Papers for Thursday, Jun 12 2025

We present high-resolution Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array observations of the 22 GHz $\mathrm{H_2O}$ maser line in the extended Sagittarius B2 cloud. We detect 499 $\mathrm{H_2O}$ masers across the observed velocities between -39 and 172 km s$^{-1}$. To investigate the nature of the masers, we analyze their spatial distribution and cross-match with catalogs of HII regions and protostellar cores. 62% of masers are associated with protostellar cores and 32% with HII regions. The nature of the remaining 6% of sources was not established, but is likely associated with protostellar cores. Based on the spatial extent of the groups of masers, we classify them as either outflow-associated or young stellar object (YSO)-associated. We identify 144 unique sites of maser emission: 23 are associated with HII regions and 94 with protostellar cores, of which 33 are associated with protostellar outflows and 18 with YSOs. The outflow-associated $\mathrm{H_2O}$ maser emission is confined to within $<2000$ au of the central continuum source, despite shocked SiO emission extending over tens of thousands of au. The YSO-associated masers show a lack of detections at $5 < V_{rel} < 30$ km s$^{-1}$, which we suggest may be due to maser self-absorption. We show how $\mathrm{H_2O}$ masers trace the large-scale material flow in Sgr B2 N (North) also seen in SiO and mm continuum emission. Finally, we find that protostellar cores with associated $\mathrm{H_2O}$ masers tend to have brighter 3 mm continuum emission on average, although there is no strong correlation between maser brightness and continuum flux.

A small fraction of red dwarfs younger than 100 million years show structured, periodic optical light curves suggestive of transiting opaque material that corotates with the star. However, the composition, origin, and even the existence of this material are uncertain. The main alternative hypothesis is that these complex periodic variables (CPVs) are explained by complex distributions of bright or dark regions on the stellar surfaces. Here, we present time-series spectroscopy and photometry of a rapidly-rotating ($P$=3.9 hr) CPV, TIC 141146667. The spectra show sinusoidal time-varying H$\alpha$ emission at twice to four times the star's equatorial velocity, providing direct evidence for cool ($\lesssim$10$^4$ K) plasma clumps trapped in corotation around a CPV. These data support the idea that young, rapidly-rotating M dwarfs can sustain warped tori of cool plasma, similar to other rapidly-rotating magnetic stars. Outstanding questions include whether dust clumps in these plasma tori explain CPV light curves, and whether the tori originate from the star or are fed by external sources. Rough estimates suggest $\gtrsim$10% of M dwarfs host similar structures during their early lives.

Galactic archaeologists often assume that integrals of motion (IoMs) such as $L_z$ and $E$ are conserved, so substructure remains frozen in IoM space over many Gyr. However, this is not true in the Milky Way due in part to its rotating bar. In this study we quantify the effects of the bar on the dynamics of substructure. We employ three different theoretical models: an analytical toy model; a set of test particle simulations with steady and slowing bars; and a cosmological zoom-in simulation of a Milky Way-like galaxy. Each model predicts that the bar increases the angular momentum and energy spread of low-energy substructures by a factor of $\sim10-100$, so they cannot remain tightly clustered. We derive a criterion for determining when this effect is important. The most affected orbits are low energy ($E\lesssim E_\odot$, $r_\mathrm{apo}<40$ kpc), prograde, eccentric, or low inclination. This includes $\sim3/4$ of Galactic globular clusters and $\sim1/4$ of known stellar streams. We predict the presence of abundant bar-dispersed substructure. The structures remain much more tightly clustered in the space of metallicity and Jacobi integral $H_\mathrm{J}=E-\Omega_\mathrm{b}L_z$. We therefore propose using $H_\mathrm{J}$ and chemistry instead of traditional IoMs when searching for inner halo substructure. In $(L_z,E)$ space the dispersal of the structures is along a principal direction with gradient $\mathrm{d}E/\mathrm{d}L_z$ equal to the bar's pattern speed $\Omega_\mathrm{b}$. Bar-dispersed substructure should therefore allow the past evolution of $\Omega_\mathrm{b}$ to be constrained.

This work focuses on the detection of X-ray Supernova Remnants (SNRs) in the galaxy NGC 7793 and the study of their properties. X-ray SNRs in galaxies beyond the Local Group are rare, mainly due to the limited sensitivity of current X-ray instruments. Additionally, their identification requires an optical counterpart, making incomplete optical identification methods an extra challenge. Detecting X-ray SNRs in other galaxies is crucial for understanding their feedback in different evolutionary phases and gaining insights into their local interstellar medium. In NGC 7793, only one X-ray SNR was previously known, while a recent study reported nearly 240 optical SNRs. The discovery of a new, larger optical SNR sample motivated a re-examination of the X-ray SNR population by comparing optical SNRs with X-ray sources. To identify X-ray SNRs, we utilised Chandra's spatial resolution and analysed all available archival data of NGC 7793, totaling 229.9 ks over 19 years. After data reduction, we performed source detection and analysis, searching for X-ray sources coinciding with optical SNRs. We also used XMM-Newton for spectral analysis of the confirmed and candidate SNRs. We detected 58 X-ray sources down to an observed luminosity of $\sim 1.5\times 10^{36}\, erg\, s^{-1}$. Among them, five X-ray counterparts to optical SNRs were identified, all presenting soft emission (<1.2 keV) with no short- or long-term variability. One corresponds to the previously known X-ray SNR, while four are newly detected. Spectral modeling of two SNRs shows thermal spectra exceeding 2.5 million K, with strong OVII, OVIII, and NeIX emission lines. A correlation between density, X-ray luminosity, and source softness was observed. We also report X-ray emission from supernova 2008bk, refining its position, and suggest two candidate X-ray SNRs with soft, non-variable spectra, one resembling the identified X-ray SNRs.

There is growing evidence that a substantial fraction of the neutron star-black holes (NSBHs) detected through gravitational waves merge with non-zero eccentricity or large BH spin-orbit misalignment. This is in tension with the leading formation scenarios to date. Residual eccentricity rules out formation through isolated binary star evolution, while NS natal kicks and the unequal masses of NSBHs inhibit efficient pairing in dense stellar environments. Here, we report that all observed properties-NSBH merger rate, eccentricity, and spin-orbit misalignment-are explained by the high prevalence of massive stellar triples in the field. Modelling their evolution from the ZAMS, we investigate NSBH mergers caused by gravitational perturbations from a tertiary companion. We show that the formation of the NS decisively impacts the triple stability, preferentially leaving behind surviving NSBHs in compact triple architectures. The rich three-body dynamics of compact, unequal-mass triples enables mergers across a wide range of orbital parameters without requiring fine-tuned highly inclined tertiary orbits and provides a natural explanation for an abundance of residual eccentricity and spin-orbit misalignment. We infer a total NSBH merger rate of $R\sim1-23\,\rm Gpc^{-3}\,yr^{-1}$, with more than a few 10% exhibiting eccentricity $e_{20}>0.1$ or large spin-orbit misalignment $\cos\theta_{\rm BH}<0$, consistent with current observations. Tertiary-driven NSBH mergers closely track the cosmic star formation rate due to their short delay times, include a substantial fraction of burst-like highly eccentric systems ($e_{20} > 0.9$), and almost universally retain eccentricities $e_{20}>10^{-3}$, potentially detectable by next-generation detectors. If evidence for eccentric and misaligned events solidifies, our results suggest that triple dynamics is the dominant formation channel of NSBH mergers.

Dark matter haloes and subhaloes that host no luminous counterpart are predicted within our current understanding of galaxy formation within a $\Lambda$CDM paradigm. Observational tests, such as gravitational lensing, have made potential detections of such objects around individual galaxies as well as in galaxy groups and clusters. The question of whether or not a dim counterpart might reside in these objects remains an open question. We investigate this point using the TNG50-1 simulation of the IllustrisTNG project. Under the assumption of TNG50's galaxy formation model, we do not find haloes or subhaloes above a total mass of $\rm 10^{9.7} \ M_{\odot}$ that are entirely dark. However, under realistic effective surface brightness cuts of $\rm \leq 29 \ mag \ arcsec^{-2}$, the inference of the most massive dark subhalo in galaxy groups and clusters becomes $\rm M_{DM} \gtrsim 2 \times 10^{10} \ M_{\odot}$. Concentrating on galaxy groups and clusters, we find that dark subhaloes are ubiquitous with more massive dark subhaloes tending to preferentially reside further from the centers of clusters. We find that subhaloes in the mass range of $\rm 4.5 \times 10^{7} \leq M_{DM}/M_{\odot} \leq 2.1\times 10^{8}$ tend to be the most likely to reside in the strong lensing regions of galaxy groups and clusters, and argue that future dark subhalo searches should investigate this mass range.

Current cosmological simulations rely on active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback to quench star formation and match observed stellar mass distributions, but models for AGN feedback are poorly constrained. The circumgalactic medium (CGM) provides a helpful laboratory to study this process, as its metallicity, temperature, and density distributions are directly impacted by AGN. Recent observations from the eROSITA instrument provide constraints on these distributions through measurements of extended soft X-ray emission. Here, we generate synthetic eROSITA observations from the EAGLE and SIMBA cosmological simulations, comparing them against observations of galaxies stacked by stellar mass, halo mass, and star-formation rate. SIMBA outperforms EAGLE in matching observed surface brightness profiles in general, but neither simulation consistently agrees with observations across the full range of galaxy properties we studied. We find that variations in CGM X-ray emission between simulations are driven by density differences at $R \lesssim 0.2 R_{200c} $, and temperature and metallicity changes at larger radii. We directly model predicted contributions from X-ray binaries (XRBs), finding that the hot plasma contributes $\approx$ 20 times more to the CGM X-ray luminosity than XRBs, except at $M_*<10^{11} M_\odot$, where the contamination from XRBs becomes more significant.

