Papers for Monday, Jul 28 2025

We report the experimental results of a serially conjoined nuller system, which combines a type of Lyot coronagraph with a fiber nuller. The utilized one-dimensional diffraction-limited coronagraph (1DDLC) has promising features (binary nuller, small inner working angles (IWAs)). Still, it has a performance that is highly sensitive to spectral bandwidth and tilt aberrations. Nevertheless, for the 1DDLC, wavelengths other than the design wavelength introduce leaks with a flat wavefront on the Lyot-stop plane, preserving the same complex amplitude profile as an on-axis point source. This property supports the concept of serially coupling additional nullers after the 1DDLC. The fiber-nulling unit employs a Lyot-plane mask, relay optics (1/100$\times$), and a single-mode fiber. The Lyot-plane mask splits the incoming beam -- comprising leakage from the 1DDLC and planetary light -- into four beams so that, in principle, the on-axis single-mode fiber does not couple with the on-axis leak from the 1DDLC. For the wavelength 6-\% less than the coronagraph's design-center wavelength, we confirmed the contrast mitigation ability of $3.5 \times 10^{-5}$, which is about 1/20 times the value of the case with only 1DDLC. The resultant value approximately reaches the 1DDLC's contrast mitigation ability at the design center wavelength demonstrated in the previous study, suggesting that the combined system works robustly against the broad spectral bandwidth. Future work needs to address the demonstration of the anticipated robustness for the contrast-mitigation level lower than about $10^{-5}$.

The Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) is chartered by the NASA Astrophysics Division to carry out science, research, and technology tasks that advance NASA's science goals for exoplanets. The ExEP Science Gap List is a compilation of "science gaps", defined as either: 1) The difference between knowledge needed to define requirements for specified future NASA exoplanet missions and the current state of the art, or 2) Knowledge which is needed to enhance the exoplanet science return of current and future NASA exoplanet missions. It is annually updated and input is solicited from the exoplanet community via ExoPAG. Current gaps are: 1) Spectroscopic observations of the atmospheres of small exoplanets, 2) Modeling exoplanet atmospheres, 3) Spectral signature retrieval, 4) Planetary system architectures: occurrence rates for exoplanets of all sizes, 5) Occurrence rates and uncertainties for temperate rocky planets, 6) Yield estimation for exoplanet direct imaging missions, 7) Intrinsic properties of known exoplanet host stars, 8) Mitigating stellar jitter as a limitation to sensitivity of dynamical methods to detect small temperate exoplanets and measure their masses and orbits, 9) Dynamical confirmation of exoplanet candidates and determination of their masses and orbits, 10) Observations and analyses of direct imaging targets, 11) Understanding the abundance and distribution of exozodiacal dust, 12) Measurements of accurate transiting planet radii, 13) Properties of atoms, molecules and aerosols in exoplanet atmospheres, 14) Exoplanet interior structure and material properties, 15) Quantify and mitigate the impacts of stellar contamination on transmission spectroscopy for measuring the composition of exoplanet atmospheres, 16) Complete the inventory of remotely observable exoplanet biosignatures and their false positives, 17) Understanding planet formation and disk properties.

It is believed that the radio pulsars rotating at spin periods of about 30 millisecond or even lower got such high spins through the transfer of angular momentum by accreting matter from their binary companions (or past companions) in the past. Around 35% of MSPs are known to be isolated, some of the which might actually be in binaries - either not timed very well to obtain the signature of the orbit or in extremely wide binaries that can be revealed only through very accurate timing, as in the case of PSR J1024-0719. This has motivated an exercise to identify probable candidates of companions of MSPs in the Galactic field. This exercise has even the potential of discovering optical emission from MSPs themselves. Discovery of any possible binary companion will be followed by motivated pulsar timing campaigns to confirm the binary nature and to constrain orbital parameters.

The Be/X-ray binary pulsar RX J0440.9+4431 underwent a giant outburst in late 2022 and lasted three months. The Insight-HXMT has observed this source at several instances of the entire outburst in 2022-2023. We used these bright outburst observations of the pulsar to study its X-ray spectral and timing variability. The pulse profiles obtained at similar luminosity during the progress and declining phases of the outburst show a similar shape this http URL the increase in source luminosity, the complex pulse profile with multiple peaks at low luminosity becomes a single peaked pulse profile at the high luminosity at the outburst peak. The phase-averaged spectra of the pulsar in 1-120 keV are explained with an absorbed cutoff power-law continuum model. During the outburst phases, we have found the evidence of a cyclotron resonance scattering feature in the spectra varying in energies ($\sim$ 33.6- 41.6 keV) having broad linewidth > 5 keV . In declining phases of the outburst, we have also found the hints of first cyclotron harmonic varying in 65-75 keV . The application of thermal and bulk Comptonization model to the phase-averaged and phase-resolved spectra reveals a high surface magnetic field ($B \sim 10^{13}$ G) for the pulsar.

This note presents a practical formulation for constructing weight maps in CCD photometry, accounting for various noise contributions under the assumption of statistical independence. We provide complete equations for both electron-count and ADU-based imaging data, along with simplified expressions for different observational conditions.

The report presents a comprehensive set of five recommendations to reduce language barriers within the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Research Ecosystem, promoting greater inclusion of researchers who are speakers of English as an additional language. Recognizing that English linguistic hegemony in science limits participation and productivity, the document proposes multilingual presentation formats, academic writing training, a Virtual Writing Center, language support programs, and writing retreats. Each recommendation is grounded in both pedagogical theory and empirical evidence, with an emphasis on collaborative, socially embedded approaches to scientific writing. The proposed academic writing training integrates constructivist and socio-cultural perspectives, emphasizing genre awareness, rhetorical competence, and reflective practices. The Virtual Writing Center would serve as a permanent infrastructure offering personalized tutoring and peer review support, while the language support programs address ongoing needs through workshops, consultations, and access to language tools. Writing retreats provide immersive environments for focused work and mentorship. The recommendations also encourage ethical use of AI tools for translation and writing assistance, fostering digital literacy alongside linguistic proficiency. Collectively, these initiatives aim to transform language from a barrier into a resource, recognizing multilingualism as an asset in global research collaboration. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, the document advocates for adaptable, community-driven strategies that can evolve within the diverse institutional and disciplinary contexts of the Rubin Research Ecosystem. By implementing these practices, the Ecosystem could lead efforts to democratize scientific communication and foster a more equitable, multilingual research culture.

Recent results from the ACT collaboration indicate a higher value for the scalar spectral index, with $n_s = 0.9743 \pm 0.0034$, which sets tighter constraints on inflationary models, and these shifts are not in favor of many pre existing scenarios, including the widely studied and accepted standard Starobinsky model. In this paper, we examine the fractional power scalar potential within the framework of Einstein Gauss Bonnet (EGB) gravity, incorporating standard slow roll approximation. The EGB theory, motivated by higher dimensional models, introduces quadratic curvature corrections and a coupling between the scalar field and the Gauss Bonnet term, thereby modifying the cosmological dynamics. The results show good agreement with observational data, placing the predictions within the $1 \sigma$ region of the ACT $r-n_s$ constraint plot. Furthermore, incorporating the running of the scalar spectral index reinforces the models consistency with observational bounds. We also explore the parameter space of the EGB couplings and identify the range of free parameters for which the results of $n_s$ and $r$ values remain within the $1 \sigma$ region of the ACT constraints. Finally, we also investigate the reheating phase, demonstrating that the model not only agrees with ACT data but also satisfies the lower bound on the reheating temperature, thereby ensuring a consistent and viable cosmological scenario.

The Vast Polar Structure (VPOS) is a thin, planar arrangement of co-orbiting dwarf galaxies, nearly perpendicular to the Milky Way (MW) disc. In this work we investigate the persistence and stability of the VPOS over time. We identify VPOS member galaxies and integrate their orbits over the past 5 Gyr using time evolving gravitational potentials that account for the mutual interaction between the MW and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The reconstructed trajectories allow us to examine the long-term evolution of the VPOS. We identify 15 galaxies as members of the VPOS, including 9 MW and 6 LMC satellites. We find that the VPOS has remained a stable structure, maintaining a roughly constant thickness ($\sim$ 15 kpc), flattening ($c/a \sim$ 0.2), and orientation over time. The VPOS is not a transient alignment, but a long-lived planar structure in the MW system, that has persisted for at least the last 5 Gyrs and predates the recent LMC infall. While the LMC exerts a strong gravitational influence on the MW satellites, its impact on the VPOS is limited, leading only to mild perturbations. The structural properties of the VPOS remain almost unchanged, whether or not LMC satellites are included in the analysis, indicating a smooth dynamical integration with the rest of VPOS members upon entering the MW virial radius. This minimal dynamical impact on the VPOS results from the remarkable alignment between the LMC's orbit and the plane's orientation. We conclude that the VPOS is a stable, long-lived structure that predates the recent infall of the LMC and retains nearly constant structural properties over the last 5 Gyrs. Our findings suggest a strong connection between the VPOS and the LMC, consistent with a scenario in which the LMC is on its second pericentre and the VPOS originated primarily from satellites stripped during the first passage.

Galactic high-velocity clouds (HVCs) are known to be complex, multiphase systems consisting of neutral and/or ionized gas moving at high velocities relative to the rotation of the disk. In this work, we investigate Milky Way-like galaxies from the TNG50 simulation to characterize the properties, morphology, and accretion rates of the warm and hot ionized material comoving with neutral HVCs visible in HI. We find that the ionized gas forms an envelope around the neutral material, and in most cases (73% of the HVCs) it is prolate in morphology. We also find that the ionized mass is ~6 times greater than the neutral mass, which leads to significantly more accretion possible from the ionized gas ($\dot{M}_\mathrm{ion}$) than the neutral gas ($\dot{M}_\mathrm{neut}$), consistent with estimates made from observations of our own Galaxy. We investigate the accretion rates from both phases of HVCs around 47 Milky Way-like galaxies and find that $\dot{M}_\mathrm{ion}$ scales with $\dot{M}_\mathrm{neut}$, and both scale with the star formation rate of the galaxy. Finally, we find that, on average, $\dot{M}_\mathrm{ion}$ could account for 81% of the galactic star formation rate (assuming the material can sufficiently cool and condense), while $\dot{M}_\mathrm{neut}$ can only balance 11%. Thus, the diffuse, ionized, high-velocity circumgalactic medium plays a defining role in the evolution and growth of galaxies at low redshift.

