adsabs/SciX_UAT_keywords huggingface dataset:
The Supersonic Project: To Cool or Not to Cool Supersonically Induced Gas Objects (SIGOs)?

Supersonically induced gas objects (SIGOs) primarily form in the early universe, outside of dark matter halos due to the presence of a relative stream velocity between baryons and dark matter. These structures may be the progenitors of globular clusters. Since SIGOs are made out of pristine gas, we investigate the effect of atomic cooling on their properties. We run a suite of simulations by using the moving-mesh code AREPO, with and without baryon dark matter relative velocity and with and without the effects of atomic cooling. We show that SIGO's density, temperature, and prolateness are determined by gravitational interactions rather than cooling. The cold gas fraction in SIGOs is much higher than that of dark matter halos. Specifically, we show that SIGO's characteristically low temperature and extremely high gas density forges a nurturing ground for the earliest star formation sites.

Keywords: cosmology; computational methods; galaxies
Microphysics of Water Clouds in the Atmospheres of Y Dwarfs and Temperate Giant Planets

Water clouds are expected to form on Y dwarfs and giant planets with equilibrium temperatures near or below that of Earth, drastically altering their atmospheric compositions and their albedos and thermal emission spectra. Here we use the 1D Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA) to investigate the microphysics of water clouds on cool substellar worlds to constrain their typical particle sizes and vertical extent, taking into consideration nucleation and condensation, which have not been considered in detail for water clouds in H/He atmospheres. We compute a small grid of Y-dwarf and temperate giant-exoplanet atmosphere models with water clouds forming through homogeneous nucleation and heterogeneous nucleation on cloud condensation nuclei composed of meteoritic dust, organic photochemical hazes, and upwelled potassium chloride cloud particles. We present comparisons with the Ackerman & Marley parameterization of cloud physics to extract the optimal sedimentation efficiency parameter (f sed) using Virga. We find that no Virga model replicates the CARMA water clouds exactly and that a transition in f sed occurs from the base of the cloud to the cloud top. Furthermore, we generate simulated thermal emission and geometric albedo spectra and find large, wavelength-dependent differences between the CARMA and Virga models, with different gas absorption bands reacting differently to the different cloud distributions and particularly large differences in the M band. Therefore, constraining the vertically dependent properties of water clouds will be essential to estimate the gas abundances in these atmospheres.

Keywords: y dwarfs; brown dwarfs; extrasolar gaseous giant planets; exoplanet atmospheres; exoplanet atmospheric composition; atmospheric clouds; planetary atmospheres
On Socially Distant Neighbors: Using Binaries to Constrain the Density of Objects in the Galactic Center

Stars often reside in binary configurations. The nuclear star cluster surrounding the supermassive black hole (SMBH) in the Galactic Center (GC) is expected to include a binary population. In this dense environment, a binary frequently encounters and interacts with neighboring stars. These interactions vary from small perturbations to violent collisions. In the former case, weak gravitational interactions unbind a soft binary over the evaporation timescale, which depends on the binary properties as well as the density of surrounding objects and velocity dispersion. Similarly, collisions can also unbind a binary, and the collision rate depends on the density. Thus, the detection of a binary with known properties can constrain the density profile in the GC with implications for the number of compact objects, which are otherwise challenging to detect. We estimate the density necessary to unbind a binary within its lifetime for an orbit of arbitrary eccentricity about the SMBH. We find that the eccentricity has a minimal impact on the density constraint. In this proof of concept, we demonstrate that this procedure can probe the density in the GC using hypothetical young and old binaries as examples. Similarly, a known density profile provides constraints on the binary orbital separation. Our results highlight the need to consider multiple dynamical processes in tandem. In certain cases, often closer to the SMBH, the collision timescale rather than the evaporation timescale gives the more stringent density constraint, while other binaries farther from the SMBH provide unreliable density constraints because they migrate inward due to mass segregation.

