Sazuna/UAT_keywords huggingface dataset:
Tidal Disruption of Stellar Clusters and the Spatial Distribution of Their Remnants Near the Galactic Center. The accretion of massive star clusters via dynamical friction has previously been established to be a likely scenario for the buildup of nuclear stellar clusters (NSCs). A remaining issue is whether strong external tidal perturbation may lead to the severe disruption of loosely bound clusters well before they sink deeply into the center of their host galaxies. We carry out a series of N-body simulations and verify our early idealized analytic models. We show that if the density profile of the host galaxies can be described by a power-law distribution with an index of α &lt; 1, the cluster would be compressed in the radial direction by the external galactic tidal field. In contrast, the galactic tidal perturbation is disruptive in regions with a steep, α &gt; 1, density falloff or in the very center where gravity is dominated by the point-mass potential of supermassive black holes (SMBHs). This sufficient criterion supplements the conventional necessary Roche-lobe-filling condition in determining the preservation versus disintegration of satellite stellar systems. We simulate the disruption of stellar clusters that venture onto nearly circular, modestly, or highly eccentric orbits into the center of galaxies with a range of background density profiles and SMBHs. We obtain the spatial distribution of the stellar cluster remnants. We apply these results to the NSC within a few parsecs from SMBH Sgr A* at the Galactic Center. Recent observations indicate the coexistence of two populations of stars with distinctively separate ages and metallicities. We verify that the subsolar-metallicity population can be the debris of disrupted stellar clusters.

Keywords: Globular star clusters, Supermassive black holes, Galactic center, Stellar dynamics, Galactic bulge, N-body simulations
The Art of Measuring Physical Parameters in Galaxies: A Critical Assessment of Spectral Energy Distribution Fitting Techniques. The study of galaxy evolution hinges on our ability to interpret multiwavelength galaxy observations in terms of their physical properties. To do this, we rely on spectral energy distribution (SED) models, which allow us to infer physical parameters from spectrophotometric data. In recent years, thanks to wide and deep multiwave band galaxy surveys, the volume of high-quality data have significantly increased. Alongside the increased data, algorithms performing SED fitting have improved, including better modeling prescriptions, newer templates, and more extensive sampling in wavelength space. We present a comprehensive analysis of different SED-fitting codes including their methods and output with the aim of measuring the uncertainties caused by the modeling assumptions. We apply 14 of the most commonly used SED-fitting codes on samples from the CANDELS photometric catalogs at z ~ 1 and z ~ 3. We find agreement on the stellar mass, while we observe some discrepancies in the star formation rate (SFR) and dust-attenuation results. To explore the differences and biases among the codes, we explore the impact of the various modeling assumptions as they are set in the codes (e.g., star formation histories, nebular, dust and active galactic nucleus models) on the derived stellar masses, SFRs, and A  V  values. We then assess the difference among the codes on the SFR-stellar mass relation and we measure the contribution to the uncertainties by the modeling choices (i.e., the modeling uncertainties) in stellar mass (~0.1 dex), SFR (~0.3 dex), and dust attenuation (~0.3 mag). Finally, we present some resources summarizing best practices in SED fitting.

Keywords: Extragalactic astronomy, Spectral energy distribution, Galaxies
Where Does the Energy Go during the Interstellar NH<SUB>3</SUB> Formation on Water Ice? A Computational Study. In the coldest (10-20 K) regions of the interstellar medium, the icy surfaces of interstellar grains serve as solid-state supports for chemical reactions. Among their plausible roles, that of third body is advocated, in which the reaction energies of surface reactions dissipate throughout the grain, stabilizing the product. This energy dissipation process is poorly understood at the atomic scale, although it can have a high impact on astrochemistry. Here we study, by means of quantum mechanical simulations, the formation of NH3 via successive H-additions to atomic N on water ice surfaces, paying special attention to the third-body role. We first characterize the hydrogenation reactions and the possible competitive processes (i.e., H-abstractions), in which the H-additions are more favorable than the H-abstractions. Subsequently, we study the fate of the hydrogenation reaction energies by means of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Results show that around 58%-90% of the released energy is quickly absorbed by the ice surface, inducing a temporary increase of the ice temperature. Different energy dissipation mechanisms are distinguished. One mechanism, more general, is based on the coupling of the highly excited vibrational modes of the newly formed species and the libration modes of the icy water molecules. A second mechanism, exclusive during the NH3 formation, is based on the formation of a transient H3O+/NH2 - ion pair, which significantly accelerates the energy transfer to the surface. Finally, the astrophysical implications of our findings relative to the interstellar synthesis of NH3 and its chemical desorption into the gas are discussed.

