adsabs/SciX_UAT_keywords huggingface dataset:
MOA-2020-BLG-208Lb: Cool Sub-Saturn-mass Planet within Predicted Desert

We analyze the MOA-2020-BLG-208 gravitational microlensing event and present the discovery and characterization of a new planet, MOA-2020-BLG-208Lb, with an estimated sub-Saturn mass. With a mass ratio $q={3.17}_{-0.26}^{+0.28}\times {10}^{-4}$ , the planet lies near the peak of the mass-ratio function derived by the MOA collaboration and near the edge of expected sample sensitivity. For these estimates we provide results using two mass-law priors: one assuming that all stars have an equal planet-hosting probability, and the other assuming that planets are more likely to orbit around more massive stars. In the first scenario, we estimate that the lens system is likely to be a planet of mass ${m}_{\mathrm{planet}}={46}_{-24}^{+42}\,{M}_{\oplus }$ and a host star of mass ${M}_{\mathrm{host}}={0.43}_{-0.23}^{+0.39}\,{M}_{\odot }$ , located at a distance ${D}_{L}={7.49}_{-1.13}^{+0.99}\,\mathrm{kpc}$ . For the second scenario, we estimate ${m}_{\mathrm{planet}}={69}_{-34}^{+37}\,{M}_{\oplus }$ , ${M}_{\mathrm{host}}={0.66}_{-0.32}^{+0.35}\,{M}_{\odot }$ , and ${D}_{L}={7.81}_{-0.93}^{+0.93}\,\mathrm{kpc}$ . The planet has a projected separation as a fraction of the Einstein ring radius $s={1.3807}_{-0.0018}^{+0.0018}$ . As a cool sub-Saturn-mass planet, this planet adds to a growing collection of evidence for revised planetary formation models.

Keywords: gravitational microlensing; gravitational microlensing exoplanet detection; binary lens microlensing
The Large Array Survey Telescope-System Overview and Performances

The Large Array Survey Telescope (LAST) is a wide-field visible-light telescope array designed to explore the variable and transient sky with a high cadence. LAST will be composed of 48, 28 cm f/2.2 telescopes (32 already installed) equipped with full-frame backside-illuminated cooled CMOS detectors. Each telescope provides a field of view (FoV) of 7.4 deg2 with 1.″25 pix-1, while the system FoV is 355 deg2 in 2.9 Gpix. The total collecting area of LAST, with 48 telescopes, is equivalent to a 1.9 m telescope. The cost-effectiveness of the system (i.e., probed volume of space per unit time per unit cost) is about an order of magnitude higher than most existing and under-construction sky surveys. The telescopes are mounted on 12 separate mounts, each carrying four telescopes. This provides significant flexibility in operating the system. The first LAST system is under construction in the Israeli Negev Desert, with 32 telescopes already deployed. We present the system overview and performances based on the system commissioning data. The B p 5σ limiting magnitude of a single 28 cm telescope is about 19.6 (21.0), in 20 s (20 × 20 s). Astrometric two-axes precision (rms) at the bright-end is about 60 (30) mas in 20 s (20 × 20 s), while absolute photometric calibration, relative to GAIA, provides ~10 millimag accuracy. Relative photometric precision, in a single 20 s (320 s) image, at the bright-end measured over a timescale of about 60 minutes is about 3 (1) millimag. We discuss the system science goals, data pipelines, and the observatory control system in companion publications.

Keywords: surveys; telescopes
Solutions of the Einstein Equations for a Black Hole Surrounded by a Galactic Halo

Various profiles of matter distribution in galactic halos (such as the Navarro-Frenk-White, Burkert, Hernquist, Moore, Taylor-Silk models, and others) are considered here as the source term for the Einstein equations. We solve these equations and find exact solutions that represent the metric of a central black hole immersed in a galactic halo. Even though in the general case the solution is numerical, very accurate general analytical metrics, which include all the particular models, are found in the astrophysically relevant regime, when the mass of the galaxy is much smaller than the characteristic scale in the halo.