I show how to compute the nonlinear power spectrum across the entire $w(z)$ dynamical dark energy model space. Using synthetic $\Lambda$CDM data, I train a neural ordinary differential equation (ODE) to infer the evolution of the nonlinear matter power spectrum as a function of the background expansion and mean matter density across $\sim$$9 {\rm \ Gyr}$ of cosmic evolution. After training, the model generalises to {\it any} dynamical dark energy model parameterised by $w(z)$. With little optimisation, the neural ODE is accurate to within $4\%$ up to k = $5 \ h {\rm Mpc}^{-1}$. Unlike simulation rescaling methods, neural ODEs naturally extend to summary statistics beyond the power spectrum that are sensitive to the growth history.

We aim to investigate the theoretical bi-stability jump, which predicts an increase in mass-loss rates below 21 kK. We further aim to constrain the photospheric and wind parameters of a sample of 16 LMC late-O and B supergiants. We utilise the 1D, non-LTE radiative transfer model CMFGEN in a grid-based approach and subsequent fine-tuned spectroscopic fitting procedure to determine the stellar and wind parameters of each star. We apply this method to ultra-violet data from the ULLYSES programme and complementary optical data from the XShootU collaboration. We also utilise evolutionary models to obtain the evolutionary masses and compare them to our derived spectroscopic masses. We derive physical parameters and wind properties of 16 late-O and B supergiants that span a wide $T_{eff}$ range of 12-30 kK, surface gravity range $\log{g/cm~s^{-2}}$ of 1.8-3.1, and a mass-loss rate range of $10^{-7.6}-10^{-5.7}M_{\odot}yr^{-1}$. We also compare our results to previous studies spectroscopic studies of LMC OB stars. We find that our derived photospheric and wind properties are consistent with multiple previous studies. For most of our sample, we find that the evolutionary masses and spectroscopic masses are consistent. Our results do not reproduce a bi-stability jump in any temperature range, but rather a monotonic decrease in mass-loss rate at lower temperatures. We obtain a terminal wind velocity-effective temperature relation for LMC supergiants. We find that our derived mass-loss rates do not agree with predictions from any of the numerical recipes. This is also the case for the ratio of the terminal wind velocity to the escape velocity $v_{\infty}/v_{esc}$, and we derive a $v_{\infty}/v_{esc}$-$T_{eff}$ relation. We find that wind properties are metallicity dependent from a comparison with a previous SMC study, and we obtain a new modified wind momentum-luminosity relation.

The evolution of our Universe is strongly influenced by the attractive force of gravity. A key aspect of this evolution, therefore, is the merging of galaxies. Here, we explore the role of mergers in shaping the properties of massive galaxies over cosmic time. Observational methods of finding mergers include identifying galaxy pairs in close proximity, visual inspection of galaxy images to identify signatures of mergers (e.g. tidal features) and using morphological parameters such as Asymmetry and the Gini coefficient. The fraction of merging galaxies increases with redshift, potentially out to z~6. The principal impact of merging is to transform the morphological mix of massive galaxies, from largely rotationally-supported systems at high redshift to more dispersion-dominated systems in the nearby Universe. Mergers also drive gas towards the central regions of the remnant, fuelling starbursts and feeding supermassive black holes. However, only around a third of the stellar and black hole mass at the present day is directly attributable to merging.

Do all Fast Radio Burst (FRB) sources repeat? We present evidence that FRB sources follow a Zipf-like distribution, in which the number density of sources is approximately inversely proportional to their burst rate above a fixed energy threshold-even though both the burst rate and number density span many orders of magnitude individually. We introduce a model-independent framework that predicts the distribution of observed fluences and distances, and repetition rates of an FRB population based on an assumed burst rate distribution per source. Using parameters derived directly from observations, this framework simultaneously explains several key features of the FRB population: (i) The observed ratio of repeaters to apparent non-repeaters; (ii) The much lower ratio of apparent non-repeaters to the total number of Soft Gamma Repeater (SGR) sources within the observable Universe; And (iii) the slightly smaller average distances of known repeaters compared to non-repeaters. We further explore how survey parameters, such as radio sensitivity and observation time, influence these statistics. Notably, we find that the fraction of repeaters rises only mildly with improved sensitivity or longer exposure. This weak dependence could be misinterpreted as evidence that not all FRBs repeat. Overall, our results support the idea that a single population-likely magnetars-can account for the full observed diversity of FRB activity, from very inactive FRB sources like SGR 1935+2154 to the most active repeaters.

We model the effect of resonances between time-varying perturbative forces and the epi-cyclical motion of eccentric binaries in the gravitational wave (GW) driven regime. These induce secular drifts in the orbital elements which are reflected in a dephasing of the binary's GW signal, derived here systematically. The resulting dephasing prescriptions showcase a much richer phenomenology with respect to typically adopted power-laws, and are better able to model realistic environmental effects (EE). The most important consequences are for gas embedded binaries, which we analyse in detail with a series of analytical calculations, numerical experiments and a curated set of hydrodynamical simulations. Even in these simplified tests, we find the surprising result that dephasing caused by epi-cyclical resonances dominate over expectations based on smoothed or orbit averaged gas drag models in GW signals that retain mild eccentricity in the detector band ($e> 0.05$). We discuss how dissecting GW dephasing in its component Fourier modes can be used to probe the coupling of binaries with their surrounding environment in unprecedented detail.

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are typically identified through their distinctive X-ray or radio emissions, mid-infrared (MIR) colors, or emission lines. However, each method captures different subsets of AGN due to signal-to-noise (SNR) limitations, redshift coverage, and extinction effects, underscoring the necessity for a multi-wavelength approach for comprehensive AGN samples. This study explores the effectiveness of spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting as a robust method for AGN identification. Using {\tt CIGALE} optical-MIR SED fits on DESI Early Data Release galaxies, we compare SED-based AGN selection ({\tt AGNFRAC} $\geq0.1$) with traditional methods including BPT diagrams, WISE colors, X-ray, and radio diagnostics. SED fitting identifies $\sim 70\%$ of narrow/broad-line AGN and 87\% of WISE-selected AGN. Incorporating high SNR WISE photometry reduces star-forming galaxy contamination from 62\% to 15\%. Initially, $\sim50\%$ of SED-AGN candidates are undetected by standard methods, but additional diagnostics classify $\sim85\%$ of these sources, revealing LINERs and retired galaxies potentially representing evolved systems with weak AGN activity. Further spectroscopic and multi-wavelength analysis will be essential to determine the true AGN nature of these sources. SED fitting provides complementary AGN identification, unifying multi-wavelength AGN selections. This approach enables more complete -- albeit with some contamination -- AGN samples essential for upcoming large-scale surveys where spectroscopic diagnostics may be limited.

Dark matter halos are typically defined as spheres that enclose some overdensity, but these sharp, somewhat arbitrary boundaries introduce non-physical artifacts such as backsplash halos, pseudo-evolution, and an incomplete accounting of halo mass. A more physically motivated alternative is to define halos as the collection of particles that are physically orbiting within their potential well. However, existing methods to classify particles as orbiting or infalling suffer from trade-offs between accuracy, computational cost, and generalizability across cosmologies. We present an efficient, yet accurate, supervised machine learning approach using decision trees. The classification is based on only the particle radii and velocities at two epochs. Compared to detailed analysis of particle trajectories, we find that our model matches the classification of 97\% of particles. Consequently, we are able to quickly and accurately reproduce the density profiles of the orbiting and infalling components out to many virial radii. We demonstrate that our model generalizes to a significantly different cosmology that lies outside the training dataset. We make publicly available both our final model and the code to train similar models.

Classical bulges and stellar bars are common features in disk galaxies and serve as key tracers of galactic evolution. Angular momentum exchange at bar resonances drives secular morphological changes throughout the disk, including bar slowing and lengthening, and affects the structure of accompanying bulges. In this study, using a suite of N-body simulations, we quantify the secular reconfiguration of classical bulges through resonant trapping by evolving stellar bars. We use orbital frequency analysis to identify bar-resonant populations and find that up to 50% of the initial bulge stars become trapped in 2:1 resonant orbits and adopt disk-like kinematics. This transformation renders much of the classical bulge observationally indistinguishable from the disk. We compare these results with a sample of 210 MaNGA disk galaxies, finding that slow bars--indicative of older systems--are preferentially associated with weaker bulges. These results suggest that long-lived bars can significantly reshape classical bulges, potentially explaining their scarcity in the local universe and the low classical bulge fraction found in the Milky Way.

The massive Local Group galaxies both host substantially fewer satellites than the subhalos expected from the cold dark matter paradigm, and the recent investigations have highlighted the interplay between baryons and dark matter. We investigate the processes that make subhalos starless, using high-resolution cosmological simulations. We found that the number of satellites around Milky Way analogs closely aligns with observations, which accords with recent studies. In our simulations, the majority of subhalos are devoid of stars, i.e., "starless." We first examined supernova feedback and the environmental effects associated with subhalos' orbital motion as candidates of origin. However, neither seems to be the main driver. Supernova feedback causes a reduction of cold gas in "starred" subhalos, but its impact is not significant. In the case of starless subhalos, supernova feedback is irrelevant because most of them do not have in-situ star formation in the first place. The orbital motion in dense environments causes gas removal in all subhalos but is not enough to remove pre-existing stars. The key is found to be the effect of reionization instead. Starless subhalos are initially born in regions that are less efficient in accreting matter. This makes them lack sufficiently dense gas to self-shield from UV background heating, preventing their gas from cooling below the star formation threshold. This indicates that starless subhalos are not made but born.