Keywords: Interstellar dust, Interstellar molecules, Solid matter physics, Dense interstellar clouds, Computational methods, Surface ices, Interstellar medium, Interstellar dust processes
Similar Signatures of Coplanar Gas Inflow and Disk Warps in Galactic Gas Kinematic Maps. Hydrodynamic simulations suggest that galactic gas disks form when coplanar gas spirals into the inner regions of the disk. We recently presented a simple modified accretion disk model of viscous galactic disks in which star formation is fed by a radial flow of gas. However, little observational evidence has been presented for such inflows, which are expected to be only a few kilometers per second in the central regions of the disk, i.e., within four disk scale lengths, but could reach of order 50-100 km s-1 in the very outer disk. The effects of systematic inflow on the 2D velocity field are examined and it is shown that these are quite similar to those produced by geometric warps of the disks, with twist distortions of both the kinematic major and minor axes. This makes it potentially difficult to distinguish between these in practice. By comparing the handedness of the observed twisting of the kinematic axes and of the spiral arms for a sample of nearby galaxies, we find (assuming that the spiral arms are generally trailing) that the effects of warps are in fact likely to dominate over the effects of radial inflows. However, the common practice of treating these twist distortions of the kinematic major and minor axes as being due only to warps can lead, for galaxies of low-to-intermediate inclinations, to substantial underestimates of any systematic inflow.

Keywords: Galaxy accretion disks, Galaxy kinematics, Galaxy radial velocities
The Influence of β-decay Rates on r-process Observables. The rapid neutron capture process (r-process) is one of the main mechanisms whereby elements heavier than iron are synthesized, and is entirely responsible for the natural production of the actinides. Kilonova emissions are modeled as being largely powered by the radioactive decay of species synthesized via the r-process. Given that the r-process occurs far from nuclear stability, unmeasured beta-decay rates play an essential role in setting the timescale for the r-process. In an effort to better understand the sensitivity of kilonova modeling to different theoretical global beta-decay descriptions, we incorporate these into nucleosynthesis calculations. We compare the results of these calculations and highlight differences in kilonova nuclear energy generation and light-curve predictions, as well as final abundances and their implications for nuclear cosmochronometry. We investigate scenarios where differences in beta-decay rates are responsible for increased nuclear heating on timescales of days that propagates into a significantly increased average bolometric luminosity between 1 and 10 days post-merger. We identify key nuclei, both measured and unmeasured, whose decay rates directly impact nuclear heating generation on timescales responsible for light-curve evolution. We also find that uncertainties in beta-decay rates significantly impact age estimates from cosmochronometry.

Keywords: Neutron stars, Nucleosynthesis, R-process, Nuclear astrophysics, Compact objects
WIYN Open Cluster Study. LXXXVII. Hubble Space Telescope Ultraviolet Detection of Hot White Dwarf Companions to Blue Lurkers in M67. We present the results of our Hubble Space Telescope far-ultraviolet survey of the blue lurkers (BLs) in M67. We find evidence for two white dwarf (WD) companions among the BLs that are indicative of mass transfer from an evolved companion, one in WOCS 14020 and the other in WOCS 3001. The cooling ages of the WDs suggest that mass transfer in these systems occurred ~300-540 Myr and ~600-900 Myr ago, respectively. The rotation periods and cooling ages of the BLs are consistent with spin-up and subsequent single-star spin-down models, and binary evolution models yield plausible evolutionary pathways to both BLs via highly nonconservative mass transfer. We conclude that the BLs are lower-luminosity analogs to the classical blue stragglers.

