically arrested disks (MADs). However, further efforts from both theoretical and numerical perspectives are needed to firmly establish this point.

We present spatially resolved measurements of SO$_2$ and NaCl winds on Io at several unique points in its orbit: before and after eclipse, and at maximum eastern and western elongation. The derived wind fields represent a unique case of meteorology in a rarified, volcanic atmosphere. Through the use of Doppler shift measurements in emission spectra obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) between $\sim346$-430GHz ($\sim0.70$-0.87 mm), line-of-sight winds up to $\sim-100$ m s$^{-1}$ in the approaching direction and >250 m s$^{-1}$ in the receding direction were derived for SO$_2$ at altitudes of $\sim10$-50 km, while NaCl winds consistently reached $\sim$|150-200| m s$^{-1}$ in localized regions up to $\sim30$ km above the surface. The wind distributions measured at maximum east and west Jovian elongations, and on the subJovian hemisphere pre- and post-eclipse, were found to be significantly different and complex, corroborating the results of simulations that include surface temperature and frost distribution, volcanic activity, and interactions with the Jovian magnetosphere. Further, the wind speeds of SO$_2$ and NaCl are often inconsistent in direction and magnitude, indicating that the processes that drive the winds for the two molecular species are different and potentially uncoupled; while the SO$_2$ wind field can be explained through a combination of sublimation-driven winds, plasma torus interactions, and plume activity, the NaCl winds appear to be primarily driven by the plasma torus.

Our research is focused on the missing, but important and necessary Draconic gearing of the Antikythera Mechanism. The three Lunar cycles Sidereal, Synodic and Anomalistic are represented on the Mechanism by correlating the Fragments A and C (part of the Front plate), whereas the fourth Lunar cycle Draconic results after correlating the unplaced Fragment D with Fragment A. Considering the deformation of the Mechanism s parts during 2000 years underwater and their shrinkage after their retraction from the sea bottom, we present a revised gearing scheme of the Draconic scale. The existence of the Draconic gearing is crucial, because both the preserved and the missing eclipse events can be precalculated by the phase correlation of three pointers: of the Lunar Disc, of the Golden sphere/Sun-ray and the Draconic. This means that the eclipse events are calculated by pure mechanical processing and that they are not documented observed events. The phase coordination of the three lunar cycles can be used as a quality criterion for a functional model of the Mechanism. Eudoxus papyrus was the key for the lost words detection of the Back Plate inscriptions eclipse events classification of the Antikythera Mechanism.

The first order effect of Coulomb forces between the charged particles of a plasma is the well-known Debye-Hückel-term. It is a negative contribution to the pressure and energy of the gas, that at high densities will overwhelm the ideal gas contributions and make the gas implode into a black hole. Nature obviously constrains this term, avoiding this fate, but how? We investigate three different mechanisms and their effects on the equation of state and on solar models, and the physical justifications for each of them. We conclude that higher order Coulomb terms in combination with quantum diffraction of electrons, provide the needed convergence.

Low-frequency solar radio emission is sourced in the solar corona, with sub-100 MHz radio emission largely originating from the $\sim$10$^{5}$\,$\mathrm{K}$ plasma around 2 optical radii. However, the region of emission has yet to be constrained at 35--45\,MHz due to both instrumentation limitations and the rarity of astronomical events, such as total solar eclipses, which allow for direct observational approaches. In this work, we present the results from a student-led project to commission a low-frequency radio telescope array situated in the path of totality of the 2024 total solar eclipse in an effort to probe the middle corona. The Deployable Low-Band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment (DLITE) is a low-frequency radio array comprised of four dipole antennas, optimized to observe at 35--45\,MHz, and capable of resolving the brightest radio sources in the sky. We constructed a DLITE station in Observatory Park, a dark sky park in Montville, Ohio. Results of observations during the total solar eclipse demonstrate that DLITE stations can be quickly deployed for observations and provide constraints on the radius of solar emission at our center observing frequency of 42\,MHz. In this work, we outline the construction of DLITE Ohio and the solar observation results from the total solar eclipse that transversed North America in April 2024.

Dark Matter halo properties have been studied extensively within the virial radius of host halo systems, and previous research shows that there are correlations between host halo properties and subhalo occupation. This work explores how the correlation would change when one extends the definition of subhalo occupation out to 1.5 Mpc for Milky Way-mass host halos. We compute the correlations between four host halo properties (half-mass scale, concentration, peak-mass scale, and spin) and subhalo occupation with varying halo radius definitions. We find that the host halo properties impact satellite occupation beyond the virial radius and the locations at which the correlation peaks do not typically align with the virial radius or splashback radius. The behavior of the subhalo occupation variation as a function of radius, especially in the outskirts, is connected to the effect of halo assembly bias. However, there is no universal behavior in the subhalo occupation variation as the halo radius definition changes. We further find that using a ratio of the number of subhalos within an individual host system rather than total number counts can, to some extent, eliminate its concentration dependence. This method shows promise for using observed satellite counts to estimate host halo mass. Our analysis highlights the utility of extending observational surveys of satellite galaxies to beyond the virial radius.

The directional state transition tensor (DSTT) reduces the complexity of state transition tensor (STT) by aligning the STT terms in sensitive directions only, which provides comparable accuracy in orbital uncertainty propagation. The DSTT assumes the sensitive directions to be constant during the integration and only works at a predefined epoch. This paper proposes a time-varying STT (TDSTT) to improve the DSTT. The proposed TDSTT computes the sensitive directions with time; thereby, it can perform uncertainty propagation analysis at any point instead of only a predefined epoch as the DSTT does. First, the derivatives of the sensitive directions are derived. Then, the differential equations for the high-order TDSTTs are derived and simplified using the orthogonality of sensitive directions. Next, complexity analysis is implemented to show the advantages of the proposed TDSTT over the STT. Finally, the TDSTT is applied to solve orbital uncertainty propagation problems in highly nonlinear three-body systems. Numerical results show that the proposed TDSTT can yield nearly the same level of accuracy as the STT and DSTT. It is approximately 94% faster than the STT and has hundreds of improvements in speed over the DSTT when one wants to investigate the evolutions of orbital uncertainties.

We measure the spectral properties of a sample of 20 galaxies at z~0.35 selected for having surprisingly red JWST/NIRCAM F200W-F444W colors. 19 galaxies were observed with JWST/NIRSpec in the PRISM configuration, while one galaxy was observed with the high resolution gratings. 17/20 galaxies in our sample exhibit strong 3.3 $\mu m$ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH$_{3.3}$) emission (equivalent width EW(PAH$_{3.3}$)$>0.03\mu m$). In these galaxies, the strength of the color excess does not depend on environment and it correlates with EW(PAH$_{3.3}$). Nonetheless, the presence of the PAH$_{3.3}$ alone can not fully explain the color excess, as an equivalent width of ~0.1$\mu m$ is able to increase the color of galaxies by only 0.13 mag. A contribution from a hot dust component is required to explain the excess. Both the EW(PAH$_{3.3}$) and flux correlate with the H$\alpha$ equivalent width and flux, suggesting that they are produced by the same mechanism. 5/20 galaxies showing PAH would be classified as passive based on broad band rest frame colors ((B-V) and/or UVJ diagrams) and are hence "faux-passive". Of these, 3 galaxies have a significantly lower EW(PAH$_{3.3}$) given their color and also have low EW(H$\alpha$) and we tentatively conclude this behaviour is due to the presence of an AGN. The three galaxies with no PAH$_{3.3}$ in emission have passive spectra, as do the 8 galaxies in our sample with normal F200W-F444W colors. We therefore conclude that the PAH$_{3.3}$ feature is linked to dust-enshrouded star formation. The dust corrected SFR from PAH$_{3.3}$ is a factor of 3.5 higher than the SFR obtained from H$\alpha$, suggesting that these galaxies are characterized by significant amounts of dust.

