Papers for Wednesday, Nov 26 2025

Measuring cometary nuclei is notoriously difficult because they are usually unresolved and embedded within bright comae, which hampers direct size measurements even with space telescopes. We present a practical, instrumental method that, stabilises the inner core through bicubic resampling, performs forward point-spread function PSF+convolution, and separates the unresolved nucleus from the inner-coma profile via an explicit Dirac Delta function added to a Rho^-1 surface brightness law. The method yields the nucleus flux by fitting an azimuthal averaged profile with two amplitudes only PSF core and convolved coma, with transparent residual diagnostics. As a case study, we apply the workflow to the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS alias C/2025 N1, incorporating Hubble Space Telescope constraints on the nucleus size. We find that radius solutions consistent with 0.16 <= Rn <= 2.8 km for Pv = 0.04 are naturally recovered, in line with the most recent HST upper limits. The approach is well-suited for survey pipelines Rubin LSST and targeted follow up.

Spacecraft equipped with multiple propulsion modes or systems can offer enhanced performance and mission flexibility compared with traditional configurations. Despite these benefits, the trajectory optimization of spacecraft utilizing such configurations remains a complex challenge. This paper presents a sequential convex programming (SCP) approach for the optimal design of multi-mode and multi-propulsion spacecraft trajectories. The method extends the dynamical linearization within SCP using sparse automatic differentiation, enabling efficient inclusion of multiple propulsion modes or systems without complex manual reformulation while maintaining comparable computational efficiency. New constraint formulations are introduced to ensure selection of a single propulsion mode at each time step and limit the total number of modes used. The approach is demonstrated for (i) a low-thrust Earth-67P rendezvous using the SPT-140 thruster with 20 discrete modes, and (ii) an Earth-Mars transfer employing both a low-thrust engine and a solar sail. Results confirm that the proposed method can efficiently compute optimal trajectories for these scenarios.

Primordial Magnetic Fields (PMFs) -- magnetic fields originating in the early Universe and permeating the cosmological scales today -- can explain the observed microGauss-level magnetisation of galaxies and their clusters. In light of current and upcoming all-sky radio surveys, PMFs have drawn attention not only as major candidates for explaining the large-scale magnetisation of the Universe, but also as potential probes of early-Universe physics. In this paper, using cosmological simulations coupled with light-cone analysis, we study for the first time the imprints of the PMF structure on the mean rotation measure (RM) originating in the intergalactic medium (IGM), $\langle \mathrm{RM_{IGM}}\rangle$. We introduce a new method for producing full-sky $\mathrm{RM_{IGM}}$ distributions and analyse the autocorrelation of $\mathrm{RM_{IGM}}$ on small and large angular scales; we find that PMF structures indeed show distinct signatures. The large-scale uniform model (characterised by an initially unlimited coherence scale) leads to correlations up to 90 degrees, while correlations for small-scale stochastic PMF models drop by factor of $100$ at $ 0.17, 0.13$ and 0.11 degrees angular scales, corresponding to $5.24, 4.03$ and $3.52$ Mpc scales (at $z=2$ redshift) for magnetic fields with comoving $3.49, 1.81, 1.00 $ Mpc/h coherence scales, respectively; the correlation amplitude of the PMF model with comoving $\sim 19$ Mpc/h coherence scale drops only by factor of $10$ at 1 degree (30.6 Mpc). These results suggests that improvements in the modelling of Galactic RM will be necessary to investigate the signature of large-scale correlated PMFs. A comparison of $\langle \mathrm{RM_{IGM}}\rangle$ redshift dependence obtained from our simulations with that from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey shows agreement with our previous upper limits' estimates on the PMF strength derived from RM-rms analysis.

Centaurs populate relatively short-lived and rapidly evolving orbits in the giant-planet region and are believed to be one of the solar system's most complex and diverse populations. Most Centaurs are linked to origins in the dynamically excited component of the trans-Neptunian region, and are often considered an intermediate phase in the evolution of Jupiter-family comets (JFCs). Additionally, the Centaur region hosts objects from varied source populations and having different dynamical histories. In this chapter, we focus on the physical processes responsible for the evolution of this heterogeneous population in the giant-planet region. The chapter begins with a brief review on the origin and early evolution that determine Centaurs' properties prior to entering the giant-planet region. Next, we discuss the thermal, collisional, and tidal processes believed to drive the changes Centaurs undergo. We provide a comprehensive review of the evidence for evolutionary changes derived from studies of the activity, physical properties, and surface characteristics of Centaurs and related populations, such as trans-Neptunian objects, JFCs, and Trojans. This chapter reveals a multitude of gaps in the current understanding of the evolution mechanisms acting in the giant-planet region. In light of these open questions, we conclude with an outlook on future telescope and spacecraft observations, detailing how they are expected to elucidate Centaur evolution processes.

Binaries that host a carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet (WC) star and an OB-type companion can be copious dust producers. Yet the properties of dust, particularly the grain size distribution, in these systems remain uncertain. We present Band 6 observations of WR 112 by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array telescope (ALMA), which are the first millimeter observations of a WC binary system capable of resolving its dust emission. By combining ALMA observations with James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images, we were able to analyze the spatially resolved spectral energy distribution (SED) of WR 112. We found that the SEDs are consistent with emissions from hydrogen-poor amorphous carbon grains. Notably, our results also suggest that the majority of grains in the system have radii below one micrometer, and the extended dust structures are dominated by nanometer-sized grains. Among four parameterizations of the grain radius distribution that we tested, a bimodal distribution, with abundant nanometer-sized grains and a secondary population of 0.1-micron grains, best reproduces the observed SED. This bimodal distribution helps to reconcile the previously conflicting grain size estimates reported for WR 112 and for other WC systems. We hypothesize that dust destruction mechanisms such as radiative torque disruption and radiative-driven sublimation are responsible for driving the system to the bimodal grain size distribution.

Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLSy1s) are a subclass of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), commonly associated with rapidly accreting, relatively low-mass black holes ($10^6$ - $10^8 M_\odot$) hosted in spiral galaxies. Although typically considered to have high Eddington ratios, recent observations, particularly of $\gamma$-ray-emitting NLSy1s, have raised questions about their true black hole masses, with some estimates approaching those of Broad-line Seyfert 1 (BLSy1) systems. In this work, we present the recalibrated mass estimations for a large sample of NLSy1s galaxies with z $<0.8$. We apply the damped random walk (DRW) formalism to a comparison set of 1,141 NLSy1 and 1,143 BLSy1 galaxies, matched in redshift and bolometric luminosity using SDSS DR17 spectroscopy. Our analysis employs a multivariate calibration that incorporates both the Eddington ratio and the rest-frame wavelength to refine the mass estimates. We obtain median DRW-based black hole masses of $\text{log}(M_{\text{BH}}^{\text{DRW}}/M_\odot) = 6.25 \pm 0.65$ for NLSy1s and $7.07 \pm 0.67$ for BLSy1s, in agreement with their respective virial mass distributions. Furthermore, we identify strong inverse trends between the variability amplitude and both optical luminosity and FeII emission strength, consistent with a scenario where higher accretion rates suppress long-term optical variability. These findings reinforce the view that NLSy1s harbor smaller black holes and highlight the value of variability-based approaches in tracing AGN accretion properties.

We report on follow-up observations with XMM-Newton, the FORS2 instrument at the ESO-VLT, and FAST, aiming to characterise the nature of five thermally emitting isolated neutron star (INS) candidates recently discovered from searches in the footprint of the Spectrum Roentgen Gamma (SRG)/eROSITA All-sky Survey. We find that the X-ray spectra are predominantly thermal and can be described by low-absorbed blackbody models with effective temperatures ranging from 50 to 210 eV. In two sources, the spectra also show narrow absorption features at $300 - 400$ eV. Additional non-thermal emission components are not detected in any of the five candidates. The soft X-ray emission, the absence of optical counterparts in four sources, and the consequent large X-ray-to-optical flux ratios $>3000 - 5400$ confirm their INS nature. For the remaining source, eRASSU J144516.0-374428, the available data do not allow a confident exclusion of an active galactic nucleus nature. However, if the source is Galactic, the small inferred X-ray emitting region is reminiscent of a heated pulsar polar cap, possibly pointing to a binary pulsar nature. X-ray timing searches do not detect significant modulations in all candidates, implying pulsed fraction upper limits of 13 - 19% ($0.001-13.5$ Hz). The absence of pulsations in the FAST observations targeting eRASSU J081952.1-131930 and eRASSU J084046.2-115222 excludes periodic magnetospheric emission at 1 - 1.5 GHz with an $8\sigma$ significance down to 4.08 $\mu$Jy and 2.72 $\mu$Jy, respectively. The long-term X-ray emission of all sources does not imply significant variability. Additional observations are warranted to establish exact neutron star types. At the same time, the confirmation of the predominantly thermal neutron star nature in four additional sources highlights the power of SRG/eROSITA to complement the Galactic INS population.

We introduce a novel framework for upsampled Point Spread Function (PSF) modeling using pixel-level Bayesian inference. Accurate PSF characterization is critical for precision measurements in many fields including: weak lensing, astrometry, and photometry. Our method defines the posterior distribution of the pixelized PSF model through the combination of an analytic Gaussian likelihood and a highly expressive generative diffusion model prior, trained on a library of HST ePSF templates. Compared to traditional methods (parametric Moffat, ePSF template-based, and regularized likelihood), we demonstrate that our PSF models achieve orders of magnitude higher likelihood and residuals consistent with noise, all while remaining visually realistic. Further, the method applies even for faint and heavily masked point sources, merely producing a broader posterior. By recovering a realistic, pixel-level posterior distribution, our technique enables the first meaningful propagation of detailed PSF morphological uncertainty in downstream analysis. An implementation of our posterior sampling procedure is available on GitHub.

We present new state-of-the-art lens models for strong gravitational lensing systems from the Sloan Lens ACS (SLACS) survey, developed within a Bayesian framework that employs high-dimensional (pixellated), data-driven priors for the background source, foreground lens light, and point-spread function (PSF). Unlike conventional methods, our approach delivers high-resolution reconstructions of all major physical components of the lensing system and substantially reduces model-data residuals compared to previous work. For the majority of 30 lensing systems analyzed, we also provide posterior samples capturing the full uncertainty of each physical model parameter. The reconstructions of the background sources reveal high significance morphological structures as small as 200 parsecs in galaxies at redshifts of z 0.5-1.0, demonstrating the power of strong lensing and the analysis method to be used as a cosmic telescope to study the high redshift universe. This study marks the first application of data-driven generative priors to modeling real strong-lensing data and establishes a new benchmark for strong lensing precision modeling in the era of large-scale imaging surveys.

The elevated UV luminosity functions (UVLF) from recent James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have challenged the viability of existing theoretical models. To address this, we use a semi-analytical framework -- which couples a physically motivated source model derived from radiative-transfer hydrodynamic simulations of reionization with a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampler -- to perform a joint calibration to JWST galaxy surveys (UVLF, $\phi_{\rm UV}$ and UV luminosity density, $\rho_{\rm UV}$) and reionization-era observables (ionizing emissivity, $\dot{N}_{\rm ion}$, neutral hydrogen fraction, $x_{\rm HI}$, and Thomson optical depth, $\tau$). We find that models with weak feedback and a higher contribution from faint galaxies reproduce the reionization observables but struggle to match the elevated JWST UVLF at $z > 9$. In contrast, models with stronger feedback (i.e., rapid redshift evolution) and a higher contribution from bright galaxies successfully reproduce JWST UVLF at $z \geq 10$, but over-estimate the bright end at $z < 9$. The strong-feedback model constrained by JWST UVLF predicts a more gradual and extended reionization history, as opposed to the sudden reionization seen in the weak-feedback models. This extended nature of reionization ($z\sim 16$ - $6$) yields an optical depth consistent (at 2-$\sigma$) with the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) constraint, thereby alleviating the photon-budget crisis. In both scenarios, reionization is complete by $z \sim 6$, consistent with current data. Our analysis highlights the importance of accurately modeling feedback and ionizing emissivities from different source populations during the first billion years after the Big Bang.

Understanding black hole-galaxy co-evolution and the role of AGN feedback requires complete AGN samples, including heavily obscured systems. In this work, we present the first UV line-selected ([Nev]3426 and CIV1549) sample of obscured AGN with full X-ray-to-radio coverage, assembled by combining data from the Chandra COSMOS Legacy survey, the COSMOS2020 catalogue, IR photometry from XID+, and radio observations from the VLA and MIGHTEE surveys. Using CIGALE to perform spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting, we analyse 184 obscured AGN at 0.6 < z < 1.2 and 1.5 < z < 3.1, enabling detailed measurements of AGN and host galaxy properties, and direct comparison with SIMBA hydrodynamical simulations. We find that X-ray and radio data are essential for accurate SED fits, with the radio band proving critical when X-ray detections are missing or in cases of poor IR coverage. Comparisons with matched non-active galaxies and simulations suggest that the [NeV]-selected sources are in a pre-quenching stage, while the CIV-selected ones are likely quenched by AGN activity. Our results indicate that [NeV] and CIV selections target galaxies in a transient phase of their co-evolution, characterised by intense, obscured accretion, and pave the way for future extensions with upcoming large area high-z spectroscopic surveys.

The enrichment history of galaxy clusters and groups remains far from being fully understood. Recent measurements in massive clusters have revealed remarkably flat iron abundance profiles out to the outskirts, suggesting that similar enrichment processes have occurred for all systems. In contrast, abundance profiles in galaxy groups have sometimes been measured to decline with radius, challenging our understanding of the physical processes at these scales. In this paper, we present a pilot study aimed at accurately measuring the iron abundance profiles of MKW3s, A2589, and Hydra A, three poor clusters with total masses of $M_{500} \simeq 2.0-2.5 \times 10^{14}$ M$_\odot$, intermediate between the scales of galaxy groups and massive clusters. Using XMM-Newton to obtain nearly complete azimuthal coverage of the outer regions of these systems, we show that abundance measurements in the outskirts are more likely to be limited by systematics than by statistical errors. In particular, inaccurate modelling of the soft X-ray background can significantly bias metallicity estimates in regions where the cluster emission is faint. Once these systematics are properly accounted for, the abundance profiles of all three clusters appear to be flat at $Z \sim 0.3$ Z$_{\odot}$, in agreement with values observed in massive clusters. Using available stellar mass estimates, we also computed their iron yields, thereby beginning to probe a largely unexplored mass range. We find $Y_{Fe,500} = 2.68\pm0.34$, $2.54\pm0.64$, and $7.51\pm1.47$ Z$_{\odot}$ for MKW3s, A2589, and Hydra A, respectively, spanning the transition regime between galaxy groups and massive clusters. Future observations of systems with temperatures of $2-4$ keV will be essential to further populate this intermediate-mass regime and to draw firmer conclusions on the chemical enrichment history of galaxy systems across the full mass scale.