Interstellar ices play a fundamental role in the physical and chemical evolution of molecular clouds and star-forming regions, yet their large-scale distribution and abundance remain challenging to map. In this work, I present the ice color excess method, which parametrizes the peak optical depth ($\tau_{3.0}^{\mathrm{max}}$) of the prominent 3$\mu$m absorption feature, which is predominantly caused by the presence of solid H$_2$O. The method builds on well-established near-infrared color excess techniques and uses widely available infrared broadband photometry. Through detailed evaluation of passband combinations and a comprehensive error analysis, I construct the ice color excess metric $\Lambda(W_1 - I_1)$. This parameter emerges as the optimal choice that minimizes systematic errors while leveraging high-quality, widely available photometry from Spitzer and WISE data archives. To calibrate the method, I compile from the literature a sample of stars located in the background of nearby molecular clouds, for which spectroscopically measured optical depths are available. The empirical calibration yields a remarkably tight correlation between $\tau_{3.0}^{\mathrm{max}}$ and $\Lambda(W_1 - I_1)$. This photometric technique opens a new avenue for tracing the icy component of the interstellar medium on Galactic scales, providing a powerful complement to spectroscopic surveys and enabling new insights into the environmental dependence of the formation and evolution of icy dust grains.

Silicate clouds are known to significantly impact the spectra of late L-type brown dwarfs, with observable absorption features at ~ 10 micron. JWST has reopened our window to the mid-infrared with unprecedented sensitivity, bringing the characterization of silicates into focus again. Using JWST, we characterize the planetary-mass brown dwarf PSO J318.5338-22.8603, concentrating on any silicate cloud absorption the object may exhibit. PSO J318's spectrum is extremely red, and its flux is variable, both of which are likely hallmarks of cloud absorption. We present JWST NIRSpec PRISM, G395H, and MIRI MRS observations from 1-18 micron. We introduce a method based on PSO J318's brightness temperature to generate a list of cloud species that are likely present in its atmosphere. We then test for their presence with petitRADTRANS retrievals. Using retrievals and grids from various climate models, we derive bulk parameters from PSO J318's spectra, which are mutually compatible. Our retrieval results point to a solar to slightly super-solar atmospheric C/O, a slightly super-solar metallicity, and a 12C/13C below ISM values. The atmospheric gravity proves difficult to constrain for both retrievals and grid models. Retrievals describing the flux of PSO J318 by mixing two 1-D models (``two-column models'') appear favored over single-column models; this is consistent with PSO J318's variability. The JWST spectra also reveal a pronounced absorption feature at 10 micron. This absorption is best reproduced by introducing a high-altitude cloud layer of small (<0.1 micron), amorphous SiO grains. The retrieved particle size and location of the cloud is consistent with SiO condensing as cloud seeding nuclei. High-altitude clouds comprised of small SiO particles have been suggested in previous studies, therefore the SiO nucleation we potentially observe in PSO J318 could be a more wide-spread phenomenon.

On July 2, 2025, the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray space telescope detected three short-duration MeV transients with overlapping sky locations. These events, named as GRB 250702D, B, and E (collectively referred to as DBE), triggered the detector with delays of approximately 1-2 hours between each burst. Follow-up observations of this unusually long MeV transient (lasting >3 hours) by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array over a period of 10 days revealed a steep temporal decline in soft X-rays ($\propto t^{-1.9 \pm 0.1}$). These characteristics are consistent with the scenario in which DBE arises from a relativistic jet launched after the tidal disruption of a star by a compact object. In the relativistic Tidal Disruption Event (TDE) scenario, DBE is the first one with detected MeV $\gamma$-ray emission. We show that the time-resolved MeV spectra during the outbursts are best described by a single power-law, $dN_{\gamma}/dE \propto E^{-1.5}$, extending from 10 keV to 40 MeV. The upper limits at higher energies ($>$ 100 MeV) indicate that the spectrum breaks at $10-100$ MeV. From standard MeV $\gamma$-ray transparency arguments, we derive a lower limit on the jet bulk Lorentz factor. These constraints place DBE in the same category as four previously reported relativistic TDEs in terms of outburst luminosity and energetics. We discuss the origin of the MeV emission in several scenarios, including synchrotron and inverse Compton cooling of electrons accelerated in the jet.

Using high-resolution AthenaK simulations of a twisted toroidal flux tube, we study the flux emergence of magnetic structures in the shear layer of a hot massive neutron star typical of a binary neutron star remnant. High-resolution simulations demonstrate that magnetic buoyant instabilities allow for emergence only for extremely large magnetic fields significantly exceeding $10^{17}~\mathrm{G}$, and more typical fields around $10^{16}~\mathrm{G}$ are instead dominated by hydrodynamic effects. Because merger remnants tend to be stable against hydrodynamic convection, our work places strong limitations on the mechanisms by which massive binary neutron star remnants can produce the magnetically-driven outflows needed to power jets.

A significant fraction of the energy from the $\gamma$-ray burst (GRB) jets, after powering the keV-MeV emission, forms an ultra-relativistic shock propagating into the circumburst medium. The particles in the medium accelerate through the shock and produce afterglow emission. Recently, a few GRB afterglows have been observed in TeV $\gamma$-rays by Cherenkov Telescopes. This provides access to broadband spectra of GRB afterglows containing rich information about the microphysics of relativistic shocks and the profile of the circumburst medium. Since the transition from synchrotron to inverse Compton regime in afterglow spectra occurs between hard X-rays and the very-high-energy (VHE) $\gamma$-rays, detection in one of these bands is required to identify the two spectral components. The early afterglow data in the hard X-rays, along with the GeV emission, could accurately constrain the spectral shape and help in capturing the spectral turnover to distinguish the two components. We present the multiwavelength spectral and temporal study, focused on the keV-VHE domain, of GRB 230812B, one of the brightest GRBs detected by Fermi Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GBM), along with the detection of a 72 GeV photon in Large Area Telescope (LAT) during the early afterglow phase. Through a detailed modelling of the emission within the afterglow external forward shock in a wind-like scenario, we predict optical to high-energy observations up to ~1 day. We emphasize the importance of following up poorly localised GRBs by demonstrating that even without prompt sub-degree localisation, such as in GRB 230812B, it is possible to recover the emission using imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, thanks to their relatively wider field of view. Moreover, we show that the low energy threshold of Large-Sized Telescope is essential in discovering the VHE component at much higher redshifts, typical of long GRBs.

The recent discovery of five massive stellar clusters at z=9.625 in the Cosmic Gems has raised the question about the formation mechanism of star clusters in the first half Gyr after the Big-Bang. We infer the total stellar mass in clusters by normalizing and integrating the stellar cluster mass function (SCMF, dn(M)/dM ~ (n$_0$) $M^\beta$), assuming three different slopes $\beta$ = -1.5, -2.0 and -2.5 and different lower-mass limits between $10^2$ and $10^5$ Msun. The total integrated cluster stellar mass is compared to the stellar mass inferred from the counter-image of the Cosmic Gems, which provides the best, modestly magnified ($\mu$ = 1.84$\pm$0.05) representation of the entire galaxy. The delensed stellar mass of the Cosmic Gems galaxy is estimated as 3.5$_{-1.8}^{+3.3}$ x$10^7$ Msun, with an effective radius of Reff = 103$_{-15}^{+13}$ parsec and a stellar surface mass density of $\Sigma$mass = 520$_{-225}^{+340}$ Msun pc$^{-2}$. Accounting for normalization uncertainties - including different lensing magnification scenarios for the arc - a modified SCMF, combined with a significantly high star cluster formation efficiency (approaching 100%), appears to be a necessary condition to explain the relatively short formation timescale of both the star clusters and the counter-image, without exceeding the galaxy's stellar mass. By extrapolating the physical properties at the peak of the burst we find that in its recent past (<~ 30 Myr) the Cosmic Gems galaxy has likely experienced a specific star formation rate (sSFR) exceeding 25 Gyr$^{-1}$ and luminosity approaching the ``blue monster'' regime (M$_{UV}$ < -20). Our study provides insights into the extreme clustered nature of star formation in early galaxies and shed light into the formation of bound star clusters that might survive to z = 0 as globular clusters, older than 13 Gyr.

We use numerical $N$-body experiments to explore the statistics of multiple systems formed in small-$N$ subclusters, i.e. the distributions of orbital semi-major axis, $a$, orbital eccentricity, $e$, mass ratio, $q$, mutual orbital inclination, $\theta$, and ejection velocity, $\upsilon_{\rm ej}$. The stars in a subcluster are evolved as if they are the fragmentation products of a single isolated prestellar core from which most of the natal gas has already been dispersed, and there are no correlations between the stars' initial positions and velocities. Two parameters are particularly important: the number of stars in the subcluster, $N$, and the fraction of kinetic energy in ordered rotation, $\alpha_{\rm rot}$. Increasing $N$ has the effect of systematically decreasing the semi-major axes of the tighter orbits, but has very little effect on the semi-major axes of the wider orbits. The main effect of $\alpha_{\rm rot}$ is to regulate the distribution of mutual orbital inclinations, with $\alpha_{\rm rot}\!\sim\!0.5$ producing a distribution of orbital inclinations for triple systems which is consistent with observed values. Triples frequently form in high-inclination orbits without the assistance of von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai cycles. Our previous work demonstrated that subclusters with mass segregation, moderate rotation, and typically $N=4$ or 5 stars produced the best fit to the multiplicity statistics (proportions of singles, binaries, triples, etc.). Here we show that these parameters also reproduce the orbital statistics (distributions of orbital semi-major axis, $a$, orbital eccentricity, $e$, mass ratio, $q$, mutual orbital inclination, $\theta$, and ejection velocity, $\upsilon_{\rm ej}$). For the best-fit parameters, $21(\pm 1)\%$ of subclusters produce more than one multiple system.