Over the past decades, there has been significant progress in our understanding of accreting supermassive black holes (SMBHs) that drive active galactic nuclei (AGNs), both from observational and theoretical perspectives. As an iconic target for this area of study, the nearby giant elliptical galaxy M87 has received special attention thanks to its proximity, large mass of the central black hole and bright emission across the entire electromagnetic spectrum from radio to very-high-energy gamma rays. In particular, recent global millimeter-very-long-baseline-interferometer observations towards this nucleus have provided the first-ever opportunity to image the event-horizon-scale structure of an AGN, opening a new era of black hole astrophysics. On large scales, M87 exhibits a spectacular jet propagating far beyond the host galaxy, maintaining its narrowly collimated shape over seven orders of magnitude in distance. Elucidating the generation and propagation, as well as the internal structure, of powerful relativistic jets remains a longstanding challenge in radio-loud AGNs. M87 offers a privileged opportunity to examine such a jet with unprecedented detail. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the observational knowledge accumulated about the M87 black hole across various wavelengths. We cover both accretion and ejection processes at spatial scales ranging from outside the Bondi radius down to the event horizon. By compiling these observations and relevant theoretical studies, we aim to highlight our current understanding of accretion and jet physics for this specific object.

Using nearly 230,000 red clump stars selected from LAMOST and Gaia, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the stellar age-velocity dispersion relations (AVRs) for various disk populations, within 5.0 $\leq$ $R$ $\leq$ 15.0 kpc and $|Z|$ $\leq$ 3.0 kpc. The AVRs of the whole RC sample stars are accurately described as $\sigma_{v}$ = $\sigma_{v,0}$ ($\tau$ + 0.1)$^{\beta_{v}}$, with $\beta_{R}$, $\beta_{\phi}$ and $\beta_{Z}$ displaying a global exponential decreasing trend with $R$, which may point to the difference in spatial distributions of various disk heating mechanisms. The measurements of $\beta$ $-$ $R$ for various disks suggest that the thin disk exhibits a radial dependence, with a global exponential decreasing trend in $\beta_{R}$ $-$ $R$ and $\beta_{Z}$ $-$ $R$, while $\beta_{\phi}$ remains a nearly constant value (around 0.20$\sim$0.25) within 8.5 $\leq$ $R$ $\leq$ 11.5 kpc. The thick disk displays a global increasing trend in $\beta_{R}$ $-$ $R$, $\beta_{\phi}$ $-$ $R$ and $\beta_{Z}$ $-$ $R$. These results indicate that the thin disk stars are likely heated by long-term heating from GMCs and spiral arms, while thick disk stars are likely heated by some violent heating process from merger and accretion, and/or formed by the inside-out and upside-down star formation scenarios, and/or born in the chaotic mergers of gas-rich systems and/or turbulent ISM. Our results also suggest that the disk perturbation by a recent minor merger from Sagittarius may have occurred within 3.0 Gyr.

Astrometry of pulsars, particularly their distances, serves as a critical input for various astrophysical experiments using pulsars. Pulsar timing is a primary approach for determining a pulsar's position, parallax, and distance. In this paper, we explore the influence of the solar wind on astrometric measurements obtained through pulsar timing, focusing on its potential to affect the accuracy of these parameters. Using both theoretical calculation and mock-data simulations, we demonstrate a significant correlation between the pulsar position, annual parallax and the solar-wind density parameters. This correlation strongly depends on the pulsar's ecliptic latitude. We show that fixing solar-wind density to an arbitrary value in the timing analysis can introduce significant bias in the estimated pulsar position and parallax, and its significance is highly dependent on the ecliptic latitude of the pulsar and the timing precision of the data. For pulsars with favourable ecliptic latitude and timing precision, the astrometric and solar-wind parameters can be measured jointly with other timing parameters using single-frequency data. The parameter correlation can be mitigated by using multi-frequency data, which also significantly improves the measurement precision of these parameters; this is particularly important for pulsars at a medium or high ecliptic latitude. Additionally, for a selection of pulsars we reprocess their EPTA Data Release 2 data to include modelling of solar-wind effect in the timing analysis. This delivers significant measurements of both parallax and solar-wind density, the latter of which are consistent with those obtained at low-frequency band. In the future, combining pulsar timing data at gigahertz and lower frequencies will probably deliver the most robust and precise measurements of astrometry and solar wind properties in pulsar timing.

We have conducted a GPU accelerated reprocessing of $\sim 87\%$ of the archival data from the High Time Resolution Universe South Low Latitude (HTRU-S LowLat) pulsar survey by implementing a pulsar search pipeline that was previously used to reprocess the Parkes Multibeam pulsar survey (PMPS). We coherently searched the full 72-min observations of the survey with an acceleration search range up to $|50|\, \rm m\,s^{-2}$, which is most sensitive to binary pulsars experiencing nearly constant acceleration during 72 minutes of their orbital period. Here we report the discovery of 71 pulsars, including 6 millisecond pulsars (MSPs) of which five are in binary systems, and seven pulsars with very high dispersion measures (DM $>800 \, \rm pc \, cm^{-3}$). These pulsar discoveries largely arose by folding candidates to a much lower spectral signal-to-noise ratio than previous surveys, and exploiting the coherence of folding over the incoherent summing of the Fourier components to discover new pulsars as well as candidate classification techniques. We show that these pulsars could be fainter and on average more distant as compared to both the previously reported 100 HTRU-S LowLat pulsars and background pulsar population in the survey region. We have assessed the effectiveness of our search method and the overall pulsar yield of the survey. We show that through this reprocessing we have achieved the expected survey goals including the predicted number of pulsars in the survey region and discuss the major causes as to why these pulsars were missed in previous processings of the survey.

While the environment around Tycho's supernova remnant (SNR) has long been believed to be close to homogeneous, the latest analysis of Chandra data has identified a substantial deceleration of the forward shock which poses a major challenges to this picture. arXiv:2310.14841 showed that the existence of dense molecular cloud (MC) surrounding a rarefied wind-like circumstellar matter (CSM) can explain this observational finding in term of the shock-expansion dynamics, supporting the so-called single-degenerate scenario for the progenitor system. We here extend this work to study the non-thermal emission processes and investigate whether such an environment is consistent with the observed multi-wavelength spectrum. While the simulated broadband spectrum based on the wind-MC environment is largely consistent with observations, we find that such an environment predicts a harder gamma-ray spectrum than observed due to the relatively low CSM density in the cavity interior of the MC. This difference can be at least partially attributed to the present one-dimensional setup of the model which does not account for the clumpy and multi-dimensional structure of the CSM. Our model provides predictions for the long-term evolution of the broadband spectrum which can be used to further probe Tycho's surrounding environment in the future, a key to resolving the long-standing issue of type Ia supernova progenitor channels.