We use hierarchical Bayesian inference with non-parametric Gaussian process models to investigate the effective inspiral spin parameter, $\chi_{\rm eff}$, as a function of primary black hole mass in the third gravitational-wave transient catalog (GWTC-3). Our analysis reveals a transition in the population at a primary mass of $46^{+7}_{-5}\,M_\odot$. Beyond this mass, the $\chi_{\rm eff}$ distribution broadens, becomes consistent with being symmetric around zero, and has a median of $-0.03^{+0.36}_{-0.59}$ (90\% credibility). These results are consistent with the presence of a pair-instability mass gap that is repopulated by black holes that are the remnant of a previous merger, formed in dense star clusters. However, asymmetric distributions skewed toward positive $\chi_{\rm eff}$ are not excluded by current data. Below the inferred transition mass, we constrain the fraction of second-generation black holes to be $\lesssim 10\%$. These results provide model-independent support for a high-mass and high-spin population of black holes in the data, consistent with earlier work using parametric models. Imminent gravitational-wave data releases will be essential to sharpen constraints on spin symmetry and clarify the origin of the black holes.

Binary neutron star (BNS) mergers can result in the formation of long-lived magnetar remnants which can enhance neutrino and electromagnetic (EM) emissions. In this work, we study the resulting multi-wavelength EM emissions and the prospects of their detectability in the current and upcoming EM telescopes. We model the pulsar-wind neubla system where the long-lived pulsar with dipolar magnetic fields of $10^{13} - 10^{15}$ G (magnetar) spins down and is surrounded by an outward expanding nebula and kilonova ejecta. Although at early times post the merger, the EM signatures are unobservable due to heavy attenuation, they become observable on timescales of $\mathcal{O}(1 - 10)$ days after the merger. We find that the survey and follow-up observations have horizon distances $\gtrsim 1\ \rm Gpc$ for most of the wavebands and conclude that the detection prospects for such long-lived remnants in the electromagnetic channel are promising. This is of crucial importance for multi-messenger observations from BNS mergers to constrain the physical parameters of the remnants. Furthermore, we highlight how observations across the electromagnetic band can uniquely identify magnetar-powered transients resulting from BNS mergers and establish concrete associations of the detected gravitational wave signatures with such transients.

Eclipsing binary systems play a vital role in astrophysics, as they provide a direct means of measuring fundamental stellar parameters. By combining high-precision space-based observations with ground-based multicolor photometric data, these parameters can be determined with greater accuracy. In this study, we present the first photometric analysis of the IY Aur eclipsing binary system, using a combination of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) light curve and new UBVRI CCD observations obtained with the 60 cm robotic telescope (T60) at the TUBITAK National Observatory. Through detailed photometric modeling, the masses and radii of the system's primary and secondary components were determined as $M_{1}=6.51\pm 0.81\,M_{\odot}$, $M_{2}=5.39\pm 0.87\,M_{\odot}$, and $R_{1}=4.15\pm 0.20\,R_{\odot}$, $R_{2}=6.88\pm 0.33\,R_{\odot}$, respectively. The logarithmic values of luminosity and surface gravity were calculated as $\log L_{1}=3.14\pm 0.20\,L_{\odot}$ and $\log g_{1}=4.01\pm 0.02$ cgs for the primary component, and $\log L_{2}=2.50 \pm 0.22\,L_{\odot}$ and $\log g_{2}=3.49\pm 0.03$ cgs for the secondary component. Furthermore, the distance to IY Aur was estimated as $d=1690\pm237$ pc.

Hybrid Foreground Residual Subtraction (HyFoReS) is a new family of algorithms designed to remove systematics-induced foreground contamination for 21-cm intensity mapping data. Previously, the algorithm was shown to be effective in mitigating beam perturbations in sky maps from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME). In this study, we apply HyFoReS to CHIME simulations and test the algorithm's ability to mitigate antenna gain-type systematics in polarized visibilities. Simulating a two-cylinder telescope similar to the CHIME pathfinder, we find that HyFoReS reduces foreground bias caused by bandpass perturbations to a level below the thermal noise, provided that the RMS value of the perturbations is on the order of $10^{-4}$ or lower. When tested with complex antenna-dependent gain errors, HyFoReS can reduce residual foreground bias in the power spectrum by up to three orders of magnitude. While noise bias and second-order perturbations are currently the limiting factors for the algorithm, we have demonstrated that HyFoReS can suppress gain-induced foreground leakage in polarized data from 21-cm telescopes, aiding in the detection of the 21-cm auto-power spectrum for hydrogen intensity mapping experiments.

We analyze the dynamics of low-mass black hole (BH) seeds in the high-redshift ($z\gtrsim5$) Universe using a suite of $[4.5~\mathrm{Mpc}]^3$ and $[9~\mathrm{Mpc}]^3$ BRAHMA cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. The simulations form seeds with mass $M_{\mathrm{seed}}=2.2\times10^3~M_{\odot}$ in halos that exceed critical thresholds of dense & metal-poor gas mass ($5-150~M_{\mathrm{seed}}$) and the halo mass ($1000-10000~M_{\mathrm{seed}}$). While the initial BRAHMA boxes pinned the BHs to the halo centers, here we implement a sub-grid dynamical friction (DF) model. We also compare simulations where the BH is allowed to wander without the added DF. We investigate the spatial and velocity offsets of BHs in their host subhalos, as well as BH merger rates. We find that subgrid DF is crucial to ensure that a significant fraction of BHs effectively sink to halo centers by $z\sim5$, thereby enabling them to get gravitationally bound and merge with other BHs at separations close to the spatial resolution ($\sim0.2-0.4~\rm kpc$) of the simulation. For the BHs that merge, the associated merger time scales lag between $\sim100-1000~\mathrm{Myr}$ after their host halos merge. Compared to predictions using BH repositioning, the overall $z\gtrsim5$ BH merger rates under subgrid DF decrease by a factor of $\sim4-10$. Under subgrid DF, the different seed models predict merger rates between $\sim100-1000$ events per year at $z\gtrsim5$. These mergers dominate early BH growth, assembling BHs up to $\sim10^4-10^5~M_{\odot}$ by $z\sim5$, wherein $\lesssim2~\%$ of their mass is assembled via gas accretion. Our results highlight the promise for constraining seeding mechanisms using gravitational waves from future facilities such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.

Jupiter-family comets (JFCs) have orbital periods of less than 20 years and therefore undergo more frequent sublimation compared to other comet populations. The JFCs therefore represent the ideal dynamical population for investigating the dust production rates at high-cadence. We analyzed observations by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) of 74 JFCs that reached perihelion in 2022 and 2023. The work contained in this study builds upon our previous work (Gillan et al. 2024), for a total of 116 JFCs over a four-year period. Using the Afrho parameter, we measured the dust production rates of each JFC as a function of heliocentric distance. We found that there remained a clear preference for JFCs to reach their maximum A(0)frho post-perihelion, with 170P/Christensen, 254P/McNaught and P/2020 WJ5 (Lemmon) reaching a maximum A(0)frho between 200-400 days after perihelion. However, all JFCs reached their maximum dust production within 10% of their orbital period relative to perihelion. Fitting A(0)fp as a function of Rh^n, we measured statistically significant differences in the distribution of pre-perihelion and post-perihelion activity index n, with average activity indices of -5.2 +/- 4.5 and -3.2 +/- 2.7 respectively. We derived upper limits for the nuclear radii of comets 444P/WISE-PANSTARRS and 459P/Catalina as Rn \leq 1.5 +/- 0.2 km and Rn \leq 1.7 +/- 0.1 km respectively. We measured six outbursts in comets 97P/Metcalf-Brewington, 99P/Kowal 1, 118P/Shoemaker-Levy 4, 285P/LINEAR and 382P/Larson. From our four years of observing JFC outbursts in the ATLAS data, the average increase in magnitude was - 1.3 +/- 0.8.

Most observed multi-planet systems are coplanar, in a dynamically "cold" configuration of concentric orbits like our own Solar System. With the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) we have detected 14 Her c, the first mature and cold exoplanet directly imaged in a dynamically "hot", multi-planet system. With large eccentricities and a nonzero mutual inclination, the present-day architecture of this system points to a turbulent past and ongoing angular momentum exchange between the planetary orbits of 14 Her b and c. The temperature of 14 Her c rivals both the coldest imaged exoplanet and the coldest known brown dwarf. Moreover, its photometry at 4.4 mu is consistent with the presence of carbon disequilibrium chemistry and water ice clouds in its atmosphere. 14 Her c presents a unique laboratory to study giant planet formation, dynamical evolution of multi-planet system architectures, and atmospheric composition and dynamics in extremely cold worlds.

The spectral width wB and the center wavelength lB of the UV absorption bump uvB measured for two z=7 galaxies were found to differ from Milky Way (MW) values. A decrease of wB by 45% and a positive shift of lB by 70-80 Ang were measured. In the MW, the uvB amplitude hB and wB do vary; however, such a narrow bump has never been observed and no variability of lB has been convincingly found. Recently, links have been found between both hB and wB and the strength of several Diffuse Interstellar absorption Bands (DIBs). They were found to be limited to the sigma-type DIBs and their detection to be strongly favored if the data were limited to monocloud-type lines-of-sight, selected based on 3D dust maps. We extended the study of the links between MW DIBs and uvB to the lB value and to the hB to continuum ratio, and compared MW variations of the bump parameters to high z values. We used the 5780 and 6284 A sigma, and 5797 and 5850 A zeta DIBs. Similarly to hB and wB, lB reacts to the abundance of sigma carriers and is insensitive to the abundance of zeta DIB carriers, which dominate in dense cloud cores. A strong abundance of sigma carriers induces a shift of lB to longer wavelengths and a decrease of wB. The MW lB and wB variability range is about half the difference between average MW values and values in the distant galaxies. These results reinforce the hypothesis of the existence of individual types of hydrocarbon molecules responsible for both DIBs and part of the UV bump. They show that the majority of species responsible for narrow and positively shifted bumps in distant galaxies have a link with or are those producing the sigma DIBs and the long-wavelength part of the bump in the MW, and that species producing the short-wavelength part of the bump in the MW are of a different nature and absent along the paths to regions of those distant galaxies that contribute most to the UV emission.