We present JWST/NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy of the Cosmic Gems arc, strongly magnified by the galaxy cluster SPT-CL J0615$-$5746. Six-hour integration using NIRSpec prism spectroscopy (resolution $\rm R\simeq 30-300$), covering the spectral range $0.8-5.3~\mu m$, reveals a pronounced $\rm Ly\alpha$-continuum break at $\lambda \simeq 1.3~\mu m$, and weak optical $\rm H\beta$ and $\rm [OIII]\lambda4959$ emission lines at $z=9.625\pm0.002$, located in the reddest part of the spectrum ($\lambda > 5.1~\mu m$). No additional ultraviolet or optical emission lines are reliably detected. A weak Balmer break is measured alongside a very blue ultraviolet slope ($\beta \leq-2.5$, $\rm F_{\lambda} \sim \lambda^{\beta}$). Spectral fitting with $\tt Bagpipes$ suggests the Cosmic Gems galaxy is in a post-starburst phase, making it the highest-redshift system currently observed in a mini-quenched state. Spatially resolved spectroscopy at tens pc scales shows relatively uniform features across subcomponents of the arc. These findings align well with physical properties previously derived from JWST/NIRCam photometry of the stellar clusters, now corroborated by spectroscopic evidence. In particular, five observed star clusters exhibit ages of $\rm 7-30~Myr$. An updated lens model constrains the intrinsic sizes and masses of these clusters, confirming they are extremely compact and denser than typical star clusters in local star-forming galaxies. Additionally, four compact stellar systems consistent with star clusters ($\lesssim10$ pc) are identified along the extended tail of the arc. A sub-parsec line-emitting HII region straddling the critical line, lacking a NIRCam counterpart, is also serendipitously detected.

We present the first JWST+NIRCam images of the giant elliptical active galaxy M87 and its jet at 0.90, 1.50, 2.77 and 3.56 $\mu$m. We analysed the large-scale jet structure, identifying prominent components, and determined the near-infrared spectral index. The data were calibrated using the standard JWST pipeline. We subtracted a constant background level and a smooth model of the galaxy surface brightness to isolate the jet. The total image fluxes measured in the NIRCam filters follow the infrared bump pattern seen near 1.6 $\mu$m in the spectral energy distribution of M87, caused by the surrounding stellar population in the galaxy. The residual jet images broadly agree with the radio to optical synchrotron power law $S_\lambda\propto\lambda^\alpha$ with $\alpha=$0.7-1.0. We identified the most upstream knot L at a distance of (320$\pm$50) mas from the core. The component HST-1, at (950$\pm$50) mas from the core, is transversely resolved, and both the individual images and the spectral index map clearly indicate its double-component substructure with two elements of similar size and flux density, with centroids separated by (150$\pm$20) mas and with a significantly larger spectral index $\alpha$ observed in the downstream component ($\alpha_{\rm do}=0.3$) than in the upstream one ($\alpha_{\rm up}= -0.15$). We also observe the counter-jet component located about 24 arcsec away from the nucleus.

We present a novel cosmological analysis based on the angular correlation dimension $D_2$ curve, a cumulative statistic derived from the two-point correlation function. Unlike traditional 3D approaches, angular $D_2$ is inherently less sensitive to nonlinear dynamical distortions, such as the small-scale Finger-of-God (FoG) effect. Using both MultiDark-Patchy and EZmock galaxy catalogs, we assess the scale-dependent impact of redshift-space distortions on $D_2$ and bias measurements. We demonstrate that the systematic errors associated with FoG modeling can be significantly reduced by restricting the analysis to appropriate minimum comoving angular scales of $\sim 1.25^{\circ} $, which corresponds to comoving scales of $\sim 20\,h^{-1}\,\mathrm{Mpc}$ within the standard $\Lambda$CDM model. Since the observational estimative of $D_2(\theta)$ is not dependent on a cosmological model we obtain robust estimates of the galaxy bias and place competitive constraints on the physical matter density $\omega_m$. By applying this framework to SDSS DR12 and DR16 Luminous Red Galaxy data, we obtain $\omega_m = 0.142^{+0.014}_{-0.022}$ (1$\sigma$), which agrees with current CMB analyses. Our results highlight the potential of the angular $D_2$ curve as a model-independent and robust tool for cosmological parameter inference.

We derive semi-analytic solutions for the thermally driven cumulative outflow from a dense stellar cluster that consists of a large number of stars with strong stellar winds, under the key assumption that their mass and energy deposition can be treated as a continuous source of thermalized wind material. Our approach provides explicit analytic forms for the flow critical radius and sound speed, which then allows for full solution by inward/outward integration from this critical radius. Application to previous models that assume either a power-law or exponential mass deposition allows a direct comparison of their velocity solutions. We then obtain solutions for new models that have mass depositions with a gaussian or the empirically motivated forms derived by Plummer and Elson. Comparisons show that, when cast in terms of the radius scaled by the critical radius, the overall velocity laws are all quite similar, asymptotically approaching the energy-averaged stellar wind speed $V_w$, and anchored to passing through a common critical/sonic speed $v_c = V_w/2$. By deriving associated variations in outflow density and temperature, we obtain scaling forms for the expected X-ray emission, and show that radiative cooling generally represents only a small correction to the assumed cooling from adiabatic expansion. An initial analysis of incomplete wind thermalization suggests this should likewise have modest effect on the overall outflow in dense clusters. The simplified semi-analytic method presented here can be readily applied to alternative mass depositions and so form a basis for interpreting results from detailed numerical simulations of outflows from young stellar clusters.

The chemical composition of warm gas giant exoplanet atmospheres (with Teq < 1000 K) is not well known due to the lack of observational constraints. HAT-P-12 b is a warm, sub-Saturn-mass transiting exoplanet that is ideal for transmission spectroscopy. One transit of HAT-P-12 b was observed with JWST NIRSpec in the 2.87-5.10 $\mu$m range with a resolving power of $\sim$1000. The JWST data are combined with archival observations from HST WFC3 covering the 1.1-1.7 $\mu$m range. The data are analysed using two data reduction pipelines and two atmospheric retrieval tools. Atmospheric simulations using chemical forward models are performed. CO2, CO, and H2O are detected at 12.2, 4.1, and 6.0 $\sigma$ confidence, respectively. Their volume mixing ratios are consistent with an atmosphere of $\sim$10 times solar metallicity and production of CO2 by photochemistry. CH4 is not detected and seems to be lacking, which could be due to a high intrinsic temperature with strong vertical mixing or other phenomena. SO2 is also not detected and its production seems limited by low upper atmospheric temperatures ($\sim$500 K at $P<10^{-3}$ bar inferred from 1D retrievals), insufficient to produce it in detectable quantities ($\gtrsim$ 800 K required according to photochemical models). Retrievals indicate the presence of clouds between $10^{-1}$ and $10^{-3}$ bar. This study points towards an atmosphere for HAT-P-12 b that could be enriched in carbon and oxygen with respect to its host star. When including the production of CO2 via photochemistry, an atmospheric metallicity that is close to Saturn's can explain the observations. Metallicities inferred for other gas giant exoplanets based on their CO2 mixing ratios may need to account for its photochemical production pathways. This may impact studies on mass-metallicity trends and links between exoplanet atmospheres, interiors, and formation history.

We present a preliminary view of the protostellar mass-luminosity relation using current samples of protostars with dynamical mass estimates. To provide a lower limit to the expected luminosities, we adopt an empirical estimate for the intrinsic (without accretion) protostellar luminosity and radius as a function of mass. We find that many of the protostars with current dynamical mass estimates track the empirical mass-luminosity "birthline" reasonably closely, suggesting that their accretion luminosities may be at most comparable to their photospheric radiation. In turn, this implies that mass accretion rates for many objects are well below that required to build up the final stellar mass in typical estimated protostellar lifetimes. A small subset of the protostars have luminosities well above the predicted photospheric values, consistent with evolutionarily-important mass addition. These results hint at a possible bimodal distribution of accretion, but a firm conclusion is not possible given the small size of and likely biases in the current sample.

Recently, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory has reported a deviation from the single power law in the extragalactic diffuse neutrino flux. A neural network-based event selection of contained and uncontained cascade events from IceCube, in which uncontained events have interaction vertices at the edge or outside of the detector instrumentation volume, has a factor \textasciitilde3 gain in effective area over the cascade events used in the novel combined tracks and cascades selection which reported the deviation. Systematic improvements and rigorously updated modeling of the atmospheric neutrino background is incorporated into this high statistics contained and uncontained cascade event selection to clarify features of the astrophysical neutrino spectrum across energies from 1 TeV up to 100 PeV.

Most long Gamma-ray bursts originate from a rare type of massive stellar explosion. Their afterglows, while rapidly fading, can be initially extremely luminous at optical/near-infrared wavelengths, making them detectable at large cosmological distances. Here we report the detection and observations of GRB 250314A by the SVOM satellite and the subsequent follow-up campaign with the near-infrared afterglow discovery and the spectroscopic measurements of its redshift z $\simeq$ 7.3 . This burst happened when the Universe was only $\sim$ 5% of its current age. We discuss the signature of these rare events within the context of the SVOM operating model, and the ways to optimize their identification with adapted ground follow-up observation strategies.

The majority of energetic long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are thought to arise from the collapse of massive stars, making them powerful tracers of star formation across cosmic time. Evidence for this origin comes from the presence of supernovae in the aftermath of the GRB event, whose properties in turn link back to those of the collapsing star. In principle, with GRBs we can study the properties of individual stars in the distant universe. Here, we present JWST/NIRCAM observations that detect both the host galaxy and likely supernova in the SVOM GRB 250314A with a spectroscopically measured redshift of z $\simeq$ 7.3, deep in the era of reionisation. The data are well described by a combination of faint blue host, similar to many z $\sim$ 7 galaxies, with a supernova of similar luminosity to the proto-type GRB supernova, SN 1998bw. Although larger galaxy contributions cannot be robustly excluded, given the evidence from the blue afterglow colours of low dust extinction, supernovae much brighter than SN 1998bw can be. These observations suggest that, despite disparate physical conditions, the star that created GRB 250314A was similar to GRB progenitors in the local universe.

Galaxy-galaxy weak lensing provides a powerful means of measuring the average matter distribution around lens galaxies -- i.e., the galaxy bias relation. Properly accounting for the spin-2 nature of weak lensing distortions, we develop a quadratic estimator for measuring the $E$- and $B$-mode angular power spectra from galaxy-galaxy weak lensing, correcting for survey window effects arising from, for example, survey geometry and bright star masks. The estimator can be implemented efficiently by adopting FFTs on pixelized maps of the lens galaxy distribution and source galaxy ellipticities, under the flat-sky approximation. Using simulated weak lensing fields and halo catalogs in the light-cone ray-tracing simulations, we show that the estimator can recover the underlying $E$-mode power spectrum, $C_{{\rm g}E}(\ell)$, to within a few percent in fractional error, while minimizing the leakage of $E$-mode into the $B$-mode power spectrum, in each multipole bin over the wide range of multipoles (up to $\ell \sim 3000$ studied in this paper). We then discuss that the estimator can be used to estimate the 3D galaxy-matter power spectrum, $P_{\rm gm}(k)$, by dividing lens galaxies into multiple redshift slices. We also derive an optimal weighting for each lens redshift slice in the shot noise-limited regime for the estimation of $P_{\rm gm}(k)$, which reduces the statistical errors by up to $\sim$20\% compared to the case without weighting.