We present the analysis of a comprehensive sample of 352 early-type galaxies using public data, to investigate the correlations between CO luminosities and mid-infrared luminosities observed by \textit{Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer} (\textit{WISE}). We find strong correlations between both CO (1-0) and CO (2-1) luminosities and 12 \micron\ luminosity, boasting a correlation coefficient greater than 0.9 and an intrinsic scatter smaller than 0.1 dex. The consistent slopes observed for the relationships of CO (1-0) and CO (2-1) suggest that the line ratio R21 lacks correlation with mid-infrared emission in early-type galaxies, which is significantly different from star-forming galaxies. Moreover, the slopes of $L_{\rm CO (1-0)}$--$L_{\mbox{12\micron}}$ and $L_{\rm CO (2-1)}$--$L_{\mbox{12\micron}}$ relations in early-type galaxies are steeper than those observed in star-forming galaxies. Given the absence of correlation with color, morphology or sSFR, the correlation between deviations and the molecular gas mass surface density could be eliminated by correcting the possible 12 \micron\ emission from old stars or adopting a systematically different $\alpha_{\rm CO}$. The latter, on average, is equivalent to adding an constant CO brightness density, specifically ${2.8{_{-0.6}}\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!^{+0.8}}~[\mathrm{K~km~s^{-1}}]$ and ${4.4{_{-1.4}}\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!^{+2.2}}~[\mathrm{K~km~s^{-1}}]$ for CO (1-0) and (2-1) respectively. These explorations will serve as useful tools for estimating the molecular gas content in gas-poor galaxies and understanding associated quenching processes.

Early Solar System (SS) planetesimals constitute the parent bodies of most meteorites investigated today. Nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies of bulk meteorites have revealed a dichotomy between non-carbonaceous (NC) and carbonaceous (CC) groups. Planetesimals sampling NC and CC isotopic signatures are conventionally thought to originate from the "dry" inner disk, and volatile-rich outer disk, respectively, with their segregation enforced by a pressure bump close to the water-ice sublimation line, possibly tied to Jupiter's formation. This framework is challenged by emerging evidence that the oldest NC planetesimals (i.e., the iron meteorites parent bodies; IMPBs) were characterized by far higher oxidation states than previously imagined, suggesting abundant ($\gtrsim$ few wt.%) liquid water in their interiors prior to core differentiation. In this paper, we employ a model for a degassing icy planetesimal (heated by $^{26}$Al decay) to map the conditions for liquid water production therein. Our work culminates in threshold characteristic sizes for pebbles composing the said planetesimal, under which water-ice melting occurs. Adopting a model for a disk evolving under both turbulence and magnetohydrodynamic disk winds, and assuming pebble growth is fragmentation-limited, we self-consistently translate the threshold pebble size to lower limits on early SS turbulence. We find that if NC IMPBs were "wet," their constituent pebbles must have been smaller than a few centimeters, corresponding to typical values of the Shakura-Sunyaev $\alpha_{\nu}$ turbulence parameter in excess of $10^{-3}$. These findings argue against a quiescent SS disk (for <10 AU), are concordant with astronomical constraints on protoplanetary disk turbulence, and suggest pebble accretion played a secondary role in building our rocky planets.

Gravitational lensing of gravitational waves provides us with much information about the Universe, including the dark matter distribution at small scales. The information about lensed gravitational waves is encapsulated by an amplification factor, which is calculated by an integration of an oscillatory function. The Born approximation, which has been studied in terms of wave optics in gravitational lensing, may provide a means of overcoming the difficulty in evaluating the oscillating function and better understanding the connection between the amplification factor and the lens mass distribution. In this paper, we revisit the Born approximation for a single lens plane. We find that the distortion of gravitational waves induced by wave optics gravitational lensing is in general connected with the mass distribution of the lens object through a convolution integral, where the scale of the kernel is determined by the Fresnel scale. We then study the validivity and accuracy of the Born approximation specifically for the case of a point mass lens for which the exact analytical expression of the amplicfication factor is available. Using the dimensionless parameter $y$, which represents the normalized impact parameter, and the dimensionless parameter $w$, which denotes the normalized frequency, we show that the $n$-th term of the Born approximation scales as $y^{-2}w^{n-1}$. This indicates that, for the case of a point mass lens, the Born approximation is valid when $w$ is less than 1, with its accuracy scaling as $wy^{-2}$ in this regime.

Intermediate mass black holes (10^2 < M_BH< 10^5 Msun) are an open question in our understanding of black hole evolution and growth. They have long been linked to dense star cluster environments thanks to cluster dynamics, but there are a limited number of secure detections. We leverage existing X-ray observations from Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical catalogs from Hubble Space Telescope with new radio observations from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array to search for any evidence of accreting black holes in young massive clusters in the nearby galaxy M51. We find that of 43 bright ($L_X > 10^{38}$ erg/s) X-ray point sources in M51, 24 had probable matches to objects including possible associated star clusters in the HST Legacy Extragalactic UV Survey catalog, seven of which were classified as contaminants (background galaxies or foreground stars). We explore the optical properties of the remaining 17 sources, including cluster age and mass estimates, and search for radio counterparts in the 8-12 GHz band. The lack of radio counterparts to X-ray sources we know to be associated with young massive clusters in M51 suggests that we do not significantly detect hard-state IMBHs ~ 10^4 Msun or above. However, more sensitive radio facilities like the Square Kilometre Array and next generation Very Large Array may be able to provide evidence for IMBHs with masses down to ~ 10^3 Msun.

Understanding the physics of planetary magma oceans has been the subject of growing efforts, in light of the increasing abundance of Solar system samples and extrasolar surveys. A rocky planet harboring such an ocean is likely to interact tidally with its host star, planetary companions, or satellites. To date, however, models of the tidal response and heat generation of magma oceans have been restricted to the framework of weakly viscous solids, ignoring the dynamical fluid behavior of the ocean beyond a critical melt fraction. Here we provide a handy analytical model that accommodates this phase transition, allowing for a physical estimation of the tidal response of lava worlds. We apply the model in two settings: The tidal history of the early Earth-Moon system in the aftermath of the giant impact; and the tidal interplay between short-period exoplanets and their host stars. For the former, we show that the fluid behavior of the Earth's molten surface drives efficient early Lunar recession to ${\sim} 25$ Earth radii within $10^4{-} 10^5$ years, in contrast with earlier predictions. For close-in exoplanets, we report on how their molten surfaces significantly change their spin-orbit dynamics, allowing them to evade spin-orbit resonances and accelerating their track towards tidal synchronization from a Gyr to Myr timescale. Moreover, we re-evaluate the energy budgets of detected close-in exoplanets, highlighting how the surface thermodynamics of these planets are likely controlled by enhanced, fluid-driven tidal heating, rather than vigorous insolation, and how this regime change substantially alters predictions for their surface temperatures.