Using state-of-the-art ab initio interaction-induced dipole and potential-energy surfaces for hydrogen-helium (H2-He) pairs, we compute the rototranslational collision-induced absorption coefficient at 40-400 K for frequencies covering 0-4000 cm-1. The quantum mechanical scattering calculations account for the full anisotropic interaction potential, replacing the isotropic approximation. The absorption data are expected to be accurate with an uncertainty of 2% or better up to 2500 cm-1. The uncertainty is slightly higher at the highest frequencies where the rototranslational absorption is largely obscured by the rovibrational band. Our improved agreement with measurements at 200-800 cm-1 results from the improvement of the potential energy surface. The previously available rototranslational data set for H2-H2 pairs (Fletcher et al., Astrophys. J. Supp. 235, 24 (2018)) is also extended up to 4000 cm-1. In the rovibrational band previous isotropic potential calculations for H2-He (Gustafsson et al. J. Chem. Physics. 113, 3641 (2000)) and H2-H2 (Borysow, Icarus 92, 273 (1992)) have been extended to complement the rototranslational data set. The absorption coefficients are tabulated for ortho-to-para ratios from normal-H2 to pure para-H2, as well as equilibrium-H2, over 40-400 K. The effect of these updates are simulated for the cold atmosphere of Uranus and warmer atmosphere of Jupiter. They are equivalent to a brightness temperature difference of a fraction of a degree in the rototranslational region but up to 4 degrees in the rovibrational region. Our state-of-the-art modifications correct an otherwise +2% error in determining the He/H2 ratio in Uranus from its spectrum alone.

We combine ground- and space-based observations of long-period comet C/2021 O3 (Panstarrs) (perihelion distance 0.287 au) in order to investigate its reported near-perihelion destruction. Pre-perihelion photometric observations show a remarkably small heliocentric dependence of the scattered light, $\propto r_H^{-s}$ with $s = 2.59\pm0.21$, distinct from values reported in other long-period comets, for which $s$ = 4 is the canonical standard. The index is smaller than expected of coma production by equilibrium sublimation of either supervolatiles (for which $s \sim$ 4 is expected), or water ice ($s \sim$ 6 to 8) across the $\sim$4 au to 2 au range. The absolute magnitude deduced from the pre-perihelion data is $H$ = 13.0$\pm$0.3 (coma scattering cross-section $\sim$225 km$^2$ for an assumed geometric albedo 0.04) while, after perihelion, the cross-section fades by a factor of 25 to $H$ = 16.5 ($\sim$9 km$^2$). STEREO spacecraft observations near perihelion show a long debris trail whose properties are consistent with forward scattering from radius $\sim$7 $\mu$m particles. The data show that the nucleus of C/2021 O3 was not destroyed at perihelion. Although the lightcurve from 3.9 au inbound to 0.8 au outbound cannot be uniquely interpreted, a simple and plausible explanation is provided by seasonal dimming on a nucleus having high obliquity and an asymmetric distribution of near-surface volatiles. The survival of the nucleus against rotational disruption suggests a pre-perihelion nucleus radius $r_n \gtrsim$ 1.0 km while the photometric limit to the radius of the nucleus after perihelion is $r_n < 1.7$ km (geometric albedo 0.04 assumed).

We revisit a cosmological model where dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE) follow barotropic equations of state, allowing deviations from the standard $\Lambda$CDM framework (i.e. $w_{dm} \neq 0$, $w_{de} \neq -1$) considering both, flat and non-flat curvature. Using a dynamical system approach, we identify equilibrium states that govern stability, expansion, and contraction. Expansion occurs when $H>0$, while contraction is linked to $H < 0$. Accelerated expansion arises from DE dominance, whereas radiation- and matter-dominated phases lead to deceleration. Some solutions are unphysical, because of density constraints, but viable cases offer insights into cosmic transitions, including the Einstein static universe, which allows shifts between accelerating and decelerating phases. We perform a Bayesian analysis with updated datasets, including observational Hubble data, Pantheon+ Type Ia supernovae, strong lensing systems, and baryon acoustic oscillations, to constrain the parameters $w_{dm}$ and $w_{de}$. Our results from the data joint analysis show consistency with $\Lambda$CDM within $3\sigma$, but none of the cases reproduce $w_{dm} = 0$ and $w_{de} = -1$. Nevertheless, the comparison with the standard model using the Akaike and Bayesian information criteria indicates that only the non-flat scenario has the potential to be competitive. This suggests that a non-dust-like DM may impact structure formation, while DE could shift toward quintessence fluid. While $\Lambda$CDM remains a strong model, our findings indicate that alternative dark sector models with non-standard EoS could be viable and offer new insights into cosmic evolution.

We make use of the perturbation theory for modified gravity models that we developed in previous works and apply it to construct the fullshape galaxy power spectrum for the Symmetron modified gravity model. First, we study the growth rate, that is a scale dependent quantity, and compare our results with those of the $n=1 $ Hu-Sawcki (HS) model, finding that the Symmetron has a growth quite similar to the HS F6 in the wavenumber interval $0.01 \leq k \leq 0.1 $ and for redshifts where Symmetron model is viable. We also propose a growth parametrization that turns to be a good approximation for the HS and Symmetron models, with a deviation less than $0.6 \%$. To compute the RSD multipoles we employ an expansion of the velocity moments generating function that is suitable for general modified gravity models. Later, we apply the fk-Perturbation Theory (fkPT) approximation to reduce the computation time of nonlinear kernels, to find the fullshape galaxy power spectrum for the Symmetron, and study the differences with HS model. The RSD multipoles of the Symmetron result similar to those of the HS F6 model. Next, we integrate this theory to an MCMC sampler and validate our results by fitting our parameters to EZMocks to recover the parameters that bring the model to GR. We found a similar agreement in the model validation between Symmetron and F6 model, recovering the simulation cosmological parameters, and concluding that our pipeline is ready to make cosmological parameters' inference with real data.

Symbiotic star (SySt) is long-period interacting binary system, typically consisting of a white dwarf and a red giant surrounded by a nebula. These systems are natural astrophysical laboratories for investigating binary star evolution. In this paper, we identified nine SySts from the LAMOST DR10 low-resolution spectra survey, seven of which were previously known, while two are newly identified. Initially, we selected LAMOST spectra exhibiting typical SySt emission lines (e.g., $\rm H_{\alpha}, ~H_{\beta}, ~H_{\gamma}, ~and ~He II$). Subsequently, we utilized the distribution of known SySts on the HR diagram to select SySt candidates, and visually inspected their spectra. Ultimately, we classified all nine as S-type SySts using the $J - H$ vs. $H - K$ diagram. Additionally, based on multi-band photometric data from GALEX, Gaia, 2MASS, ALLWISE, and several X-ray catalogs, we found 12 accreting-only SySt (acc-SySt) candidates, characterized by concurrent ultraviolet and infrared excess and accretion process. Furthermore, we estimated the white dwarf temperatures by fitting their observed SEDs using a combination of Kurucz stellar atmosphere model and Koester white dwarf model. We compared the accretion rates of acc-SySt candidates and confirmed SySts, and found they have similar accretion rate distribution, providing evidence that these acc-SySt candidates constitute bona fide SySts.

We present our study of the XRISM observation of the Seyfert-1 galaxy NGC 3783. For the first time, XRISM's Resolve microcalorimeter enables a detailed characterization of the highly ionized outflows in this active galactic nucleus. Our analysis constrains their outflow and turbulent velocities, along with their ionization parameter $\xi$ and column density $N_{\rm H}$. The high-resolution Resolve spectrum reveals a distinct series of Fe absorption lines between 6.4 and 7.8 keV, ranging from Fe XVIII to Fe XXVI. At lower energies, absorption features from Si, S, and Ar are also detected. Our spectroscopy and photoionization modeling of the time-averaged Resolve spectrum uncover six outflow components, five of which exhibit relatively narrow absorption lines, with outflow velocities ranging from 560 to 1170 km/s. In addition, a broad absorption feature is detected, which is consistent with Fe XXVI outflowing at 14,300 km/s (0.05 $c$). This component carries a kinetic luminosity of 0.8-3% of the bolometric luminosity. Our analysis of the Resolve spectrum shows that more highly ionized absorption lines are intrinsically broader than those of lower ionization species, indicating that the turbulent velocity of the six outflow components (ranging from 0 to 3500 km/s) increases with $\xi$. Furthermore, we find that the $N_{\rm H}$ of the outflows generally declines with $\xi$ up to $\log \xi = 3.2$, but rises beyond this point, suggesting a complex ionization structure. Examination of the absorption profile of the Fe XXV resonance line reveals intriguing similarities to UV absorption lines (Ly$\alpha$ and C IV) observed by the HST, from which we infer that the outflows are clumpy in nature. Our XRISM/Resolve results support a 'hybrid wind' scenario, in which the outflows have multiple origins and driving mechanisms. We explore various interpretations of our findings within AGN wind models.