The carbon monoxide (CO) spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) of galaxies contain a wealth of information about conditions in their cold interstellar gas. Here we use galaxy-scale observations of the three lowest energy CO lines to determine SLEDs and line ratios in a sample of 47 nearby, predominantly star forming galaxies. We find systematic trend of higher gas excitation with increasing star formation rate (SFR) and SFR surface density ($\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$), with the range of variations being even larger than predicted by simulations. Power law fits of the CO line ratios as a function of SFR and $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$ provide a good description of the trends seen in our sample and also accurately predict values for a wide range of galaxy types compiled from the literature. Based on these fits, we provide prescriptions for estimating CO(1-0) luminosities and molecular gas masses using CO(3-2) or CO(2-1) in cases where CO(1-0) is not observed directly. We compare our observed SLEDs with molecular cloud models in order to examine how the physical properties of cold gas vary across the galaxy population. We find that gas conditions in star forming and starburst galaxies lie on a continuum with increasing gas density in more actively star forming systems.

The dynamics of small bodies perturbed by an eccentric planet was done mostly under the assumption of well separated orbits using analytical approximations appropriate for the hierarchical case. In this work we study the dynamics of small bodies in a wide range of eccentricities and inclinations perturbed by a giant planet with e_p=0.4, in the non-hierarchical case. We consider small bodies both interior and exterior to the planet. We apply semi-analytical models for the study of resonances and the properties of the secular disturbing function. We perform a frequency analysis of numerical integration of the exact equations of motion to obtain the proper frequencies and corresponding dynamical secular paths. We study the dependence of proper frequencies with the initial mutual inclination and we find a critical inclination around 30 degrees for which the pericenter proper frequency vanishes giving rise to the increase of small bodies eccentricities followed by unstable dynamics. This happens for both interior and exterior small bodies and constitutes a stability barrier in the inclination. For greater inclinations the ZLK mechanism dominates both populations. By means of numerical integration of thousands of small bodies we reproduce the well known pericenter shepherding, but for the exterior populations we also find concentrations of the longitude of the ascending node in the direction of the planetary line of apsides.

Young exoplanets provide a critical link between understanding planet formation and atmospheric evolution. Direct imaging spectroscopy allows us to infer the properties of young, wide orbit, giant planets with high signal-to-noise. This allows us to compare this young population to exoplanets characterized with transmission spectroscopy, which has indirectly revealed the presence of clouds, photochemistry, and a diversity of atmospheric compositions. Direct detections have also been made for brown dwarfs, but direct studies of young giant planets in the mid-infrared were not possible prior to JWST. With two exoplanets around a solar type star, the YSES-1 system is an ideal laboratory for studying this early phase of exoplanet evolution. We report the first direct observations of silicate clouds in the atmosphere of the exoplanet YSES-1 c through its 9-11 micron absorption feature, and the first circumplanetary disk silicate emission around its sibling planet, YSES-1 b. The clouds of YSES-1 c are composed of either amorphous iron-enriched pyroxene or a combination of amorphous MgSiO3 and Mg2SiO4, with particle sizes of less than or equal to 0.1 micron at 1 millibar of pressure. We attribute the emission from the disk around YSES-1 b to be from submicron olivine dust grains, which may have formed through collisions of planet-forming bodies in the disk.

Context. In order to overcome the radial velocity (RV) precision barrier imposed by stellar variability, there has been a surge of software aimed at simulating and modeling these activity patterns. Aims. We present Analyzing Radial Velocity Elements (ARVE), a Python-based software which enables RV extraction using various customizable techniques, and subsequent analysis of the stellar and planetary signals present in the RVs. One of ARVE's unique features is its library of pre-computed auxiliary data, which includes synthetic spectra and spectral line masks, allowing the code to efficiently perform certain routines with minimal input from the user. Methods. ARVE is a class-based and modular code in which its functionalities are divided between four subclasses: functions, which handles general functions utilized by the other subclasses; data, which reads the input data, loads the auxiliary data, and extracts RVs from input high-resolution spectra; star, which characterizes the stellar activity components present in the RV time series; and planets, which performs fits of Keplerian signals in the data and offers injection-recovery tests of fictitious planets to determine the detection limits. Results. Demonstrations of ARVE are performed on three years of HARPS-N solar data. We show the evolution of granulation and supergranulation characteristic timescales with activity level, and we investigate the differences in planetary period-mass detection limits when extracting RVs with different methods. Conclusions. As stellar activity mitigation techniques grow more diverse, we foresee that a tool like ARVE could greatly benefit the community by offering a user-friendly and multi-functional approach to extract and analyze RV time series. With its current code structure, expanded functionality and increased compatibility with more spectrographs should be easily addable to future versions of ARVE.

The luminous spirals NGC5713 and NGC5719 form an interacting galaxy pair 94 kpc apart and are connected by a straight, elongated neutral hydrogen structure extending over 200 kpc. Their 14 velocity-confirmed satellite galaxies and the two hosts separate into two distinct subgroups in their line-of-sight velocities and on-sky distribution revealing a prominent coherent kinematic structure with a velocity amplitude of 67+-12 kms-1 . We test four scenarios to explain the observed velocity field: isotropic motions in a dark matter halo, a plane of satellites seen nearly face-on, and a kinematically mixed satellite system with a co-rotating edge-on plane and an isotropic component, and a merger of two small galaxy groups. Taking the geometry and dynamical state of the NGC5713/19 pair into account together with their positions and motions in the Bootes Strip the most consistent picture is the infall of two satellite systems that follow their host galaxies along a cosmic filament. We believe this is the first clear example of an equal-mass L* disk galaxy merger where a kinematically coherent satellite system is in the process of formation. These observations reinforce the importance of major mergers as a channel for producing co-rotating satellite systems.

A sample of 116 Long Period Variables is studied with the aim to reveal relations between the properties of their light curves and of their evolution along the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB). Each light curve is carefully scrutinized and its properties are summarized in a set of five parameters. The picture that had been sketched in an earlier work is clarified and new features are revealed. In particular, the evolution on the AGB of stars having not yet experienced a third dredge-up event is shown to go together with a closely related path followed by the light curve in the parameter space. Moreover, evidence is found for the existence of two different types of light curves for stars having experienced dredge-up events strong enough for their impact to be detectable. Interpretations are proposed, however often too speculative to be firmly ascertained: the results presented raise several unanswered questions and point to the need for new observations and analyses, suggesting that light curves still carry more messages and information than has been currently possible to decrypt.

The dispersion measure-redshift relation of fast radio bursts (FRBs) provides a valuable cosmological probe for constraining the Hubble constant, offering an independent measurement that could help resolve the ongoing Hubble tension. In this paper, we begin with a sample of 117 localized FRBs and use 95 of them to constrain $H_0$ to $71.28^{+1.90}_{-2.08}$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$ within the standard Lambda Cold Dark Matter ($\Lambda$CDM) model. The resulting statistical uncertainty is below 2.8\%, improving previous FRB-based measurements and highlighting the promise of larger future samples. Beyond statistical improvements, we note that different parameter choices have been adopted in previous studies and some results show discrepancies in $H_0$. To address this issue, we perform a systematic assessment of modeling uncertainties that can affect the inferred value of $H_0$, including Galactic electron density models, the contribution of the Galactic halo, outliers such as FRB~20190520B located in extreme environments, and the other parameter selections. We also discuss possible approaches to mitigate these sources of uncertainty, emphasizing both the challenges and prospects of using FRBs as reliable cosmological tools.

The temporal dependence of the astrophysical stochastic gravitational-wave (GW) background (SGWB) in the hecto-hertz band brings a unique avenue to identify multi-messenger signals to these sources by using coincident detection in both GW and multi-band EM signals. We developed a new analysis pipeline, \textit{Multi-messenger Cross-Correlation} (MC$^2$) that can search for EM counterparts to the SGWB signal originating from both modeled and unmodeled sources by harnessing the nearly full-sky gamma-ray sky map. We provide an observation strategy that can be followed by current and future missions to discover EM counterparts to the weak GW signal hidden in the SGWB. We demonstrate the ability of this technique to drastically reduce the false alarm rates when involving EM multi-band analysis. This formalism aims towards advancing the multi-messenger observation frontier and improving our understanding of the population of bright SGWB sources present in the high-redshift universe and can also be applied to other messengers such as neutrinos in the future.

We present a spatial and spectral analysis of arcsecond-scale X-ray emission in SS433 using zeroth-order data from Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating (HETG) observations. The analysis is based on 24 observations acquired between 1999 and 2024, comprising a total exposure of $\sim$850 ks and covering a wide range of orbital and precessional phases. Among these, the $\sim$140 ks observation from 2014 was analyzed in detail for this study. This data provides the best statistics and was taken when the jets were nearly perpendicular to the line of sight and the accretion disk was eclipsed. By applying an energy-dependent subpixel event repositioning algorithm and the Richardson-Lucy deconvolution, we enhanced the spatial resolution and revealed eastern and western knot-like structures at a distance of $\sim$1.7 arcsec ($\sim 10^{17}$ cm) from the core. These features are consistent with the kinematic precession model, and the positions of the knots suggest that they were ejected approximately 200 days prior to the observation. A comparison with VLA radio data obtained at a similar precessional phase shows that the X-ray emission extends east-west on a scale comparable to that of the radio emission. While the core is bright in both X-rays and radio, the brightness contrast between the knots and the core is smaller in X-rays than in radio. Spatially resolved spectroscopy indicates that prominent Fe lines in the core X-ray spectrum are well explained by thermal plasma emission. In contrast, Fe lines are not evident in the outer regions after accounting for potential core contamination, suggesting a dominant contribution from non-thermal processes. These findings imply that the arcsecond-scale X-ray structures may vary observationally with viewing conditions or precessional phase, but likely reflect a relatively stable jet-driving mechanism operating within the SS 433 system.