Keywords: galactic center; binary stars; stellar dynamics
UV Extinction as a More Fundamental Measure of Dust than E(B - V) or AV

The gas-to-dust ratio of reddened stars in the Milky Way (MW), the Magellanic Clouds, and in general, is usually expressed as a linear relation between the hydrogen column density, N(H), and the reddening, E(B - V), or extinction in the V-band (AV). If the extinction curve were truly universal, the strength of the relationship and the linearity would naturally be maintained for extinction at any wavelength, as well as for N(H) versus E(B - V). However, extinction curves vary within the MW, and there is no reason, except by chance, why either E(B - V) or AV would be the most physical measure of dust column density. In this paper, we utilize for the first time full extinction curves to 41 MW sightlines, finding that the scatter between N(H) and extinction is minimized—and the relation becomes linear—for extinction at 2900 ± 160 Å. Scatter and nonlinearity increase at longer wavelengths, and are especially large for near-IR extinction. We conclude that near-UV extinction is a superior measure of the dust column density for MW dust. We provide new, nonlinear gas-to-dust relations for various dust tracers. We also find that the very large discrepancy between MW and SMC gas-to-dust ratios of 0.9 dex in N(H)/E(B - V) is reduced to 0.7 dex for far-UV extinction, which matches the difference in cosmic abundances of carbon between the two galaxies, and therefore confirms that N(C) is the preferred measure for gas in the gas-to-dust ratio, even though it may not be a convenient one.

Keywords: interstellar dust extinction; interstellar dust; gas-to-dust ratio; extinction; interstellar extinction
VLBA Discovery of a Resolved Source in the Candidate Black Hole X-Ray Binary AT2019wey

AT2019wey is a Galactic low-mass X-ray binary with a candidate black hole accretor first discovered as an optical transient by ATLAS in 2019 December. It was then associated with an X-ray source discovered by SRG/eROSITA and SRG/ART-XC instruments in 2020 March. After a brightening in X-rays in 2020 August, VLA observations of the source revealed an optically thin spectrum that subsequently shifted to optically thick, as the source continued to brighten in the radio. This motivated us to observe AT2019wey with the VLBA. We found a resolved source that we interpret to be a steady compact jet, a feature associated with black hole X-ray binary systems in hard X-ray spectral states. The jet power is comparable to the accretion-disk X-ray luminosity. Here, we summarize the results from these observations.

Keywords: low-mass x-ray binary stars; black holes; very long baseline interferometry
A Nonparametric Reconstruction of the Hubble Parameter H(z) Based on Radial Basis Function Neural Networks

Accurately measuring the Hubble parameter is vital for understanding the expansion history and properties of the Universe. In this paper, we propose a new method that supplements the covariance between redshift pairs to improve the reconstruction of the Hubble parameter using the observational Hubble data set. Our approach uses a cosmological model-independent radial basis function neural network to effectively describe the Hubble parameter as a function of redshift. Our experiments show that this method results in a reconstructed Hubble parameter of H 0 = 67.1 ± 9.7 km s-1 Mpc-1, which is more noise resistant and fits the ΛCDM model at high redshifts better. Providing the covariance between redshift pairs in subsequent observations will significantly improve the reliability and accuracy of Hubble parametric data reconstruction. Future applications of this method could help overcome the limitations of previous methods and lead to new advances in our understanding of the Universe.

Keywords: observational cosmology; computational methods; hubble constant; cosmological parameters
Velocity Dispersion of the Open Cluster NGC 2571 by Radial Velocities and Proper Motions