Millisecond magnetars, one of the potential candidates for the central engine of Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), can experience significant magnetic field enhancement shortly after their formation. In some cases, this evolution is further influenced by the accretion of stellar debris, which modifies the dipole magnetic field strength. During a hypercritical accretion phase that lasts seconds or longer after the progenitor explosion, a thin crust may form, submerging the magnetic field (the so-called magnetic burial scenario). Once hypercritical accretion ceases, the buried field can diffuse back through the crust, delaying the external dipole's reactivation. On the other hand, observations have shown that relativistic outflows ejected by these objects and decelerated by the circumburst environment cause a late and temporary emission known as afterglow. This work investigates how the submergence and subsequent reemergence of the magnetar magnetic field, on a few years timescales, affect the GRB afterglow dynamics. Specifically, we apply this phenomenological scenario to the late-time X-ray excess observed approximately three years post-burst in GW170817/GRB 170817A, exploring how the evolving magnetic field strength may contribute to this emission. Our modelling of GRB 170817A indicates that $\gtrsim90$ percent of the external dipole flux was initially buried, re-emerging on a timescale $\tau_{B}=3-40$ yr and restoring a surface field $B\simeq(2-5)\times10^{15}\,$G; the late-time X-ray brightening is far better reproduced by this scenario than by models without burial.

Historically, there is no doubt that the early years of the USSR space program put them way ahead of the competition (the USA). Nonetheless, although this was not what the Russians wished to present to the world, the interplanetary campaign, centred around missions to the planet Venus (the Venera program) was also beset with difficulties. Many of the early Venera probes failed, despite making it to a heliocentric orbit, but naturally the success rate improved with time. The result is that there are now many Venera probes in heliocentric orbits, either completely intact, or the main bus after a successful deployment of the lander; together with the associated Blok-L upper stages. This paper is a response to some previous quite contentious research proposing that a certain member of a new class of objects, designated $2005\ VL_1$ may in fact be the Venera-2 probe. In this paper we look into the invariance of the Earth Tisserand parameter in an attempt to establish if there are indeed any members of this class which could be Venera probes. It is found, with extremely small probability, that compared to a sample of randomly chosen NEOs, members of the class of Dark Comet have an Earth Tisserand unusually close to 3, a property shared by the Venera missions. Furthermore there are particular associations of 3 Dark Comets with 3 of these probes, the most significant being $2010\ RF_{12}$ with the Venera-12 mission

Imaging systematics refers to the inhomogeneous distribution of a galaxy sample caused by varying observing conditions and astrophysical foregrounds. Current mitigation methods correct the galaxy density fluctuations, caused by imaging systematics assuming that all galaxies in a sample have the same galaxy density fluctuations. Under this assumption, the corrected sample cannot perfectly recover the true correlation function. We name this effect sub-sample systematics. For a galaxy sample, even if its overall sample statistics (redshift distribution n(z), galaxy bias b(z)), are accurately measured, n(z), b(z) can still vary across the observed footprint. It makes the correlation function amplitude of galaxy clustering higher, while correlation functions for galaxy-galaxy lensing and cosmic shear do not have noticeable change. Such a combination could potentially degenerate with physical signals on small angular scales, such as the amplitude of galaxy clustering, the impact of neutrino mass on the matter power spectrum, etc. Sub-sample systematics, cannot be corrected using imaging systematics mitigation approaches that rely on the cross-correlation signal between imaging systematics maps and the observed galaxy density field. In this paper, we derive formulated expressions of sub-sample systematics, demonstrating its fundamental difference with other imaging systematics. We also provide several toy models to visualize this effect. Finally, we discuss the estimation and mitigation of sub-sample systematics, with a combination of synthetic source injection (SSI), analytical benchmarking on SSI, and self-organizing map.

The Sun is an important calibrator for the theory of stellar structure and evolution. However, the accuracy of our solar evolution models is tightly linked to the physical ingredients that enter their computations. This include, amongst other, the equation of state, the opacities, the transport of chemicals and the modelling of turbulent convection. Deriving model-independent probes of these ingredients is therefore crucial to further test the quality of these ingredients and potentially reveal their shortcomings using observational data. We aim at providing additional constraints on the thermodynamical properties of the solar plasma at the base of the solar convective zone using a revised helioseismic indicator mimicking the properties of the specific entropy in the envelope. We derive a revised entropy proxy for the solar convective envelope, directly accessible using helioseismic structure inversions. We then use solar evolutionary models with various modifications of input physics to study the properties of proxy of the entropy in the convective envelope. We find that the entropy proxy for the solar convective envelope allows to invalidate adiabatic overshooting as a solution to the solar modelling problem and strongly points towards the need for revised opacities. Our results show that this new indicator is a strong diagnostic of the overall evolution of the thermodynamical conditions at the base of the convective zone. The new entropy proxy indicator allows for a more accurate characterisation of the conditions at the base of the solar convective zone. While it already allows to rule out overshooting as a solution to the solar modelling problem, its sensitivity to the shape of the opacity modification and the evolution of the properties at the base of the convective zone makes it a powerful helioseismic diagnostic for solar models.

Context. The bright heads of penumbral filaments, penumbral grains (PGs), are manifestations of hot plasma flows rising to the surface. They are observed to move horizontally toward the sunspot umbra or away from it. Recent analyses of observations indicate that the direction of this motion is related to the inclination of the surrounding magnetic field. Aims. The penumbra of a sunspot simulated by the radiative magnetohydrodynamic code MURaM is analysed to get typical physical conditions in PGs, compare them to those in the surroundings, describe their spatial distribution, and study their evolution. Methods. We use time series of images that map intensity, temperature, magnetic field vector, and velocity vector in horizontal slices at the visible surface, in subsurface layers, and in vertical cuts through the simulation box to track PGs and compare, statistically and in individual cases, the physical quantities inside them with those in the surroundings. Results. The statistical analysis of simulation results provides average values of temperature, magnetic field strength and inclination, vertical velocity, and their changes with radial distance from the spot centre. We find a subtle difference between simulated PGs with opposite directions of motions when comparing the magnetic field inclinations inside and outside the PGs. The case studies, documented by movies, show that the differences of inclinations and the direction of motions may change during the lifetime of some PGs and that the turbulence in the surface layers introduces some randomness in the apparent motions of PGs.

We present a realistic simulation of an SKA-Low cosmic dawn/epoch of reionisation (CD/EoR) observation, which can be used to further the development of foreground-mitigation approaches. The simulation corresponds to a deep (1000 h) integration pointing over the 106 MHz-196 MHz frequency range. The sky components include the CD/EoR signal, extragalactic foreground emission featuring strong (over 5 Jy at 150 MHz) out-of-field sources and in-field sources down to 1 microJy at 150 MHz, and Galactic emission from the GSM2016 model complemented with small-scales structure beyond its native $\sim 1$ deg resolution from a magneto-hydrodynamic simulation of the interstellar medium. Modeled errors include a partial de-mixing of the out-of-field sources, direction-dependent calibration errors leading to residual ionospheric effects, and direction-independent gain calibration errors, on top of thermal noise. Simulated observations are delivered as visibilities as well as imaging products with natural weighting. The true, uncorrupted, CD/EoR signal is also delivered, to allow an assessment of the efficacy of foreground-mitigation approaches. The codes used to generate these simulations are also delivered, so that new simulated datasets can be produced. This simulation has been the basis for the SKA Science Data Challenge 3a (SDC3a), which addressed foreground removal.

We present a theoretical framework for the formation of X-ray linear polarization in black hole (BH) source. The X-ray linear polarization originates from up-scatterings of initially soft photons within a hot, optically thick Compton cloud (CC) characterized by a flat geometry. The IXPE observations of several BHs X-ray binaries and of one Seyfert-1 galaxy confirm our theoretical prediction regarding values of the linear polarization P. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that the main physical parameters of these Galactic and extragalactic sources can be derived without any free parameter using the polarization and X-ray spectral measurements. We estimate the CC optical depth, {\tau}0 for all BHs observed by IXPE, using the plot of P vs {\mu} = cos i, where i is an observer inclination with respect to the normal, and considering the values P for a given source. Using X ray spectral analysis, we obtain the photon index {\Gamma} and, analytically determined the CC plasma temperature kBTe. Different BHs (Cyg X 1, 4U 1630 47, LMC X 1, 4U 1957+115, Swift J1727.8 1613, GX 339 4) and the Seyfert 1 NGC 4151 exhibited polarization between 1 and 8 percent level nearly independently of energy. kBTe is in the range between 5 and 90 keV with a smaller value in High/Soft State with respect to Low/Hard State. We find a similarity between the physical parameter and the IXPE findings and we provide evidence suggesting that the CC exhibits a flat geometry.

Helioseismology has revolutionized our understanding of the Sun by analyzing its global oscillation modes. However, the solar core remains elusive, limiting a full understanding of its evolution. In this work, we study a previously unnoticed global oscillation mode of the Sun using a fully compressible, hydrodynamical simulation of the solar interior, and assess that it is a mixed $f$/$g$ mode with a period of about one hour. This is the first global stellar hydrodynamics simulation that successfuly couple compressible and gravity modes. To understand this coupling, we invoke a recent theory on the nature of $f$-modes seen through the prism of wave topology, characterizing their ability to propagate deep into stellar interiors. We demonstrate that the mixed $f$/$g$ mode is highly sensitive to the core's rotation rate, providing a new promising pathway to explore the Sun's core.