Before discovering the first exoplanets, the Radial Velocity (RV) method had been used for decades to discover binary stars. Despite significant advancements in this technique, it is limited by the intrinsic mass-inclination degeneracy that can be broken when combining RVs with astrometry, which allows us to determine the orbital inclination, or direct imaging, from which we can estimate the true mass of the target. HD 72659 is a solar analog known to host a gas giant on a $\sim 10$-yr orbit and a massive outer companion. This work aims to confirm HD 72659 c, which was recently announced using data from HIRES and HARPS spectrographs in combination with Gaia's astrometric data. We monitored HD 72659 with HARPS-N in the framework of the GAPS project since 2012. We now combined our 91 spectra with literature data and Gaia DR3 high-precision astrometry to constrain the mass and the orbit of this object ($M_{\rm c} \sim 19$ $M_{\rm J}$, $a \sim 21$ au) that falls in the Brown Dwarf desert. Moreover, we analyzed our high-resolution imaging observation taken with SPHERE, but since the target was not detected, we could only derive upper limits on its mass. We characterize the orbital parameters of HD 72659 c, confirming the literature mass of this object but finding a period twice as high as previously reported, and we also refine the parameters of planet b with reduced uncertainties compared to previous works. Finally, we analyze and discuss the dynamic configuration of this system, finding that the Kozai-Lidov mechanism may be at work.

In meteor science, the identification of meteor showers is a crucial and complex problem. The most common method is to perform a systematic search of a database of observed orbits using an orbit dissimilarity criterion (D-criterion) and an algorithm. D-criteria compare the result of an orbit dissimilarity function (D-function) and a threshold. These D-functions associate one value to two meteoroids orbits. If this value is lower than the threshold, the meteoroids' orbits are considered similar. Group of meteors are thus formed. However, not all D-criteria have been evaluated, and their high number makes it hard to know which should be prioritised. This paper presents a review of each D-function, the tests they passed, the threshold choice, and the algorithms they are used with. We show what methods are currently used in the search for meteor showers, presenting statistics based on papers justifying the existence of established meteor showers. We review D-functions from eight different papers. We describe how thresholds and clustering algorithms are usually chosen. We also analyse tests that were performed on D-criteria. We discover that most of those criteria were not properly tested, and that some have been criticised for their theoretical background. Thus, we recommend performing a post-search analysis of the groups found, both in a statistical sense (to make sure the groups formed could not have been formed randomly) and an orbital dynamics sense (to check whether the group could indeed come from a singular parent body), to present the findings as potential meteor showers.

The injection of magnetic helicity into the heliosphere during solar cycle 24 and the early phase of cycle 25 has been calculated based on the analysis of a series of synoptic magnetic charts. During the cycle, the injected magnetic helicity is found to be mainly contributed by the magnetic field in active regions. According to Hale's law, the polarities of active regions statistically reverse between solar cycles 24 and 25. We suggest that the dominant source of injected magnetic helicity likely arises from the relatively strong magnetic fields of the leading polarity of active regions. This occurs as part of the magnetic field that migrates to high latitudes and the polar regions of the Sun due to the effect of meridional circulation inferred from a series of HMI/SDO magnetic synoptic charts. Significant fluctuations of the injected magnetic helicity from the subsurface layers may reflect the complex processes of how the twist from the convection zone ejects magnetic fields through a series of active regions on different temporal and spatial scales at the solar surface.

In ground-based astronomy, Adaptive Optics (AO) is a pivotal technique, engineered to correct wavefront phase distortions and thereby enhance the quality of the observed images. Integral to an AO system is the wavefront sensor (WFS), which is crucial for detecting wavefront aberrations from guide stars, essential for phase calculations. Many models based on a single-WFS model have been proposed to obtain the high-resolution phase of the incoming wavefront. In this paper, we delve into the realm of multiple WFSs within the framework of state-of-the-art telescope setups for high-resolution phase reconstruction. We propose a model for reconstructing a high-resolution wavefront from a sequence of wavefront gradient data from multiple WFSs. Our model is based on the turbulence statistics and the Taylor frozen flow hypothesis, incorporating knowledge of the wind velocities in atmospheric turbulence layers. We also introduce an $H_2$ regularization term, especially for atmospheric characteristics under von Karman statistics, and provide a theoretical analysis for $H^2$ space within $H^{11/6}$. Numerical simulations are conducted to demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of our regularization term and multi-WFS reconstruction strategy under identical experimental conditions.

We investigate the effects of large scalar inhomogeneities during the kination epoch, a period in which the universe's dynamics are dominated by the kinetic energy of a scalar field, by fully evolving the Einstein equations using numerical relativity. By tracking the non-linear growth of scalar perturbations with both sub-horizon and super-horizon initial wavelengths, we are able to compare their evolution to perturbative results. Our key findings show that in the deep sub-horizon limit, the perturbative behaviour remains valid, whereas in the super-horizon regime, non-linear dynamics exhibit a much richer phenomenology. Finally, we discuss the possibility of primordial black hole formation from the collapse of such perturbations and assess whether this process could serve as a viable mechanism to reheat the universe in the post-inflationary era.

Solar Orbiter and the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) are two of the newest facilities available to the solar physics community. The first coordinated observations of the Sun by these two facilities occurred over the course of one week in October 2022. The returned data are open-access and will provide a valuable resource to researchers in the field. We provide an overview of the datasets collected by Solar Orbiter and DKIST through this coordination and discuss their scientific potential. Our aim is to demonstrate how these unique high-resolution coordinated observations, as well as similar observations obtained through subsequent campaigns, can help tackle important science questions in the field. Between 18 and 24 October 2022, Solar Orbiter and DKIST observed a decayed active region simultaneously. During this period, Solar Orbiter's separation angle with Earth decreased from 77° to 51°, enabling stereoscopic observations with DKIST. From Solar Orbiter, observations are provided by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI), and the Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE) instruments. Meanwhile, DKIST observed using the Cryogenic Near Infrared Spectropolarimeter (CryoNIRSP), the Visible Broadband Imager (VBI), and the Visible Spectropolarimeter (ViSP). The first coordinated Solar Orbiter and DKIST campaign was a success, collecting observations multiple times over the week. We focus on three specific topics as representative examples, namely, coronal loop physics, the formation and evolution of the small-scale active region brightenings, and coronal rain dynamics. These open-access observations, and others like them, should help the solar physics community tackle key questions in the field. Such stereoscopic coordinated observations open up a new era in the analysis of the solar atmosphere.

Unveiling the sources of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays remains one of the main challenges of high-energy astrophysics. Measurements of anisotropies in their arrival directions are key to identifying their sources, yet magnetic deflections obscure direct associations. In this work, we reconstruct the sky regions of possible origin of the highest-energy cosmic-ray events detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory by tracing their trajectories through Galactic magnetic fields using up-to-date models, while fully accounting for energy and directional uncertainties. A mixed composition at injection is assumed to model the detected charge distributions of such events. Different classes of astrophysical sources are investigated and tested for a correlation with the inferred regions of origin of the events. By incorporating constraints on the maximum propagation distances, we also allow for a three-dimensional localization of the possible source regions. Our findings provide new constraints on the sources of the highest-energy cosmic particles and offer fresh insights into the role of Galactic magnetic fields in shaping the observed ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray sky.

In studies of exoplanet atmospheres using transmission spectroscopy, Bayesian retrievals are the most popular form of analysis. In these procedures it is common to adopt a Gaussian likelihood. However, this implicitly assumes that the upper and lower error bars on the spectral points are equal. With recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) offering higher quality of data, it is worth revisiting this assumption to understand the impact that an asymmetry between the error bars may have on retrieved parameters. In this study, we challenge the approximation by comparing retrievals using a symmetric, Gaussian likelihood, and an asymmetric, split normal likelihood. We find that the influence of this assumption is minimal at the scales of asymmetry observed in JWST observations of WASP-39 b (with a maximum asymmetry of 77%) but we show that it would become critical with greater levels of asymmetry (e.g. an average asymmetry of 80%). Furthermore, we stress the importance of the shape of the asymmetric distribution and the difficulty in fitting this distribution from three summary statistics (the median and an upper and lower bound on the transit depth). An asymmetric likelihood sampler will incorrectly predict parameters if the shape of the likelihood does not match that of the underlying noise distribution even when the levels of asymmetry are equal in both. Overall, we find that it is safe to use the Gaussian likelihood assumption for current datasets but it is worth considering the potential bias if greater asymmetries are observed.

Measurements of anisotropies in the arrival directions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays are crucial to pinpoint their sources, which are yet to be discovered. A dipolar anisotropy in right ascension above 8~EeV has been detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory with a significance of $6.8 \sigma$. The direction of the dipole suggests an extragalactic origin of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays above those energies. In this contribution, we provide an overview of the studies on large-scale anisotropies in the arrival directions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays measured at the Pierre Auger Observatory with energy thresholds from $\sim 0.03$~EeV up to $32$~EeV and we present and discuss the recent results achieved with the latest available dataset, which includes 19 years of operations -- resulting in a total exposure of 123,000~km$^2$~sr~yr and nearly 50,000 events above 8~EeV.

The upper region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is populated by massive stars in a diversity of evolutionary stages, and the classification of these stars is often based on observed characteristics exclusively in the optical spectral range. The near-infrared regime provides useful complementary information that can help resolving ambiguities in stellar classification and add valuable information about circumstellar envelopes or late-type companions. We present new, near-infrared medium-resolution K-band spectra for a sample of six evolved massive stars, four in M31 and two in M33. The spectra are obtained with the Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GNIRS) at the Gemini North telescope. We detect CO band emission from the environment of two M31 objects, J004320.97+414039.6 and J004621.08+421308.2, which we classify as B[e] supergiants, with J004320.97+414039.6 being most likely in a post-red supergiant stage. Two objects have pure emission from the hydrogen Pfund series. Of these, we propose that J004415.00+420156.2 in M31 could also be a B[e] supergiant while J013410.93+303437.6 (Var 83) is a well-known luminous blue variable (LBV) in M33. The M31 star J004229.87+410551.8 has a featureless spectrum and its evolutionary stage remains inconclusive; it could be an LBV undergoing an S Dor cycle. The object J013242.26+302114.1 in M33 displays a pure absorption spectrum, including CO bands, consistent with its identification as a cool star. Radial velocity measurements of this red component, combined with modelling of the spectral energy distribution, suggest that J013242.26+302114.1 may be a binary system consisting of an LBV or B[e] supergiant primary and a red supergiant secondary. If confirmed, it would represent the first of its kind.