Fast $\gamma$-ray variability in blazars remains a central puzzle in high-energy astrophysics, challenging standard shock acceleration models. Blazars, a subclass of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with jets pointed close to our line of sight, offer a unique view into jet dynamics. Blazar $\gamma$-ray light curves exhibit rapid, high-amplitude flares that point to promising alternative dissipation mechanisms such as magnetic reconnection. This study uses three-dimensional relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) and resistive relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (ResRMHD) simulations with the PLUTO code to explore magnetic reconnection in turbulent, magnetized plasma columns. Focusing on current-driven kink instabilities, we identify the formation of current sheets due to magnetic reconnection, leading to plasmoid formation. We develop a novel technique combining hierarchical structure analysis and reconnection diagnostics to identify reconnecting current sheets. A statistical analysis of their geometry and orientation reveals a smaller subset that aligns closely with the jet axis, consistent with the jet-in-jet model. These structures can generate relativistically moving plasmoids with significant Doppler boosting, offering a plausible mechanism for the fast flares superimposed on slowly varying blazar light curves. These findings provide new insights into the plasma dynamics of relativistic jets and strengthen the case for magnetic reconnection as a key mechanism in blazar $\gamma$-ray variability.

Cosmological simulations predict significant secondary dependencies of halo clustering on internal properties and environment. Detecting these subtle signals in observational data remains challenging, with important ramifications for galaxy evolution and cosmology. We probe secondary halo bias in observational survey data, using galaxy groups as dark matter halo proxies. We quantify secondary bias using central galaxy colour and environmental diagnostics. We use an extended, refined galaxy group catalogue from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Secondary bias is defined as any deviation in group clustering strength at fixed mass, quantified through the projected two-point correlation function. Our environmental analysis uses DisPerSE to compute distances to critical points of the density field, incorporating local group overdensity measurements on multiple scales. We robustly detect several forms of secondary bias in the clustering of galaxy groups. At fixed mass, groups hosting red central galaxies are more strongly clustered than those with blue centrals, with $b_{\rm relative}$ ranging from $\sim 1.2$ for the 15\% reddest centrals to $\sim 0.8$ for the bluest ones. Environmental dependencies based on cosmic-web distances are also present, though significantly weaker and largely mass-independent. The strongest signal arises from local overdensity: groups in the densest 15\% of environments reach $b_{\rm relative} \sim 1.4$, while those in the least dense regions fall to $b_{\rm relative} \sim 0.7$. These results establish a clear observational hierarchy for secondary halo bias. The colour of central galaxies correlates with the local group overdensity, which, in turn, correlates with the bias at fixed group mass. Assuming that central galaxy colour traces halo assembly history, this three-stage picture offers a conceptual link between our results and halo assembly bias.

We present the mass-metallicity relation for star-forming galaxies in the MUSE Quasar Nebula 01 (MQN01) field, a massive cosmic web node at $z \sim 3.245$, hosting one of the largest overdensities of galaxies and AGNs found so far at $z > 3$. Through James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) spectra and images from JWST and Hubble Space Telescope (HST), we identify a sample of 9 star-forming galaxies in the MQN01 field with detection of nebular emission lines ($\rm H\beta$, [OIII], $\rm H\alpha$, [NII]), covering the mass range of $\rm 10^{7.5}M_\odot - 10^{10.5}M_\odot$. We present the relations of the emission-line flux ratios versus stellar mass for the sample and derive the gas-phase metallicity based on the strong line diagnostics of [OIII]$\lambda5008$/$\rm H\beta$ and [NII]$\lambda6585$/$\rm H\alpha$. Compared to the typical, field galaxies at similar redshifts, MQN01 galaxies show relatively higher [NII]$\lambda6585$/$\rm H\alpha$ and lower [OIII]$\lambda5008$/$\rm H\beta$ at the same stellar mass, which implies a higher metallicity by about $0.25\pm 0.07$ dex with respect to the field mass-metallicity relation. These differences are decreased considering the ``Fundamental Metallicity Relation'', i.e. if the galaxies' Star Formation Rates (SFR) are also taken into account. We argue that these results are consistent with a scenario in which galaxies in overdense regions assemble their stellar mass more efficiently (or, equivalently, start forming at earlier epochs) compared to field galaxies at similar redshifts.

JWST has revealed an abundance of low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGN) at high redshifts ($z > 3$), pushing the limits of black hole (BH) science in the early Universe. Results have claimed that these BHs are significantly more massive than expected from the BH mass-host galaxy stellar mass relation derived from the local Universe. We present a comprehensive census of the BH populations in the early Universe through a detailed stacking analysis of galaxy populations, binned by luminosity and redshift, using JWST spectroscopy from the CEERS, JADES, RUBIES, and GLASS extragalactic deep field surveys. Broad H$\alpha$ detections in $31\%$ of the stacked spectra (5/16 bins) imply median BH masses of $10^{5.21} - 10^{6.13}~ \rm{M_{\odot}}$ and the stacked SEDs of these bins indicate median stellar masses of $10^{7.84} - 10^{8.56} ~\rm{M_{\odot}}$. This suggests that the median galaxy hosts a BH that is at most a factor of 10 times over-massive compared to its host galaxy and lies closer to the locally derived $M_{BH}-M_*$ relation. We investigate the seeding properties of the inferred BHs and find that they can be well-explained by a light stellar remnant seed undergoing moderate Eddington accretion. Our results indicate that individual detections of AGN are more likely to sample the upper envelope of the $M_{BH}-M_*$ distribution, while stacking on ``normal" galaxies and searching for AGN signatures can overcome the selection bias of individual detections.

The translation from direct observables to physical properties of galaxies is a key step in reconstructing their evolutionary histories. Variations in stellar populations and star-dust geometry can induce inhomogeneous mass-to-light ratios, complicating this process. SE3D is a novel modelling framework, built around a radiative transfer emulator, aimed at tackling this problem. In this paper, we test the ability of SE3D to recover known intrinsic properties of toy model and TNG50 simulated galaxies from mock observations of their multi-wavelength photometric and structural properties. We find an encouraging performance for several key characteristics, including the bulk stellar mass, dust mass and SFR, as well as their respective radial extents. We point out limitations, and investigate the impact of various sources of model mismatch. Among them, mismatch in the shapes of star formation histories contributes most, with radial and azimuthal structure and stellar metallicity distributions playing a progressively more minor role. We also analyse the evolution from z=2 to z=0 of resolved stellar and dust properties of TNG galaxies, as measured intrinsically and expressed in their distribution across UVJ and IRX-$\beta$ diagnostic diagrams. We test different methods to assign dust to the simulation, and find a persistent lack of Mdust/Mstar evolution and a more limited dynamic range across the diagnostic diagrams compared to observations.

We implement the constrained divergence cleaning algorithm of \citet{Tricco2016} into the cosmological smoothed particle magnetohydrodynamics (SPMHD) code OpenGadget3. Our implementation modifies the governing equations of SPMHD to allow the constrained hyperbolic/parabolic cleaning scheme to be applied consistently in an expanding cosmological framework. This ensures that divergence errors in the magnetic field are actively propagated away and damped, rather than merely being advected with the flow or partially controlled by source terms. To validate our implementation, we perform a series of standard test problems, including the advection of divergence errors, the Orszag-Tang vortex, the Brio-Wu shock tube, and magnetised Zeldovich pancakes. These tests confirm that our scheme successfully reduces divergence errors while preserving the correct physical evolution of the system. We then apply the method to a fully cosmological simulation of a massive galaxy cluster, comparing the results to those obtained using the previously employed Powell eight-wave divergence preserving scheme. We find that the overall density structure of the cluster is largely unaffected by the choice of divergence cleaning method, and the magnetic field geometry and strengths in the cluster core remain similar. However, in the cluster outskirts ($r \approx$~1-3~$h^{-1}$~Mpc), the magnetic field is amplified by a factor of $\sim$ 5 compared to the Powell-only approach. Moreover, the constrained divergence cleaning algorithm reduces the divergence error by 2-3 orders of magnitude throughout the cluster volume, demonstrating its effectiveness in maintaining the solenoidal condition of the magnetic field in large-scale cosmological simulations. Our results suggest that accurate divergence control is essential for modeling magnetic field amplification in low-density regions of galaxy clusters.

We present the first detection of the cosmological 21 cm intensity mapping signal in auto-correlation at z ~ 1 with the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME). Using 94 nights of observation, we have measured the 21 cm auto-power spectrum over a frequency range from 608.2 MHz to 707.8 MHz (z = 1.34 to 1.01) at 0.4 h Mpc^-1 < k < 1.5 h Mpc^-1, with a detection significance of 12.5 sigma. Our analysis employs significant improvements to the CHIME data processing pipeline compared to previous work, including novel radio frequency interference (RFI) detection and masking algorithms, achromatic beamforming techniques, and foreground filtering before time averaging to minimize spectral leakage. We establish the robustness and reliability of our detection through a comprehensive suite of validation tests. We also measure the 21 cm signal in two independent sub-bands centered at z ~ 1.08 and z ~ 1.24 with detection significance of 8.7 sigma and 9.2 sigma, respectively. We briefly discuss the theoretical interpretation of these measurements in terms of a power spectrum model, deferring the details to a companion paper. This auto-power spectrum detection demonstrates CHIME's capability to probe large-scale structure through 21 cm intensity mapping without reliance on external galaxy surveys.

We present a framework for analysing panchromatic and spatially resolved galaxy observations, dubbed SE3D. SE3D simultaneously and self-consistently models a galaxy's spectral energy distribution and its spectral distributions of global structural parameters: the wavelength-dependent galaxy size, light profile and projected axis ratio. To this end, it employs a machine learning emulator trained on a large library of toy model galaxies processed with 3D dust radiative transfer and mock-observed under a range of viewing angles. The toy models vary in their stellar and dust geometries, and include radial stellar population gradients. The computationally efficient machine learning emulator uses a Bayesian neural network architecture, and reproduces the spectral distributions at an accuracy of ~ 0.05 dex or less across the dynamic range of input parameters, and across the rest-frame UVJ colour space spanned by observed galaxies. We carry out a sensitivity analysis demonstrating that the emulator has successfully learned the intricate mappings between galaxy physical properties and direct observables (fluxes, colours, sizes, size ratios between different wavebands, ...). We further discuss the physical conditions giving rise to a range of total-to-selective attenuation ratios, Rv, with among them most prominently the projected dust surface mass density.

Supernova (SN) feedback-driven galactic outflows are a key physical process that contributes to the baryon cycle by regulating the star formation activity, reducing the amount of metals in low-mass galaxies and enriching the circumgalactic (CGM) and intergalactic media (IGM). We aim to understand the chemical loop of sub-Milky Way (MW) galaxies and their nearby regions. We studied 15 simulated central sub-MW galaxies (M* <= 10^10 Msun) and intermediate-mass galaxies (M* \sim 10^10 Msun) from the CIELO-P7 high-resolution simulations. We followed the evolution of the progenitor galaxies, their properties and the characteristics of the outflows within the redshift range z = [0, 7]. We used two dynamically-motivated outflow definitions, unbound outflows and expelled mass rates, to quantify the impact of SN feedback. At z \sim 0, sub-MW galaxies have a larger fraction of their current oxygen mass in the gas phase but have expelled a greater portion beyond the virial radius, compared to their higher-mass counterparts. Galaxies with M* <\sim 10^9 Msun have 10-40 per cent of their total oxygen mass within R200 in the CGM, and an equivalent to 10-60 per cent expelled into the IGM. In contrast, more massive galaxies have most of the oxygen mass locked by the stellar populations. The CGM of low-mass galaxies predominantly contains oxygen low-temperature gas, acting as a metal reservoir. We find that the outflows are more oxygen-rich for sub-MW galaxies, Zout/ZISM \sim 1.5, than for higher-mass galaxies, Zout/ZISM <= 0.5, particularly for z < 2. Mass-loading factors of eta_out \sim 0 - 6 are detected in agreement with observations (abridged).

We present a detailed analysis of the vertical and radial structure of mono-age stellar populations in three edge-on lenticular galaxies (FCC 153, FCC 170, and FCC 177) in the Fornax cluster, using deep MUSE observations. By measuring the half-mass radius (R$_{50}$) and half-mass height (z$_{50}$) across 1 Gyr-wide age bins, we trace the spatial evolution of stellar populations over cosmic time. All galaxies exhibit a remarkably constant disc thickness for all stars younger than ~6 Gyr, suggesting minimal secular heating and limited impact from environmental processes such as tidal shocking or harassment. Evidence of past mergers (8-10 Gyr ago) is found in the increase of z$_{50}$ for older populations. We find that accreted (metal-poor) stars have been deposited in quite thick configurations, but that the interactions only moderately thickened pre-existing stars in the galaxies, and only caused mild flaring in the outer regions of the discs. The radial structure of the discs varies across galaxies, but in all cases we find that the radial extent of mono-age populations remains constant or grows over the past 8 Gyr. This leads us to argue that within the radial range we consider, strangulation, rather than ram-pressure stripping, is the dominant quenching mechanism in those galaxies. Our results highlight the usefulness of analysing the structure of mono-age population to uncover the mechanisms driving galaxy evolution, and we anticipate broader insights from the GECKOS survey, studying 36 nearby edge-on disc galaxies.

Planetary atmospheric energy budgets primarily depend on stellar incident flux. However, stellar variability can have major consequences for the evolution of planetary climates. In this work, we evaluate how stellar variability influences the equilibrium temperature and water retention of planets within the Habitable Zone (HZ). We present a sample of 9 stars that are known to host at least one planet within the HZ and that were identified to have a variability amplitude exceeding 100 ppm based on photometry from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). We investigate the effect that the variability of these stars have on the insolation flux of their HZ planets and the resulting changes in the induced planetary equilibrium temperature. Our results show that for the stars in our sample, the stellar variability has an insignificant effect on the equilibrium temperature of HZ planets. However, we also emphasize that these stars are not representative of more extreme variable stars, since exoplanets are more difficult to detect and characterize in the presence of extreme variability. We also investigate the equilibrium temperature and long-term evolution of a hypothetical Earth-like planet placed at the inner edge of the HZ around a highly variable star. We found that the water loss rates are comparable between both variable and quiet host stars for Earth-like planets in the inner HZ. Overall, these results broaden our knowledge on the impact of stellar variability on planetary habitability.

We present a study of the ionized gas kinematics and feedback properties in a sample of 14 low-mass, UV-luminous Lyman Break Analogs (LBAs) at redshifts z~0.1-0.3. These compact, strongly star-forming galaxies serve as local analogs of high-redshift starbursts. Using high-resolution VLT/X-shooter spectra, we model the optical emission-line profiles, including [O III] 4959,5007 and the Balmer lines, with multi-component Gaussian fits. All galaxies show complex kinematics that require both narrow (sigma < 90 km/s) and broad (sigma > 90 km/s) components. The narrow components trace highly turbulent gas associated with massive star-forming regions, while the broad components indicate ionized outflows driven by stellar winds and supernova feedback, with outflow velocities of about 200-500 km/s. Estimated mass outflow rates range from 0.20 to 2.72 solar masses per year, with mass-loading factors between 0.03 and 0.81. We find a mild increase in mass loading toward lower stellar masses, as well as a strong correlation between mass loading and star-formation-rate surface density, suggesting that more compact starbursts drive more powerful outflows. These trends are consistent with those seen in star-forming galaxies at higher redshifts. Our results highlight the importance of local UV-compact starbursts for understanding feedback processes in low-mass, rapidly star-forming galaxies.

