adsabs/SciX_UAT_keywords huggingface dataset:
Variability of Blue Supergiants in the LMC with TESS

The blue supergiant (BSG) problem, namely, the overabundance of BSGs inconsistent with classical stellar evolution theory, remains an open question in stellar astrophysics. Several theoretical explanations have been proposed, which may be tested by their predictions for the characteristic time variability. In this work, we analyze the light curves of a sample of 20 BSGs obtained from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission. We report a characteristic signal in the low-frequency (f ≲ 2 day‑1) range for all our targets. The amplitude spectrum has a peak frequency of ∼0.2 day‑1, and we are able to fit it by a modified Lorentzian profile. The signal itself shows strong stochasticity across different TESS sectors, suggesting its driving mechanism happens on short (≲months) timescales. Our signals resemble those obtained for a limited sample of hotter OB stars and yellow supergiants, suggesting their possible common origins. We discuss three possible physical explanations: stellar winds launched by rotation, convection motions that reach the stellar surface, and waves from the deep stellar interior. The peak frequency of the signal favors processes related to the convective zone caused by the iron opacity peak, and the shape of the spectra might be explained by the propagation of high-order, damped gravity waves excited from that zone. We discuss the uncertainties and limitations of all these scenarios.

Keywords: stellar activity; time series analysis; b supergiant stars
Extratidal Members of Segue 3 are Rare and Difficult to Confirm

We simulate extratidal members of Segue 3, a sparse, faint, and small, ~2.6 Gyr halo cluster, and investigate their observational detectability. Using the Gala package to simulate Segue 3's potential tidal tails, we find that the tails are narrow, linear, and around 4°-6° in length: the tails' position angles and width are most sensitive to the uncertainties in the cluster's distance and mean proper motion. Post-processing the synthetic tail particles to assign realistic observational properties, we infer that Segue 3 would have close to 25 extra-tidal members with G ≤ 23, concentrated ≲1.°33 from the center of the cluster. The 11 candidate extratidal members identified by Fadely and collaborators are comparable in number, but significantly closer to the cluster center (d ~ 4') than these simulations predict. This analysis demonstrates the difficulty of identifying extratidal stars in the Milky Way's halo clusters, even in deep photometric surveys.

Keywords: star clusters; globular star clusters; open star clusters
A New Fast Monte Carlo Code for Solving Radiative Transfer Equations Based on the Neumann Solution

In this paper, we propose a new Monte Carlo radiative transport (MCRT) scheme, which is based completely on the Neumann series solution of the Fredholm integral equation. This scheme indicates that the essence of MCRT is the calculation of infinite terms of multiple integrals in the Neumann solution simultaneously. Under this perspective, we redescribe the MCRT procedure systematically, in which the main work amounts to choosing an associated probability distribution function for a set of random variables and the corresponding unbiased estimation functions. We select a relatively optimal estimation procedure that has a lower variance from an infinite number of possible choices, such as term-by-term estimation. In this scheme, MCRT can be regarded as a pure problem of integral evaluation, rather than as the tracing of random-walking photons. Keeping this in mind, one can avert some subtle intuitive mistakes. In addition, the δ functions in these integrals can be eliminated in advance by integrating them out directly. This fact, together with the optimal chosen random variables, can remarkably improve the Monte Carlo (MC) computational efficiency and accuracy, especially in systems with axial or spherical symmetry. An MCRT code, Lemon (Linear integral Equations' Monte carlo solver based On the Neumann solution; the code is available on the GitHub codebase at https://github.com/yangxiaolinyn/Lemon, and version 2.0 is archived on Zenodo at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4686355), has been developed completely based on this scheme. Finally, we intend to verify the validation of Lemon; a suite of test problems mainly restricted to a flat spacetime has been reproduced, and the corresponding results are illustrated in detail.