Keywords: Binary stars, Spectroscopic binary stars, Stellar astronomy, Stellar physics, Star clusters
Weighing the Darkness. III. How Gaia Could, but Probably Will Not, Astrometrically Detect Free-floating Black Holes. The gravitational pull of an unseen companion to a luminous star is well known to cause deviations to the parallax and proper motion of a star. In a previous paper in this series, we argue that the astrometric mission Gaia can identify long-period binaries by precisely measuring these arcs. An arc in a star's path can also be caused by a flyby: a hyperbolic encounter with another massive object. We quantify the apparent acceleration over time induced by a companion star as a function of the impact parameter, velocity of interaction, and companion mass. In principle, Gaia could be used to astrometrically identify the contribution of massive compact halo objects to the local dark matter potential of the Milky Way. However, after quantifying their rate and Gaia's sensitivity, we find that flybys are so rare that Gaia will probably never observe one. Therefore, every star in the Gaia database exhibiting astrometric acceleration is likely in a long-period binary with another object. Nevertheless, we show how intermediate-mass black holes, if they exist in the local stellar neighborhood, can induce anomalously large accelerations on stars.

Keywords: Intermediate-mass black holes, Astrometry
A Model for Gradual-phase Heating Driven by MHD Turbulence in Solar Flares. Coronal flare emission is commonly observed to decay on timescales longer than those predicted by impulsively driven, one-dimensional flare loop models. This discrepancy is most apparent during the gradual phase, where emission from these models decays over minutes, in contrast to the hour or more often observed. Magnetic reconnection is invoked as the energy source of a flare, but should deposit energy into a given loop within a matter of seconds. Models which supplement this impulsive energization with a long, persistent ad hoc heating have successfully reproduced long-duration emission, but without providing a clear physical justification. Here we propose a model for extended flare heating by the slow dissipation of turbulent Alfvén waves initiated during the retraction of newly reconnected flux tubes through a current sheet. Using one-dimensional simulations, we track the production and evolution of MHD wave turbulence trapped by reflection from high-density gradients in the transition region. Turbulent energy dissipates through nonlinear interaction between counter-propagating waves, modeled here using a phenomenological one-point closure model. Atmospheric Imaging Assembly EUV light curves synthesized from the simulation were able to reproduce emission decay on the order of tens of minutes. We find this simple model offers a possible mechanism for generating the extended heating demanded by observed coronal flare emissions self-consistently from reconnection-powered flare energy release.

Keywords: Solar flares, Solar extreme ultraviolet emission, Magnetohydrodynamical simulations
Quantifying the Agyrotropy of Proton and Electron Heating in Turbulent Plasmas. An important aspect of energy dissipation in weakly collisional plasmas is that of energy partitioning between different species (e.g., protons and electrons) and between different energy channels. Here we analyse pressure-strain interaction to quantify the fractions of isotropic compressive, gyrotropic, and nongyrotropic heating for each species. An analysis of kinetic turbulence simulations is compared and contrasted with corresponding observational results from Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission data in the magnetosheath. In assessing how protons and electrons respond to different ingredients of the pressure-strain interaction, we find that compressive heating is stronger than incompressive heating in the magnetosheath for both electrons and protons, while incompressive heating is stronger in kinetic plasma turbulence simulations. Concerning incompressive heating, the gyrotropic contribution for electrons is dominant over the nongyrotropic contribution, while for protons nongyrotropic heating is enhanced in both simulations and observations. Variations with plasma β are also discussed, and protons tend to gain more heating with increasing β.