The Changing-Look active galactic nucleus Mkn 590 is currently in a rejuvenated state, exhibiting a contemporaneous flux rise across X-rays, UV, optical and cm wavelengths. In this study, we present three new optical spectra obtained with the Nordic Optical Telescope, alongside three 1.4 GHz continuum measurements from the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope, acquired since Nov. 2024. We identified a clear increase in the broad hydrogen Balmer line emission in the most recent observational epochs. Additionally, the core radio flux densities appear to track the overall X-ray variability, suggesting a possible connection between the accretion flow and jet activity. Based on these data, we aim to explore the evolution of the circumnuclear gas in this source and potential links between accretion and ejection activity.

In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of the light variation of KIC 5623923 using high-precision time-series data from the $Kepler$ mission. The analysis reveals this target is an eclipsing binary system with $\delta$ Scuti type pulsations from the primary component, rather than from the secondary as previously reported. The frequency analysis of three short-cadence data reveals 41 significant frequencies, including the orbital frequency ($f_{orb}$ = 0.827198 d$^{-1}$) due to orbital motion from binary system and the pulsational frequencies. Most of the pulsational signal lies in the frequency range of 20 - 32 d$^{-1}$, with amplitude between 0.3 and 8.8 mmag, in which seven peaks are identified as `independent' modes. The strongest one ($f_{3}$ = 28.499399 d$^{-1}$) likely corresponds to a high-order radial mode. In other peaks ($f_{7}$, $f_{10}$, and $f_{18}$), several pairs of multiplet structures centered on them are found. The fitting of spectral energy distribution (SED) using the collected photometry measurement of multiple bands reveals the effective temperatures of the primary and secondary components as $8348^{+230}_{-225}$~K and $4753^{+237}_{-229}$~K, respectively, which place the primary star in the classical pulsating instability zone. The characteristic light curve morphology and short orbital period are consistent with a tidally locked system. Based on the characteristics of amplitude spectra of pulsating stars in close binaries, the analysis of the multiplet structures reveals that three independent frequencies (i.e. $f_{7}$, $f_{10}$, and $f_{18}$) correspond to non-radial modes with $l = 2$, while the associated sidelobes are produced by the orbital motion. We highlight the potential of this method in future studies of pulsating binary stars.

For dwarf galaxies modeled as deformed Plummer spheres and orbitally moving in ultralight dark matter halo of the Milky Way, the torque induced by the dynamical friction force is determined. The impact of this torque, as well as the torque produced by the gravitational force of the Milky Way, on the internal kinematics of dwarf galaxies is studied. Possible oscillations of dwarf galaxies caused by the tidal torque and misalignment of dwarf galaxies with respect to their equilibrium position are investigated and the corresponding frequencies and periods of oscillations are found.

V4641 Sagittarii (V4641 Sgr) is a unique Galactic microquasar system featuring a stellar-mass black hole accreting matter from a massive companion. One of its intriguing features is the presence of relativistic radio jets almost perpendicular to the observed extended gamma-ray emission, implying significant propagation effects or interactions with the Galactic magnetic field. Here we report observational evidence that the radio jet and the very high-energy (VHE) and ultra high-energy (UHE) gamma-ray emission could be aligned along a common axis, indicating a co-spatial or co-directional origin. This alignment supports a model where synchrotron radio emission, VHE and UHE gamma rays are produced within a single, highly collimated relativistic outflow. Our findings favor scenarios of in-situ particle acceleration up to hundreds of TeV, challenge previous interpretations involving large-scale particle diffusion, and simplify the geometric modeling of the source. This case highlights the potential of V4641 Sgr as a PeVatron candidate within our Galaxy and provides a benchmark for understanding jet composition and magnetic structure in microquasars.

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) reached perihelion at 0.33~au on 2025 October 8. Daily monitoring by the LCO Outbursting Objects Key Project revealed a major activity increase between November 2 and 4, accompanied by rapid changes in coma morphology. Serendipitous HST/STIS acquisition images obtained on November 8-10 captured the comet only days after this event and resolved five fragments, providing an early high-resolution view of a nucleus in the process of disruption. Fragment motions and morphologies indicate a hierarchical fragmentation sequence, including a slow secondary split of fragment II. Back-extrapolation shows that both the primary and secondary breakups preceded their associated photometric outbursts by roughly one to three days. This consistent lag, together with the appearance of thin, short-lived arclets around fragment A in the first HST epoch, suggests that freshly exposed interior material warms rapidly but requires time before dust can be released efficiently. These combined ground- and space-based observations provide rare, time-resolved constraints on the thermal and structural evolution of a fragmented comet near perihelion and highlight the scientific value of capturing a nucleus within days of disruption.

Observing [O I] emission to calculate an "oxygen line ratio" has been proposed as a potential proxy for direct CO$_2$ measurement in comets. However, the photochemistry governing [O I] release into the coma is not well understood, and using theoretical release rates often yields different results than using empirical release rates determined in conjunction with direct space-based measurements of CO$_2$. We hypothesize that the accuracy of the release rates could depend on the level of solar activity at the time the comet is observed, which will be influenced by the solar cycle. We present observations and analysis of [O I] emission in one comet observed near solar maximum, C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy), and one near solar minimum, C/2007 N3 (Lulin). Our [O I] measurements were obtained using two high spectral resolution optical spectrographs: the Tull Coudè spectrometer at McDonald Observatory and the ARCES spectrometer at Apache Point Observatory. We use empirical and theoretical models for [O I] emission from the literature to derive multiple sets of inferred CO$_2$ abundances for these comets and compare to contemporaneous space-based measurements of CO$_2$. We find that the empirical model, which was developed based on comet observations obtained near solar maximum, reproduces the directly measured CO$_2$ abundances better for Lovejoy. Neither model accurately reproduces the direct measurement for Lulin. We discuss the implications of our findings for the accuracy and dependencies of the oxygen line ratio method for inferring CO$_2$ abundances in cometary comae.

On August 17$^{\rm th}$ 2017, observatories worldwide made a landmark detection: gravitational waves and light from a binary neutron star merger. This event revolutionized our understanding of astrophysics, cosmology, and gravitation. In this proceeding of the 2025 International Congress of Basic Science, we describe how it transformed our view of cosmic acceleration (dark energy). The near-simultaneous arrival of light and gravitational waves shows that their speeds agree to within one part in $10^{15}$, excluding large classes of modified gravity theories and interactions between dark energy and matter.

We report the first detection in space of propadienone, the linear isomer (l-H$_2$C$_3$O) of cyclopropenone (c-H$_2$C$_3$O). We also report the first detection of the isotopologue c-H$_2$$^{13}$CCCO, and c-HDCCCO of c-H$_2$C$_3$O. The astronomical observations are part of QUIJOTE, a line survey of TMC-1 in the frequency range 31.0-50.3 GHz, complemented with data between 71.6-116.0 GHz, and carried out with Yebes-40m and IRAM-30m telescopes, respectively. We obtain a total column density of 3.7$\times$10$^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$ for l-H$_2$C$_3$O at an excitation temperature of 4.8 K. We find that the isomer is about eight times less abundant than the cyclic one. We also report a detailed line-by-line study of cyclopropenethione (c-H$_2$C$_3$S) to compare the abundance of the O and S isomers. We find that cyclic O-isomers are more abundant than cyclic S-isomers; however, the opposite trend is found for the most stable linear isomers, with l-H$_2$C$_3$S being more than one order of magnitude more abundant than l-H$_2$C$_3$O. A comprehensive theoretical chemical analysis shows that the abundances of the H$_2$C$_3$O and H$_2$C$_3$S isomers are controlled by different formation pathways. In particular, while l-H$_2$C$_3$O is potentially produced by dissociative electron recombination reactions, ion-neutral chemistry is more effective at producing l-H$_2$C$_3$S and c-H$_2$C$_3$S.

The NOTT visitor instrument at the VLTI will characterize hot exozodiacal dust and young Jupiter-like planets at the water snowline via L' band nulling interferometry. The beam combination will be achieved by a four-telescope integrated optics beam combiner (IOBC) that fulfills specific requirements. Our goal was to manufacture the mid-infrared IOBC for NOTT based on the double-Bracewell architecture and run a detailed laboratory characterization in the L' band. We focus on the achievable raw and self-calibrated nulling ratios. We use a double Michelson interferometer to produce four broadband coherent beams simulating the four telescopes of the VLTI and perform broadband nulling at room temperature. We analyze the modal, chromatic, and polarization behavior of the IOBC, and measure its total throughput. We were able to manufacture a single-mode four-telescope double-Bracewell IOBC in GLS mid-infrared transparent glass using Ultrafast Laser Inscription. We show that the directional couplers forming the four-telescope IOBC (4T-nuller) have an achromatic splitting ratio across the band 3.65-3.85 um with a 40/60 and 50/50 splitting for the side couplers and the central coupler, respectively. We report a total throughput of 37%, including the Fresnel losses that will be mitigated with anti-reflection coatings, and quantify differential birefringence. Operating at room temperature, with 200 nm bandwidth centered at 3.8 um and without polarization control, we measure an average raw null of 8.13+/-0.03x10-3 and a self-calibrated null of 1.14+/-0.01x10-3. Finally, we show that a theta^6 broad null can be experimentally reproduced in these conditions. This is, to our knowledge, the first measurement of a broadband L' deep null obtained with a four-telescope integrated optics beam combiner. The next step foresees testing the 4T-nuller in cryogenic conditions.

We present a novel candidate for cold dark matter consisting of condensed Cooper pairs in a theory of interacting fermions with broken chiral symmetry. Establishing the thermal history from the early radiation era to the present, the fermions are shown to behave like standard radiation at high temperatures, but then experience a critical era decaying faster than radiation, akin to freeze-out that sets the relic abundance. Through a second-order phase transition, fermion - antifermion pairs condense and the system asymptotes towards zero temperature and pressure. By the present era, the non-relativistic, massive condensate decays slightly faster than in the standard scenario -- a unique prediction that may be tested by combined measurements of the cosmic microwave background and large scale structure. We also show that in the case of massive fermions, the phase transition is frustrated, and freeze-out instead leaves a residual, long-lived

The meteor occurrence height and decay time height are strongly dependent on local atmospheric conditions in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT)-region. In this study, we comparatively examine the seasonal behaviour of vertical distribution of meteor occurrence height and decay time height at two identical radars of conjugate polar latitudes, Esrange (68$^\circ$N) and Rothera (68$^\circ$S). In order to understand the nature of meteor trail variations, the received signal power is categorised into two groups as weak and strong echoes, and their seasonal mean vertical profiles are constructed. It has been noticed that the meteor occurrence height shown a seasonal symmetry, however, decay time vertical profiles shows an asymmetric pattern at conjugate polar latitudes, particularly for strong echoes. Seasonally, there is about 1 km difference in occurrence height and decay time height of weak and strong echoes. From the decay time vertical profiles, it has been noticed that the decay time turning altitude (i.e., inflection point) varies seasonally in the altitudes range of 80-86 km for weak and strong echoes. The maximum turning altitude of about 85 km is observed in Northern winter at Esrange (68$^\circ$N) and in Southern summer at Rothera (68$^\circ$S), similarly minimum turning altitude of about 80 km is observed in Northern winter at Esrange (68$^\circ$N) and in Southern summer at Rothera (68$^\circ$S). The probable reasons for such behaviour of meteor trails at opposite polar latitudes are discussed.

The timing of the lunar magma ocean (LMO) solidification is governed by its thermal evolution. A key geochronological observation is that all analyzed products of LMO solidification have ages (or age peaks) near 4.35 +/- 0.05 billion years ago (Ga), suggesting rapid solidification of the last ~40% of the LMO at that time. The ages raise two questions: (1) how was the final solidification of the LMO delayed for over 100 Myr (million years) from the Moon's formation, and (2) after such a delay, how did it solidify so quickly? These two aspects of the ages are inconsistent with models of early-fast solidification or slow-prolonged solidification, controlled by radiogenic heat production and convective cooling (even if slowed by a conductive lithosphere). We propose that both aspects can not only be explained by tidal heating of the LMO but are in fact robust and expected thermal evolution features of a magma ocean cooling while being tidally heated and, in the Moon's case, receding from the Earth. The delay in solidification is due to the LMO being trapped at a stable equilibrium between the enhanced tidal heating rate and the decreasing cooling rate. The rapid solidification at ~4.35 Ga occurs when the Moon retreats to the point where an unstable equilibrium is reached, where tidal heating is drastically reduced, rapidly cooling the Moon. Moreover, an unanticipated outcome of our modeling is that the farside of the Moon is predicted to be 20-60 deg C cooler than the nearside for ~10-100 Myr during the final solidification stage. This is consistent with previous studies indicating asymmetric crystallization of the LMO from the farside to the nearside, which leads to an older and less evolved farside crust than the nearside, consistent with the observed higher Mg# of farside anorthositic crust and the nearside concentration of H2O, KREEP, and high Fe-Ti components.

A popular solution to the Type Ia supernova (SNIa) progenitor problem is that the immediate progenitors are symbiotic star systems. This solution requires that the companion star of the exploding white dwarf must be a red giant star with a heavy stellar wind. This has been tested for 189 normal SNIa, with all tested systems being proven to not have the required red giant: (A) Zero-out-of-9 normal type Ia supernova remnants have any red giant ex-companion star near the center with limits of $M_V$$>$0.0. (B) Zero-out-of-2 normal SNIa in nearby galaxies have any red giant at the position as seen in archival pre-eruption images by HST to limits of $M_V$$>$0.0. (C and D) Zero-out-of-111 normal SNIa have any detected hydrogen or helium emission lines in their eruption spectra, with limits on entrained gas of $M_{\rm H}$$<$0.22 and $M_{\rm He}$$<$0.07 M$_{\odot}$, which is the minimum mass lost by a red giant in a nearby blastwave. (E and F) Zero-out-of-9 nearby normal SNIa were detected in the radio or X-rays, as required from the ejecta/wind impact, to limits of $\dot{M}_{\rm wind}$$<$3$\times$$10^{-9}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$. (G) Zero-out-of-$\sim$69 normal SNIa display any brightening in the first few days to limits of $M_V$$>$$-$18, as required for a red giant companion when we are looking down its shadowcone. With zero-out-of-189 normal SNIa having any possibility of having a red giant companion, the fraction of SNIa with symbiotic progenitors is $<$0.53%. The overwhelming conclusion is that normal SNIa are not from symbiotic-progenitors in any measurable fraction.