Keywords: computational astronomy; radiative transfer equation; radiative transfer; radiative transfer simulations
GRB-SN Association within the Binary-driven Hypernova Model

Observations of supernovae (SNe) Ic occurring after the prompt emission of long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are addressed within the binary-driven hypernova (BdHN) model where GRBs originate from a binary composed of a ~10M ⊙ carbon-oxygen (CO) star and a neutron star (NS). The CO core collapse gives the trigger, leading to a hypernova with a fast-spinning newborn NS (νNS) at its center. The evolution depends strongly on the binary period, P bin. For P bin ~ 5 min, BdHNe I occur with energies 1052-1054 erg. The accretion of SN ejecta onto the NS leads to its collapse, forming a black hole (BH) originating the MeV/GeV radiation. For P bin ~ 10 min, BdHNe II occur with energies 1050-1052 erg and for P bin ~ hours, BdHNe III occur with energies below 1050 erg. In BdHNe II and III, no BH is formed. The 1-1000 ms νNS originates, in all BdHNe, the X-ray-optical-radio afterglows by synchrotron emission. The hypernova follows an independent evolution, becoming an SN Ic, powered by nickel decay, observable after the GRB prompt emission. We report 24 SNe Ic associated with BdHNe. Their optical peak luminosity and time of occurrence are similar and independent of the associated GRBs. From previously identified 380 BdHN I comprising redshifts up to z = 8.2, we analyze four examples with their associated hypernovae. By multiwavelength extragalactic observations, we identify seven new episodes, theoretically explained, fortunately not yet detected in Galactic sources, opening new research areas. Refinement of population synthesis simulations is needed to map the progenitors of such short-lived binary systems inside our galaxy.

Keywords: gamma-ray bursts
CALLIOPE: Pseudospectral Shearing Magnetohydrodynamics Code with a Pencil Decomposition

The pseudospectral method is a highly accurate numerical scheme suitable for turbulence simulations. We have developed an open-source pseudospectral code, CALLIOPE, which adopts the P3DFFT library to perform a fast Fourier transform with the two-dimensional (pencil) decomposition of numerical grids. CALLIOPE can solve incompressible magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), isothermal compressible MHD, and rotational reduced MHD with parallel computation using very large numbers of cores (>105 cores for 20483 grids). The code can also solve for local magnetorotational turbulence in a shearing frame using the remapping method. CALLIOPE is currently the only pseudospectral code that can compute magnetorotational turbulence using pencil-domain decomposition. This paper presents the numerical scheme of CALLIOPE and the results of linear and nonlinear numerical tests, including compressible local magnetorotational turbulence with the largest grid number reported to date.

Keywords: plasma astrophysics; magnetohydrodynamical simulations
In This Day and Age: An Empirical Gyrochronology Relation for Partially and Fully Convective Single Field Stars

Gyrochronology, the field of age dating stars using mainly their rotation periods and masses, is ideal for inferring the ages of individual main-sequence stars. However, due to the lack of physical understanding of the complex magnetic fields in stars, gyrochronology relies heavily on empirical calibrations that require consistent and reliable stellar age measurements across a wide range of periods and masses. In this paper, we obtain a sample of consistent ages using the gyro-kinematic age-dating method, a technique to calculate the kinematics ages of stars. Using a Gaussian process model conditioned on ages from this sample (∼1–14 Gyr) and known clusters (0.67–3.8 Gyr), we calibrate the first empirical gyrochronology relation that is capable of inferring ages for single, main-sequence stars between 0.67 and 14 Gyr. Cross-validating and testing results suggest our model can infer cluster and asteroseismic ages with an average uncertainty of just over 1 Gyr, and the inferred ages for wide binaries agree within 0.83 Gyr. With this model, we obtain gyrochronology ages for ∼100,000 stars within 1.5 kpc of the Sun with period measurements from Kepler and Zwicky Transient Facility and 384 unique planet host stars. A simple code is provided to infer gyrochronology ages of stars with temperature and period measurements.