Keywords: Space plasmas, Plasma physics, Interplanetary turbulence, Planetary magnetospheres, Interplanetary physics
Tests of Loop Quantum Gravity from the Event Horizon Telescope Results of Sgr A*. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration's image of the compact object at the Galactic center is the first direct evidence of the supermassive black hole (BH) Sgr A*. The shadow of Sgr A* has an angular diameter d sh = 48.7 ± 7 μas with fractional deviation from the Schwarzschild BH shadow diameter $\delta =-{0.08}_{-0.09}^{+0.09},-{0.04}_{-0.10}^{+0.09}$ (for the VLTI and Keck mass-to-distance ratios). Sgr A*'s shadow size is within 10% of Kerr predictions, equipping us with yet another tool to analyze gravity in the strong-field regime, including testing loop quantum gravity (LQG). We use Sgr A*'s shadow to constrain the metrics of two well-motivated LQG-inspired rotating BH (LIRBH) models characterized by an additional deviation parameter L  q , which recover the Kerr spacetime in the absence of quantum effects (L  q  → 0). When increasing the quantum effects through L  q , the shadow size increases monotonically, while the shape gets more distorted, allowing us to constrain the fundamental parameter L  q . We use the astrophysical observables shadow area A and oblateness D to estimate the BH parameters. It may be useful in extracting additional information about LIRBHs. While the EHT observational results completely rule out the wormhole region in LIRBH-2, a substantial parameter region of the generic BHs in both models agrees with the EHT results. We find that the upper bounds on L  q  obtained from the shadow of Sgr A*-L  q  ≲ 0.0423 and L  q  ≲ 0.0821 for the two LIRBHs, respectively-are more stringent than those obtained from the EHT image of M87*.

Keywords: Black hole physics, Galactic center, Gravitation, Gravitational lensing, Astrophysical black holes
Exploring Magnetic Loops and Serpentine Fields in the Quiet Sun with the GRIS-IFU. Synthetic observations produced from radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulations have predicted that higher polarization fractions in the quiet solar photosphere would be revealed by increasing the total integration time of observations at GREGOR resolutions. We present recently acquired disk center observations of the Fe I 15648.5 Å line obtained with the GREGOR telescope equipped with the GRIS-IFU during excellent seeing conditions, showing exceptionally high polarization fractions. Our observations reveal an internetwork region with a majority (&gt;60%) of magnetized pixels displaying a clear transverse component of the magnetic field. This result is in stark contrast to previous disk center GRIS-IFU observations in this spectral line, which had predominantly vertical magnetic fields in the deep photosphere. At the same time, the median magnetic field strength is weaker than previous GRIS-IFU observations, indicating that the larger fraction of polarization signals cannot be explained by a more active target. We use the Stokes Inversion based on Response functions (SIR) code to analyze the data, performing over 45 million inversions, and interrogate the impact of two conflicting approaches to the treatment of noise on the retrieval of the magnetic inclination and azimuth. We present several case studies of the zoo of magnetic features present in these data, including small-scale magnetic loops that seem to be embedded in a sea of magnetism, and serpentine fields, focusing on regions where full-vector spectropolarimetry has been achieved. We also present a new open-source Python 3 analysis tool, SIR Explorer, which we use to examine the dynamics of these small-scale magnetic features.

Keywords: Solar magnetic fields, Quiet sun, Solar photosphere, Near infrared astronomy
Data-driven Cosmology from Three-dimensional Light Cones. We present a data-driven technique to analyze multifrequency images from upcoming cosmological surveys mapping large sky area. Using full information from the data at the two-point level, our method can simultaneously constrain the large-scale structure (LSS), the spectra and redshift distribution of emitting sources, and the noise in the observed data without any prior assumptions beyond the homogeneity and isotropy of cosmological perturbations. In particular, the method does not rely on source detection or photometric or spectroscopic redshift estimates. Here, we present the formalism and demonstrate our technique with a mock observation from nine optical and near-infrared photometric bands. Our method can recover the input signal and noise without bias, and quantify the uncertainty on the constraints. Our technique provides a flexible framework to analyze the LSS observation traced by different types of sources, which has potential for wide application to current or future cosmological data sets such as SPHEREx, Rubin Observatory, Euclid, or the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