In X-ray astronomy, most observatories utilize multi-pixel photon-counting devices. When a photon counting device observes a bright source, we face an unavoidable problem called pile-up. Pile-up leads to mistakes in the observational properties of the source, mainly an apparent decrease in the X-ray flux. X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) has two X-ray telescopes, one of which is Xtend, a CCD camera with a wide field-of-view (FOV) of 38 arcmin square. Xtend has three operating modes: full window mode with a frame exposure of ~4 s, 1/8 window mode with ~0.5s and reduced FOV, and 1/8 window mode with burst option, whose frame exposure is reduced to ~0.06 s. Observers need to select the operating mode according to their target fluxes. We develop the pile-up simulator for Xtend to provide a quantitative assessment of pile-up according to the fluxes, spectra, and shapes of X-ray sources. We derived the 10% pile-up limits for a point source of 7.8, 66.2, and 447.9 counts/s for full window, 1/8 window, and 1/8 window mode with burst option, respectively, by assuming the Crab spectrum. We present further simulations for a diffuse source and monochromatic spectra.

Total solar eclipses (TSEs) provide a unique opportunity to observe the large-scale solar corona. The solar wind plays an important role in forming the large-scale coronal structure and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations are used to reproduce it for further studying coronal mass ejections (CMEs). We conduct a data-constrained MHD simulation of the global solar corona including solar wind effects of the 2024 April 8 TSE with observed magnetograms using the Message Passing Interface Adaptive Mesh Refinement Versatile Advection Code (MPI-AMRVAC) within 2.5 $R_\odot$. This TSE happened within the solar maximum, hence the global corona was highly structured. Our MHD simulation includes the energy equation with a reduced polytropic index $\gamma=1.05$. We compare the global magnetic field for multiple magnetograms and use synchronic frames from the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager to initialize the magnetic field configuration from a magneto-frictionally equilibrium solution, called the Outflow field. We detail the initial and boundary conditions employed to time-advance the full set of ideal MHD equations such that the global corona is relaxed to a steady state. The magnetic field, the velocity field, and distributions of the density and thermal pressure are successfully reproduced. We demonstrate direct comparisons with TSE images in white-light and Fe XIV emission augmented with quasi-separatrix layers, the integrated current density, and the synthetic white-light radiation, and find a good agreement between simulations and observations. This provides a fundamental background for future simulations to study the triggering and acceleration mechanisms of CMEs under solar wind effects.

The recently released data of DESI DR2 favors a dynamical dark energy theory, with the equation of state crossing the cosmological constant boundary $w=-1$. In this paper, we briefly review quintom cosmology, especially the quintom bounce. We will give three examples of a quintom bounce and one example of a cyclic universe with quintom matter.

We utilized the Stellar LAbel Machine (SLAM), a data-driven model based on Support Vector Regression, to derive stellar parameters ([Fe/H], $T_{\rm eff}$, and $\log{g}$) for SDSS-V M dwarfs using low-resolution optical spectra (R$\sim$2000) obtained with the BOSS spectrographs. These parameters are calibrated using LAMOST F, G or K dwarf companions ([Fe/H]), and APOGEE Net ($T_{\rm eff}$ and $\log{g}$), respectively. Comparisons of SLAM predicted [Fe/H] values between two components of M+M dwarfs wide binaries show no bias but with a scatter of 0.11 dex. Further comparisons with two other works, which also calibrated the [Fe/H] of M dwarfs by using the F/G/K companions, reveal biases of -0.06$\pm$0.16 dex and 0.02$\pm$0.14 dex, respectively. The SLAM-derived effective temperatures agree well with the temperature which is calibrated by using interferometric angular diameters (bias: -27$\pm$92 K) and those of the LAMOST (bias: -34$\pm$65 K), but are systematically lower than those from an empirical relationship between the color index and $T_{\rm eff}$ by 146$\pm$45 K. The SLAM surface gravity aligns well with those of LAMOST (bias: -0.01$\pm$0.07 dex) and those derived from the stellar mass and radius (bias: -0.04$\pm$0.09 dex). Finally, we investigated a bias in [Fe/H] between SLAM and APOGEE ASPCAP. It depends on ASPCAP's [Fe/H] and $T_{\rm eff}$, we provide an equation to correct the ASPCAP metallicities.

Direct astrometric detection of exomoons remains unexplored. This study presents the first application of high-precision astrometry to search for exomoons around substellar companions. We investigate whether the orbital motion of the companion HD 206893 B exhibits astrometric residuals consistent with the gravitational influence of an exomoon or binary planet. Using the VLTI/GRAVITY instrument, we monitored the astrometric positions of HD 206893 B and c across both short (days to months) and long (yearly) timescales. This enabled us to isolate potential residual wobbles in the motion of component B attributable to an orbiting moon. Our analysis reveals tentative astrometric residuals in the HD 206893 B orbit. If interpreted as an exomoon signature, these residuals correspond to a candidate (HD 206893 B I) with an orbital period of approximately 0.76 years and a mass of $\sim$0.4 Jupiter masses. However, the origin of these residuals remains ambiguous and could be due to systematics. Complementing the astrometry, our analysis of GRAVITY $R=4000$ spectroscopy for HD 206893 B confirms a clear detection of water, but no CO is found using cross-correlation. We also find that AF Lep b, and $\beta$ Pic b are the best short-term candidates to look for moons with GRAVITY+. Our observations demonstrate the transformative potential of high-precision astrometry in the search for exomoons, and proves the feasibility of the technique to detect moons with masses lower than Jupiter and potentially down to less than Neptune in optimistic cases. Crucially, further high-precision astrometric observations with VLTI/GRAVITY are essential to verify the reality and nature of this signal and attempt this technique on a variety of planetary systems.

We present a spatially resolved high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the supernova remnant DEM L71 using the Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) aboard XMM-Newton. Because of the large dispersion angle of the RGS, we are able to resolve individual emission lines and examine their spatial distributions within this moderately extended remnant. We derive line fluxes across different regions of DEM L71 and perform quantitative plasma diagnostics. Our analysis reveals that some regions have high forbidden-to-resonance ratios of O\emissiontype{VII} He$\alpha$ lines, suggesting a non-negligible contribution from additional physical processes, such as charge exchange and/or resonance scattering. Our results demonstrate that the RGS has potential to serve as an outstanding X-ray imaging spectrometer for moderately diffuse objects.

As part of the KESPRINT collaboration, we present the discovery and characterization of three exoplanets in the sub-Neptune to super-Neptune regime, spanning key regions of the exo-Neptunian landscape. TOI-1472c and TOI-1648b are newly discovered sub-Neptunes, while TOI-1472b is a previously known super-Neptune for which we provide an improved mass measurement. These planets have orbital periods of 6--15 days and radii of 2.5--4.1 R$_\oplus$, probing regions where planet formation and atmospheric evolution remain poorly understood. We combine TESS transit photometry with ground-based radial velocities to determine precise masses, radii, and orbital properties. TOI-1472b has a mass of $18.0^{+0.84}_{-0.85}$ M$_\oplus$ and a radius of $4.06 \pm 0.10$ R$_\oplus$, TOI-1472c has a mass of $21.1^{+0.96}_{-0.99}$ M$_\oplus$ and a radius of $3.33 \pm 0.08$ R$_\oplus$, and TOI-1648b has a mass of $7.4^{+1.1}_{-1.3}$ M$_\oplus$ and a radius of $2.54^{+0.14}_{-0.12}$ R$_\oplus$. The planets exhibit a range of eccentricities (0.041--0.178), indicating diverse evolutionary histories. TOI-1648b, with a high Transmission Spectroscopy Metric (TSM $\sim$59), is a promising target for atmospheric characterization. Together, these three planets provide precise constraints on the structure, composition, and dynamical evolution of small to intermediate-sized exoplanets, enriching our understanding of the exo-Neptunian landscape.

We present the basic performance and experimental results of an electron beam ion trap (JAXA-EBIT), newly introduced to the Japanese astronomical community. Accurate atomic data are indispensable for the reliable interpretation of high-resolution X-ray spectra of astrophysical plasmas. The JAXA-EBIT generates highly charged ions under well-controlled laboratory conditions, providing experimental benchmarks for atomic data. The JAXA-EBIT shows performance comparable to the Heidelberg compact EBIT through dielectronic recombination measurements of highly charged Ar ions. Furthermore, we conducted resonant photoexcitation spectroscopy of highly charged ions using the soft X-ray beamline BL17SU at the synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8. As a result, we successfully detected resonance transitions of He-like O$^{6+}$ and Ne-like Fe$^{16+}$. These results demonstrate the capability of the JAXA-EBIT for precise measurement of atomic data and show that it serves as a powerful tool for advancing astrophysical research.

Historically, solar flare detection has been dependent on methods that require the presence of expensive satellites or other Earth based costly equipment. In this paper, we propose a cost effective, terrestrial alternative that enables reliable solar flare detection. We will discuss the design, practical implementa- tion, and demonstration of a monitoring system for VLF (Very Low Frequency, 3 kHz to 30 kHz) radio signals transmitted by stations located thousands of kilometers away. This frequency range was selected because VLF radio waves are efficiently reflected by the lower ionospheric layers, and any changes in these layers lead to corresponding variations in the received signal. We have used a magnetic loop antenna for signal reception along with a low noise amplifier, analog-to-digital converter, and spectrum analyzer. Data was collected over the course of a few days, from a remote location with minimal electromagnetic interference. From the viewpoint of cost, simplicity and accessibility, this method far surpasses traditional methods of detecting solar flares, using satellites, telescopes, etc.

Helium white dwarfs (He WDs) are end products of low-mass red giant donors in close binary systems via stable mass transfer or common envelope evolution. At the end of stable mass transfer, there is a well-known relation between the He WD mass and orbital period. Although this relation has been widely investigated, the influence of different types of opacity at low temperatures is ignored. In this work, we modeled the evolution of WD binaries with stellar evolution code MESA and two types of opacity at low temperatures from Ferguson et al. (2005) and Freedman et al. (2008, 2014). We investigated the relation between the WD mass and orbital period and compared these results with observations. We find that the relation derived from the opacity of Freedman et al. (2008, 2014) is below that from the opacity of Ferguson et al. (2005) and the relation derived from the opacity of Freedman et al. (2008, 2014) can better explain the observations. In addition, we provided fitting formulae for the relations derived from the opacity of Freedman et al. (2008,2014) at different metallicities.

We investigate the origin of the scatter in the stellar mass-halo mass (SMHM) relation using the \colibre cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. At fixed halo mass, we find a clear positive correlation between stellar mass and halo concentration, particularly in low-mass haloes between $10^{11}$ and $10^{12}\,\rm M_\odot$, where all halo properties are computed from the corresponding dark-matter-only simulation. Two scenarios have been proposed to explain this trend: the earlier formation of higher-concentration haloes allows more time for star formation, or the deeper gravitational potential wells of higher-concentration haloes enhance baryon retention. To distinguish between them, we examine correlations between halo concentration, stellar mass, stellar age, and stellar metallicity. While, at fixed halo mass, halo concentration correlates with stellar age, stellar age itself shows only a weak correlation with stellar mass, indicating that early formation alone cannot account for the concentration-dependence in the scatter of the SMHM relation. In contrast, both stellar metallicity and halo concentration exhibit correlations with stellar mass. The connection between halo concentration and stellar metallicity persists even when simultaneously controlling for both halo mass and stellar mass. These results support the scenario in which the deeper gravitational potentials in higher-concentration haloes suppress feedback-driven outflows, thereby enhancing both baryon and metal retention.

Identification of electromagnetic emission in coincidence with high-energy neutrinos is fundamentally important for multimessenger astronomy. Such observations are essential for constraining source localization, determining the source type, and understanding emission mechanisms. Typically, they require following up a neutrino alert (IceCube issues two alert streams: Gold, with at least 50 percent probability of astrophysical origin, and Bronze, with at least 30 percent probability) with an electromagnetic facility, primarily in X-ray and gamma-ray bands. Another approach involves electromagnetic monitoring of hot spots in the IceCube skymap, i.e., positions exceeding the instrument sensitivity. An alternative method consists in performing correlation analysis across available neutrino events and source catalogs. We searched for spatial coincidence between galaxies from SDSS and high-energy neutrino events. The analysis includes IceCube Gold alerts and neutrino-electromagnetic coincidence events from AMON (Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network), identified through the end of September 2025. We examined galaxies from the morphological catalog at redshifts 0.02 to 0.1, which contains 315,776 SDSS DR9 objects with absolute stellar magnitudes in the range from -24 to -13 in the r band. Among 59 IceCube Gold alerts, we found three with only one galaxy (SDSS J231231.52+033415.1) within the 50 percent containment radius. Among 24 neutrino-electromagnetic coincidence events, three more contain only one galaxy (SDSS J220711.14+122535.9) within the same radius. These six galaxies represent the most promising candidates for potential host galaxies of neutrino sources. We summarize their available multiwavelength data and the ZTF light curves obtained from 2018 to 2025.

The Baryonic Tully - Fisher relation (BTFR) links the baryonic mass of galaxies to their characteristic rotational velocity and has been shown to with remarkable precision across a wide mass range. Recent studies, however, indicate that galaxy clusters occupy a parallel but offset relation, raising questions about the universality of the BTFR. Here, we demonstrate that the offset between galaxies and clusters arises naturally from cosmic time evolution. Using the evolving BTFR derived from the Nexus Paradigm of quantum gravity, we show that the normalization of the relation evolves as an exponential function of cosmic time., while the slope remains fixed at $\sim 4$. This provides a simple and predictive framework in which both galaxies and clusters obey the same universal scaling law, with their apparent offset reflecting their different formation epochs. Our results unify mass- velocity scaling across five orders of magnitude in baryonic mass, offering new insights into cosmic structure formation.

Eruptions of filaments are defined by different parameters, specially, sigmoid handedness and direction of the eruption, which are important parameters for forecasting the geoeffectiveness of consequent interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) or magnetic cloud. Solar filaments often exhibit rotation and deflection during eruptions, which would significantly affect the geoeffectiveness of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that lead to such lateral displacement of filaments is a great concern to space weather forecasting. Two case studies are discussed. Firstly, the events of September 8 and September 10 2014, were analyzed from the Sun to the Earth. The numerical heliospheric simulation EUHFORIA shows that the handedness of the EUV sigmoid deduced from coronagraph observations was different from the tilt of the ICME at 1~au, suggesting a rotation of the CME in the low corona. A potential undetected low coronal rotation led to erroneous space weather prediction. The second event concerns a filament observed on August 20 2021, which underwent a rotation of 73 degrees during its eruption, implying a significant lateral drifting of the filament material. A data-constrained magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation confirms such a rotation. These two studies reinforce the idea that CMEs are subjected to more significant rotation and deflection in the low corona than during their journey in the heliosphere.