Keywords: stellar ages; stellar rotation; catalogs; gaussian processes regression; main sequence stars
Bell Instability–mediated Diffusive Shock Acceleration at Supernova Blast Wave Shock Propagating in the Interstellar Medium

Supernova blast wave shock is a very important site of cosmic-ray acceleration. However, the detailed physical process of acceleration, in particular, nonlinear interplay between cosmic-ray streaming and magnetic field amplification, has not been studied under a realistic environment. In this paper, using a unique and novel numerical method, we study cosmic-ray acceleration at supernova blast wave shock propagating in the interstellar medium with well-resolved magnetic field amplification by nonresonant hybrid instability (or Bell instability). We find that the magnetic field is mildly amplified under typical interstellar medium conditions that leads to maximum cosmic-ray energy ≃30 TeV for supernova remnants with age ≃1000 yr consistent with gamma-ray observations. The strength of the amplified magnetic field does not reach the so-called saturation level because the cosmic-ray electric current toward the shock upstream has a finite spatial extent, by which Bell instability cannot experience many e-folding times.

Keywords: supernova remnants; cosmic rays
Physical Characterization of 2015 JD1: A Possibly Inhomogeneous Near-Earth Asteroid

The surfaces of airless bodies such as asteroids are exposed to many phenomena that can alter their physical properties. Bennu, the target of the OSIRIS-REx mission, has demonstrated how complex the surface of a small body can be. In 2019 November, the potentially hazardous asteroid 2015 JD1 experienced a close approach of 0.033 1 au from the Earth. We present results of the physical characterization of 2015 JD1 based on ground-based radar, spectroscopy, and photometric observations acquired during 2019 November. Radar polarimetry measurements from the Arecibo Observatory indicate a morphologically complex surface. The delay-Doppler images reveal a contact binary asteroid with an estimated visible extent of ~150 m. Our observations suggest that 2015 JD1 is an E-type asteroid with a surface composition similar to aubrites, a class of differentiated enstatite meteorites. The dynamical properties of 2015 JD1 suggest that it came from the ν 6 resonance with Jupiter, and spectral comparison with major E-type bodies suggests that it may have been derived from a parental body similar to the progenitor of the E-type (64) Angelina. Significantly, we find rotational spectral variation across the surface of 2015 JD1 from the red to blue spectral slope. Our compositional analysis suggests that the spectral slope variation could be due to the lack of iron and sulfides in one area of the surface of 2015 JD1 and/or differences in grain sizes.

Keywords: asteroid surfaces; near-earth objects; asteroids; spectroscopy; photometry; radar astronomy
Spectroscopic Observations of the Solar Corona during the 2017 August 21 Total Solar Eclipse: Comparison of Spectral Line Widths and Doppler Shifts between Open and Closed Magnetic Structures

The spectroscopic observations presented here were acquired during the 2017 August 21 total solar eclipse (TSE) with a three-channel partially multiplexed imaging spectrometer operating at extremely high orders (>50). The 4 R ⊙ extent of the slit in the north–south direction scanned the corona starting from the central meridian out to approximately 1.0 R ⊙ off the east limb throughout totality. The line widths and Doppler shifts of the Fe X (637.4 nm) and Fe XIV (530.3 nm) emission lines, characteristic of 1.1 × 106 K and 1.8 × 106 K electron temperatures, respectively, varied across the different coronal structures intercepted by the slit. Fe XIV was the dominant emission in the closed fields of an active region and the base of a streamer, with relatively constant 20–30 km s‑1 line widths independent of the height. In contrast, Fe X emission exhibited broader (>40 km s‑1) line widths in open fields, which increased with height, in particular in the polar coronal hole. Inferences of line widths and Doppler shifts were consistent with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations from the Hinode/EUV Imaging Spectrograph, as well as with the near-infrared Fe XIII 1074 nm line observed by Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter. The differences in the spectral line widths between distinct coronal structures are interpreted as an indication of the predominance of wave heating in open structures versus localized heating in closed structures. This study underscores the unparalleled advantages and the enormous potential of TSE spectroscopy in measuring line widths simultaneously in open and closed fields at high altitudes, with minimal exposure times, stray light levels, and instrumental widths.