NGC 346 is a young cluster with numerous hot OB stars. It is part of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), and has an average metallicity that is one-seventh of the Milky Way's. A detailed study of its stellar content provides a unique opportunity to understand the stellar and wind properties of massive stars in low-metallicity environments, and enables us to improve our understanding of star formation and stellar evolution. The fundamental stellar parameters defining a star's spectral appearance are its effective surface temperature, surface gravity, and projected rotational velocity. Unfortunately, these parameters cannot be obtained independently from only H and He spectral features as they are partially degenerate. With this work we aim to overcome this degeneracy by applying a newly developed Bayesian statistic technique that can fit these three parameters simultaneously. Multi-epoch optical spectra are used in combination with a Bayesian statistic technique to fit stellar properties based on a publicly available grid of synthetic spectra of stellar atmospheres. The use of all of the multi-epoch observations simultaneously allows the identification of binaries. The stellar parameters for 34 OB stars within the core of NGC 346 are derived and presented here. By the use of both $\mathrm{He}\textsc{i}$ and $\mathrm{He}\textsc{ii}$ lines, the partial degeneracy between the stellar parameters of effective surface temperature, surface gravity, and projected rotational velocity is overcome. A lower limit to the binary fraction of the sample of stars is found to be at least 46%. Based on comparisons with analysis conducted on an overlapping sample of stars within NGC 346, the Bayesian statistic technique approach is shown to be a viable method to measure stellar parameters for hot massive stars in low-metallicity environments even when only low-resolution spectra are available.}

SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth) is an experiment onboard the Chandrayaan-3 Mission, designed to study the spectro-polarimetric signatures of the habitable planet Earth in the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength range (1.0 - 1.7 $\mu$m). The spectro-polarimeter is the only scientific payload (experimental in nature) on the Propulsion Module (PM) of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The instrument is a compact and lightweight spectro-polarimeter with an Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter (AOTF) at its core. The AOTF operates in the frequency range of 80 MHz to 135 MHz with a power of 0.5 - 2.0 Watts. The two output beams (e-beam and o-beam) from the AOTF are focused onto two InGaAs detectors (pixelated, 1D linear array) with the help of focusing optics. The primary (aperture) optics, with a diameter of $\sim$2 mm, collects the NIR light for input to the AOTF, defining the field of view (FOV) of 2.6$^\circ$. The payload has a mass of 4.8 kg and operates at a power of 25 Watts. This manuscript highlights some of the ground-based results, including the post-launch initial performance of the payload while orbiting around the Moon to observe Earth.

Motivated by the hint for time-dependent dynamical dark energy from an analysis of the DESI Baryon Accoustic Oscillation (BAO) data together with information from the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and Supernovae (SN), we relax the assumption of a vanishing initial velocity for a quintessence field. In particular we focus on pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone-Boson (PNGB) quintessence in the form of an axion like particle, that can arise as the phase of a complex scalar and could possess derivative couplings to fermions or topological couplings to abelian gauge fields, without upsetting the necessary flatness of its potential. We discuss mechanisms from the aforementioned interactions for sourcing an initial axion field velocity $\dot{\theta_i}$ at redshifts $3\leq z\leq 10$, that will "kick" it into motion. Driven by this initial velocity the axion will first roll up in its potential, similar to "freezing" dark energy. After it has reached the pinnacle of its trajectory, it will start to roll down, and behave as "thawing" quintessence. As a proof of concept we undertake a combined fit to BAO, SN and CMB data at the background level. We find that a scenario with $\dot{\theta_i}=\mathcal{O}(1) \; m_a$, where $m_a$ is the axion mass, is slightly preferred over both $\Lambda$CDM and the conventional "thawing" quintessence with $\dot{\theta_i}=0$. The best fit points for this case exhibit transplanckian decay constants and very flat potentials, which both are in tension with conjectures from string theory.

In the solar corona, magnetically sheared structures are unstable to both tearing and thermal instabilities in a coupled fashion. However, how the choice of linear perturbation modes influences the time-scale to achieve the thermal runaway in a coupled tearing-thermal coronal current sheet is not well understood to date. Here, we model a force-free Harris current sheet under solar coronal conditions to investigate this coupling in the linear and non-linear regimes. In the linear regime, we adopt the magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy code Legolas to compare the current sheet under thermal and thermoresistive conditions, after which we initialise non-linear simulations (with MPI-AMRVAC) with the unstable, linear tearing and thermal perturbations obtained with Legolas. It is shown that part of the unstable thermal quasi-continuum adopts tearing properties in the linear stage, but that it is not until the non-linear stage is reached that a true thermal 'runaway' effect leads to condensations inside tearing-induced flux ropes. Hence, the linear stage is governed by the dominant tearing instability whilst condensations form due to tearing-thermal coupling in the non-linear stage. Our results imply that perturbing an equilibrium current sheet with the fastest growing linear mode skips the mode mixing phase in which the dominant instability traditionally emerges, and significantly reduces the time-scale to enter into the non-linear stage and thermal runaway process from its equilibrium configuration.

We present $0."026$ $(140\ \rm{pc})$ resolution ALMA observations of [C II] $158\ \mu\rm{m}$ and dust continuum emission of the $z=6.6$ quasar J0305--3150, resolved over $\sim 300-400$ independent resolution elements. The dust continuum emission is compact with $\sim 80\%$ recovered within $r<0."3$ $(1.6\ \rm{kpc})$, whereas the [C II] emission profile is composed of a central Gaussian ($r<0."4$, i.e. $<2.2\ \rm{kpc}$) and an extended component (detected up to $\sim 10\ \rm{kpc}$ at $>3\sigma$). We infer a direct contribution of the quasar to the observed 260\ \rm{GHz} continuum $S_{\nu,\rm{QSO}} / S_{\nu,\rm{QSO+Host}} \lesssim 1\%$. We report the detection of FIR-detected star-forming clumps with $r<200 \ \rm{pc}$ and properties similar to that of rest-frame UV-optical clumps reported in the literature. The $200\ \rm{pc}$ resolved [C II]/FIR ratio follows the global relation with the FIR surface brightness established in low- and high-redshift galaxies, even at the quasar location. We find that dust continuum is emitted in regions of $\sim0."02-0."04$ consistent with the size of photo-dissociation regions (PDR), whereas $50\%$ of the [C II] originates from larger physical scales ($\theta \gtrsim 2"$). The large-scale [C II] emission presents a velocity gradient aligned with a nearby companion with perturbed kinematics, and misaligned with the kinematics of the small-scale emission. The absence of significant [C II] emission by structures with physical scale $\lesssim 1\ \rm{kpc}$ implies that [C II] emission is not produced in dense PDR located at the boundary of Giant Molecular Clouds. We argue instead that [C II] is produced in low-density PDRs in the interstellar medium and diffuse HI gas tidally-stripped during the ongoing merger.

The properties of the stellar cluster surrounding Sagittarius A* can be assessed indirectly through the motion of the S-stars. Specifically, the current accuracy to which the prograde precession of the S2 star is measured allows to place significant constraints on the extended mass enclosed by its orbit. We suggest that high velocity destructive collisions (DCs) offer a natural mechanism for depleting the mass inside the S2 orbit, thus allowing to reconcile the measured precession and the existence of a dense stellar cluster. Such a solution is especially necessary when considering that stars are supplied to the inner part of the cluster by both dynamical relaxation and by stars being captured in tight orbits during tidal disruption of binaries. We use analytic arguments and results from simulations to demonstrate that in order to obtain a precession that is consistent with observations, collisional depletion is necessary if the capture rate is greater than a few $10^{-6} yr^{-1}$. We also show that fluctuations arising from the finite number of stars cannot serve as an alternative to DCs for generating consistency with the observed S2 precession. We conclude that astrometric observations of the S-stars provide a meaningful indication that the inner part of our galactic center is shaped by collisional depletion, supporting the hypothesis that DCs occur in galactic nuclei at an astrophysically significant rate.