We use a kernel density estimator method to evaluate the stellar velocity dispersion in the open cluster NGC 2571. We derive the 3D velocity dispersion using both proper motions as extracted from Gaia Data Release 3 and single-epoch radial velocities as obtained with the instrument FLAMES at ESO's Very Large Telescope. The mean-square velocity along the line of sight is found to be larger than the one in the tangential direction by a factor of 6–8. We argue that the most likely explanation for such an occurrence is the presence of a significant quantity of unresolved binary and multiple stars in the radial velocity sample. Special attention should be paid to single-line spectroscopic binaries (SB1) since in this case we observe the spectral lines of the primary component only, and therefore the derived radial velocity is not the velocity of the binary system center of mass. To investigate this scenario, we performed numerical experiments varying the fractional abundance of SB1 in the observed sample. These experiments show that the increase of the mean-square radial velocity depends on the fractional abundance of SB1 to a power in the range [0.39, 0.45]. We used the 3D velocity dispersion obtained by the dispersions in the tangential directions and the assumption that the radial velocity dispersion is the same as a tangential one to estimate the virial cluster mass and the cluster mass, taking into account the gravitational field of the Galaxy and the nonstationarity of the cluster. These estimates are 650 ± 30 M ⊙ and 310 ± 80 M ⊙, respectively, in substantial agreement with the photometric cluster mass.

Keywords: open star clusters; binary stars
Discovery of the Elusive Carbonic Acid (HOCOOH) in Space

A quarter century after the detection of the last interstellar carboxylic acid, acetic acid (CH3COOH), we report the discovery of a new one, the cis-trans form of carbonic acid (HOCOOH), toward the Galactic center molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027. HOCOOH stands as the first interstellar molecule containing three oxygen atoms and the third carboxylic acid detected so far in the interstellar medium. Albeit the limited available laboratory measurements (up to 65 GHz), we have also directly identified several pairs of unblended lines in the astronomical data (between 75 and 120 GHz), which allowed us to slightly improve the set of spectroscopic constants. We derive a column density for cis-trans HOCOOH of N = (6.4 ± 0.4) × 1012 cm-2, which yields an abundance with respect to molecular H2 of 4.7 × 10-11. Meanwhile, the extremely low dipole moment (about 15 times lower) of the lower-energy conformer, cis-cis HOCOOH, precludes its detection. We obtain an upper limit to its abundance with respect to H2 of ≤1.2 × 10-9, which suggests that cis-cis HOCOOH might be fairly abundant in interstellar space, although it is nearly undetectable by radio astronomical observations. We derive a cis-cis/cis-trans ratio of ≤25, consistent with the smaller energy difference between both conformers compared with the relative stability of trans- and cis-formic acid. Finally, we compare the abundance of these acids in different astronomical environments, further suggesting a relationship between the chemical content found in the interstellar medium and the chemical composition of the minor bodies of the solar system, which could be inherited during the star formation process.

Keywords: interstellar molecules; interstellar clouds; galactic center; spectral line identification; astrochemistry
Detection of Na and K in the Atmosphere of the Hot Jupiter HAT-P-1b with P200/DBSP

We present a new optical transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-1b based on two transits observed with the Double Spectrograph (DBSP) on the Palomar 200-inch (P200) telescope. The DBSP transmission spectrum, covering a wavelength range from 3250 to 10007 Å, is consistent with that observed with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), but the former has a finer spectral resolution. The DBSP spectrum alone reveals the presence of a pressure-broadened line wing for Na, the line cores for both Na and K, and tentative evidence for H2O. We obtain consistent results from the spectral retrieval analyses performed on the DBSP-only data set and the DBSP, HST, and Spitzer combined data set. Our retrievals suggest a mostly clear atmosphere for HAT-P-1b, with a cloud coverage of ${22}_{-3}^{+5}$ % that is dominated by enhanced haze. We derive subsolar abundances for Na, K, and C, and subsolar to solar for O. Future observations with James Webb Space Telescope and ground-based high-resolution spectrographs should be able to not only confirm the presence of these species but also stringently constrain the formation and migration pathways for HAT-P-1b.