Keywords: total eclipses; spectroscopy; solar coronal lines; solar coronal streamers; quiet solar corona; solar coronal holes
The Erratic Path to Coalescence of LISA Massive Black Hole Binaries in Subparsec-resolution Simulations of Smooth Circumnuclear Gas Disks

We perform high-resolution simulations to follow the orbital decay of 5 × 105 and 107 M⊙ massive black hole (MBH) pairs embedded in a circumnuclear gas disk (CND), from the CND scale (100 pc) down to 0.1-0.01 pc, the scale at which a circumbinary disk (CBD) could form. The MBHs' erratic orbital evolution is characterized by three stages: (i) a slow initial decay that leads to some circularization; (ii) a fast-migration phase, analogous to type III migration for massive planets in protoplanetary disks, in which angular momentum is efficiently drained by disk-driven torques arising from the co-orbital region of the secondary MBH, at a distance of 1-3 Hill radii; and (iii) a very slow decay phase, in which orbital angular momentum can even increase. In this last stage, a CBD forms when the parsec-scale decay rate becomes small enough to allow sufficient time for a cavity to be carved. When this happens, the MBH separation nearly stalls in our higher-resolution run. We suggest an empirically modified gap-opening criterion that takes into account such timescale effects, as well as other deviations from standard assumptions. Interestingly, a CBD does not form in the lower-resolution runs, resulting in a faster subparsec decay. Our findings show that the subparsec MBH pairing in gaseous disks is a stochastic and fragile process. Additional mechanisms, such as the stellar-driven hardening, may be necessary to guarantee that the gravitational wave emission phase is entered and the MBHs become accessible to future detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.

Keywords: supermassive black holes; galaxy circumnuclear disk; galaxy nuclei
A Wide and Deep Exploration of Radio Galaxies with Subaru HSC (WERGS). IV. Rapidly Growing (Super)Massive Black Holes in Extremely Radio-loud Galaxies

We present the optical and infrared properties of 39 extremely radio-loud galaxies discovered by cross-matching the Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) deep optical imaging survey and VLA/FIRST 1.4 GHz radio survey. The recent Subaru/HSC strategic survey revealed optically faint radio galaxies (RG) down to gAB ~ 26, opening a new parameter space of extremely radio-loud galaxies (ERGs) with radio-loudness parameter of $\mathrm{log}{{ \mathcal R }}_{\mathrm{rest}}\,=\mathrm{log}({f}_{1.4\mathrm{GHz},\mathrm{rest}}/{f}_{g,\mathrm{rest}})\gt 4$ . Because of their optical faintness and small number density of ~1 deg-2, such ERGs were difficult to find in the previous wide but shallow or deep but small area optical surveys. ERGs show intriguing properties that are different from the conventional RGs: (1) most ERGs reside above or on the star-forming main-sequence and some of them might be low-mass galaxies with $\mathrm{log}({M}_{\star }/{M}_{\odot })\lt 10$ . (2) ERGs exhibit a high specific black hole accretion rate, reaching the order of the Eddington limit. The intrinsic radio loudness ( ${{ \mathcal R }}_{\mathrm{int}}$ ), defined by the ratio of jet power over bolometric radiation luminosity, is one order of magnitude higher than that of radio quasars. This suggests that ERGs harbor a unique type of active galactic nuclei (AGN) that show both powerful radiations and jets. Therefore, ERGs are prominent candidates of very rapidly growing black holes reaching Eddington-limited accretion just before the onset of intensive AGN feedback.

Keywords: supermassive black holes; active galactic nuclei; radio active galactic nuclei
Multi-scale Dust Polarization and Spiral-like Stokes-I Residual in the Class I Protostellar System TMC-1A

We have observed the Class I protostar TMC-1A in the Taurus molecular cloud using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in the linearly polarized 1.3 mm continuum emission at angular resolutions of ~3″ and ~0.3″, respectively. The ALMA observations also include CO, 13CO, and C18O J = 2-1 spectral lines. The SMA observations trace magnetic fields on the 1000 au scale, the directions of which are neither parallel nor perpendicular to the outflow direction. Applying the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method to the SMA polarization angle dispersion, we estimate a field strength in the TMC-1A envelope of 1-5 mG. It is consistent with the field strength needed to reduce the radial infall velocity to the observed value, which is substantially less than the local freefall velocity. The ALMA polarization observations consist of two distinct components-a central component and a north/south component. The central component shows polarization directions in the disk minor axis to be azimuthal, suggesting dust self-scattering in the TMC-1A disk. The north/south component is located along the outflow axis and the polarization directions are aligned with the outflow direction. We discuss possible origins of this polarization structure, including grain alignment by a toroidal magnetic field and mechanical alignment by the gaseous outflow. In addition, we discover a spiral-like residual in the total intensity (Stokes I) for the first time. The C18O emission suggests that material in the spiral-like structure is infalling at a speed that is 20% of the local Keplerian speed.