Keywords: astrophysical black holes; general relativity; galaxy dark matter halos
Relative Yield of Thermal and Nonthermal Emission during Weak Flares Observed by STIX during 2021 September 20–25

The disparate nature of the thermal–nonthermal energy partition during flares, particularly during weak flares, is still an open issue. Following the Neupert effect, quantifying the relative yield of X-ray emission in different energy bands can enable the inferring of the underlying energy release mechanism. During 2021 September 20–25, the Solar Orbiter mission—being closer to the Sun (∼0.6 au) and having a moderate separation angle (<40°) from the Sun–Earth line—offered a unique opportunity to analyze multiwavelength emission from ∼200 (mostly weak) flares, commonly observed by the Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX), STEREO-A, GOES, and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Associating the quotient (q f ) of hard X-ray fluence (12–20 keV) and soft X-ray flux (4–10 keV) with the peak soft X-ray flux enabled us to identify strongly nonthermal flares. A multiwavelength investigation of spectral and imaging-mode observations of the 20 strongly nonthermal weak flares reveals an inverse relationship of q f with the emission measure (and density), and a positive relationship with the flare plasma temperature. This indicates that the plasma in tenuous loops attains higher temperatures compared to that in the denser loops, in response to nonthermal energy deposition. This is in agreement with the plasma parameters of the coronal loops, as derived by applying the one-dimensional Palermo–Harvard hydrodynamical code to coronal loop plasma with different initial coronal loop base pressures when subjected to similar heating inputs. Our investigation, therefore, indicates that the plasma parameters of the flaring loop in the initial phase have a decisive role in the thermal–nonthermal energy partitioning.

Keywords: the sun; solar atmosphere; solar flares; solar flare spectra; solar x-ray flares; solar coronal loops; solar extreme ultraviolet emission
Dispersion and Rotation Measures from the Ejecta of Compact Binary Mergers: Clue to the Progenitors of Fast Radio Bursts

Since the discovery of FRB 200428 associated with the Galactic SGR 1935+2154, magnetars have been considered to power fast radio bursts (FRBs). It is widely believed that magnetars could form by core-collapse (CC) explosions and compact binary mergers, such as binary neutron stars (BNSs), binary white dwarfs (BWDs), and neutron star-white dwarf (NSWD) mergers. Therefore, it is important to distinguish the various progenitors. The expansion of the merger ejecta produces a time-evolving dispersion measure (DM) and rotation measure (RM) that can probe the local environments of FRBs. In this paper, we derive the scaling laws for the DM and RM from ejecta with different dynamical structures (the mass and energy distribution) in the uniform ambient medium (merger scenario) and wind environment (CC scenario). We find that the DM and RM will increase in the early phase, while DM will continue to grow slowly but RM will decrease in the later phase in the merger scenario. We fit the DM and RM evolution of FRB 121102 simultaneously for the first time in the BNS merger scenario and find that the source age is ∼9-10 yr when it was first detected in 2012, and the ambient medium density is ∼2.5-3.1 cm-3. The large offsets of some FRBs are consistent with the BNS/NSWD channel. The population synthesis method is used to estimate the rate of compact binary mergers. The rate of BWD mergers is close to the observed FRB rate. Therefore, the progenitors of FRBs may not be unique.

Keywords: radio bursts; radio transient sources; magnetars
Tidally Excited Inertial Waves in Stars and Planets: Exploring the Frequency-dependent and Averaged Dissipation with Nonlinear Simulations

We simulate the nonlinear hydrodynamical evolution of tidally excited inertial waves in convective envelopes of rotating stars and giant planets modeled as spherical shells containing incompressible, viscous, and adiabatically stratified fluid. This model is relevant for studying tidal interactions between close-in planets and their stars, as well as close low-mass star binaries. We explore in detail the frequency-dependent tidal dissipation rates obtained from an extensive suite of numerical simulations, which we compare with linear theory, including with the widely employed frequency-averaged formalism to represent inertial wave dissipation. We demonstrate that the frequency-averaged predictions appear to be quite robust and are approximately reproduced in our nonlinear simulations spanning the frequency range of inertial waves as we vary the convective envelope thickness, tidal amplitude, and Ekman number. Yet, we find nonlinear simulations can produce significant differences with linear theory for a given tidal frequency (potentially by orders of magnitude), largely due to tidal generation of differential rotation and its effects on the waves. Since the dissipation in a given system can be very different both in linear and nonlinear simulations, the frequency-averaged formalism should be used with caution. Despite its robustness, it is also unclear how accurately it represents tidal evolution in real (frequency-dependent) systems.

Keywords: tidal interaction; tidal friction; astrophysical fluid dynamics; hydrodynamics; star-planet interactions; exoplanet dynamics; exoplanet tides; close binary stars; low mass stars; hot jupiters; extrasolar gaseous planets; hydrodynamical simulations
The 31 yr Rotation History of the Millisecond Pulsar J1939+2134 (B1937+21)