Keywords: exoplanet atmospheres; exoplanet atmospheric composition; transmission spectroscopy; hot jupiters; exoplanets
On the Maximum Black Hole Mass at Solar Metallicity

In high-metallicity environments the mass that black holes (BHs) can reach just after core collapse widely depends on how much mass their progenitor stars lose via winds. On one hand, new theoretical and observational insights suggest that early-stage winds should be weaker than what many canonical models prescribe. On the other hand, the proximity to the Eddington limit should affect the formation of optically thick envelopes already during the earliest stages of stars with initial masses M ZAMS ≳ 100 M ⊙, hence resulting in higher mass-loss rates during the main sequence. We use the evolutionary codes MESA and GENEC to calculate a suite of tracks for massive stars at solar metallicity Z ⊙ = 0.014, which incorporate these changes in our wind-mass-loss prescription. In our calculations we employ moderate rotation, high overshooting, and magnetic angular momentum transport. We find a maximum BH mass ${M}_{\mathrm{BH},\max }=28.3$ M ⊙ at Z ⊙. The most massive BHs are predicted to form from stars with M ZAMS ≳ 250 M ⊙, with the BH mass directly proportional to its progenitor's M ZAMS. We also find in our models that at Z ⊙ almost any BH progenitor naturally evolves into a Wolf–Rayet star due to the combined effect of internal mixing and wind mass loss. These results are considerably different from most recent studies regarding the final mass of stars before their collapse into BHs. While we acknowledge the inherent uncertainties in stellar evolution modeling, our study underscores the importance of employing the most up-to-date physics in BH mass predictions.

Keywords: black holes; stellar evolution
The 2017 September 6 Flare: Radio Bursts and Pulsations in the 22-5000 MHz Range and Associated Phenomena

For the 2017 September 6 flare (SOL2017-Sep-06T11:53) we present not only unusual radio bursts but also their interesting time association with the other flare phenomena observed in extreme ultraviolet (EUV), white-light, X-ray, and γ-ray emissions. Using our new method based on wavelets we found quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in several locations of the whole time-frequency domain of the analyzed radio spectrum (11:55-12:07 UT and 22-5000 MHz). Among them the drifting QPPs are new and the most interesting, especially a bidirectional QPP at the time of the hard X-ray and γ-ray peaks and a sunquake start. In the pre-impulsive phase we show an unusual drifting pulsation structure (DPS) in association with the EUV brightenings caused by the interaction of magnetic ropes. In the flare impulsive phase we found an exceptional radio burst drifting from 5000 to 800 MHz. In connection with this drifting burst, we show a U burst at about the onset time of an EUV writhed structure and a drifting radio burst as a signature of a shock wave at high frequencies (1050-1350 MHz). In the peak flare phase we found an indication of an additional energy-release process located at higher altitudes in the solar atmosphere. These phenomena are interpreted considering a rising magnetic rope, magnetosonic waves, and particle beams. Using a density model we estimated the density, wave velocities, and source heights for the bidirectionally drifting QPPs, the density for the pre-impulsive DPS and U burst, and the density and magnetic field strength for the drifting radio burst.

Keywords: the sun; solar radio flares; solar oscillations
Is Flare Ribbon Fine Structure Related to Tearing in the Flare Current Sheet?

Observations of solar flare ribbons show significant fine structure in the form of breaking wavelike perturbations and spirals. The origin of this structure is not well understood, but one possibility is that it is related to the tearing instability in the flare current sheet. Here we study this connection by constructing an analytical 3D magnetic field representative of an erupting flux rope with a flare current sheet below it. We introduce small-scale flux ropes representative of those formed during a tearing instability in the current layer, and use the squashing factor on the solar surface to identify the shape of the presumed flare ribbons and fine structure. Our analysis suggests there is a direct link between flare ribbon fine structure and flare current sheet tearing, with the majority of the ribbon fine structure related to oblique tearing modes. Depending upon the size, location, and twist of the small-scale flux ropes, breaking wavelike and spiral features within the hooks and straight sections of the flare ribbon can be formed that are qualitatively similar to observations. We also show that the handedness of the spirals/waves must be the same as the handedness of the hooks of the main ribbon. We conclude that tearing in the flare current layer is a likely explanation for spirals and wavelike features in flare ribbons.