Wide binary stars are important for testing alternative models of gravitation in the weak-field regime and understanding the statistical outcomes of dynamical interactions in the general Galactic field. The Gaia mission's collection of weakly bound pairs of stars offers a unique opportunity to estimate the rate of survivors at separations above 7 KAU, where non-Newtonian components of gravitation may become important. The available Gaia-based catalogs of resolved binaries provide the projected angular separation between the components, while the physical semimajor axis is the parameter of interest. The problem of reconstructing the distribution of orbit sizes is complex and ill-posed, because the observed apparent separations are defined by a number of underlying physical parameters including semimajor axis, eccentricity, orbit orientation, and orbital phase. Methods of inverse reconstruction of the marginal distribution of semimajor axes from the available data are proposed and implemented with two different strategies, namely, a direct Monte Carlo mapping and inverse filtering with impulse updates without regularization. We find rather similar results from the two methods for the outlying tail of the distribution, suggesting that the rate of orbit sizes is a shallow declining function on a logarithmic scale. A finite rate of extremely wide binaries is implied.

We present a detailed study of the magnetic field structure in the G111 molecular cloud, a ring-like filamentary cloud within the NGC 7538 region. We utilized interstellar dust polarization from the Planck telescope to trace large-scale field orientations, starlight extinction polarization from the Kanata telescope to probe the cloud's magnetic field after foreground subtraction, and velocity gradients derived from CO isotopologues, observed with the IRAP 30m telescope, to examine dense regions. Our results reveal a coherent yet spatially varying magnetic field within G111. We correct the significant foreground dust contamination through careful subtraction. We observe a global alignment of the magnetic field with density structures suggesting that the field is dynamically important in shaping the cloud. The curved magnetic field along the dense regions, coinciding with mid-infrared emission in WISE data, indicates shock compression, likely driven by stellar feedback or supernova remnants. Our findings support a scenario where G111's morphology results from turbulent shock-driven compression. The interplay between magnetic fields and external forces is crucial in shaping and maintaining the structure of the molecular cloud. Future high-resolution observations will be essential to further constrain the magnetic field's role in cloud evolution.

The study of the atmosphere of ultra-hot Jupiters (UHJs) with equilibrium temperature $\geq$2000 K provides valuable insights into atmospheric physics under such extreme conditions. We aim to characterise the dayside thermal spectrum of the UHJ WASP-76b and investigate its properties. We analysed data gathered with three high-resolution spectrographs, specifically two nights with simultaneous observations of HARPS-N and GIANO-B, and four nights of publicly available ESPRESSO optical spectra. We observed the planet's dayside covering orbital phases between quadratures (0.25 < $\phi$ < 0.75). We performed a homogeneous analysis of the GIANO-B, HARPS-N and ESPRESSO data and co-added the signal of thousands of planetary lines through cross-correlation with simulated spectra of the planetary atmosphere. We report the detection of CO in the dayside atmosphere of WASP-76b with a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 10.4 in the GIANO-B spectra. In addition, we detect Fe I in both the HARPS-N and ESPRESSO datasets, with S/N of 3.5 and 6.2, respectively. A signal from Fe I is also identified in one of the two GIANO-B observations, with a S/N of 4.0. Interestingly, a qualitatively similar pattern - with a weaker detection in one epoch compared to the other - is also observed in the two HARPS-N nights. The GIANO-B results are therefore consistent with those obtained with HARPS-N. Finally, we compared our strongest detections of CO (GIANO-B) and Fe I (ESPRESSO), with predictions from Global Circulation Models (GCMs). Both cross-correlation and likelihood analyses favour the GCM that includes atmospheric dynamics over a static (no-dynamics) model when applied to the ESPRESSO data. This study adds to the growing body of literature employing GCMs to interpret high-resolution spectroscopic measurements of exoplanet atmospheres.

The age distribution function of star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is known to present a feature called the cluster age gap, a period of time from ~ 4 to 11 Gyr ago with a remarkable small number of clusters identified. In this work we performed an in-depth analysis of three recently catalogued age gap cluster candidates with the aim of confirming their physical nature. We used GEMINI@GMOS g,i photometry centred on the objects to build colour-magnitude diagrams from which we recognised their main features. We also performed an automatic search of stellar overdensities using Gaussian mixture model techniques and analysed the corresponding colour-magnitude diagrams similarly as performed for the aforementioned candidates. The present GEMINI data sets would seem to discard any strong evidence of these object being real clusters, and rather support the possibility of the result of stellar density variations of the LMC field star distribution. These three objects, in addition to other 17 new identified candidates, are placed in the LMC outermost disc in a limited region toward the southwest from the LMC centre. They had embraced the possibility to answer the long-time conundrum about the absence of LMC age gap clusters. From an statistical approach, combined with the knowledge of the expected LMC age-metallicity relationship, and recent simulations of the interaction between the LMC and the Milky Way, we provide not only evidence against the physical nature of the studied objects, but also an interpretation on the lack of identification of more LMC age gap clusters.

Electron-capture supernovae (ECSNe) have emerged as a compelling formation channel for low-mass neutron stars, bolstered by decades of theoretical work and increasingly supported by observational evidence, including the recent identification of SN~2018zd. Motivated by this, we investigate the influence of fermionic asymmetric dark matter (ADM) on the equilibrium structure of progenitor cores and the formation of their neutron star remnants. Using a general relativistic two-fluid formalism, we model the coupled evolution of ordinary matter (OM) and ADM, treated as separately conserved fluids interacting solely through gravity. Our analysis focuses on neon-rich white dwarfs (Ne WDs), which are typical progenitor cores for ECSNe. We assume conservation of both baryon number ($N_B$) and dark matter particle number ($N_D$) during collapse, allowing for a consistent mapping between progenitor and remnant configurations. We find that ADM significantly enhances the central density of the WD progenitor. This lowers the threshold gravitational mass $M^*$ required to initiate electron capture, enabling ECSNe from lower-mass progenitors. The resulting remnants are stable, dark matter-admixed neutron stars with gravitational masses potentially well below current observational bounds. Moreover, we find that the conversion energy during the WD-to-NS conversion is also significantly reduced for higher ADM particle masses and fractions, suggesting that unusually low-energy ECSNe may serve as potential indicators of ADM involvement in stellar collapse.

Measuring proton-proton interaction cross-sections at center-of-mass energies above 40 TeV remains a significant challenge in particle physics. The Pierre Auger Observatory provides a unique opportunity to study the interactions at the highest energies through the distribution of the depth of maximum shower development ($X_\mathrm{max}$) observed by its Fluorescence Detector. In previous studies, the determination of the interaction cross-section at ultrahigh energies has relied on the assumption that the tail of the $X_\mathrm{max}$ distribution is proton-dominated, which restricts the analysis to a limited energy range below the ankle and introduces related systematic uncertainties. In this contribution, we adopt a novel method for the simultaneous estimation of the proton-proton interaction cross-section and the primary cosmic-ray mass composition using data from the Pierre Auger Observatory, avoiding assumptions about one quantity to infer the other and thus improving the accuracy and robustness of our analysis. In addition, a systematic shift in the $X_\mathrm{max}$ scale is fitted to account for both experimental uncertainties and theoretical constraints on the modeling of particle interactions. The obtained results are consistent with previous analyses and provide additional constraints on hadronic interaction models. The measured proton-proton inelastic cross-section at ultra-high energies agrees well with extrapolations of accelerator data. The inferred cosmic-ray composition and the $X_\mathrm{max}$-scale shift are also compatible with previous estimates.

We investigate the impact of a hypothesized delayed initiation of inflation, characterized by a cutoff k_min to the primordial power spectrum in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This cutoff affects both the scalar and tensor spectra, which therefore impacts several measurements of the temperature and polarization distributions. We calculate the angular power spectrum and correlation function with and without k_min in the context of Planck-LCDM, and demonstrate that a non-zero k_min significantly improves the alignment between theory and the observations, including the temperature, E-mode polarization, TE cross-correlation, Q+U polarization and Q-U polarization. It creates an observable signature in both the angular power spectrum and correlation function for all cases. We thus also explore the B-mode polarization, for which current data are not yet precise enough to determine k_min, but whose impact should be detectable with high-precision measurements using future missions, such as LiteBIRD, if the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, is not much smaller than its current upper limit. We find that the introduction of k_min not only addresses large-angle anomalies in the CMB but also provides a more consistent framework for understanding the early Universe's inflationary phase. These findings highlight the importance of future high-precision CMB observations in validating the existence and implications of k_min.

The polar mid-infrared (MIR) emission detected from tens to hundreds of parsecs in some active galactic nuclei (AGN) has been associated with dusty winds driven away by radiation pressure. However, the physical characterization of this extended polar emission remains uncertain. Here we combine $10-21\mu$m JWST/MIRI imaging observations with $7-25 \mu$m MRS integral field spectroscopic observations of 6 nearby, $\bar{D}=35.4\pm4.6$~Mpc, AGN from the GATOS Survey to quantify the nature of the extended MIR emission at $\sim75$ pc resolution at $21~\mu$m. These AGN have similar bolometric luminosities, $\log_{10}(\bar{L}_{\rm{bol}}~[\rm{erg\,s}^{-1}])=44.0\pm0.3$, span a wide range of optical outflow rates, $\dot{M}=0.003-0.21$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, column densities, $\log_{10}(N_{H}^{X-ray} [cm^{-2}])=22.2-24.3$, and Eddington ratios, $\lambda_{\rm{Edd}}=0.005-0.06$. We find a poor correlation between the line-only and continuum-only images, indicating that the extended MIR continuum emission is spatially uncorrelated with the warm outflows associated with narrow emission lines in the $10-15\,\mu$m wavelength range. The $75-450$~pc continuum emission has constant dust temperature, $T_{\rm{d}}=132^{+7}_{-7}$ K, and mass, $M_{\rm{d}}=728^{+29}_{-27}$ M$_{\odot}$. Using the conditions of energy balance between radiation pressure and gravity, we find that our AGN sample is in the gravitationally bounded regime, consistent with the lack of detection of dusty winds in our observations. At $10~\mu$m, the level of line emission contribution across the NLR is correlated with the outflow kinetic energy and mass outflow rates. We find no correlation with the AGN properties. These results indicate that the radio jet may be triggering the gas outflow and line emission, while the extended dust emission is distributed in molecular clouds and/or shocked regions across the narrow line region.