We present near- and mid-infrared (IR) broadband imaging observations of the edge-on protoplanetary disk around HH 30 with the James Webb Space Telescope/Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). We combine these observations with archival optical/near-IR scattered light images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and a millimeter-wavelength dust continuum image obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) with the highest spatial resolution ever obtained for this target. Our multiwavelength images clearly reveal the vertical and radial segregation of micron-sized and sub-mm-sized grains in the disk. In the near- and mid-IR, the images capture not only bi-reflection nebulae separated by a dark lane but also diverse dynamical processes occurring in the HH 30 disk, such as spiral- and tail-like structures, a conical outflow, and a collimated jet. In contrast, the ALMA image reveals a flat dust disk in the disk midplane. By performing radiative transfer simulations, we show that grains of about 3 $\mu$m in radius or larger are fully vertically mixed to explain the observed mid-IR scattered light flux and its morphology, whereas millimeter-sized grains are settled into a layer with a scale height of $\gtrsim1$ au at $100$ au from the central star. We also find a tension in the disk inclination angle inferred from optical/near-IR and mm observations with the latter being closer to an exactly edge-on. Finally, we report the first detection of the proper motion of an emission knot associated with the mid-IR collimated jet detected by combining two epochs of our MIRI 12.8-$\mu$m observations.

The redshift drift of objects following the cosmological expansion is a unique model-independent probe of background cosmology, detectable by astrophysical facilities presently under construction. Previous forecasts for such measurements assume flat universes. We explore the impact of relaxing this assumption on the constraining power of the redshift drift, focusing on the two most promising routes for its measurement: the SKA at low redshifts, and the Golden Sample for the ELT's ANDES spectrograph at higher redshifts. We also discuss the cosmological sensitivity of possible differential redshift drift measurements, both on their own and, for the specific case of the Golden Sample, in combination with the standard method. Overall, we find that the sensitivity of the redshift drift to curvature is comparable to that of matter (especially at low redshifts) and higher than the sensitivity to the dark energy equation of state. We also show that the sensitivity of redshift drift measurements to these cosmological parameters is asymmetric with respect to the curvature parameter, being different for open and closed universes with the same absolute value of the curvature parameter $\Omega_k$.

Quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) of Sun and stars are challenging for stellar flare models. The white light stellar QPPs in the periodicity region of tens of second are unexplored yet. On the basis of observations with the 6-m telescope BTA in U-band of flaring dM-stars EV Lac, Wolf 359, Wolf 424, V577 Mon and UV Ceti we found 13 new QPPs. This composes 30% occurrence among 44 worked flares. These QPPs were found to have periods ranging from 6 to 107 seconds and were detected using both Fourier transform and empirical mode decomposition methods. The observed QPPs were categorized by the evolution of their oscillation envelope and fractional flux amplitudes. There are shown the statistically significant correlations of the QPP period with the duration, the equivalent duration and the amplitude of a flare, and the correlation between the QPP amplitude and flare amplitude.

Solar energetic particles (SEPs) can pose hazardous radiation risks to both humans in space and spacecraft electronics. Numerical modeling based on first principles offers valuable insights into SEPs, providing synthetic observables for SEPs at any time and location in space. In this work, we present a high-resolution scheme based on integral relations for Poisson brackets to solve the kinetic equation for particle acceleration and transport processes. We implement this scheme within the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF), developed at the University of Michigan, to conduct a comprehensive study of solar energetic protons during the 2013 April 11 SEP event. In addition, a shock capturing tool is developed to study the coronal-mass-ejection-driven shock starting from the low solar corona. Multi-point spacecraft observations, including SOHO/ERNE, SDO/AIA, GOES and ACE at Earth, and STEREO-A/B, are used for model-data comparison and validation. New synthetic observables such as white-light images, shock geometry and properties, as well as SEP intensity-time profiles and spectra provide insights for SEP studies. The influences of the mean free path on SEP intensity-time profiles and spectra are also discussed. The results demonstrate: (1) the successful implementation of the Poisson bracket scheme with a self-consistent particle tracker within the SWMF, (2) the capability of capturing the time-evolving shock surface in the SWMF, and (3) the complexity of the mean free path impacts on SEPs. Overall, this study contributes to both scientific research and operational objectives by advancing our understanding of particle behaviors and showing the readiness for more accurate SEP predictions.

Volume density is a key physical quantity controlling the evolution of the interstellar medium (ISM) and star formation, but it cannot be accessed directly by observations of molecular clouds. We aim at estimating the volume density distribution in nearby molecular clouds, to measure the relation between column and volume densities and to determine their roles as predictors of star formation. We develop an inverse modelling method to estimate the volume density distributions of molecular clouds. We apply this method to 24 nearby molecular clouds for which column densities have been derived using Herschel observations and for which star formation efficiencies (SFE) have been derived using observations with the Spitzer space telescope. We then compare the relationships of several column- and volume-density based descriptors of dense gas with the SFE of the clouds. We derive volume density distributions for 24 nearby molecular clouds, which represents the most complete sample of such distributions to date. The relationship between column densities and peak volume densities in these clouds is a piece-wise power-law relation that changes its slope at a column density of $5-10\times 10^{22}$ H$_2$cm$^{-2}$. We interpret this as a signature of hierarchical fragmentation in the dense ISM. We find that the volume-density based dense gas fraction is the best predictor of star formation in the clouds, and in particular, it is as anticipated a better predictor than the column-density based dense gas fraction. We also derive a volume density threshold density for star formation of $2\times 10^4$ H$_2$cm$^{-3}$.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered an overabundance of UV-bright ($M_{\rm UV} \lesssim -20$), massive galaxies at $z \gtrsim 10$ in comparison to pre-JWST theoretical predictions. Among the proposed interpretations, such excess has been explained by negligible dust attenuation conditions following radiation-driven outflows developing when a galaxy goes through a super-Eddington phase. Dust opacity decreases the classical Eddington luminosity by a (boost) factor $A$, thus favoring the driving of outflows by stellar radiation in compact, initially dusty galaxies. Here, we compute $A$ as a function of the galaxy stellar mass, gas fraction, galaxy size, and metallicity (a total of 8 parameters). We find that the main dependence is on metallicity and, for the fiducial model, $A \sim 1800(Z/Z_\odot)/(1+N_{\rm H}/10^{23.5}\, {\rm cm^2})$. We apply such results to 20 spectroscopically confirmed galaxies at $z \gtrsim 10$ and evaluate their modified Eddington ratio. We predict that three galaxies are in the outflow phase. Their outflows have relatively low velocities ($60 -100 \,{\rm km\ s^{-1}}$), implying that they are unlikely to escape from the system. For the remaining 17 galaxies that are not currently in the outflow phase, we calculate the past evolution of the modified Eddington ratio from their star formation history. We find that 15 of them experienced an outflow phase prior to observation during which they effectively displaced their dust to larger radii. Thus, radiation-driven outflows appear to be a common phenomenon among early galaxies, strongly affecting their visibility.