Keywords: circumstellar disks; polarimetry; protostars; low mass stars
Possible In Situ Formation of Uranus and Neptune via Pebble Accretion

The origin of Uranus and Neptune is still unknown. In particular, it has been challenging for planet formation models to form the planets in their current radial distances within the expected lifetime of the solar nebula. In this paper, we simulate the in situ formation of Uranus and Neptune via pebble accretion and show that both planets can form within ~3 Myr at their current locations, and have final compositions that are consistent with the heavy element to H-He ratios predicted by structure models. We find that Uranus and Neptune could have been formed at their current locations. In several cases a few earth masses (M ⊕ ) of heavy elements are missing, suggesting that Uranus and/or Neptune may have accreted ~1-3 M⊕ of heavy elements after their formation via planetesimal accretion and/or giant impacts.

Keywords: exoplanet formation; extrasolar ice giants; extrasolar gaseous planets; extrasolar gaseous giant planets; planet formation
NuSTAR Observes Two Bulgeless Galaxies: No Hard X-Ray AGN Detected in NGC 4178 or J0851+3926

The discovery over the last several decades of low- and moderate-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in disk-dominated galaxies-which show no "classical" bulges-suggests that secular mechanisms represent an important growth pathway for supermassive black holes in these systems. We present new follow-up NuSTAR observations of the optically elusive AGNs in two bulgeless galaxies, NGC 4178 and J0851+3926. Galaxy NGC 4178 was originally reported as hosting an AGN based on the detection of [Ne V] mid-infrared emission detected by Spitzer, and based on Chandra X-ray imaging, it has since been argued to host either a heavily obscured AGN or a supernova remnant. Galaxy J0851+3926 was originally identified as an AGN based on its Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer mid-IR colors, and follow-up near-infrared spectroscopy previously revealed a hidden broad-line region, offering compelling evidence for an optically elusive AGN. Neither AGN is detected within the new NuSTAR imaging, and we derive upper limits on the hard X-ray 10-24 keV fluxes of <7.41 × 10-14 and <9.40 × 10-14 erg cm-2 s-1 for the AGNs in NGC 4178 and J0851+3926, respectively. If these nondetections are due to large absorbing columns along the line of sight, the nondetections in NGC 4178 and J0851+3926 could be explained with column densities of log(N H/cm2) > 24.2 and 24.1, respectively. The nature of the nuclear activity in NGC 4178 remains inconclusive; it is plausible that the [Ne V] traces a period of higher activity in the past, but that the AGN is relatively quiescent now. The nondetection in J0851+3926 and multiwavelength properties are consistent with the AGN being heavily obscured.

Keywords: active galactic nuclei; agn host galaxies; low-luminosity active galactic nuclei
Afterglow Polarization from Off-axis Gamma-Ray Burst Jets

As we further our studies on gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), via both theoretical models and observational tools, more and more options begin to open for exploration of its physical properties. As GRBs are transient events primarily dominated by synchrotron radiation, it is expected that the synchrotron photons emitted by GRBs should present some degree of polarization throughout the evolution of the burst. Whereas observing this polarization can still be challenging due to the constraints on observational tools, especially for short GRBs, it is paramount that the groundwork is laid for the day we have abundant data. In this work, we present a polarization model linked with an off-axis spreading top-hat jet synchrotron scenario in a stratified environment with a density profile n(r) ∝ r -k . We present this model's expected temporal polarization evolution for a realistic set of afterglow parameters constrained within the values observed in the GRB literature for four degrees of stratification k = 0, 1, 1.5, and 2 and two magnetic field configurations with high extreme anisotropy. We apply this model and predict polarization from a set of GRBs exhibiting off-axis afterglow emission. In particular, for GRB 170817A, we use the available polarimetric upper limits to rule out the possibility of an extremely anisotropic configuration for the magnetic field.

Keywords: gamma-ray bursts