We report the identification of two statistically significant quasi-periodic oscillations in the weekly binned $\gamma$-ray light curve of the flat-spectrum radio quasar PKS 0805$-$07, observed by Fermi-LAT over the period MJD 59047.5-59740.5. By applying a suite of complementary time-series analysis techniques, we identify periodic signatures at approximately 255 and 112 days. These techniques include the Lomb-Scargle periodogram (LSP), Weighted Wavelet Z-transform (WWZ), REDFIT, Date-Compensated Discrete Fourier Transform (DCDFT), Phase Dispersion Minimization (PDM), and the String-length method. The reliability of these signals is supported by high local significance (> 99) in all methods and reinforced through phase-folding. Model selection using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) strongly supports a two-component periodic model. The detection of dual QPOs is rare among blazars and suggests complex variability mechanisms. Although a binary supermassive black hole (SMBH) scenario could be considered given the sources high redshift (z = 1.837), the short periodicities are difficult to reconcile with orbital motion unless invoking extreme parameters. Double-sine model fitting reveals that the oscillatory components have comparable amplitudes but are out of phase, suggesting a potential beating phenomenon due to interference. This amplitude-modulated variability is consistent with a geometric origin, most plausibly jet precession driven by Lense-Thirring torques, superimposed with a secondary process such as polar jet oscillation. Doppler factor modulation arising from these effects can account for the observed flux variations without requiring an unrealistically compact binary.

We fit the evolving X-ray spectra of the variable and fading source 2XMM J123103.2+110648 (J1231), which is an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) candidate. Recent X-ray timing studies have proposed that J1231's quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) observed at the peak of its X-ray lightcurve is a variant of the quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) observed in other sources. Here, we fit X-ray spectra from XMM-Newton, Swift, and Chandra using a slim disc model for the black hole's accretion disc, obtaining a best-fit black hole mass of ($6\pm3)\times10^{4}$ $M_\odot$ and spin of $>0.6$ at 2$\sigma$ confidence. This mass is consistent with past estimates, supporting the IMBH interpretation, and the spin measurement is new. Yet the nature of J1231 remains uncertain: its long-term variability (decade-long continuum evolution) could signal a tidal disruption event or active galactic nuclear variability. We find that the spectral evolution within the first three years after the source's detection can be well explained by either a varying disc accretion rate $\dot m$ or a varying disc inclination $\theta$. Meanwhile, we find that during the short-term variability (the QPO with a ~3.8hr period), each oscillation does not show the "hard-rise-soft-decay" typical of QPEs. We fit the average spectrum at the QPO lightcurve maxima and the average spectrum at its minima, finding that the spectral difference is well explained by $\dot m$ decreasing from peaks to valleys if $\theta<30^{\circ}$ and constant between all data epochs. This result suggests that the short-term QPO behaviour might also be driven by a varying disc $\dot m$.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful electromagnetic outbursts in the Universe and emit a vast amount of their energy in the form of gamma rays. Their duration is extremely short on cosmic timescales, but they show a wealth of time variability in their light curves. Properties of this variability may carry information about the processes the gamma rays emerge from, which are still poorly understood. This research investigates the redshift-corrected gamma-ray light curves of 159 long GRBs, observed with the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor on the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope between 2008 and 2023. We calculate the average power-density spectrum (PDS) of different groups of GRBs that are distinguished based on fluence, peak rate, duration, redshift, and the different GRB phases. Almost all redshift-corrected spectra reveal a power-law behavior with high-frequency power-law indices distributed around $\sim -1.9$. The precursor phase and redshift-corrected short bursts exhibit a shallower power law with index $\sim -1.3$, potentially due to the limited statistics that these samples represent. Only in some cases, the high-frequency index is still consistent with the $-5/3$ (Kolmogorov) slope, found by earlier studies and linked to the appearance of fully developed turbulence.

The aperture photometry method is a powerful tool that enables us to study large star cluster systems efficiently. However, its accuracy depends on various factors, including the stochasticity of the stellar initial mass function and variations in the sky background. Previously, in the eighth paper of this series, we established the best achievable limits of the aperture photometry method for star cluster studies in the local universe. The aim of this study is to determine how the sky background affects the limits and applicability of the aperture photometry method in star cluster analysis. We used a large sample of star cluster models spanning the parameter space of M 31 clusters. To determine how the background affects star cluster photometry, we placed images of simulated clusters into five background fields of different stellar density from the Panchromatic $Hubble$ Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey and measured them using aperture photometry. We determined age and mass limits for the M 31 disc star clusters at which photometric uncertainties are low enough to enable the determination of cluster parameters using the aperture photometry method. We demonstrated that for typical-size clusters, optimal aperture diameters are of ~3 half-light radii. We assessed cluster detection completeness in relation to varying sky background densities, based on the M 31 PHAT survey data. Our results suggest that a significant selection bias towards more compact clusters may exist in the PHAT survey. We derived low-mass limits of the cluster mass function (CMF) in the PHAT survey, reaching down to masses of ~500 $M_\odot$ in outer disc areas, ~1500 $M_\odot$ in middle disc or star-forming regions, and ~3000 $M_\odot$ in inner disc regions. Therefore, we stress a necessity of careful accounting for selection effects arising due to sky background variations when studying the CMF.

Previous ambient solar wind (SW) validation studies have reported on discrepancies between modeled and observed SW conditions at L1. They indicated that a major source of discrepancies stems from how we model the solar corona. Thus, enhancing predictive capabilities demands a thorough examination of coronal modeling. The Wang-Sheeley-Arge (WSA) model has been a workhorse model that provides the near-Sun SW conditions. An important component of it is the Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) model. This study analyzes 15 different Carrington Rotations(CRs), and presents detailed analysis of CR 2052 to identify WSA model settings that lead to successful and erroneous SW predictions at Earth. For the events studied, we show that increasing the models grid resolution improves the open-close boundary identification. This results in better predicting the onset and duration of high-speed streams (HSSs). In addition, we find an optimized source surface height (R$_{ss}$) (lying between 1.8-3.1 R$_{\odot}$) further enhances HSS prediction accuracy for the studied events. A detailed analysis shows that changes in R$_{ss}$, (a) changes the Great Circle Angular Distance (GCAD) maps (at the solar surface) of the associated coronal holes and (b) changes the foot-point locations of the magnetic connectivities to the sub-Earth locations. These factors change the near-Sun SW speed, that eventually leads to uncertainties in speeds near Earth. We also investigate the usefulness of coronal hole observations in constraining R$_{ss}$ and SW solutions at Earth, and highlight their underutilized value in guiding the selection of magnetic maps for improved ambient solar wind modeling at L1.

Accurate theoretical prediction for halo mass function across a broad cosmological space is crucial for the forthcoming China Space Station Telescope (CSST) observations, which will capture cosmological information from multiple probes, e.g., cluster abundance, and weak lensing. In this work, we quantify the percent-level impact of different mass binning schemes when measuring the differential halo mass function from simulations, and demonstrate that the cumulative form of the halo mass function is independent of the binning scheme. Through the recently finished Kun simulation suite, we propose a generalized framework to construct multiple accurate halo mass function emulators for different halo mass definitions, including $M_{200m}$, $M_{vir}$, and $M_{200c}$. This extends our CSST Emulator to provide fast and accurate halo mass function predictions for halo mass $M\geq 10^{12}\,h^{-1}M_{\odot}$ up to $z=3.0$. For redshifts $z\leq 1.0$, the accuracy is within $2\%$ for $M\leq 10^{13}\,h^{-1}M_{\odot}$, $5\%$ for $M\leq 10^{14}\,h^{-1}M_{\odot}$, and $10\%$ for $M\leq 10^{15}\,h^{-1}M_{\odot}$, which is comparable with the statistical errors of training simulations. This tool is integrated in CSST Emulator and publicly available at this https URL.

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is active in multi-messenger follow-ups of Gravitational Wave (GW) events. Since the release of the Gravitational Wave Transient Catalogue (GWTC)-2.1 by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) collaboration, sub-threshold GW candidates have been made publicly available. However, they were not followed up in real-time to search for neutrino counterparts. For a deeper understanding of these sub-threshold candidates, archival searches are essential. Finding evidence for a neutrino counterpart will enhance the astrophysical significance of these sub-threshold GW candidates and improve their localisation. Additionally, it will aid in better understanding possible thresholds on specific GW parameters, beyond which the sub-threshold GW candidates could also be promising multi-messenger sources. Thus, the search contributes to the ongoing efforts to establish correlations between astrophysical neutrinos and GW sources. Here, we present the current status of this ongoing work with the IceCube neutrino data.

We present a catalog of 8,440 candidate very metal-poor (VMP; [Fe/H] < -2.0) main-sequence turn-off (MSTO) and red giant stars in the Milky Way, identified from low-resolution spectra in LAMOST DR10. More than 7,000 of these candidates are brighter than G ~ 16, making them excellent targets for high-resolution spectroscopic follow-up with 4-10 meter-class telescopes. Unlike most previous studies, we employed an empirical calibration to estimate metallicities from the equivalent widths (EWs) of the Calcium Triplet (CaT) lines, taking advantage of the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the red arm of LAMOST spectra. We further refined this calibration to improve its reliability for more distant stars. This method enables robust identification of VMP candidates with metallicities as low as [Fe/H] = -4.0 among both MSTO and red giant stars. Comparisons with metal-poor samples from other spectroscopic surveys and high-resolution follow-up observations confirm the accuracy of our estimates, showing a typical median offset of ~0.1 dex and a standard deviation of ~0.2 dex.