Small bodies are capable of delivering essential prerequisites for the development of life, such as volatiles and organics, to the terrestrial planets. For example, empirical evidence suggests that water was delivered to the Earth by hydrated planetesimals from distant regions of the Solar System. Recently, several morphologically inactive near-Earth objects (NEOs) were reported to experience significant nongravitational accelerations inconsistent with radiation-based effects, and possibly explained by volatile-driven outgassing. However, these "dark comets" display no evidence of comae in archival images, which are the defining feature of cometary activity. Here we report detections of nongravitational accelerations on seven additional objects previously classified as inactive (doubling the population) that could also be explainable by asymmetric mass loss. A detailed search of archival survey and targeted data rendered no detection of dust activity in any of these objects in individual or stacked images. We calculate dust production limits of $\sim10$, $0.1$, and $0.1$ kg s$^{-1}$ for 1998 FR$_{11}$, 2001 ME$_{1}$, and 2003 RM with these data, indicating little or no dust surrounding the objects during the observations. This set of dark comets reveals the delineation between two distinct populations: larger, "outer" dark comets on eccentric orbits that are end members of a continuum in activity level of comets, and smaller, "inner" dark comets on near-circular orbits that could signify a new population. These objects may trace various stages in the life cycle of a previously undetected, but potentially numerous, volatile-rich population that may have provided essential material to the Earth.

Gravitational wave (GW) searches using pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) are commonly assumed to be limited to a GW frequency of $\lesssim 4\times 10^{-7}$Hz given by the Nyquist rate associated with the average observational cadence of $2$ weeks for a single pulsar. However, by taking advantage of asynchronous observations of multiple pulsars, a PTA can detect GW signals at higher frequencies. This allows a sufficiently large PTA to detect and characterize the ringdown signals emitted following the merger of supermassive binary black holes (SMBBHs), leading to stringent tests of the no-hair theorem in the mass range of such systems. Such large-scale PTAs are imminent with the advent of the FAST telescope and the upcoming era of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA). To scope out the data analysis challenges involved in such a search, we propose a likelihood-based method coupled with Particle Swarm Optimization and apply it to a simulated large-scale PTA comprised of $100$ pulsars, each having a timing residual noise standard deviation of $100$~nsec, with randomized observation times. Focusing on the dominant $(2,2)$ mode of the ringdown signal, we show that it is possible to achieve a $99\%$ detection probability with a false alarm probability below $0.2\%$ for an optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) $>10$. This corresponds, for example, to an equal-mass non-spinning SMBBH with an observer frame chirp mass $M_c = 9.52\times10^{9}M_{\odot}$ at a luminosity distance of $D_L = 420$ Mpc.

We present a spectral and timing analysis of NICER observations of the black hole X-ray binary 4U 1630-47 from 2018 to 2024. We find relativistic reflection features in the hard and soft intermediate states, and disk wind absorption features in the soft intermediate state and soft state. We fit the reflection features with RELXILLCP and find a stable and untruncated disk in the intermediate states; we fit the wind features with ZXIPCF and find a stable, highly ionized wind with high column density across different outbursts. Specifically, the heartbeat state is seen in two observations in 2021 and 2023 respectively. Through the phase-resolved spectral fitting, we find the flux to be correlated with the disk parameters while no strong correlation with the coronal parameters is observed, consistent with the scenario given by the inner disk radiation instability. A significant hard lag on the time scale of a second and high coherence is observed near the characteristic frequency of the heartbeat, which can be explained by the viscous propagation of mass accretion fluctuations in the disk. The positive relationship between the heartbeat fractional rms and energy can possibly be explained by a disk-originated oscillation which is then magnified by the corona scattering.

There is increasing evidence for the presence and variability of circumstellar dust and gas around white dwarfs that are polluted with exoplanetary material, although the origin of this dust and gas remains debated. This paper presents the first near-simultaneous observations of both circumstellar dust (via broadband emission) and gas (via emission lines) around a polluted white dwarf. From the optical spectra the gaseous emission lines, notably the calcium infrared triplet and magnesium lines, show significant increases and decreases in their strength over timescales of weeks, while the oxygen and iron lines remain relatively stable. Near-infrared JHKs photometry reveals dust emission changes of up to 0.2 magnitudes in the Ks band over similar timescales, marking the shortest variability timescales observed to date. The two epochs with the strongest emission were correlated between the dust (Ks band brightening) and gas (strengthened calcium and magnesium lines), showing for the first time that the dust and gas must be produced near-simultaneously with a common origin, likely in collisions.

HI-rich absorbers seen within quasar spectra contain the bulk of neutral gas in the Universe. However, the spatial extent of these reservoirs are not extensively studied due to the pencil beam nature of quasar sightlines. Using two giant gravitational arc fields (at redshifts 1.17 and 2.06) as 2D background sources with known strong MgII absorption observed with the MUSE integral field spectrograph (IFS), we investigated whether spatially mapped MgII absorption can predict the presence of strong HI systems, and determine both the physical extent and HI mass of the two absorbing systems. We created a simple model of an ensemble of gas clouds in order to simultaneously predict the HI column density and gas covering fraction of HI-rich absorbers based on observations of the MgII rest-frame equivalent width in IFS spaxels. We first test the model on the field with HI observations already available from the literature, finding that we can recover HI column densities consistent with the previous estimates (although with large uncertainties). We then use our framework to simultaneously predict the gas covering fraction, HI column density and total HI mass ($M_{\rm{HI}}$) for both fields. We find that both of the observed strong systems have a covering fraction of $\approx70$% and are likely damped Lyman $\alpha$ systems (DLAs) with $M_{\rm{HI}}>10^9\ M_{\odot}$. Our model shows that the typical MgII metrics used in the literature to identify the presence of DLAs are sensitive to the gas covering fraction. However, these MgII metrics are still sensitive to strong HI, and can be still applied to absorbers towards gravitational arcs or other spatially extended background sources. Based on our results, we speculate that the two strong absorbers are likely representative of a neutral inner circumgalactic medium and are a significant reservoir of fuel for star formation within the host galaxies.

Radial velocity (RV) jitter represents an intrinsic limitation on the precision of Doppler searches for exoplanets that can originate from both instrumental and astrophysical sources. We aim to determine the RV jitter floor in M dwarfs and investigate the stellar properties that lead to RV jitter induced by stellar activity. We determined the RV jitter in 239 M dwarfs from the CARMENES survey that are predominantly of mid to late spectral type and solar metallicity. We also investigated the correlation between stellar rotation and magnetic fields with RV jitter. The median jitter in the CARMENES sample is 3.1 m/s, and it is 2.3 m/s for stars with an upper limit of 2 km/s on their projected rotation velocities. We provide a relation between the stellar equatorial rotation velocity and RV jitter in M dwarfs based on a subsample of 129 well-characterized CARMENES stars. RV jitter induced by stellar rotation dominates for stars with equatorial rotation velocities greater than 1 km/s. A jitter floor of 2 m/s dominates in stars with equatorial rotation velocities below 1 km/s. This jitter floor likely contains contributions from stellar jitter, instrumental jitter, and undetected companions. We study the impact of the average magnetic field and the distributions of magnetic filling factors on the RV jitter. We find a series of stars with excess RV jitter and distinctive distributions of magnetic filling factors. These stars are characterized by a dominant magnetic field component between 2-4 kG. An RV jitter floor can be distinguished from RV jitter induced by activity and rotation based on the stellar equatorial rotation velocity. RV jitter induced by activity and rotation primarily depends on the equatorial rotation velocity. This RV jitter is also related to the distribution of magnetic filling factors, and this emphasizes the role of the magnetic field in the generation of RV jitter.