We present a study of the cold molecular versus the ionized gas distribution in three nearby Seyfert galaxies: NGC 6860, Mrk 915 and MCG -01-24-012. To constrain the cold molecular flux distribution at $\sim$ 0.5 - 0.8$^{\prime\prime}$ ($\sim$ 150 - 400 pc) scales, we used data from the CO(2-1) emission line, obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). For the ionized gas, we used Hubble Space Telescope (HST) narrow-band images, centered on the [O III]$\lambda\lambda$4959,5007 emission lines. Within the inner kiloparsec of the three galaxies, we observe gaps in the CO emission in regions co-spatial with the [O III] flux distribution, similarly to what has been recently observed in other active galaxies. From our original sample of 13 nearby AGN sources, 12 objects present the same trend. This indicates that CO molecules might be partially dissociated by AGN radiation or that there is a deficit of cold molecular gas on nuclear scales driven by ionized gas outflows/jets. If so, this represents a form of AGN feedback that is not captured when only outflow kinematics properties, such as mass outflow rates, are considered. We also discuss that part of the molecular gas might still be present in hotter H$_2$ phases, as observed already in other objects.

Radio interferometers provide the means to perform the wide-field-of-view (FoV), high-sensitivity observations required for modern radio surveys. As computing power per cost has decreased, there has been a move towards larger arrays of smaller dishes, such as DSA-2000, the upcoming HIRAX, CHORD and SKA radio telescopes. Such arrays can have simpler receiver designs with room-temperature low-noise amplifiers and direct sampling to achieve, greatly reducing the cost per antenna. The ARGOS project is currently developing an array of five 6-meter antennas that will be used to demonstrate the technology required for a next generation "small-D, big-N" radio interferometer in Europe. In this work, our objective was to implement a first-stage digital signal processing system for the ARGOS demonstrator array, providing digitization, channelization, delay correction and frequency-dependent complex gain correction. The system is intended to produce delay and phase corrected dual-polarization channelized voltages in the frequency range 1-3 GHz with a nominal channel bandwidth of 1 MHz. We use an RFSoC 4x2 evaluation board with four analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that can simultaneously sample two 1 GHz, dual-polarization bands. We use Xilinx Vitis HLS C++ to develop the required firmware as a set of customizable modules suitable for rapid prototyping. We performed hardware verification of the channel response of the critically sampled PFB and of the delay correction, showing both to be consistent with theoretical expectations. Furthermore, the board was installed at the Effelsberg 100-meter radio telescope where we performed commensal pulsar observations with the Effelsberg Direct Digitization backend, showing comparable performance. This work demonstrates the utility of high-level synthesis (HLS) languages in the development of high performance radio astronomy processing backends.

This study aims to establish an analytical model that reproduces the gravitational field around non-spherical bodies with constant density. Due to the non-spherical geometry of such bodies, their gravitational potential is disturbed relative to a central field. By considering the body as a polyhedron and decomposing it into tetrahedral elements, we use the Series Potential Expansion Method (PSEM) to approximate the total potential by summing the potentials of each tetrahedron. While this model does not offer higher accuracy than the classical polyhedral approach, it achieves relative errors below 0.1\% for points outside the body when developed to higher orders (e.g., orders 11 and 12), and significantly reduces execution time. To validate this approach, we apply our model to asteroids (87) Sylvia, (101955) Bennu, (99942) Apophis, and (25143) Itokawa. We determine equilibrium points, analyze stability, investigate zero-velocity planes, and calculate the relative errors between the gravitational field modeled by PSEM and the results obtained using both the classical polyhedral method by Tsoulis and Petrovic and the mass concentration method. Our results highlight the computational efficiency of PSEM in modeling the gravitational potential of irregularly shaped bodies. This efficiency stems from expressing the gravitational potential through a homogeneous analytical function that is easy to manipulate algebraically, enabling explicit determination of the acceleration vector. Our model provides a robust framework for more complex analyses, such as studying periodic orbits around non-spherical celestial bodies, assessing their stability, and planning the smooth landing trajectories of spacecraft.

Utilizing high-cadence and long-term optical photometry from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS ), we conducted a time-resolved timing analysis of the Intermediate Polar, V709 Cas. Our analysis reveals key characteristics of this system: an orbital period of 5.3329 $\pm$ 0.0002 h, a spin period of 312.7478 $\pm$ 0.0002 s, and a beat period of 317.9267 $\pm$ 0.0002 s. These periods represent a significant refinement over the results of previous studies. These analyses demonstrate that V709 Cas is primarily a disc-overflow accretor, with accretion predominantly occurring via a disc. However, the analysis also reveals epochs where stream-fed accretion is a dominant accretion process. Time-resolved analysis of 20 s short cadence data obtained from sectors 57 and 58 reveals the presence of distinct first harmonics of the spin and beat frequencies. This finding indicates the presence of double peak spin modulation, a characteristic signature of two-pole accretion onto the white dwarf.

In order to derive model-independent observational bounds on dark energy/modified gravity theories, a typical approach is to constrain parametrised models intended to capture the space of dark energy theories. Here we investigate in detail the effect that the nature of these parametrisations can have, finding significant effects on the resulting cosmological dark energy constraints. In order to observationally distinguish well-motivated and physical parametrisations from unphysical ones, it is crucial to understand the theoretical priors that physical parametrisations place on the phenomenology of dark energy. To this end we discuss a range of theoretical priors that can be imposed on general dark energy parametrisations, and their effect on the constraints on the phenomenology of dynamical dark energy. More specifically, we investigate both the phenomenological $\{\mu,\Sigma\}$ parametrisation as well as effective field theory (EFT) inspired approaches to model dark energy interactions. We compare the constraints obtained in both approaches for different phenomenological and theory-informed time-dependences for the underlying functional degrees of freedom, discuss the effects of priors derived from gravitational wave physics, and investigate the interplay between constraints on parameters constraining only the background evolution vs. parameters controlling linear perturbations.

Dusty star-forming galaxies have long been suspected to serve as the missing evolutionary bridge between the star-forming and quiescent phases of massive galaxy evolution. With the combined power of JWST and ALMA, it is now possible to use high resolution imaging in rest-optical, rest near-infrared (NIR), and rest-submm wavelengths to study the multi-wavelength morphologies tracing both the stellar populations and dust within this key phase. We present the joint analysis of JWST/NIRCam imaging in GOODS-S and mm dust emission traced by ALMA for a sample of 33 galaxies at $z$=1.5 to $z$=5.5 selected from the 1.1mm GOODS-ALMA 2.0 survey, and compare the morphologies of this population to mass and redshift selected samples of field star-forming and quiescent galaxies. The 1.1mm-selected sample are morphologically distinct from other similarly massive star-forming galaxies; we find a steeper size-wavelength gradient from 1.5-4.4$\mu$m, with a more dramatic decrease in size towards longer wavelengths. While the rest-NIR surface brightness profiles of the 1.1mm-selected galaxies are brighter in the inner regions relative to the field star-forming population, they are remarkably similar to the quiescent population. These morphological differences could suggest that dusty star-forming galaxies, unlike more typical star-forming galaxies, have already built up stellar mass in a severely dust-obscured core, leading to extended and clumpy morphologies at rest-optical wavelengths and more compact emission in the rest-NIR that is co-spatial with dust. If the bulge is already established, we speculate that mm-selected galaxies may imminently evolve to join their quiescent descendants.

Free-floating objects (FFOs) in interstellar space$-$rogue planets, brown dwarfs, and large asteroids that are not gravitationally bound to any star$-$are expected to be ubiquitous throughout the Milky Way. Recent microlensing surveys have discovered several free-floating planets that are not bound to any known stellar systems. Additionally, three interstellar objects, namely 1I/'Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov, and 3I/ATLAS, have been detected passing through our solar system on hyperbolic trajectories. In this work, we search for FFOs on hyperbolic orbits that pass near millisecond pulsars (MSPs), where their gravitational influence can induce detectable perturbations in pulse arrival times. Using the NANOGrav 15-year narrowband dataset, which contains high-precision timing data for 68 MSPs, we conduct a search for such hyperbolic scattering events between FFOs and pulsars. Although no statistically significant events were detected, this non-detection enables us to place upper limits on the number density of FFOs as a function of their mass within our local region of the Galaxy. For example, the upper limit on the number density for Jupiter-mass FFOs ($\sim 10^{-2.5} - 10^{-3.5}~M_{\odot}$) obtained from different pulsars ranges from $5.25\times10^{6}~\text{pc}^{-3}$ to $5.37\times10^{9}~\text{pc}^{-3}$, while the upper limit calculated by combining results from all the pulsars is $6.03\times10^{5}~\text{pc}^{-3}$. These results represent the first constraints on FFO population derived from pulsar timing data.

The ionization fraction ($f_\mathrm{e}=n_\mathrm{e}/n_\mathrm{H}$) is a crucial parameter of interstellar gas, yet estimating it requires deep knowledge of molecular gas chemistry and observations of specific lines, such as those from isotopologs like HCO$^+$ and N$_2$H$^+$, which are detectable only in dense cores. Previous challenges in constraining $f_\mathrm{e}$ over large areas stemmed from the limitations of observational tracers and chemical models. Recent models have identified molecular line ratios that can trace $f_\mathrm{e}$ in different environments within molecular clouds. In this study, we analyze various molecular lines in the 3-4 mm range to derive the ionization fraction across the Orion B giant molecular cloud. We focus on dense and translucent gas, exploring variations with gas density ($n$) and the far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation field ($G_0$). Our findings show that the ionization fraction ranges from $10^{-5.5}$ to $10^{-4}$ in translucent gas and $10^{-8}$ to $10^{-6}$ in dense gas. Notably, $f_\mathrm{e}$ is sensitive to $G_0$ in dense, UV-illuminated regions, decreasing with increasing volume density ($f_\mathrm{e} \propto n^{-0.227}$ for dense and $f_\mathrm{e} \propto n^{-0.3}$ for translucent gas) and increasing with $G_0$. In translucent gas, differing line ratios yield consistent fe values, indicating the importance of electron excitation of HCN and HNC. For dense gas, we recommend using the CN(1-0)/N$_2$H$^+$(1-0) ratio for upper limits on fe and C$^{18}$O(1-0)/HCO$^+$(1-0) for lower limits. In translucent environments, CCH(1-0)/HNC(1-0) effectively traces $f_\mathrm{e}$. The higher fe values in translucent gas align with the C$^+$/CI/CO transition, while values in dense gas are adequate for coupling with the magnetic field.