We conduct a systematic survey of X-ray sources in the inner ($r\sim200$ kpc) region of the Antlia cluster based on \Chandra observations, down to a source detection limit of $ L(0.5\text{--}8\ \mathrm{keV})\sim4.2\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{ph\ cm^{-2}\ s^{-1}}$ ($2\times10^{38}\ \mathrm{erg\ s^{-1}}$). We present an X-ray source catalog with 202 sources and provide their coordinates, multi-band flux information and hardness ratios. We find a statistically significant excess at a significance level of $4.2\sigma$ with 37.6 excess sources beyond three times the mean effective radius of the two BCGs. This implies that these excess sources could be a genuine intracluster X-ray population that is not associated with the bulk stellar component. Also, the increased number of excess sources in the fields containing a BCG implies a potential connection between the excess sources and BCGs. The discovery of these sources in the Antlia cluster, together with previous research of similar findings in other two nearby clusters, Virgo and Fornax, indicates that the intracluster X-ray population could be universal in nearby galaxy clusters. Furthermore, we discuss the candidate origins of the excess sources, including low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) associated with intracluster light (ICL-LMXBs), LMXBs in globular clusters (GC-LMXBs) and supernova-kicked LMXBs (SN-kicked LMXBs). We estimate the contribution of ICL-LMXBs, which should include the LMXBs relating with the stellar halo surrounding BCGs, are unlikely to dominate the intracluster X-ray population in Antlia. Meanwhile, GC-LMXBs and SN-kicked LMXBs, each component could contribute $\sim30\%$ to the total excess sources.

We present the Virtual Research Assistant (VRA) of the ATLAS sky survey which performs preliminary eyeballing on our clean transient data stream. The VRA uses Histogram Based Gradient Boosted Decision Tree Classifiers trained on real data to score incoming alerts on two axes: "Real" and "Galactic". The alerts are then ranked using a geometric distance such that the most "Real" and "Extra-galactic" receive high scores; the scores are updated when new light curve data is obtained on subsequent visits. To assess the quality of the training we use the Recall at rank K, which is more informative to our science goal than general metrics such as accuracy or F1-Scores. We also establish benchmarks for our metric based on the pre-VRA eyeballing strategy, to ensure our models provide notable improvements before being added to the ATLAS pipeline. Finally, policies are defined on the ranked list to select the most promising alerts for humans to eyeball and to automatically remove the bogus alerts. In production the VRA method has resulted in a reduction in eyeballing workload by 85% with a loss of follow-up opportunity <0.08%. It also allows us to automatically trigger follow-up observations with the Lesedi telescope, paving the way to automated methods that will be required in the era of LSST.

The Surface Array Enhancement of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory is set to equip the existing surface cosmic-ray array of ice-Cherenkov detectors, IceTop, with radio antennas and scintillation detectors. This can lower the energy threshold of detection and increase the measurement accuracy of IceTop. The antenna readout uses a multiplicity trigger from the scintillation detectors. A fully functioning prototype station of the enhancement was deployed at the South Pole in 2020 and upgraded in 2023, and provides a pathway for the future IceCube-Gen2 surface array detector. Previous results include air-shower searches with existing data using traditional and machine learning methods and a preliminary estimation of $X_\mathrm{max}$. The detection methods for radio involving multi-detector components are described and the latest results are presented.

The nature of dark matter remains one of the most fundamental and unresolved questions in modern cosmology. In most cosmological models, dark matter is typically modeled as pressureless dust with an equation of state (EoS) parameter $w_{\rm dm} = 0$. However, there is no fundamental theoretical reason to exclude the possibility of a non-zero dark matter EoS parameter. In this work, we explore the possibility of a non-zero dark matter EoS within the phenomenologically emergent dark energy (PEDE) model, given its simplicity and proven ability to alleviate the Hubble tension. We perform observational constraints by using the latest baryon acoustic oscillation data from DESI DR2, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) data from Planck, and the type Ia supernova data from DESY5 and PantheonPlus. From our analysis, we observe that a negative dark matter EoS parameter is preferred in all scenarios. Specifically, the CMB+DESI+DESY5 data yields $w_{\mathrm{dm}} = -0.00093 \pm 0.00032$, deviating from zero at approximately the $3\sigma$ level. However, this deviation is likely driven by unidentified systematics or inconsistencies in the DESY5 data, with the deviation decreasing to $2\sigma$ when using PantheonPlus data. Meanwhile, a negative $w_{\rm dm}$ would increase the Hubble tension due to the positive degeneracy between $w_{\rm dm}$ and $H_0$. Furthermore, Bayesian evidence suggests that the $\Lambda$CDM model is strongly preferred over the PEDE+$w_{\rm dm}$ model. These analyses illustrate that it is not possible to both support a non-cold dark matter component within the PEDE model and alleviate the Hubble tension simultaneously.

Stellar accretion plays an important role in the early stages of stellar evolution, particularly in Classical T Tauri Stars (CTTSs). Accretion of a CTTS can be related to different physical parameters such as effective temperature (T$_{\text{eff}}$), age, abundance of hydrogen, etc. We can infer how accretion works by examining it across different wavelength regions. Accretion can be traced using veiling, a parameter that measures how excess emission from accretion affects the photospheric spectrum of CTTS. In this study, we selected a sample of CTTSs, Weak-line T Tauri Stars (WTTSs), and field stars, observed as a part of the SDSS-V Milky Way Mapper using the BOSS spectrograph. We measured veiling for CTTSs through comparing them to theoretical spectra. Next, we assessed the effect of veiling on different stellar properties, including wavelength, H$\alpha$ emission, effective temperature, and age. We investigated how veiling changes with these parameters and what the physical reasons behind the changes can be. Finally, we evaluated how our findings align with existing accretion shock models. This study highlights veiling as a critical diagnostic tool for understanding accretion in young stars.

The Sun is a powerful source of radio emissions, so much so that, unlike most celestial sources, this emission can dominate the system noise of radio telescopes. We outline the theory of noise in maps formed by Fourier synthesis techniques at radio wavelengths, with a focus on self-noise: that is, noise due to the source itself. As a means of developing intuition we consider noise for the case of a single dish, a two-element interferometer, and an n-element array for simple limiting cases. We then turn to the question of the distribution of noise on a map of an arbitrary source observed at radio wavelengths by an n-element interferometric array. We consider the implications of self-noise for observations of the Sun in a companion paper.

We study the cooling evolution of neutron stars with strong poloidal magnetic fields (with strength not far from observed values) using the full general relativity 2-dimensional \textit{Astreus} code, which solves consistently Einstein's and Maxwell's equations. We find that central magnetic fields with strengths $3-4\times10^{17}$ G, corresponding to surface magnetic fields $7-8\times10^{16}$, can significantly modify the cooling behavior of neutron stars, leading to stars with similar masses but different magnetic fields to exhibit different thermal evolution. We show a non-linear increase in the thermal relaxation time with increasing magnetic fields and that this behavior is associated with the reduction of the Direct Urca process in stars with strong magnetic fields. This is a novel result in which we can observe the magnetic field influence on the thermal evolution of stars, even if it is not strong enough to affect the Fermi distribution of particles.

Noise in images of strong celestial sources at radio wavelengths using Fourier synthesis arrays can be dominated by the source itself, so-called self-noise. We outlined the theory of self-noise for strong sources in a companion paper. Here we consider the case of noise in maps of radio emission from the Sun which, as we show, is always dominated by self noise. We consider several classes of science use cases for current and planned arrays designed to observe the Sun in order to understand limitations imposed by self-noise. We focus on instruments operating at decimeter and centimeter wavelengths but the results are applicable to other wavelength regimes.

XPoSat is India's first X-ray spectro-polarimetry mission, consisting of two co-aligned instruments, a polarimeter (POLIX) and a spectrometer (XSPECT), to study the X-ray emission from celestial sources. Since polarimetry is a photon-hungry technique, the mission is designed to observe sources for long integration times (~ few days to weeks). This provides an unique opportunity, enabling XSPECT to carry out long-term monitoring of sources, and study their spectro-temporal evolution. To ensure that the instrument is able to fulfill its scientific objectives, it was extensively calibrated on-ground. Post launch, these calibrations were validated using on-board observations. Additionally, some aspects of the instrument such as alignment and effective area were also derived and fine-tuned from in-flight data. In this paper, we describe the calibration of XSPECT instrument in detail, including some initial results derived from its data to establish its capabilities.

The Milky Way is home to a thin disk that can be defined via kinematics and/or elemental abundances. The elemental abundance-defined thin disk, also called the low-alpha disk, is generally thought to be comprised of stars on planar, circular orbits that approximate the circular velocity curve. While this is an apt description for the majority of stars with thin-disk-like abundances, there are a number of interesting exceptions. In this analysis, we identify and investigate $\sim 70$ stars with thin-disk-like abundances and very slow or retrograde Galactocentric azimuthal velocities. These stars could be kinematical outliers of the thin disk or elemental abundance outliers of the halo. Focusing first on the former, we introduce a number of mechanisms that could alter a thin disk orbit and cause the azimuthal velocity to become slow or retrograde. We then determine signatures for each mechanism and assess whether that mechanism is unlikely, plausible, or consistent given each star's reported properties. We find that at least one mechanism is plausible for each star, and the mechanism with the highest number of consistent candidate stars is dynamical ejection from stellar clusters. We next discuss scenarios that could produce halo stars with thin disk abundances, and again identify stars that could be connected to these mechanisms. With this sample we investigate rare processes, such as binary disruption by the central supermassive black hole, while also providing a unique perspective into the chemo-dynamics and structural components of the Milky Way.

The excitation sources in galaxies are frequently mixed due to AGN and stellar feedback, including star formation, active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and shock excitation. Disentangling the star formation, AGN, and shocks in galaxy integral-field spectra (IFU) at optical wavelengths is crucial to expanding the galaxy sample for AGN and stellar feedback studies, given the lack of multiwavelength observations for most of the galaxies that are observed in optical wavelengths. Previous methods to address this issue either have a limited application range or are highly uncertain in separating AGN from shock excitation (D'Agostino et al. 2019; Johnston et al. 2023). Here, we propose a theoretical three-dimensional (3D) diagram. This theoretical 3D diagram overcomes the limitations of previous methods and can simultaneously separate star formation, AGNs, and shocks in active galaxies. Along with the separation, the new theoretical 3D diagram also constrains the gas metallicity, ionization parameter, and gas pressure within the galaxy. By applying the Very Large Telescope (VLT)/MUSE IFU data and the Wide Field Spectrograph IFU data for NGC5728 on the theoretical 3D diagram, we find a star-forming ring surrounding the galaxy center with a projected radius of $\sim$1 kpc in the sky plane, an AGN ionized-bicone extended up to $\sim$2 kpc from the nuclear center, and a fast shock dominated disk region at the base of the AGN outflow, which is likely associated with a nuclear accretion disk or a result of jet-ISM interaction. The theoretical 3D diagram opens a new window to study the interplay among star formation, AGN, and shocks in active galaxies.