Context. We analyse multi-colour photometric and spectroscopic observations of a Young Stellar Object Gaia20bdk. Aims. We aim to investigate the exact nature of the eruptive phenomenon that the star has been experiencing since 2018. Methods. We use public-domain archival photometry to characterise the quiescent phase in order to establish major physical parameters of the progenitor. Then, we use our and public-domain optical and infrared photometry and spectroscopy to study the outburst. Results. Gaia20bdk is a member of the Sharpless 2-301 star-forming region, at a distance of 3.3 kpc. The progenitor is a rather massive 2.7 solar mass, G7-type Class I young star having an effective temperature of 5300 K and bolometric luminosity of 11 solar luminosities. The optical and infrared photometric and spectroscopic data obtained during the outburst show a variety of signatures commonly found in classical FUors. Our disc modelling results in a bolometric luminosity of 100-200 solar luminosities and mass accretion rate of 1-2e-5 solar masses per year, also confirming the object's FUor classification. Further monitoring is necessary to track the light changes, accretion rate and spectral variations, as well as to understood the mechanisms behind the disc flickering.

We present multi-frequency and high-resolution studies of a sample of 24 radio transients sources discovered by comparing the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) and Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS) surveys. All of them are characterized by a significant increase in radio flux density over the last two this http URL convex spectra, small sizes and high brightness temperatures are typical for young gigahertz-peaked spectrum (GPS) radio sources and indicative of an AGN buried in the host galaxy. On the other hand, they are much weaker than the archetypical GPS objects and their parsec-scale radio structures, although indicating the presence of young radio jets, are similar to radio-quiet AGNs like Seyfert and low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER) galaxies. Based on the distribution of these objects in power$-$size ($P - D$) and peak frequency$-$size ($\nu_p - D$) diagrams, we suggest that after stabilizing their radio activity, some of the GHz-peaked radio transients (galaxies and quasars) will develop into radio-intermediate and radio-quiet (RI/RQ) quasars and low-frequency peaked-spectrum (PS) objects. We discuss several possible origins for the transient radio emission in our sources and conclude that changes in the accretion rate combined with low-power radio ejecta are the most probable cause. This is the scenario we also propose for one of our sources, 101841$-$13, which was independently identified as a candidate tidal disruption event (TDE) based on its infrared variability. However, we cannot exclude that 101841$-$13 or other sources in our sample are TDEs.

In a Universe with nearly-Gaussian initial curvature perturbations, the abundance of primordial black holes can be derived from the curvature power spectrum. When the latter is enhanced within a narrow range around a characteristic scale, the resulting mass function has a single distinct peak, corresponding to Schwarzschild radii set by the horizon entry time of that scale. In contrast, we show (both numerically and by providing an analytic estimation) that a broad enhancement - such as a plateau bounded by infrared and ultraviolet scales - produces a bimodal mass function, with a primary peak close to the infrared scale. We find that the typical initial gravitational potential (compaction function), conditioned on meeting the threshold for critical collapse, is generated by a thin spherical shell with infrared radius and a thickness comparable to the ultraviolet scale. This suggests a higher-than-expected abundance of PBH originating from Type II initial fluctuations. Our results significantly impact overproduction bounds on the amplitude of the power spectrum, and tighten the viable mass range for primordial black holes as dark matter.

A relevant fraction of massive stars are runaways, moving with a significant peculiar velocity with respect to their environment. Kicks from supernova explosions or the dynamical ejection of stars from clusters can account for the runaway genesis. We have used Gaia DR3 data to study the velocity distribution of massive O and Be stars from the GOSC and BeSS catalogs and identify runaway stars using a 2D-velocity method. We have discovered 42 new runaways from GOSC and 47 from BeSS, among a total of 106 and 69 runaways found within these catalogs, respectively. These numbers imply a percentage of runaways of ~25% for O-type stars ~5% for Be-type stars. The higher percentages and higher velocities found for O-type compared to Be-type runaways suggest that the dynamical ejection scenario is more likely than the supernova explosion scenario. We have also performed multi-wavelength studies of our runaways. We have used WISE infrared images to discover 13 new stellar bow shocks around the runaway stars. We have also conducted VLA radio observations of some of these bow shocks. Finally, our runaway stars include six X-ray binaries and one gamma-ray binary, implying that new such systems could be found by conducting detailed multi-wavelength studies. In this work we report on this ongoing project to find new runaway stars, study their interaction with the ISM and search for high-energy binary systems.

The numerical investigation conducted in this paper addresses the problem of CMB radiation imaging as seen through the throat of the Ellis-Bronnikov-Morris-Thorne wormhole. It is assumed that both throats of the wormhole are relatively close to our stellar neighborhood, so close that the view of the ambient background radiation by an observer at the other throat of the wormhole is virtually identical to that seen from the Solar System neighborhood. A map of the temperature distribution of the cosmic microwave background radiation observed through the mouth of the wormhole has been constructed as well as a view of the Milky Way through the mouth of the wormhole. The resultant image contains characteristic details that enable it to be distinguished from an image produced by a black hole.

The Einstein equation in a semi-classical approximation is applied to a spherical region of the universe, with the stress-energy tensor consisting of the mass density and pressure of the LambdaCDM cosmological model plus an additional contribution of the quantum vacuum. Expanding the equation in powers of Newton constant G, the vacuum contributes to second order. The result is that at least a part of the acceleration in the expansion of the universe may be due to the quantum vacuum fluctuations

We study in detail the production of primordial black holes (PBHs), as well as their mass and initial spin, due to the phase transitions corresponding to radiative symmetry breaking (RSB) and featuring a large supercooling. The latter property allows us to use a model-independent approach. In this context, we demonstrate that the decay rate of the false vacuum grows exponentially with time to a high degree of accuracy, justifying a time dependence commonly assumed in the literature. Our study provides ready-to-use results for determining the abundance, mass and initial spin of PBHs generated in a generic RSB model with large supercooling. We find that PBHs are generically produced in a broad region of the model-independent parameter space. Notably, we identify the subregion that may explain recently observed microlensing anomalies. Additionally, we show that a simple Standard-Model extension, with right-handed neutrinos and gauged $B-L$ featuring RSB, may explain an anomaly of this sort in a region of its parameter space.

In this paper we follow an effective theory approach to study the nonrelativistic limit of a selfgravitating and selfinteracting massive vector field. Our effective theory is characterized by three parameters: the field's mass $m_0$ and the selfinteraction constants $\lambda_n$ and $\lambda_s$. For definiteness, we focus on a systematic study of the equilibrium configurations, commonly referred to as Proca stars when they have finite energy. We identify two different types of Proca stars, depending on the specific sector of the effective theory that we are exploring. In the generic sector, defined by $\lambda_s\neq 0$, all equilibrium configurations are stationary states described by wave functions that evolve harmonically in time. However, in the symmetry-enhanced sector, for which $\lambda_s=0$, there exist multi-frequency states whose wave functions oscillate with two or three distinct frequencies in addition to the stationary states. We determine the conditions under which a ground state configuration with fixed particle number exists. When these conditions are met, we prove that the lowest energy is reached by a stationary spherically symmetric configuration of constant polarization that is linear or circular depending on the sign of $\lambda_s$. We numerically construct some illustrative examples of spherical stationary and multi-frequency solutions, analyze their properties, and compare them with our analytical predictions. Unlike stationary states and other soliton configurations, which form a discrete set in the solution space associated with fixed particle number, the symmetry-enhanced sector exhibits a continuum of solutions with multi-frequency states connecting stationary states of constant polarization.