Keywords: Cosmology, Cosmic background radiation, Large-scale structure of the universe
The Complex X-Ray Obscuration Environment in the Radio-loud Type 2 Quasar 3C 223. 3C 223 is a radio-loud, Type 2 quasar at z = 0.1365 with an intriguing X-ray Multi-mirror Mission (XMM)-Newton spectrum that implicated it as a rare, Compton-thick (N H ≳ 1.25 × 1024 cm-2) active galactic nucleus (AGN). We obtained contemporaneous XMM-Newton and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) spectra to fit the broadband X-ray spectrum with the physically motivated MYTORUS and BORUS02 models. We confirm earlier results that the obscuring gas is patchy with both high (though not Compton-thick) levels of obscuration (N H &gt; 1023 cm-2) and gas clouds with column densities up to an order of magnitude lower. The spectral fitting results indicate additional physical processes beyond those modeled in the spectral grids of MYTORUS and BORUS02 impact the emergent spectrum: the Compton-scattering region may be extended beyond the putative torus; a ring of heavy Compton-thick material blocks most X-ray emission along the line of sight; or the radio jet is beamed, boosting the production of Fe Kα line photons in the global medium compared with what is observed along the line of sight. We revisit a recent claim that no radio-loud Compton-thick AGN have yet been conclusively shown to exist, finding three reported cases of radio-loud AGN with global average (but not line-of-sight) column densities that are Compton thick. Now that it is possible to separately determine line-of-sight and global column densities, inhomogeneity in the obscuring medium has consequences for how we interpet the spectrum and classify an AGN as "Compton thick."

Keywords: High energy astrophysics, Quasars, Radio loud quasars, X-ray active galactic nuclei, Active galactic nuclei, X-ray quasars, Fanaroff-Riley radio galaxies, Radio active galactic nuclei
The Impact of Spin-kick Alignment on the Inferred Velocity Distribution of Isolated Pulsars. The speeds of young isolated pulsars are generally inferred from their observed 2D velocities on the plane of the sky under the assumption that the unobserved radial velocity is not special, i.e., that the measured 2D velocity is an isotropic projection of the full 3D velocity. However, if pulsar spins are preferentially aligned with kicks, then the observer's viewing angle relative to the pulsar velocity vector is in fact special because the direction of the spin impacts the detectability of the pulsar. This means that the measured 2D velocity of observable pulsars is not an isotropic projection, which affects inference on 3D velocities. We estimate this effect and conclude that it could lead to a ~15% systematic overestimate of neutron-star natal kicks if young pulsars have high obliquity angles and narrow beams, but the exact correction factor depends on the distribution of beam-spin and spin-kick misalignment angles and beam widths.

Keywords: Neutron stars, Radio pulsars, Pulsars
The Green Bank North Celestial Cap Survey. VII. 12 New Pulsar Timing Solutions. We present timing solutions for 12 pulsars discovered in the Green Bank North Celestial Cap 350 MHz pulsar survey, including six millisecond pulsars (MSPs), a double neutron star (DNS) system, and a pulsar orbiting a massive white dwarf companion. Timing solutions presented here include 350 and 820 MHz Green Bank Telescope data from initial confirmation and follow-up, as well as a dedicated timing campaign spanning 1 ryr PSR J1122-3546 is an isolated MSP, PSRs J1221-0633 and J1317-0157 are MSPs in black widow systems and regularly exhibit eclipses, and PSRs J2022+2534 and J2039-3616 are MSPs that can be timed with high precision and have been included in pulsar timing array experiments seeking to detect low-frequency gravitational waves. PSRs J1221-0633 and J2039-3616 have Fermi Large Area Telescope gamma-ray counterparts and also exhibit significant gamma-ray pulsations. We measure proper motions for three of the MSPs in this sample and estimate their space velocities, which are typical compared to those of other MSPs. We have detected the advance of periastron for PSR J1018-1523 and therefore measure the total mass of the DNS system, m tot = 2.3 ± 0.3 M ⊙. Long-term pulsar timing with data spanning more than 1 yr is critical for classifying recycled pulsars, carrying out detailed astrometry studies, and shedding light on the wealth of information in these systems post-discovery.

Keywords: Gamma-ray sources, Binary pulsars, Pulsar timing method, Millisecond pulsars