Searches for radio technosignatures place constraints on the prevalence of extraterrestrial transmitters in our Galaxy and beyond. It is important to account for the complete stellar population captured within a radio telescope's field of view, or stellar 'bycatch'. In recent years, catalogues from ESA's Gaia mission have enabled SETI surveys to place tighter limits on extraterrestrial transmitter statistics. However, Gaia remains restricted by magnitude limits, astrometric uncertainty at large distances, and confusion in crowded regions. To address these limitations, we investigate the use of the Besançon Galactic Model to simulate the statistical underlying stellar population to derive more realistic constraints on the occurrence of extraterrestrial transmitters. We apply this method to Breakthrough Listen's Enriquez/Price survey, modelling 6,182,364 stellar objects within 1229 individual pointings and extending the search out to distances $\leq 25$kpc. We place limits on the prevalence of high duty cycle transmitters within 2.5kpc, suggesting $\leq (0.000995 \pm 0.000002)\%$ of stellar systems contain such a transmitter (for near-zero drift rates and EIRP$_{\mathrm{min}} \gtrsim 5 \times 10^{16}$W). In support of broader adoption, we provide a simple calculator tool that enables other researchers to incorporate this approach into their own SETI analyses. Our results enable a more complete statistical estimation of the number and stellar type of systems probed, thereby strengthening constraints on technosignature prevalence and guiding the analysis of future SETI efforts. We also conclude that SETI surveys are, in fact, much less biased by anthropocentric assumptions than is often suggested.

Recent optical astrometric and spectroscopic surveys have identified numerous neutron star (NS) candidates in non-accreting detached binary systems, but their compact-object nature remains unconfirmed. In this work, we present targeted radio observations of 31 such candidates using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, and the Shanghai TianMa Radio Telescope. Over a total of 46.65 hours of observing time, we detected neither periodic nor single-pulse radio emissions. These nondetections place stringent upper limits on the flux densities of any potential radio signals, reaching ~4 $\mu$Jy for periodic emission and ~10 mJy for single pulses with FAST. Since our observations are highly sensitive and the flux density upper limits are well below the median fluxes of known Galactic pulsars, this suggests that geometric beaming is the most likely explanation for the non-detections if these objects are indeed pulsars. Alternatively, the NSs may be sufficiently old ($\gtrsim$ 10 Gyr) and have become intrinsically radio-quiet. In this case, our findings highlight the inherent difficulty of confirming NSs in such old detached binary systems through radio pulsation searches.

Galaxy disks in rotation are sometimes the site of radial flows, especially in their gas component. It is important to estimate the outflows, due to AGN or supernovae feedback, or inflows due to bar gravity torques. However, these radial flows may be confused with non-circular motions, which are quite frequent in the center of galaxy disks. We use a simulated giant, barred spiral galaxy from the GalMer database to study the non-circular motions induced by the bar. Our goal is to identify the spurious radial flows that kinematics modeling algorithms can detect, assuming circular orbits for the gas. Using mock data of a strongly barred galaxy, we quantify the radial velocities computed by the 3D-Barolo algorithm for different disk inclinations and several bar orientations in the plane of the sky: along the major and minor kinematic axes and at 45° from them. Our results show that projection effects cause kinematics modeling algorithms to confuse the radial component of velocity due to elliptical orbits with significant radial flows with mean values up to 84 km.s$^{-1}$, within the bar region. The computed rotation curve is also wrongly estimated inside the bar region, by as much as 150 km.s$^{-1}$ for the highest inclination.

We characterize star-forming gas in six molecular clouds (Sgr B1-off, Sgr B2, Sgr C, the 20 km s$^{-1}$ and 50 km s$^{-1}$ molecular clouds, and the Brick) in the Galactic central molecular zone (CMZ), and compare their star-forming activities with those in molecular clouds outside the CMZ. Using multi-band continuum observations taken from ${\it Planck}$, ${\it Herschel}$, JCMT/SCUBA-2, and CSO/SHARC2, we derived 8.5" resolution column density maps for the CMZ clouds and evaluated the column density probability distribution functions (N-PDFs). With the archival Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 1.3 mm dust continuum data, we further evaluated the mass of the most massive cores ($M_{\rm core}^{\rm ma x}$). We find that the N-PDFs of four of the selected CMZ clouds are well described by a piecewise log-normal + power-law function, while the N-PDFs of the remaining two can be approximated by log-normal functions. In the first four targets, the masses in the power-law component ($M_{\rm gas}^{\rm bound}$), $M_{\rm core}^{\rm max}$, and star formation rate (SFR) are correlated. These correlations are very similar to those derived from low-mass clouds in the Solar neighborhood and massive star-forming regions on the Galactic disk. These findings lead to our key hypotheses: (1) In the extreme environment of the CMZ, the power-law component in the N-PDF also represents self-gravitationally bound gas structures, and (2) evolution and star-forming activities of self-gravitationally bound gas structures may be self-regulated, insensitive to the exterior environment on $\gtrsim$5-10 pc scales.

Gamma-ray burst (GRB) prompt emission is commonly attributed to non-thermal radiation processes operating in the optically thin regions of a relativistic outflow. Among these, optically thin inverse-Compton (IC) scattering remains an important yet under-tested mechanism. From an initial set of 41 bursts selected using empirical Band-function criteria that highlight quasi-thermal low-energy slopes ($\alpha > -0.5$) and constrained high-energy indices ($-1.7 > \beta > -3.3$), only four events satisfy these conditions consistently in both time-integrated and time-resolved spectra. The IC fits yield self-consistent constraints on the seed-photon field and the electron population at the dissipation site. For bulk Lorentz factors $\Gamma \sim 170$-$550$, we infer seed thermal peaks of $\sim 0.05$-$0.2$ keV and electron thermal energies of $\sim 20$-$300$ keV in the co-moving frame. A fraction of only $0.1\%$-$20\%$ of electrons are accelerated into a non-thermal tail with an average index value of $\delta \sim 1.8$. The derived Comptonisation parameters indicate moderate $y$ values ($\sim 1$-$3$), optical depths $\tau \sim 0.2$-$0.6$, and dissipation radii just above the photosphere, consistent with mildly relativistic ($\gamma_{\min} \sim 1.2$-$2.6$), photon-dominated, low-magnetic-field dissipation environments. Furthermore, the framework allows us to constrain even sub-dominant thermal components that lie below the detector's low-energy threshold. Taken together, our results show that optically thin IC scattering offers a physically consistent and observationally viable explanation for the prompt emission in a subset of bright GRBs, motivating the application of IC models in future GRB studies.

The search for technosignatures -- remotely detectable evidence of extraterrestrial technology -- draws upon examples from the recent history of Earth as well as projections of Earth's technosphere. Facilities like the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will significantly advance the feasibility of characterizing the atmospheres of habitable exoplanets at visible and near-infrared wavelengths, while other future mission concepts could extend this search to mid-infrared wavelengths. We draw upon a recently developed set of ten self-consistent scenarios for future Earth technospheres as analogs for extraterrestrial technospheres, which we use to outline a stepwise technosignature search strategy beginning with HWO and followed by other missions. We find that HWO could reveal elevated abundances of a CO$_2$ + NO$_2$ pair on planets with combustion and other large-scale industry, which could be observable in up to in eight of the ten scenarios. Follow-up radio observations could reveal narrow-band directed transmissions, which occurs in two of the scenarios. Further study by direct detection at mid-infrared wavelengths with the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (LIFE) could reveal spectral features from industry, such as the combination of CO$_2$ + CFC-11/12 in four scenarios and CO$_2$ + CFC-11/12 + CF$_4$ in one scenario; two of these also include the N$_2$O + CH$_4$ + NH$_3$ triple from large-scale agriculture. Other mission concepts such as a Solar Gravitational Lens mission could reveal large-scale surface features in two scenarios that otherwise show no detectable technosignatures, while an interplanetary fly-by or probe mission would be the most conclusive way to reveal the presence of technology on terrestrial exoplanets.

Understanding the impact of spectral coverage on parameter recovery is critical for accurate interpretation of blazar spectra. In this study, we examine how the data coverage influences the reliability of parameter estimation within the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) framework. Using OJ 287, TXS 0506+056, and Mrk 421 as representative of the low-, intermediate- and high synchrotron peak classes (LSP, ISP and HSP), respectively, we generate synthetic SEDs based on their best-fit models and perform 1,000 fits for each of the 21 observational configurations per source type. Our analysis quantifies the coverage probability for all model parameters, such has the magnetic field strength and the electron luminosity, and reveals that different blazar subclasses exhibit distinct sensitivities to spectral gaps. For LSPs, a minimal dataset comprising optical/UV, X-ray, and GeV $\gamma$-ray bands is sufficient for robust parameter inference. In contrast, ISPs and HSPs require broader spectral coverage to constrain the physical parameters. For ISP, we find that reliable parameter recovery can be achieved with two different minimal band combinations: \textit{(i)} X-ray, high energy $\gamma$-ray, and very high energy $\gamma$-ray data, or \textit{(ii)} optical/UV, X-ray, and high energy $\gamma$-ray data. For HSPs, the minimal configuration enabling reliable parameter recovery includes the optical/UV, X-ray, and very high energy $\gamma$-ray bands. We discuss the role of very high energy $\gamma$-ray observations, showing that they significantly enhance parameter recovery for HSPs. Our results provide practical guidelines for designing optimized multi-wavelength observation campaigns and for assessing the robustness of SSC model inferences under incomplete spectral coverage.

The wavefront sensor (WFS), equipped with an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) detector, is a critical component of the Cool Planets Imaging Coronagraph (CPI-C) on the Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST). Precise calibration of the WFS's EMCCD detector is essential to meet the stringent requirements for high-contrast exoplanet imaging. This study comprehensively characterizes key performance parameters of the detector to ensure its suitability for astronomical observations. Through a multi-stage screening protocol, we identified an EMCCD chip exhibiting high resolution and low noise. The electron-multiplying gain (EM Gain) of the EMCCD was analyzed to determine its impact on signal amplification and noise characteristics, identifying the optimal operational range. Additionally, noise properties such as readout noise were investigated. Experimental results demonstrate that the optimized detector meets CPI-C's initial application requirements, achieving high resolution and low noise. This study provides theoretical and experimental foundations for the use of EMCCD-based WFS in adaptive optics and astronomical observations, ensuring their reliability for advanced space-based imaging applications

We present the high-resolution radio dynamic spectra of AD Leonis (AD Leo) between 1.0 and 1.5 GHz taken by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) on Dec. 1st, 2023. Over a 15-minute period, we identify complex, superimposed spectro-temporal structures, including: (1) broadband, second-long modulation lanes with downward frequency drifts, (2) narrowband ($\approx$ 50 MHz), short-duration S-burst envelopes with upward drifts, and (3) even narrower ($\approx$ 10 MHz), millisecond-scale S-burst striae within these envelopes. Using the discrete Fourier transform and auto-correlation function, we identify two dominant periodic emission patterns, corresponding to the periodicities of the S-bursts ($\approx0.1$ s) and the striae ($\approx0.01$ s). The complex superposition of diverse time-frequency structures poses a challenge to interpreting all the emission variability as intrinsic to the source. We propose that the modulation lanes could be a propagation effect as the radio waves traverse an inhomogeneous, regularly structured plasma region in the AD Leo's magnetosphere. By modelling a plasma screen with sinusoidal phase variation in one dimension, we show that we could qualitatively reconstruct the observed modulation lanes. The origin of the finest structures, the striae, remains unclear. Our work highlights that propagation effects in the stellar magnetosphere can potentially probe kilometre-scale structures in the emission regions and provide novel constraints on density inhomogeneities caused by magnetohydrodynamic waves that are difficult to access by other means.

Context. Recent James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) discoveries have unveiled an abundance of faint and massive Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) at high redshifts (z=4-9), that surpass by 10 to 100 times the extrapolated bolometric (Bol) and ultraviolet (UV) luminosity functions (LF) from previous AGN campaigns. The two main models that are put forward to explain these observations correspond to light seeds (150 Msol) accreting in episodes of super Eddington, and heavy seeds ($10^3$ - $10^5$ Msol) growing at the Eddington limit. Future gravitational observatories like the Laser Interferometer Satellite Antenna (LISA) will help disentangle these models by reporting the BH-BH merger events from mid to high redshifts. Aims. This work aims to report the predicted merger rates in the heavy seed scenario in light of recent JWST data. In our models we explore (i) instantaneous merging between BHs, (ii) delayed merging after a dynamical timescale, as well as extreme spin configurations (a=0.99, a=-0.99) to bracket BH mass growth. Methods. We use Delphi, a semi-analytical model that tracks baryonic physics over a hierarchical evolution of dark matter halos through cosmic time within the first billion years of the Universe. We calibrate this model for it to simultaneously reproduce galaxy and JWST-AGNs observables. Results. We show reasonable agreement with the Bolometric Luminosity function at z=6, where BHs must accrete 10-100 times more gas than in previous works calibrated to pre-JWST data. However, we underpredict (overpredict) the bright end $10^45.5$ erg s$^-1$ (all luminosity range) at z=7 (z=5) by 1-3.2 dex (0.22-1.6 dex). Regarding BH-BH merger events, the instantaneous (delayed) models predict a total of 28.06 (19.61) yr$^-1$ for BHs at z>=5, which is within the range of merger rates reported in previous literature.

Properties of massive galaxy clusters, such as mass abundance and concentration, are sensitive to cosmology, making cluster statistics a powerful tool for cosmological studies. However, favoring a more simplified, spherically symmetric model for galaxy clusters can lead to biases in the estimates of cluster properties. In this work, we present a deep-learning approach for estimating the triaxiality and orientations of massive galaxy clusters (those with masses $\gtrsim 10^{14}\,M_\odot h^{-1}$) from 2D observables. We utilize the flagship hydrodynamical volume of the suite of cosmological-hydrodynamical MillenniumTNG (MTNG) simulations as our ground truth. Our model combines the feature extracting power of a convolutional neural network (CNN) and the message passing power of a graph neural network (GNN) in a multi-modal, fusion network. Our model is able to extract 3D geometry information from 2D idealized cluster multi-wavelength images (soft X-ray, medium X-ray, hard X-ray and tSZ effect) and mathematical graph representations of 2D cluster member observables (line-of-sight radial velocities, 2D projected positions and V-band luminosities). Our network improves cluster geometry estimation in MTNG by $30\%$ compared to assuming spherical symmetry. We report an $R^2 = 0.85$ regression score for estimating the major axis length of triaxial clusters and correctly classifying $71\%$ of prolate clusters with elongated orientations along our line-of-sight.