Keywords: solar flares; solar physics; solar chromosphere; solar corona; solar magnetic reconnection
A Radio-selected Population of Dark, Long Gamma-Ray Bursts: Comparison to the Long Gamma-Ray Burst Population and Implications for Host Dust Distributions

We present centimeter-band and millimeter-band afterglow observations of five long-duration γ-ray bursts (GRBs; GRB 130131A, 130420B, 130609A, 131229A, 140713A) with dust-obscured optical afterglow emission, known as "dark" GRBs. We detect the radio afterglow of two of the dark GRBs (GRB 130131A and 140713A), along with a tentative detection of a third (GRB 131229A) with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). Supplemented by three additional VLA-detected dark GRBs from the literature, we present uniform modeling of their broadband afterglows. We derive high line-of-sight dust extinctions of A V,GRB ≈ 2.2- ≳ 10.6 mag. Additionally, we model the host galaxies of the six bursts in our sample, and derive host galaxy dust extinctions of A V,Host ≈ 0.3-4.7 mag. Across all tested γ-ray (fluence and duration) and afterglow properties (energy scales, geometries, and circumburst densities), we find dark GRBs to be representative of more typical unobscured long GRBs, except in fluence, for which observational biases and inconsistent classification may influence the dark GRB distribution. Additionally, we find that A V,GRB is not related to a uniform distribution of dust throughout the host, nor to the extremely local environment of the burst, indicating that a larger-scale patchy dust distribution is the cause of the high line-of-sight extinction. Since radio observations are invaluable to revealing heavily dust-obscured GRBs, we make predictions for the detection of radio emission from host star formation with the next-generation VLA.

Keywords: gamma-ray bursts; radio transient sources; radio sources; galaxy environments; high energy astrophysics
Spectropolarimetric Radio Imaging of Faint Gyrosynchrotron Emission from a CME: A Possible Indication of the Insufficiency of Homogeneous Models

The geo-effectiveness of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is determined primarily by their magnetic fields. Modeling of gyrosynchrotron (GS) emission is a promising remote sensing technique to measure the CME magnetic field at coronal heights. However, faint GS emission from CME flux ropes is hard to detect in the presence of bright solar emission from the solar corona. With high dynamic-range spectropolarimetric meter wavelength solar images provided by the Murchison Widefield Array, we have detected faint GS emission from a CME out to ∼8.3 R ⊙, the largest heliocentric distance reported to date. High-fidelity polarimetric calibration also allowed us to robustly detect circularly polarized emission from GS emission. For the first time in the literature, Stokes V detection has jointly been used with Stokes I spectra to constrain GS models. One expects that the inclusion of polarimetric measurement will provide tighter constraints on the GS model parameters. Instead, we found that homogeneous GS models, which have been used in all prior works, are unable to model both the total intensity and circular polarized emission simultaneously. This strongly suggests the need for using inhomogeneous GS models to robustly estimate the CME magnetic field and plasma parameters.

Keywords: solar physics; solar coronal mass ejections; solar radio emission; spectropolarimetry; polarimetry
Distance Estimate Method for Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars Using Infrared Spectral Energy Distributions

We present a method to estimate distances to asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the Galaxy, using spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in the near- and mid-infrared. By assuming that a given set of source properties (initial mass, stellar temperature, composition, and evolutionary stage) will provide a typical SED shape and brightness, sources are color matched to a distance-calibrated template and thereafter scaled to extract the distance. The method is tested by comparing the distances obtained to those estimated from very long baseline interferometry or Gaia parallax measurements, yielding a strong correlation in both cases. Additional templates are formed by constructing a source sample likely to be close to the Galactic center, and thus with a common, typical distance for calibration of the templates. These first results provide statistical distance estimates to a set of almost 15,000 Milky Way AGB stars belonging to the Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamical Evolution (BAaDE) survey, with typical distance errors of ±35%. With these statistical distances, a map of the intermediate-age population of stars traced by AGBs is formed, and a clear bar structure can be discerned, consistent with the previously reported inclination angle of 30° to the GC–Sun direction vector. These results motivate deeper studies of the AGB population to tease out the intermediate-age stellar distribution throughout the Galaxy, as well as determining statistical properties of the AGB population luminosity and mass-loss-rate distributions.

Keywords: milky way galaxy; asymptotic giant branch stars; galactic center