In November 2023, the Fermi Large Area Telescope detected a $\gamma$-ray flare from the high-redshift blazar GB6 B1428+4217 ($z=4.715$). We initiated a multi-wavelength follow-up campaign involving Swift, NuSTAR, the Sierra Nevada and Perkins Observatories, and the Effelsberg 100-m radio telescope. This source, also known as 5BZQ J1430+4204, has shown an anomalous soft X-ray spectrum in previous observations, including possible ionized absorption features or signatures of bulk Comptonization of thermal electrons, which are also detected during the flaring episode. Simultaneous optical data revealed a polarization fraction of ${\sim}8$\% in the R band, confirming that synchrotron emission dominated over thermal emission from the accretion disk. The hard X-ray flux was enhanced during the flare. Modeling of the broadband spectral energy distribution suggests that the high-energy component is dominated by Compton scattering by external seed photons from the accretion disk. The origin of the flare is consistent with the injection of a hard-spectrum electron population in the emission region. With a $\gamma$-ray luminosity among the top 5% of flaring events, GB6 B1428+4217 exemplifies a prototypical MeV blazar. Its Compton-dominated SED and extreme luminosity are in line with expectations from the blazar sequence. High-redshift flares like this are critical for understanding jet physics in the early Universe and may improve detection prospects with future missions such as COSI.

We study Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) formed by the collapse of rare primordial fluctuations during an early period of Matter Domination. The collapse threshold strongly depends on the shape of the peaks, decreasing as they become flatter and hence rarer. In the extreme limit of a top-hat perturbation, Harada, Kohri, Sasaki, Terada, and Yoo have argued that the growth of velocity dispersion prevents the formation of black holes unless the initial peak is larger than $\zeta_{\rm th} \sim \zeta_{\rm rms}^{2/5}$. Including the shape distribution of the peaks, we find that for a realistic cosmic abundance of PBHs, the effective threshold is larger, $\zeta_{\rm th} \sim \zeta_{\rm rms }^{1/10}$. And this model requires $\zeta_{\rm rms}\sim 10^{-1}$, which is much larger than the observed value at the CMB scales. Hence, PBH formation during Matter Domination is barely more efficient than Radiation Domination. We estimate the dimensionless spin parameter to be $a_{\rm rms} \sim \zeta_{\rm rms}^{7/4}\ll 1$, slightly larger than PBHs formed in Radiation Domination.

The singularity and inflationary problems have posed significant challenges for understanding the universe's origin and evolution. Bouncing cosmology has emerged as a promising alternative to standard cosmological models, offering a non-singular approach to early universe dynamics by facilitating a "bounce" rather than a singular beginning. In this study, we explore the feasibility of modeling specific bouncing scenarios within the framework of $ f(T, \mathcal{T}) $ gravity, allowing for a comprehensive coupling between the torsion scalar $T$ and the trace of the energy-momentum tensor $\mathcal{T}$. We analyze two $f(T, \mathcal{T})$ models: a linear model $f(T, \mathcal{T}) = \alpha T + \beta \mathcal{T}$ and a non-linear model $f(T, \mathcal{T}) = \alpha \sqrt{-T} + \beta \mathcal{T}$, with a parameterized scale factor $a(t) = \sqrt{a_0^2 + \gamma^2 t^2}$ to capture the bounce behavior. The analysis confirms a cosmic bounce at $t = 0 $, where the Hubble parameter $H = 0$ signals a transition from contraction to expansion. A crucial condition for achieving the bounce is the violation of the null energy condition (NEC) near the bounce, enabling the equation of state (EoS) parameter to enter the phantom region ($\omega < -1$). Both models exhibit an increase in energy density as the universe approaches the bounce, peaking at the bounce epoch and then decreasing post-bounce. Pressure remains negative throughout, with the EoS parameter crossing into the phantom region near the bounce in both positive and negative time zones. Our findings show that NEC and strong energy condition (SEC) violations are essential for the non-singular bounce, while the dominant energy condition (DEC) is satisfied, ensuring a consistent matter distribution...

Understanding the structure of our universe and the distribution of matter is an area of active research. As cosmological surveys grow in complexity, the development of emulators to efficiently and effectively predict matter power spectra is essential. We are particularly motivated by the Mira-Titan Universe simulation suite that, for a specified cosmological parameterization (termed a "cosmology"), provides multiple response curves of various fidelities, including correlated functional realizations. Our objective is two-fold. First, we estimate the underlying true matter power spectra, with appropriate uncertainty quantification (UQ), from all of the provided curves. To this end, we propose a novel Bayesian deep Gaussian process (DGP) hierarchical model which synthesizes all the simulation information to estimate the underlying matter power spectra while providing effective UQ. Our model extends previous work on Bayesian DGPs from scalar responses to correlated functional outputs. Second, we leverage our predicted power spectra from various cosmologies in order to accurately predict the entire matter power spectra for an unobserved cosmology. For this task, we use basis function representations of the functional spectra to train a separate Gaussian process emulator. Our method performs well in synthetic exercises and against the benchmark cosmological emulator (Cosmic Emu).

In this work, we investigate the relativistic structure of white dwarfs (WDs) within the framework of modified gravity theory $f(R, T, L_m) = R + \alpha T L_m$, which introduces a non-minimal coupling between matter and curvature. Using a realistic equation of state (EoS) that includes contributions from a relativistic degenerate electron gas and ionic lattice effects, we solve the modified Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff (TOV) equations for two standard choices of the matter Lagrangian density: $L_m = p$ and $L_m = -\rho$. We show that the extra $\alpha TL_m$ term significantly alters the mass-radius relation of WDs, especially at high central densities $( \rho_c \gtrsim 10^8 - 10^9\,\rm g/cm^3)$, allowing for stable super-Chandrasekhar configurations. In particular, depending on the sign and magnitude of the parameter $\alpha$, the maximum mass can increase or decrease, and in some regimes, the usual critical point indicating the transition from stability to instability disappears. Our findings suggest that $f(R,T,L_m)$ gravity provides a viable framework to explain the existence of massive WDs beyond the classical Chandrasekhar limit.

We explore resonant production of sterile neutrino dark matter via the Shi-Fuller (SF) mechanism, revisiting its cosmological viability in light of recent results demonstrating that lepton-number asymmetries $L_\alpha \gtrsim 1$ at temperatures $T > 20\rm\,MeV$ are consistent with Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN). Using a quasi-classical Boltzmann transport calculation of the dark matter production, we compute the non-thermal phase space distributions of sterile neutrinos across a broad range of particle mass $m_s$ and mixing angle $\sin^2{(2\theta)}$ parameter space. We then evolve the resulting distributions through linear structure formation using CLASS and fit the resulting matter power spectra to thermal warm dark matter (WDM) transfer functions, enabling a direct mapping between SF models and equivalent thermal WDM particle masses $m_{\mathrm{th}}$. This allows us to reinterpret existing structure formation limits and Lyman-$\alpha$ forest preferences in the context of SF production. We find that lepton asymmetries $L \gtrsim 0.5$ at high temperatures open significant viable parameter space in the $m_s \gtrsim 10\,\mathrm{keV}$ and $\sin^2 (2\theta) \lesssim 10^{-14}$ regime, compatible with both X-ray constraints from NuSTAR and INTEGRAL/SPI and recent Lyman-$\alpha$ inferences of $m_{\mathrm{th}} \approx 4.1\,\mathrm{keV}$. Following lepton number evolution below 20 MeV, we also specifically show that this lepton asymmetry parameter space is compatible with BBN and cosmic microwave background constraints. We present updated constraints, a refined $m_{\mathrm{th}}$ fitting function, and power-law approximations for $L$ across the parameter space. Our results motivate future X-ray observations targeting the $\sim 20$ keV photon regime and testing of the $m_\mathrm{th} \gtrsim 10\,\mathrm{keV}$ WDM region.

Starobinsky gravity, as one of the simplest and best-behaved higher-curvature gravity theories, has been extensively studied in the context of neutron stars over the past few decades. In this work, we investigate the adiabatic radial oscillation stability of neutron stars within the framework of Starobinsky gravity. We find that gravitational modifications can significantly impact stellar stability. Specifically, the higher-derivative nature of the theory causes the exterior spacetime to dynamically respond to fluid oscillations, in contrast to general relativity where Birkhoff's theorem ensures a static exterior. For stellar models with low central densities, the fundamental frequency becomes nearly independent of the central density when the coupling constant is large. For stellar models with high central densities, the transition from stability to instability still approximately occurs near the maximum-mass configuration, similar to the case in general relativity. Our main analysis is conducted in the Jordan frame of the scalar-tensor gravity equivalent to Starobinsky gravity, and we explicitly verify consistency with results obtained in the Einstein frame. We further extend our study to a class of Gauss-Bonnet extensions of Starobinsky gravity.

Ion cyclotron damping is a key mechanism for the dissipation of electromagnetic wave energy in weakly collisional plasmas. This study presents a combined approach using Liouville mapping and the field-particle correlation technique to investigate qualitatively and quantitatively the velocity-space signature of ion cyclotron damping. Liouville mapping offers a computationally efficient way to predict perturbations to the particle velocity distribution function using single-particle trajectories in prescribed electromagnetic fields. One may apply the field-particle correlation technique to these perturbed velocity distributions to reveal the unique velocity-space signatures of the secular energy transfer rate associated with specific wave-particle interactions. We validate this method by reproducing known Landau damping signatures for kinetic Alfvén waves, and then we apply this method to ion cyclotron waves where ion cyclotron damping dominates. The resulting velocity-space signature reveals distinct energization features of ion cyclotron damping : (i) a quadrupolar pattern in the perpendicular $(v_x, v_y)$ plane; and (ii) a localized energization near the $n = 1$ resonant velocity in gyrotropic $(v_\parallel, v_\perp)$ velocity-space. The quantitative patterns remain unchanged as the ion plasma beta $\beta_i$ is varied, ultimately showing minimal $v_\perp$ dependence on $\beta_i$ of the velocity-space signature at the $n = 1$ resonant velocity. This work provides a systematic study of how the ion cyclotron damping signature varies with $\beta_i$, offering a practical foundation to identify ion cyclotron damping using kinetic simulation data or spacecraft data.

We develop a calculation method for describing the direct and pre-equilibrium processes in neutron-induced reactions based on the framework of noniterative finite amplitude method (FAM) and distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA). The noniterative FAM is used to derive equations of quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) for neutron-induced inelastic scatterings to both the discrete and continuum states in a consistent manner. The Skyrme force is employed as an interaction between the projectile neutron with nucleons inside the target nucleus. We apply this method to the neutron-induced reaction on 208Pb. We demonstrate that the calculated differential inelastic scattering cross sections to low-lying states reproduce available experimental data without any phenomenological parameters that are often introduced in conventional DWBA calculations. The calculated double differential cross section to the continuum state also agrees with the experimental data in the energy region relevant to the direct and pre-equilibrium processes. These results are used to investigate the spin distribution of the populated states in the residual nucleus.