Intermittent jet activity of AGNs is a common phenomenon, whereas significant jet reorientation during episodic jet activity in relatively young radio galaxies are rarely reported. The quasar 0954+556 at redshift of 0.903 is an intriguing source exhibiting an unusual radio jet structure with significantly different jet directions at kpc and pc scales. At kpc scales, images from the VLA exhibit a bright core, a linear jet extending 24 kpc to the northwest, and a discrete jet component 16 kpc to the northeast. At pc scales, images from the VLBA show a two-component structure with a projected separation of 360 pc in the north-south direction. The peculiar structure of 0954+556 might result from jet reorientation. Here, our aim was to investigate the possible mechanism via multiscale and multifrequency deep radio images. We performed VLA and VLBA observations of 0954+556. Together with some existing data in the NRAO data archive, we made multiple VLA images at 1.4-22 GHz and VLBA images at 1.7-43 GHz for various image analyses of the jet structure. We identified the location of the radio core at pc scales, detected the faint counter-jets at both pc and kpc scales for the first time, and revealed a diffuse emission region connecting pc and kpc scale forward jets. Our spectral index distribution and spectral aging analysis indicate that 0954+556 might undergo at least two episodes of jet activity during the current AGN phase. Moreover, pc scale polarization maps display a well-resolved spine-sheath polarization structure. It seems that the jet direction of 0954+556 changed significantly during intermittent jet activity. This may explain the different jet orientations and spectral ages observed from kpc to pc scales. The research provides a strong case that AGN jet direction might change rapidly on timescales of one million years.

Gravitational waves from first-order phase transitions are a promising probe of physics beyond the Standard Model, as many extensions of the standard model result in first-order phase transitions in the early universe, from which the resulting gravitational waves could be detectable with the upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). The properties of the phase transition and the resulting gravitational wave spectrum are determined by five key parameters: the nucleation temperature $T_n$, phase transition strength at the nucleation temperature $\alpha_n$, bubble wall speed $v_\text{wall}$, transition rate $\beta$ and the sound speed $c_s$. Of these, the sound speed $c_s$ is determined by the equation of state $p(T,\phi)$. In most studies, the plasma of the early universe has been assumed to be ultrarelativistic and therefore following the bag equation of state with $c_s = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}$. In this thesis, the PTtools simulation framework for first-order phase transitions, based on the Sound Shell Model, has been extended to include support for arbitrary equations of state and therefore for a temperature- and phase-dependent sound speed $c_s(T,\phi)$. The thesis also functions as a reference manual for PTtools. The framework has been tested with the constant sound speed model, in which the sound speed is a different constant in each phase. The sound speed has been shown to have a significant effect on the resulting gravitational wave spectrum, especially when changing the sound speed results in a change in the type of the solution. This has laid the groundwork for simulating cosmological phase transitions with realistic equations of state. This will result in in gravitational wave spectra that can be used in the LISA data analysis pipeline to search for the existence and parameters of a first-order phase transition in the early universe.

Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) are the dominant Ultra-high-energy (UHE) gamma-ray sources in the LHAASO catalog suggesting that they are the dominant leptonic PeVatrons in our Galaxy. Despite this, still very little is known about their UHE gamma-ray emission, their number in the Galaxy, or their contribution to the gamma-ray emission of our Galaxy. In this work, we propose a self-consistent data-driven model of the UHE gamma-ray emission of PWNe based on the ATNF and LHAASO catalogs. More specifically, we build a model of the UHE gamma-ray emission of PWNe that preserves the statistical relationships in the ATNF catalog and reproduces the number of PWNe detected in the LHAASO catalog. To cope with the limited data available in the LHAASO catalog when performing fits on gamma-ray data, we introduce the concept of censored regression that allows to also use the information provided by unresolved sources. Using our model, we find that reproducing the number of PWNe detected by LHAASO requires either fractions of misaligned pulsars smaller ($\lesssim60\%$) than usually found in the literature, or that some of the associations of PWNe to ATNF pulsars made by LHAASO may not be true. In both cases, we find that in order to reach self-consistency between radio and gamma-ray data, it is necessary that the majority of the unidentified sources in the LHAASO catalog are PWNe associated to an unseen pulsar. Moreover, using our model we also find that the contribution of unresolved PWNe to the total (diffuse) gamma-ray background measured by LHAASO in the $1-1000\,\rm{TeV}$ range is always smaller than $\lesssim10\%$ ($\lesssim30\%$). We conclude that PWNe mostly contribute to the source component of the UHE gamma-ray sky, while having almost no imprint on its diffuse component.

Solar flares, as one of the most prominent manifestations of solar activity, have a profound impact on both the Earth's space environment and human activities. As a result, accurate solar flare prediction has emerged as a central topic in space weather research. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in the field of solar flare forecasting, driven by the rapid advancements in space observation technology and the continuous improvement of data processing capabilities. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the current state of research in this area, with a particular focus on tracing the evolution of data-driven approaches -- which have progressed from early statistical learning techniques to more sophisticated machine learning and deep learning paradigms, and most recently, to the emergence of Multimodal Large Models (MLMs). Furthermore, this study examines the realistic performance of existing flare forecasting platforms, elucidating their limitations in operational space weather applications and thereby offering a practical reference for future advancements in technological optimization and system design.

We investigate the rotational properties of self-bound strange quark stars using two representative quark matter equations of state (EOS): the vector MIT bag model and the density-dependent quark mass (DDQM) model. Through general-relativistic calculations of uniformly rotating sequences, we analyze their mass--radius relations, moments of inertia, quadrupole moments, surface redshifts, Keplerian frequencies, and energy components. A central result of this work is the full decomposition of the stellar energy budget in rotating strange stars, separating gravitational, internal, rotational, and binding energy contributions. Rotation amplifies the intrinsic EOS differences: the MIT model supports more massive ($M_{\max} \gtrsim 3.3\,M_\odot$) compact stars with larger moments of inertia and greater resistance to deformation, while the DDQM model produces larger radii, less massive stars limited by mass-shedding at lower frequencies. Combined measurements of mass, radius, and frequency can thus break the EOS degeneracy; massive, rapidly rotating pulsars favors MIT-like EOS, whereas larger radii in canonical stars point to a DDQM-like model. These rotational observables, soon to be tightly constrained by NICER and next-generation gravitational-wave detectors, offer a means to test the existence and composition of self-bound quark matter in compact stars.

Context. Neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) absorption lines can be used to probe the cold neutral medium (CNM) at high Galactic latitudes. Cold HI with a significant optical depth from the GASKAP-HI survey is found to be located predominantly if not exclusively within filamentary structures that can be identified as caustics with the Hessian operator. Most of these HI filaments (57%) are also observable in the far-infrared (FIR) and trace the orientation of magnetic field lines. Aims. We considered whether molecular hydrogen (H2) might also be preferentially associated with CNM filaments. Methods. We analyzed 241 H2 absorption lines against stars and determined whether the lines of sight intersected HI or FIR filaments. Using Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) H2 data in the velocity range -50 < vLSR < 50 km/s, we traced 65 additional H2 lines for filamentary HI and FIR structures in velocity and probed the H2 absorption for coincidences in position and velocity. Results. For 305 out of 306 positions, the lines of sight with H2 absorption intersect HI filaments. In 120 cases, there is also evidence for a correlation with dusty FIR filaments. All of the 65 available sight lines with known velocities intersect HI filaments. In 64 cases, the H2 velocities are consistent with HI filament velocities. For FIR filaments, an agreement is found for only 13 out of 14 H2 absorption lines. Conclusions. For the majority of H2 absorption lines, there is evidence that H2 is associated with cold HI filaments. Evidence of an association with FIR filaments is less compelling. Confusion along the line of sight limits the detectability of FIR filaments. For a comparable degree of UV excitation in the disk and lower Galactic halo, the formation rate of H2 appears to be enhanced in HI filaments with increased CNM densities.

JWST observations have revealed rare galaxies with UV spectra exhibiting intense lines of nitrogen, indicative of super-solar N/O abundances at low metallicity. To better understand these enigmatic objects and provide new constraints on proposed scenarios, we have undertaken a systematic search for galaxies with UV emission lines of nitrogen. Using public JWST NIRSpec data, we have identified 45 N-emitters with robust NIII] or NIV] detections, including 4 previously known objects. We find N-emitters from redshift $z\sim 3-11$ among a broad diversity of galaxies, in terms of morphology, UV magnitude, stellar mass, SFR, metallicity, and rest-optical line strengths. The UV nitrogen lines show typical equivalent widths between $\sim 5-50$ Å. Carbon lines are generally fainter than the N lines. Using strong line calibrations established at high-redshift, we find metallicities $12+log(O/H)\sim 7.15-8.5$, including thus also high metallicities. The H$\beta$ equivalent width of N-emitters varies strongly, and sources with low EWs show clear signs of a Balmer break, indicative of composite stellar populations combining both young (< 10 Myr) stars responsible of the UV emission lines and an older population contributing to the rest-optical spectrum. Supersolar N/O ratios are found in all N-emitters. C/O abundances are comparable to those of galaxies at the same metallicity, and all N-emitters show high N/C ratios or lower limits ($\log(N/C) > 0.5$), independently of metallicity. The observed abundance ratios are compatible with ejecta from H-burning and do not show signs of Carbon enhancements, even at higher metallicities. Finally, we find that the fraction of N-emitters increases with redshift, and we quantify this evolution. Our study increases the sample of known N-emitters by a factor $\sim 3$, reveals a diversity of properties among N-emitters, and provides new constraints on their nature.

A mysterious absorption feature at approximately 3.8 keV has been identified in the NICER spectrum of the low-mass X-ray binary system 4U 1820-30. We interpret this feature as a gravitationally redshifted iron absorption line. This interpretation is supported by the temporal proximity of the NICER observation to the detection of a carbon superburst by the X-ray monitor MAXI, suggesting that the presence of the line is associated with this rare and extreme event. From the inferred redshift of the absorption line, the compactness of the neutron star can be derived. Using a photoionization absorption model, we measure a gravitational redshift of about 1.72, which corresponds to a compactness R/M of 4.46 \pm 0.13 km per solar mass, or 3.02 \pm 0.09 in dimensionless units. This unique feature highlights the importance of further observations and detailed modelling, offering promising insights into the equation of state of matter under extreme density conditions.

Comet Interceptor is an ESA science mission with payload contributions from ESA Member States and with an international participation by JAXA. It is the first mission that is being designed, built, and potentially launched before its target is known. This approach will enable the spacecraft to perform the first mission to a Long Period Comet from the Oort Cloud, as these comets have fleeting visits to the inner Solar System lasting only months to years from first discovery, too short for the usual process of mission development to be followed. In this paper we describe a number of factors that need to be considered in selecting a target for the mission, including scientific, orbital, spacecraft and instrument constraints, and discussion of different prioritisation strategies. We find that, in the case where we have a choice of targets, our decisions will mostly be driven by orbital information, which we will have relatively early on, with information on the activity level of the comet an important but secondary consideration. As cometary activity levels are notoriously hard to predict based on early observations alone, this prioritisation / decision approach based more on orbits gives us confidence that a good comet that is compatible with the spacecraft constraints will be selectable with sufficient warning time to allow the mission to intercept it.

We present a supervised machine learning classification of sources from the Javalambre Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) Pathfinder datasets: miniJPAS and J-NEP. Leveraging crossmatches with spectroscopic and photometric catalogs, we construct a robust labeled dataset comprising 14594 sources classified into extended (galaxies) and point-like (stars and quasars) objects. We assess dataset representativeness using UMAP analysis, confirming broad and consistent coverage of feature space. An XGBoost classifier, with hyperparameters tuned using automated optimization, is trained using purely photometric data (60-band J-PAS magnitudes) and combined photometric and morphological features, with performance thoroughly evaluated via ROC and purity-completeness metrics. Incorporating morphology significantly improves classification, outperforming the baseline classifications available in the catalogs. Permutation importance analysis reveals morphological parameters, particularly concentration, normalized peak surface brightness, and PSF, alongside photometric features around 4000 and 6900 A, as crucial for accurate classifications. We release a value-added catalog with our models for star-galaxy classification, enhancing the utility of miniJPAS and J-NEP for subsequent cosmological and astrophysical analyses.

Massive stars (mass beyond 8 solMass) release vast amounts of energy into the interstellar medium through their stellar winds, photoionising radiation and supernova explosions. These processes may compress nearby regions, triggering further star formation, but the significance of triggered star formation across the Galactic disc is not well understood. This pilot study combines 1.3 GHz continuum data from the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) MeerKAT Galactic Plane Survey (SMGPS) with 13CO (2-1) data from the Structure, Excitation, and Dynamics of the Inner Galactic Interstellar Medium (SEDIGISM) survey to identify and examine molecular clouds associated with H II regions and supernovae remnants (SNRs). We focus on their physical properties and massive star formation potential. We identify 268 molecular clouds from the SEDIGISM tile covering the Galactic plane region between 341 and 343 longitude deg and latitude deg equal to or less 0.5, of which 90 clouds (34 per cent) are associated with SMGPS extended sources. Compared to unassociated clouds, we find that associated clouds exhibit significantly higher mean mass (9600 solMass vs. 2500 solMass ) and average gas surface density (104 solMass / pc^2 vs. 67 solMass / pc^2 ), and slightly elevated but comparable virial parameters. We also find that the size-linewidth scaling relation is steeper for associated clouds compared to unassociated clouds. In addition, radio luminosity shows a positive correlation with total complex mass, and the ratio L_radio/L_complex increases with source size, consistent with an evolutionary sequence where expanding H II regions progressively disrupt their natal molecular environment. These findings suggest an enhanced dynamical activity for the associated clouds and support the hypothesis that feedback from massive stars influences molecular cloud properties and may trigger star formation.

Ground-based direct imaging of exoplanets at high contrast requires precise correction of atmospheric turbulence using adaptive optics (AO). The planet-to-star contrast ratio at small angular separations from the host star is often limited by non-common-path aberrations (NCPAs) seen only in the science plane. The photonic lantern (PL) can be used to sense aberrations at the final science imaging plane. This enables a two-stage wavefront control architecture, in which the first-stage wavefront sensor senses atmospheric turbulence and the PL senses NCPAs and other aberrations not seen by the first stage. We demonstrate closed-loop control of residual wavefront errors using a non-dispersed PL after first-stage AO correction on the Shane 3m telescope at Lick Observatory. Our results show that non-dispersed PLs can be used for second-stage wavefront sensing, enabling performance improvements via minimally invasive retrofits to existing AO systems.

Runaway stars depart their birthplaces with high peculiar velocities. Two mechanisms are commonly invoked to explain their origin, the binary supernova scenario (BSS) and the dynamical ejection scenario (DES). Investigating the kinematic properties of runaway stars is key to understanding their this http URL intend to investigate the origins of 39 B-type runaway stars from LAMOST using orbital traceback analysis. From the catalog of LAMOST, we selected 39 B-type runaway stars and determined their spectral subtypes from key absorption lines. We then derived atmospheric parameters for each star using the Stellar Label Machine (SLAM), which is trained on TLUSTY synthetic spectra computed under the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) assumption. Using the derived atmospheric parameters as input, we estimated stellar masses and ages with a machine learning model trained on PARSEC evolutionary tracks. We finally performed orbital traceback with GALPY to analyze their origins. Through orbital traceback, we find that 29 stars have trajectories entirely within the Galactic disk, whereas 10 are disk-passing yet still trace back to the disk. Two stars have trajectories that intersect those of known clusters. Their orbits show similar morphologies in both the $X-Y$ and $R-Z$ planes, and their [M/H] values are comparable, suggesting possible cluster origins. However, definitive confirmation will require additional evidence. In addition, the $V_{\rm Sp} - v\sin{i}$ plane shows that runaway stars with low peculiar space velocities but high $v\sin{i}$ remain on the Galactic disk, whereas those with high peculiar space velocities but low $v\sin{i}$ pass through the disk, possibly reflecting two distinct origins.