We present successful evolutions of binary black hole mergers using a novel numerical-relativity technique known as Cauchy-characteristic matching (CCM). This approach eliminates systematic errors associated with boundary conditions, effectively extending the computational domain to infinity. As an important application, we use CCM to resolve a late-time power-law tail in the gravitational wave from a head-on collision, and show that the tail is highly suppressed in a quasi-circular binary. Our results for the two extreme cases (orbital eccentricity $=0,1$) support the fact that tails increase with orbital eccentricity. Therefore, CCM paves the way for a detailed understanding of tails in eccentric systems. For the head-on case, we find that the tail behavior is consistent with predictions in the intermediate regime from black hole linear perturbation theory. However, we also raise the possibility that the power-law tail could be generated nonlinearly by quasinormal modes. The nonlinear contribution is expected to decay slower than predicted by Price's law, potentially dominating the signal at late times. If confirmed as nonlinear, this would be an example where nonlinearity prevails over linearity in the late-time regime of black hole dynamics.

Gravitational wave approximants are widely used tools in gravitational-wave astronomy. They allow for dense coverage of the parameter space of binary black hole (BBH) mergers for purposes of parameter inference, or, more generally, match filtering tasks, while avoiding the computationally expensive full evolution of numerical relativity simulations. However, this comes at a slight cost in terms of accuracy when compared to numerical relativity waveforms, depending on the approach. One way to minimize this is by constructing so-called~\textit{surrogate models} which, instead of using approximate physics or phenomenological formulae, rather interpolate within the space of numerical relativity waveforms. In this work, we introduce~\texttt{NRSurNN3dq4}, a surrogate model for non-precessing BBH merger waveforms powered by neural networks. By relying on the power of deep learning, this approximant is remarkably fast and competitively accurate, as it can generate millions of waveforms in a tenth of a second, while mismatches with numerical relativity waveforms are restrained below $10^{-3}$. We implement this approximant within the~\textsc{bilby} framework for gravitational-wave parameter inference, and show that it it is suitable for parameter estimation tasks.

Inter-technique biases are a major error source in the terrestrial reference frame. Combining two major space-geodetic techniques, GNSS and VLBI, through observations to identical sensors has been considered infeasible due to their seemingly incompatible operating frequencies. The newly accessible L-band capability of the Australian VGOS telescopes is shown here, invalidating this prevailing opinion. A series of test observations demonstrates geodetic VLBI observations to GPS satellites for a continental-wide IVS telescope array, with the potential for observations at a critical scale. We anticipate immediate impact for the geodetic community, through first-ever inter-technique ties between VLBI and GNSS in the Australian region and via the opportunity for critical test observations towards the Genesis mission, geodesy's flagship project in the area of space ties set for launch in 2028.

Cold electron bolometers have shown their suitability for use in modern fundamental physical experiments. Fabrication and measurements of the samples with cold-electron bolometers integrated into coplanar antennas are performed in this study. The bolometric layer was made using combined aluminum-hafnium technology to improve quality of aluminum oxide layer and decrease the leakage current. The samples of two types were measured in a dilution cryostat at various temperatures from 20 to 300 mK. The first sample with Ti/Au/Pd antenna shows response in the two frequency bands, at 7--9 GHz with bandwidth of about 20%, and also at 14 GHz with 10% bandwidth. The NEP below 10 aW/Hz^1/2 is reached at 300 mK for 7.7 GHz signal. The second sample with aluminum made antenna shows response in the frequency range 0.5--3 GHz due to the effect of kinetic inductance of superconducting aluminum.

The compact laboratory stand ``Solar Wind'' (Inst. Appl. Phys. of Russ. Acad. Sci.) forms an arch structure of the coronal loop type, in which the plasma pressure varies from zero to values of the order of and above the magnetic pressure. The arc discharge in each of the bases of the magnetic tube creates a plasma that is characterized by a significantly higher ion temperature along the magnetic field line than across the latter one. In the stationary state (when the ion pressure is below the threshold value for rupture of the system at the top of the loop), the plasma is found to be stratified in the form of a cylindrical layer along the outer wall of the tube or possibly two belts along the upper and lower vaults of the arch. The paper discusses the excitation of a torsional Alfven oscillation in the loop in the regime of firehose instability. In the case of rapid growth (with an increment of the order of an ion cyclotron period), the unstable Alfven oscillation essentially reallocates the particles between the central axis and the tube wall, which manifests itself in the form of the observed cylindrical layer.

We investigate nonclassical Bethe - Zel'dovich-Thompson (BZT) rarefaction shocks and the QCD phase transition in the dense core of a cold quark star in beta equilibrium subject to the multicomponent van der Waals (MvdW) equation of state (EoS) as a model of internal structure. When this system is expressed in terms of multiple components it can be used to explore the impact of a phase transition from a hadronic state to a quark plasma state with a complex clustering structure. The clustering can take the form of colored diquarks or triquarks and bound colorless meson, baryon, or hyperon states at the phase transition boundary. The resulting multicomponent EoS system is nonconvex which can give rise to nonclassical BZT phase changing shock waves. Using the BZT shock wave condition we find constraints on the quark density and examine how this changes the compactness and tidal deformability of the compact core. These results are then combined with the TOV equations to find the changes in the mass-radius relationship. These states are compared to the recent astrophysical high mass neutron star systems which may provide evidence for a core that has undergone a quark-gluon phase transition such as PSR 0943+10 or GW 190814.

Domain walls represent two-dimensional topological defects that emerge from the spontaneous breaking of discrete symmetries in various new physics models. In this study, we undertake the first calculation of gravitational waves produced by scalar perturbations generated from the domain wall network. Our findings indicate that the gravitational wave spectrum is notably distinct from that of other sources. This opens up a promising avenue for future gravitational wave experiments aimed at exploring the role of domain walls in the early Universe. Our results could significantly enhance the capabilities of gravitational wave experiments, serving as a valuable method for testing new physics and better identifying diverse sources of gravitational waves.

We study rotating hybrid stars, with a particular emphasis on the effect of a deconfinement phase transition on their properties at high spin. Our analysis is based on a hybrid equation of state with a phase transition from hypernuclear matter to color-superconducting quark matter, where both phases are described within a relativistic density functional approach. By varying the vector and diquark couplings of quark matter, we obtain different hybrid star sequences with varying extension of the quark matter core, ensuring consistency with astrophysical constraints from mass, radius and tidal deformability measurements. We demonstrate the impact of an increasing rotational frequency on the maximum gravitational mass, the central energy density of compact stars, the rise of the quasi-radial oscillations and non-axisymmetric instabilities. We demonstrate that for the most favorable parameter sets with a strong vector coupling, hybrid star configurations with color-superconducting quark matter core can describe the fastest spinning and heaviest galactic pulsar J0952-0607, while it is out of reach for the purely hadronic hypernuclear star configuration. We also revise the previously proposed empirical relation between the Kepler frequency, gravitational mass, and radius of non-rotating neutron stars, obtained based on the assumption that all neutron stars, up to the heaviest, are hadronic. We show how the phase transition to quark matter alters this relation and, consequently, the constraints on the dense matter equation of state. Our findings reveal that incorporating the hybrid equation of state has significant implications for the constraints on the properties of strongly interacting matter and neutron stars, placing the upper limit on $R_{1.4}\leq14.90$ km (considering the 716 Hz frequency limit from J1748+2446ad) and $R_{1.4}\leq$11.90~km (for 1000 Hz).