Mechanisms such as collisions of rocky bodies or cometary activity give rise to dusty debris disks. Debris disks trace the leftover building blocks of planets, and thus also planetary composition. HD 172555, a stellar twin of beta Pic, hosts a debris disk thought to have resulted from a giant collision. It is known for its extreme mid-infrared silica dust feature, indicating a warm population of silica-rich grains in the asteroid belt (~5 au), cold CO observed by ALMA, and small bodies evaporating as they approach close to the star. Our JWST MIRI/MRS observations now reveal emission from an inner gaseous disk (<0.5 au) that arises from the evaporation of close-in material. For the first time in a debris disk, we detect neutral atomic chlorine and sulfur, as well as ionized nickel. We recovered the neutral sulfur line in ~20-year-old Spitzer data, showing it is long-lived and stable. Ionized iron, previously seen only in beta Pic, is also detected. All lines are broadened by Keplerian rotation, pinpointing the gas location. The HD 172555 system serves as a unique laboratory to study the composition of planetesimals, asteroids, and comets beyond the Solar System. The comparison to beta Pic reveals, that the gas in HD 172555 is hotter, closer to the star, and poor in argon -- suggesting it originates from evaporating rocky bodies near the star, while beta Pic's gas may trace volatile-rich bodies from larger separations.

Traditional Planckian Interacting Dark Matter (PIDM), which interacts exclusively through gravity, typically requires heavy DM candidates (with mass $10^3-10^{15}$ GeV) and very high reheating temperature ($T_{\rm rh}\gtrsim 10^{15}$ GeV). In this article, we explore a novel realization of PIDM in warped five-dimensions, consisting of an "Ultra Violet"$-$"Dark"$-$"Infra Red" (UV-DB-IR) brane setup, where the DM can be a Dark brane composite light state with mass 1 MeV $-$ 1 TeV. The DM sector is assumed to interact solely via gravity in five-dimensions. After orbifolding and performing a Kaluza-Klein (KK) decomposition, the DM is assumed to be localized onto the DB, which is positioned in the extra-dimension such that the DM interacts with both the massless graviton and its massive KK excitations, with suppressed couplings to remain consistent with the ethos of the PIDM framework. The light (heavy) Standard Model matter is assumed to be localized near UV (IR) branes for the geometric Froggatt-Nielsen mechanism, while their KK modes are localized close to the IR brane. We show that this construction allows for a viable and efficient freeze-in production mechanism for light composite PIDM, consistent with TeV-scale reheating temperature.

We explore the diverse cosmological histories of a dark sector that is connected to the Standard Model (SM) via a Dirac sterile neutrino. The dark sector consists of a complex scalar and a Dirac fermion dark matter (DM) candidate protected by a global $U(1)$ stabilizing symmetry. Assuming the dark sector has negligible initial abundance and is populated from reactions in the SM thermal plasma during the radiation era, we show that the cosmological histories of the dark sector fall into four qualitatively distinct scenarios, each one characterized by the strengths of the portal couplings involving the sterile neutrino mediator. By solving Boltzmann equations, both semi-analytically and numerically, we explore these thermal histories and transitions between them in detail, including the time evolution of the temperature of the dark sector and the number densities of its ingredients. We also discuss how these various histories may be probed by cosmology, direct detection, indirect detection, collider searches, and electroweak precision tests.

We propose using qumodes, quantum bosonic modes, for detecting high-frequency gravitational waves via the inverse Gertsenshtein effect, where a gravitational wave resonantly converts into a single photon in a magnetized cavity. For an occupation number $n$ of the photon field in a qumode, the conversion probability is enhanced by a factor of $n+1$ due to Bose-Einstein statistics. Unlocking this increased sensitivity entails the ability to continuously prepare the qumode and perform non-demolition measurement on the qumode-qubit system within the qumode coherence time. Our results indicate that, at microwave frequencies and with existing technology, the proposed setup can attain sensitivities within 1.7 orders of magnitude of the cosmological bound. With anticipated near-future improvements, it has the potential to surpass this limit and pave the way for the first exploration of high-frequency cosmological gravitational wave backgrounds. At optical frequencies, it can enhance the sensitivity of current detectors by one order of magnitude. That further enhances their potential in reaching the single-graviton level.

Observations of gravitational-wave signals emitted by compact binary inspirals provide unique insights into their properties, but their analysis requires accurate and efficient waveform models. Intermediate- and extreme-mass-ratio inspirals (I/EMRIs), with mass ratios $q \gtrsim 10^2$, are promising sources for future detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Modelling waveforms for these asymmetric-mass binaries is challenging, entailing the tracking of many harmonic modes over thousands to millions of cycles. The FastEMRIWaveforms (FEW) modelling framework addresses this need, leveraging precomputation of mode data and interpolation to rapidly compute adiabatic waveforms for eccentric inspirals into zero-spin black holes. In this work, we extend FEW to model eccentric equatorial inspirals into black holes with spin magnitudes $|a| \leq 0.999$. Our model supports eccentricities $e < 0.9$ and semi-latus recta $p < 200$, enabling the generation of long-duration IMRI waveforms, and produces waveforms in $\sim 100$ ms with hardware acceleration. Characterising systematic errors, we estimate that our model attains mismatches of $\sim 10^{-5}$ (for LISA sensitivity) with respect to error-free adiabatic waveforms over most of parameter space. We find that kludge models introduce errors in signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) as great as $^{+60\%}_{-40\%}$ and induce marginal biases of up to $\sim 1\sigma$ in parameter estimation. We show LISA's horizon redshift for I/EMRI signals varies significantly with $a$, reaching a redshift of $3$ ($15$) for EMRIs (IMRIs) with only minor $(\sim10\%)$ dependence on $e$ for an SNR threshold of 20. For signals with SNR $\sim 50$, spin and eccentricity-at-plunge are measured with uncertainties of $\delta a \sim 10^{-7}$ and $\delta e_f \sim 10^{-5}$. This work advances the state-of-the-art in waveform generation for asymmetric-mass binaries.

We theoretically discuss quantum tunneling transport and frictions at a hadron-quark matter interface based on the Schwinger-Keldysh approach combined with the tunneling Hamiltonian, which has been developed in the context of condensed matter physics. In the inner core of massive neutron stars, it is expected that cold quark matter appears at sufficiently high densities and hence exhibits color superconductivity, surrounded by nucleon superfluids at lower densities. The perturbative expressions of the tunneling current and the friction at the interface are obtained in terms of the non-equilibrium Green's functions. We demonstrate the DC Josephson current that occurs at the hadron-quark superfluid interface in the present scheme. Our framework can be applied to various conflagrations involving the interfaces relevant to astrophysical phenomena.

Ultralight dark matter (ULDM) is an attractive candidate for cold dark matter, one of the main mysterious components of the Universe. Recent studies suggest that gravitational-wave (GW) laser interferometers can also detect bosonic ULDM fields, which would produce monochromatic signals resembling those from gravitational waves (GWs). Distinguishing between these potential origins therefore would be essential. In this work, we develop a method to address this challenge for space-based GW interferometers (such as LISA and Taiji) by utilizing the null-response channel (NRC) in interferometric combinations, a channel constructed to have zero response to a specific type of source from a given direction. We find that while the GW NRC remains blind to GWs from a specific direction, it still responds to ULDM, particularly at frequencies above the interferometer's critical frequency. The ULDM NRC exhibits similar behavior. Based on these observations, we outline a test procedure to discriminate between signal origins. Our method provides a new diagnostic tool for analyzing monochromatic signals in space-based GW interferometers, potentially expanding the scientific scope of future missions.

In recent years, the shape of the photon ring in black holes images has been argued to provide a sharp test of the Kerr hypothesis for future black hole imaging missions. In this work, we confront this proposal to beyond Kerr geometries and investigate the degeneracy in the estimations of the black hole parameters using the circlipse shape proposed by Gralla and Lupsasca. To that end, we consider a model-independent parametrization of the deviations to the Kerr black hole geometry, dubbed Kerr off shell (KOS), which preserves the fundamental symmetry structure of Kerr known as the Killing tower. Besides exhibiting a Killing tensor and thus a Carter-like constant, all the representants of this family also possess a Killing-Yano tensor and are of Petrov type D. The allowed deviations to Kerr, selected by the symmetry, are encoded in two free functions which depend respectively on the radial and polar angle coordinates. Using the symmetries, we provide an analytic study of the radial and polar motion of photon trajectories generating the critical curve, to which the subrings composing the photon ring converge. This allows us to derive a ready-to-use closed formula for the parametric critical curve in term of the free functions parametrizing the deviations to Kerr. Using this result, we confront the circlipse fitting function to four examples of Kerr-like objects and we show that it admits a high degree of degeneracy. At a given inclination, the same circlipse can fit both a Kerr black hole of a given mass and spin $(M,a)$ or a modified rotating black hole with different mass and spin parameters $(M,a)$ and a new parameter $\alpha$. Therefore, future tests of the Kerr hypothesis could be achieved only provided one can measure independently the mass and spin of the black hole to break this degeneracy.