Resonance lines encode rich information about astrophysical sources and their environments, yet fully analytic treatments of multi-line radiative transfer remain almost entirely unexplored. We present exact, closed-form solutions for steady-state resonant-line radiative transfer in "V-shaped" atomic networks, where a single ground state couples to multiple transitions. Starting from the full angle-dependent transfer equation, we generalize absorption and emission coefficients to an arbitrary number of lines, derive a modified Fokker-Planck expansion of the frequency-redistribution COLT Monte Carlo radiative transfer code and find excellent agreement with the analytic predictions across a wide range of line separations, optical depths, and damping parameters, establishing our solutions as stringent validation benchmarks. For concrete applications related to the Lyman-alpha transition of neutral hydrogen, we examine how fine-structure splitting and deuterium injection modify the emergent spectra, internal radiation field, and radiative force multiplier. We show that these effects leave previous conclusions about Lyman-alpha feedback in the early universe essentially unchanged. Even when direct observational diagnostics are subtle, our framework provides novel analytic and numerical insights into coupled resonance-line transport and facilitates progress in general modeling of multi-line radiative transfer in diverse astrophysical settings.

We have measured a time delay of 25.3 +/- 2.0 d (1-sigma confidence) in the Einstein ring gravitational lens system PKS 1830-211 from an analysis of archival VLA and ATCA monitoring data observed between 1997 and 2004. A small portion of the ATCA data was previously used to determine a time delay and our result is consistent with the previous value, but with an uncertainty that is smaller by more than a factor of two. The long time-baseline of the monitoring reveals that the flux density ratio is smoothly varying on a time-scale of years, an effect which we attribute to millilensing by massive objects (>>1 M_sun) in the lensing galaxy. Image A is unpolarized in the VLA monitoring, but VLBI observations show that this is partly due to beam dilution by an unpolarized counter-jet that is only present in that image. Based on the identification of this feature as a counter-jet, we conclude that its unexpected prominence in image A is a consequence of lensing and that more detailed modelling is required in order to reconcile the VLBI morphology of each image.

We test on Saturn's rings whether the Hurst exponent is a "robust" observable, in the sense that it returns consistent values for different observations of the same object. We calculate the exponent of the series corresponding to the optical depth as a function of the radius, as obtained from the grayscale value of Cassini pictures, as well as from stellar occultation data from Voyager missions.

We investigate the origin of unidentified, extended TeV source 1LHAASO J0500$+$4454, considering three possible origins: cosmic rays interacting with a molecular cloud (MC), particles accelerated in a currently undetected supernova remnant (SNR), and an energetic outflow powered by a pulsar. Upper limits on the CO and X-ray emission from the $\gamma$-ray emitting region disfavor the MC and SNR scenarios, respectively. If a nebula of inverse Compton scattering $e^{\pm}$ powers 1LHAASO J0500$+$4454, then SED modeling indicates that the current particle energy in the nebula is $\sim 4 \times 10^{48}$ erg. If the coincident magnetar SGR 0501$+$4516's rotational energy powered 1LHAASO J0500$+$4454, then a conservative energy budget calculation requires an initial magnetar spin period $P_{0} \lesssim 5$ ms and a spin-down timescale $\tau_{\rm sd} \lesssim 30$ yr, which has implications for the origins of magnetars.

The complex processes of baryonic feedback associated with galaxy evolution are still poorly understood, and their impact on the clustering of matter on small scales remains difficult to quantify. While many fitting functions and emulators exist to model the matter power spectrum, their input parameters are not directly observable. However, recent studies using hydrodynamical simulations have identified a promising correlation between the gas content of halos and changes to the matter power spectrum from feedback. Building on these findings, we create the first fully data-driven power spectrum emulator. We utilize the kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect, a secondary anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background, as a tracer of free electrons in and around halos. We train a neural network to learn the mapping between the suppression of the matter power spectrum and the shape of the kSZ power spectrum extracted with a radial velocity template. We train and validate our algorithm using the FLAMINGO suite of hydrodynamical simulations, which encompasses a wide range of feedback models. Our emulator can reconstruct the matter power spectrum at the sub-percent level for scales $k\leq 5\;h/$Mpc and $0.2\leq z \leq 1.25$ directly from the data. Our model is robust and retains percent-level accuracy even for feedback models and cosmological parameter values not seen during training (except in a few extreme cases drastically different from the fiducial model). Due to its robustness, our algorithm offers a new way to identify the sources of suppression in the matter power spectrum, breaking the degeneracies between baryonic feedback and new physics. Finally, we present a forecast for reconstruction of the matter power spectrum combining maps of the microwave background anisotropies from a Simons Observatory-like experiment and galaxy catalogs from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument.

In this work, we study the excitation of a compact star under the influence of external gravitational driving in the relativistic regime. Using a model setup in which a wave with constant frequency is injected from past null infinity and scattered by the star to future null infinity, we show that the scattering coefficient encodes rich information of the star. For example, the analytical structure of the scattering coefficient implies that the decay rate of a mode generally plays the role of ``star excitation factor'', similar to the ``black hole excitation factor'' previously defined for describing black hole mode excitations. With this star excitation factor we derive the transient mode excitation as a binary system crosses a generic mode resonance of a companion star during the inspiral stage. This application is useful because previous description of resonant mode excitation of stars still relies on the mode and driving force decomposition based on the Newtonian formalism. In addition, we show that the scattering phase is intimately related to the total energy of spacetime and matter under the driving of a steady input wave from infinity. We also derive the relevant tidal energy of a star under steady driving and compare that with the dynamic tide formula. We estimate that the difference may lead to $\mathcal{O}(0.5)$ radian phase modulation in the late stage of the binary neutron star inspiral waveform.

Creating software dedicated to simulation is essential for teaching and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Physics lecturing can be more effective when digital twins are used to accompany theory classes. Research in physics has greatly benefited from the advent of modern, high-level programming languages, which facilitate the implementation of user-friendly code. Here, we report our own Python-based software, the gr-orbit-toolkit, to simulate orbits in classical and general relativistic scenarios. First, we present the ordinary differential equations (ODEs) for classical and relativistic orbital accelerations. For the latter, we follow a post-Newtonian approach. Second, we describe our algorithm, which numerically integrates these ODEs to simulate the orbits of small-sized objects orbiting around massive bodies by using Euler and Runge-Kutta methods. Then, we study a set of sample two-body models with either the Sun or a black hole in the center. Our simulations confirm that the orbital motions predicted by classical and relativistic ODEs drastically differ for bodies near the Schwarzschild radius of the central massive body. Classical mechanics explains the orbital motion of objects far away from a central massive body, but general relativity is required to study objects moving at close proximity to a massive body, where the gravitational field is strong. Our study on objects with different eccentricities confirms that our code captures relativistic orbital precession. Our convergence analysis shows the toolkit is numerically robust. Our gr-orbit-toolkit aims at facilitating teaching and research in general relativity, so a comprehensive user and developer guide is provided in the public code repository.

We experimentally demonstrate a novel interferometric architecture for next-generation gravity missions, featuring a laser ranging interferometer (LRI) that enables monoaxial transmission and reception of laser beams between two optical benches with a heterodyne frequency of 7.3 MHz. Active beam steering loops, utilizing differential wavefront sensing (DWS) signals, ensure co-alignment between the receiving (RX) beam and the transmitting (TX) beam. With spacecraft attitude jitter simulated by hexapod-driven rotations, the interferometric link achieves a pointing stability below 10 urad/$\mathrm{\sqrt{Hz}}$ in the frequency range between 2 mHz and 0.5 Hz, and the fluctuation of the TX beam's polarization state results in a reduction of 0.14\% in the carrier-to-noise-density ratio over a 15-hour continuous measurement. Additionally, tilt-to-length (TTL) coupling is experimentally investigated using the periodic scanning of the hexapod. Experimental results show that the on-axis LRI enables the inter-spacecraft ranging measurements with nanometer accuracy, making it a potential candidate for future GRACE-like missions.

The nature of the cosmological constant is a mystery. We don't understand its quantum origin but we associate it with the actual acceleration of the universe because it is the simplest description we had until recently of the present cosmological observations. However, this may change with the next generation of experiments. If we can convince ourselves that the cosmic acceleration is not due to a constant, this would open up new fascinating avenues. By exploring the simplest cosmological model in the bulk, that of an empty and flat space with a cosmological constant $\Lambda$, we find that its holographic dual makes sense as a theory of fundamental quantum degrees of freedom at the boundary. Moreover, we find that an observer in the bulk, making long-range (electromagnetic and gravitational) observations, cannot distinguish the acceleration induced by the cosmological constant $\Lambda$ from that induced by the thermodynamic properties of the boundary, the de Sitter horizon. By including matter in the bulk we extend this holographic principle to GREA, where the quantum d.o.f. associated with the evolving boundary of the causal horizon induces an entropic acceleration that varies in time. Future observations will determine whether our causal horizon is responsible for the present acceleration and whether our universe will end in de Sitter or Minkowski.

From al-Sufi's tenth-century observation of the Andromeda Galaxy as a "little cloud" to contemporary space missions, Islamic astronomy represents a millennium-spanning tradition of innovation and knowledge. This study traces its trajectory through three phases: the Golden Age (8th to 15th centuries), when scholars such as al-Biruni, al-Battani, and Ibn Sina developed instruments, cataloged the heavens, and refined theories that later influenced Copernicus; a period of decline (late 15th to 17th centuries), shaped by political fragmentation, economic shifts, and the delayed adoption of technologies such as printing and the telescope; and today's revival, marked by observatory collaborations, Olympiad successes, and emerging space programs in Morocco, Iran, Turkey, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. This comparative analysis with Chinese and European scientific traditions shows how Islamic astronomy provided a vital link in the global history of science, transmitting mathematical rigor, observational methods, and Arabic star names that are still used today. The contemporary resurgence signals the potential for renewed contributions to astrophysics, provided that it is supported by regional observatory networks, space-based research initiatives, and educational frameworks that integrate historical heritage with modern computational science.

Gravitational wave (GW) astrophysics is entering a multi-band era with upcoming GW detectors, enabling detailed mapping of the stochastic GW background across vast frequencies. We highlight this potential via a new physics scenario: hybrid topological defects from a two-step phase transition separated by inflation. We develop a general pipeline to analyze experimental exclusions and apply it to this model. The model offers a possible explanation of the pulsar timing array signal at low frequencies, and future experiments (LISA/Cosmic Explorer/Einstein Telescope) will confirm or rule it out via the higher-frequency probes, showcasing the power of multi-band constraints.

Interactions with particle dark matter could brighten old, isolated neutron stars to thermal luminosities detectable at current and next-generation telescopes. We present a novel mechanism for such signals. Non-annihilating (e.g., asymmetric) dark matter capturing in a neutron star could form a small black hole in its core, which could then rapidly evaporate away. If black holes form and evaporate within the cooling timescale of the neutron star, periodic episodes of black hole evaporation could impart a steady-state stellar luminosity, providing a source of heat additional to the kinetic energy of dark matter during capture. Consequently, we obtain sensitivities to dark matter-nucleon cross sections that are stronger than that from dark kinetic heating by a factor of a few for > $10^4$ GeV (> $10^{10}$ GeV) mass of spin-0 (spin-1/2) dark matter.

We show that oscillating (real-scalar) boson stars can act as strictly periodic gravitational lenses and generically host an \emph{oscillating radial caustic}. Sources near this caustic cross it every half period, producing achromatic phase-locked photometric spikes synchronized with an astrometric wobble, providing a promising target for time-domain astronomy. Event-number estimation indicates a measurable discovery space with current astrometric and high-cadence photometric surveys. These predictions rely only on the dynamics of long-lived real-scalar condensates, therefore offering a clean test of self-gravitating quantum fields in curved spacetime. The framework extends naturally to self-interacting real scalars (including axion-like particles) and to ultralight vector bosons.

In this paper, we have discovered a new avenue of fibre inflation in perturbative large volume scenario (pLVS) due to the redefinition of the base modulus. pLVS offers a novel regime where large volume of the internal space is guaranteed without the need of non-perturbative effects. In this setup, we study the possibility where a base redefinition allows to assess different versions of fibre inflation whose spectral index aligns with Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) data \cite{ACT:2025fju, ACT:2025tim} and produces tensor-to-scalar ratio in the range $0.008\lesssim r\lesssim 0.01$ in different setups we have considered. The leading order flat direction - which in our case is the fibre modulus - is lifted with the combinations of string loop corrections, leading order $\alpha^{\prime 3}$$R^4$-correction, higher derivative $F^{4}$ corrections as well as our new ingredient redefinition of the modulus. Since recent Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) results appear to favour a dynamical explanation for late-time acceleration over a simple cosmological constant, exploring quintessence offers a more suitable approach. In this lore, we also examine the quintessence sector to complete our model and account for both early- and late-time cosmic acceleration. In this framework, the poly-instanton correction generates a potential along the axionic directions, and we find that the resulting quintessence behaviour and the subsequent cosmological predictions about dark matter closely resemble the predictions of the original fibre inflation scenario studied earlier.

Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) observations will detect gravitational waves (GWs) from the early inspiral phase of supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) with orbital periods of weeks to years. Current PTA analyses generally assume circular binaries; however, dynamical interactions with the surrounding environment can prevent complete circularisation, allowing SMBHBs to retain appreciable eccentricities. In this work, we present a gravitational waveform model for eccentric binaries based on the Effective-One-Body (EOB) formalism, designed for continuous GW searches in PTA data. The model is accurate up to the second post-Newtonian (2PN) order for the conservative dynamics and up to post-leading order for the radiation-reaction terms. We provide both a numerically precise and a computationally efficient approximate implementation and evaluate the latter's accuracy against the full model over a broad range of eccentricities and initial orbital frequencies. Our results show that a substantial region of the parameter space exhibits pronounced orbital evolution, much stronger than in the circular case. We demonstrate the rich harmonic structure of timing residuals induced by eccentric GWs. Properly characterising eccentric binaries is an essential step toward detecting GWs in PTA data and interpreting the results, ultimately improving our understanding of the supermassive black hole population in the local Universe.

We argue that the benchmark freeze in dark matter (DM) scenario for direct detection experiments, in which a DM candidate interacts with the Standard Model (SM) through an ultralight dark photon, becomes sensitive to the visible sector reheating temperature if it is sufficiently high. At such temperatures, the irreducible ultraviolet (UV) freeze in production of DM through graviton exchange becomes important and must be combined with the infrared (IR) freeze in yield mediated by the dark photon. As long as gravitationally produced DM does not equilibrate through annihilation into dark photons and the subsequent formation of a dark thermal bath, it retains information about the reheating phase. Including this gravitational contribution relaxes the required DM and SM portal coupling and allows smaller values than those that would match the observed relic abundance through IR freeze in alone. Since current direct detection experiments have excluded the benchmark freeze in model over a wide range of DM masses, they are now effectively probing high reheating temperatures and the gravitational freeze in of DM.

We present a minimal secluded dark-matter (DM) framework based on an extra $U(1)_X$ gauge symmetry. The model contains a Dirac DM particle $\chi$, three heavy neutrinos $N_I$ with masses $M_{N,I}$, and a singlet scalar $R$ that mixes with the Standard Model Higgs doublet $\Phi$ by an angle $\alpha$. A symmetry forbids the $\Phi$-$R$ portal at tree level; the leading portal then arises at one loop from the same Yukawa structures that generate active neutrino masses $m_{\nu,I}$, implying $\tan(2\alpha) \propto \sum_I m_{\nu,I} M^2_{N,I}/(v_h m_H^2)$, where $v_h$ and $m_H$ are the SM Higgs VEV and mass. For heavy-neutrino masses in the multi-TeV range, this yields a naturally tiny mixing, $\tan(2\alpha)\sim 5\times 10^{-11}\left(M_N/10~\mathrm{TeV}\right)^2$, which strongly suppresses DM signals in direct, indirect, and collider searches. For PeV-scale heavy neutrinos the DM-nucleon cross section can instead enter the reach of direct-detection experiments. The visible and dark sectors thermalize at temperatures of order a few times the mass of the lightest heavy neutrino, then subsequently decouple, and typically evolve with a slightly hotter dark bath. In the secluded regime, with $\tan(2\alpha)\ll 1$ and $m_\chi>m_{H_p}$, the relic density is set by $p$-wave annihilation $\chi\bar\chi \to H_p H_p$ (with $H_p$ the Higgs-like particle of the dark sector), and the dark-sector Yukawa couplings required to reproduce the observed abundance are $\sim(0.1\text{-}1)$, as in the standard WIMP case. For heavy-neutrino masses $\gtrsim 10~\mathrm{TeV}$, the mediator decays before nucleosynthesis without spoiling BBN observables, while the tiny portal suppresses present-day signals below current and near-future sensitivities. This links two long-standing puzzles, the absence of DM signals and the smallness of neutrino masses, within a predictive thermal framework.

The unprecedented sensitivity of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, which enables the detection of distant astrophysical sources, also renders the detectors highly susceptible to low-frequency ground motion. Persistent microseisms in the 0.1-0.3 Hz band couple into the instruments, degrade lock stability, and contribute substantially to detector downtime during observing runs. The multi-stage seismic isolation system has achieved remarkable success in mitigating such disturbances through active feedback control, yet residual platform motion remains a key factor limiting low-frequency sensitivity and duty cycle. Further reduction of this residual motion is therefore critical for improving the long-term stability and overall astrophysical reach of the observatories. In this work, we develop a data-driven approach that uses machine learning to model and suppress residual seismic motion within the isolation system. Ground and platform sensor data from the detectors are used to train a neural network that predicts platform motion driven by microseismic activity. When incorporated into the control scheme, the network's predictions yield up to an order-of-magnitude reduction in residual motion compared to conventional linear filtering methods, revealing that nonlinear couplings play a significant role in limiting current isolation performance. These results demonstrate that machine-learning-based control can provide a powerful new pathway for enhancing active seismic isolation, improving lock robustness, and extending the low-frequency observational capabilities of gravitational-wave detectors.

The James Webb Space Telescope has recently detected massive, fully formed, galaxies at redshifts corresponding to few hundred million years after the Big-Bang. However, our current cosmological model cannot produce such massive systems so early in the lifetime of the universe. A number of theoretical solutions have been proposed, but they all appeal to exotic new physics and introduce rather excessive fine-tuning. In this essay, we outline a theoretical answer to the early galaxy-formation question, which operates within standard general relativity and standard cosmology, without appealing to any new physics. Instead, we account for the effect of a well established feature of our universe. This feature, which has so far been kept in the margins of mainstream cosmology, are the peculiar velocities.

Dust layers have already been reported to have negative impacts on the radiation budget of the atmosphere. But the questions are: How does the atmospheric surface temperature change during a dust outbreak, and what is its temporal correlation with variations of the dust outbreak strength? We investigated these at selected AERONET sites, including Bahrain, IASBS, Karachi, KAUST Campus, Kuwait University, Lahore, Mezaira, Solar Village, in Southwest Asia, and Dushanbe in Central Asia, using available data from 1998 to 2024. The aerosol optical depth at 870 nm and the temperature recorded at each site are taken as measures of dust outbreak strength and atmospheric surface temperature, respectively. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model and the aerosol optical depths recorded by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) on board the Aqua and Terra satellites are used to specify the sources of the dust outbreaks. Our investigations show that in most cases, the temperature decreases during a dust outbreak, but in a considerable number of cases, the temperature rises. Temperature changes are mostly less than 5 °C. We found that a dust outbreak may affect the temperature even up to two days after its highest intensity time. This effect is more profound at sites far from large dust sources, such as IASBS in northwest Iran. For sites that are located on either a dust source or very close to it, the temperature and dust optical depth vary almost synchronously.

Strange quark matter (SQM) is considered a possible true ground state of QCD at high densities. This idea motivates research on exotic compact objects and certain cosmic-ray phenomena. For instance, the remnant HESS J1731-347 contains a low-mass neutron star, about $0.77^{+0.20}_{-0.17}$ $M_\odot$ and $10.4^{+0.86}_{-0.78}$ km in radius, making it a strong candidate for a strange quark star. Other events, such as GW170817 and GRB 250702B, provide conditions that may favor the formation of strangelets. Strangelets are stable clusters of SQM, potentially created during the phase transition between the 2SC and CFL color-superconducting states. These clusters could generate monochromatic $\gamma$-ray lines in very-high-energy spectra through self-annihilation. This work analyzes the stability of strangelets, production cross-sections, and mass-to-charge ratios using QCD-based models. Data from H.E.S.S., Fermi-LAT, MAGIC-II, and CTA were used to set limits on spectral features and possible fluxes. Detecting narrow $\gamma$-ray lines will require improved instrument sensitivity. By integrating evidence from multimessenger astrophysics and dense QCD simulations, this study investigates the equations of state for compact stars and explores the potential cosmological influence of SQM.

In this paper, we derive the upper bounds on the coupling of axion-like particles (ALPs) with photon as a function of the mass by considering axion-photon conversion in the Crab Nebula. Previous studies have not considered the influence of the magnetic field within the Crab Nebula. The magnetic field plays a crucial role through the Synchrotron Self-Compton (SSC) process, in which high-energy electrons produce synchrotron radiation that is subsequently up-scattered by the same electrons via inverse Compton scattering to generate gamma rays. Therefore, neglecting the magnetic field in modeling leads to theoretical inconsistencies. In this work, we investigate the significance of the magnetic field effect and demonstrate that even differences in magnetic field modeling can substantially alter the conversion probability. We thus, for the first time, point out that proper consideration of the magnetic field is essential in ALP searches using gamma rays from the Crab Nebula. The resulting constraints reach up to a coupling of $g_{a\gamma \gamma} \lesssim 1 \times 10^{-11} {\rm GeV}^{-1}$ for ALP masses in the range $10^{-10} {\rm eV} \lesssim m_a \lesssim 10^{-6} {\rm eV}$.

We perform a precision investigation of smooth quintessential inflation in which a single canonical scalar field unifies the two known phases of cosmic acceleration. Using a CMB-normalized runaway exponential potential, we obtain sharply predictive inflationary observables: a red-tilted spectrum with $n_s = 0.964241$ and an exceptionally suppressed tensor-to-scalar ratio $r = 7.48 \times 10^{-5}$ at $N=60$, lying near the optimal region of current Planck+ACT constraints. Remarkably, all observable scales exit the horizon within an extremely narrow field interval $\Delta\phi \simeq 0.03\,M_{\rm Pl}$, tightly linking early and late-time dynamics and reducing theoretical ambiguities. While inflationary tensors remain invisible to CMB B-mode surveys, the subsequent stiff epoch-an intrinsic hallmark of quintessential cosmology-imprints a blue-tilted stochastic gravitational-wave background within the discovery reach of future interferometers such as LISA, DECIGO, ALIA, and BBO. Our results demonstrate that this minimal, featureless model not only survives current bounds, but provides concrete, falsifiable predictions across gravitational-wave frequencies spanning over twenty orders of magnitude.

We present a search for gravitational waves from inspiraling, planetary-mass ultra-compact binaries using data from the first part of the fourth observing run of LIGO, Virgo and KAGRA. Finding no evidence of such systems, we determine the maximum distance reach for such objects and their merger rate densities, independently of how they could have formed. Then, we identify classes of primordial black-hole mass distributions for which these rate limits can be translated into relevant constraints on the mass distribution of primordial black holes, assuming that they compose all of dark matter, in the mass range $[10^{-6},10^{-3}]M_\odot$. Our constraints are consistent with existing microlensing results in the planetary-mass range, and provide a complementary probe to sub-solar mass objects.

We present preliminary performance results of gPLUTO, the new GPU-optimized implementation of the PLUTO code for computational plasma astrophysics. Like its predecessor, gPLUTO employs a finite-volume formulation to numerically solve the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) in multiple spatial dimensions. Still, this new implementation is a complete rewrite in C++ and leverages the OpenACC programming model to achieve acceleration on NVIDIA GPUs. While a more comprehensive description of the code and its several other modules will be presented in a future paper, here we focus on some preparatory results that demonstrate the code potential and performance on pre exa-scale parallel architectures.

Efforts to understand the equation of state (EOS) of dense nuclear matter at supra-saturation densities have grown more sophisticated over the past decade, driven by a surge in high-precision data from both terrestrial experiments and astrophysical observations. While for the former, heavy-ion collisions (HIC) represent a unique opportunity to constraint the EOS in a controlled laboratory setting, the latter can be precisely probed thanks to the advent of multi-messenger astronomy (MMA). However, as we move away from our understanding drawn from individual sources and limited statistics to the era of precision physics with improved datasets, the need for a systematic way to combine them becomes clear. In this article, we trace the individual methods for extracting the EOS both for HIC and MMA. We then review the current state-of-the-art efforts to combine these individual information sources from Bayesian multi-source analysis, e.g., the Nuclear Physics and Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (NMMA) and Bayesian Analysis of Nuclear Dynamics (BAND) frameworks, and fully integrated EOS frameworks, i.e., the Modular Unified Solver for the Equation of State (MUSES) calculation engine. We highlight the scientific advances made possible by each step and outline the remaining challenges that must be addressed to build a coherent, predictive picture of dense nuclear matter across all relevant regimes.

Context: Globular clusters (GCs) around the Milky Way (MW) are expected to host white dwarf (WD) binaries emitting gravitational waves that could be detectable by LISA. Aims: Our aim is to investigate whether LISA can resolve WD binaries in GCs well enough in terms of sky location and distance that they can be distinguished from binaries in the MW disc. Methods: We used a sample of 20 of the most massive GCs around the MW and simulated LISA's sky location and distance measurement errors for WD binaries in these GCs using the software package GWToolbox. We did this in the context of a model of the LISA-detectable binaries in the MW from the population synthesis code SeBa. Results: We find that for five of the GCs in our sample, binaries in the GC could be easily distinguished from MW disc binaries using the sky location alone; for another five, binaries in the GCs could be distinguished using a combination of LISA's sky location and distance measurements; and for the final ten, binaries in the GCs could not be distinguished from overlapping MW disc binaries. The results depend strongly on the sky locations of the GCs, with GCs far away from the Galactic plane being easy to resolve, while GCs close to the Galactic centre overlap with many MW disc binaries. The most promising GC for finding a WD binary that could be resolved to that GC, based on sky location and GC mass, is 47 Tucanae.

We investigate a new quantum sensor for dark matter direct detection with sub-eV sensitivity, focusing on several candidate materials that potentially host chiral phonons with large magnetic moments that can be directly read out with an external magnetometer. We focus on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as possible candidate materials for single chiral phonon detection due to their noncentrosymmetric structure, tunability, and the ability to host these excitations in stable acoustic bands. We identify several promising candidates and compare their projected dark matter detection sensitivity for all possible interactions identified within effective field theory. We establish that the expected sensitivity does not depend heavily on the specific choice of the MOF, enabling us to tailor the final material composition to facilitate the magnetic readout. We then propose a prototype setup able to test the direct readout of a chiral phonon sensor with a surface-integrated magnetometer.

In this article, we propose an anisotropic Bianchi-I type cosmological model in non-conservative Unimodular Gravity ($\mathrm{NUG}$). We show that simply using the Bianchi-I type metric does not resolve a striking characteristic of the field equations in $\mathrm{NUG}$: their underdetermination. This fact led us to implement extra conditions on the combination $\left(\rho+p\right)$ and, consequently, obtain a consistent background cosmological analysis. In the vacuum case, we obtain an analogy between the Kasner solutions and the equations in $\mathrm{NUG}$. We also propose a new analysis of a non-homogeneous equation of state, the combination $\left(\rho+p\right)=l$. We identify that the cosmological dynamics are strictly dependent on the value of the constant $l$. The physically interesting case is at the value $l<0$, which seems to indicate a super-accelerated, ghost-like universe. This case still requires a more detailed analysis, for example, from a thermodynamic point of view, keeping in mind that $\left(\rho+p\right)$ may be interpreted as enthalpy of the system. For the cases $\left(\rho+p\right)\propto a^{-3}$ and $\left(\rho+p\right) \propto a^{-4}$, we obtain a description consistent with the anisotropic cosmological model described by $\mathrm{GR}$. In all cases analyzed, a small value for the anisotropic parameter $\Omega_{A}$ (on the order of $10^{-2}$) is required in order to have agreement, for example, with the age of the universe to be approximately $12-14\, \mathrm{Gyr}$, agreeing with the age of globular clusters. As the universe expands an isotropization is verified, with the anistropies going to zero asymptotically, similarly with what happens in an anistropic cosmological model based on $\mathrm{GR}$.

$F(R)$ Palatini gravity provides a robust framework for constructing viable inflationary potentials. In this study, we examine natural inflation and show that its consistency with observational data can be restored when the model is embedded within $F(R)$ Palatini gravity, specifically for $F(R) = R + \alpha R^n$ with $7/4 \lesssim n \leq 2$. For completeness, we also demonstrate that models with $n > 2$ do not yield comparable improvements, achieving partial agreement with the data only in the limit $n \rightarrow 2$.