The timing properties of the millisecond pulsar PSR J1939+2134—very high rotation frequency, very low time derivative of rotation frequency, no timing glitches, and relatively low timing noise—are responsible for its exceptional timing stability over decades. It has been timed by various groups since its discovery, at diverse radio frequencies, using different hardware and analysis methods. Most of the timing data is now available in the public domain in two segments, which have not been combined so far. This work analyzes the combined data by deriving uniform methods of data selection, derivation of Dispersion Measure (DM), accounting for correlation due to "red" noise, etc. The timing noise of this pulsar is very close to a sinusoid, with a period of approximately 31 yr. The main results of this work are: (1) the clock of PSR J1939+2134 is stable at the level of almost one part in 1015 over about 31 yr; (2) the power-law index of the spectrum of electron density fluctuations in the direction of PSR J1939+2134 is 3.86 ± 0.04; (3) a Moon-sized planetary companion, in an orbit of semimajor axis about 11 astronomical units and eccentricity ≈0.2, can explain the timing noise of PSR J1939+2134; (4) precession under electromagnetic torque with very small values of oblateness and wobble angle can also be the explanation but with reduced confidence; and (5) there is an excess timing noise of about 8 μs amplitude during the epochs of steepest DM gradient, of unknown cause.

Keywords: neutron stars; pulsar timing method; millisecond pulsars; interstellar medium
Preimpact Mutual Orbit of the DART Target Binary Asteroid (65803) Didymos Derived from Observations of Mutual Events in 2003-2021

We modeled photometric observations of mutual events (eclipses and occultations) between the components of the binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos, the target of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) space mission, which were taken from 2003 to 2021. We derived parameters of the modified Keplerian mutual orbit (allowing for a quadratic drift in the mean anomaly, which is presumably caused by an interplay between the BYORP effect and mutual tides, or by differential Yarkovsky force) of the secondary, called Dimorphos, around the Didymos primary and estimated its diameter. The J2000 ecliptic longitude and latitude of the orbital pole are 320.°6 ± 13.°7 and -78.°6 ± 1.°8, respectively, and the orbital period is 11.921624 ± 0.000018 hr at epoch JD 2,455,873.0 (asterocentric UTC; all quoted uncertainties correspond to 3σ, except the density estimate below). We obtained the quadratic drift of the mean anomaly of 0.15 ± 0.14 deg yr-2. The orbital eccentricity is ≤0.03. We determined the ecliptic longitude and latitude of the radius vector of Dimorphos with respect to Didymos at the nominal time of the DART impact to Dimorphos (JD 2,459,849.46875 geocentric UTC) to be 222.°8 ± 7.°0 and -1.°6 ± 4.°2, respectively. We also estimated the bulk density of the system to be 2.37 ± 0.30 g cm-3 (1σ uncertainty).

Keywords: asteroid satellites; photometry; light curves
Observational Nonstationarity of AGN Variability: The Only Way to Go Is Down!

To gain insights into long-term active galactic nuclei (AGN) variability, we analyze an AGN sample from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and compare their photometry with observations from the Hyper Suprime-Cam survey (HSC) observed $\langle 14.85\rangle $ yr after SDSS. On average, the AGN are fainter in HSC than SDSS. We demonstrate that the difference is not due to subtle differences in the SDSS versus HSC filters or photometry. The decrease in mean brightness is redshift dependent, consistent with expectations for a change that is a function of the rest-frame time separation between observations. At a given redshift, the mean decrease in brightness is stronger for more luminous AGN and for objects with longer time separation between measurements. We demonstrate that the dependence on redshift and luminosity of measured mean brightness decrease is consistent with simple models of Eddington ratio variability in AGN on long (Myr, Gyr) timescales. We show how our results can be used to constrain the variability and demographic properties of AGN populations.

Keywords: galaxy accretion disks; astronomy data analysis; variable radiation sources
The Effect of Light Deflection by Solar System Objects on High-precision Square Kilometre Array Astrometry

We have computed the deflection angles caused by 195 objects in the solar system, including 177 satellites, and eight asteroids; 21 satellites and six asteroids can bend light from distant compact extragalactic sources by more than 0.1 μas, and 14 satellites, and the asteroid Ceres can deflect light by more than 1.0 μas. We calculated the zones and durations of perturbations posed by the gravitational fields of five planets (excluding Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn), Pluto, and Ceres, where the perturbations would affect astrometry measured with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Perturbed zones with deflection angles larger than 0.1 and 1.0 μas appear as ribbons. Their widths range from dozens of degrees for Uranus, Neptune, and Venus to several degrees or less for other objects at 0.1 μas, and from ~16° for Venus to several degrees or less for other objects at 1.0 μas. From the calculated perturbation durations, the influence of the gravitational fields of selected objects can be divided into four levels: (i) hardly affects SKA astrometry, (ii) may have little effect, (iii) may have a great effect on single-epoch astrometry, and (iv) may greatly affect both single- and multiepoch astrometry. The objects corresponding to these levels are (i) Ceres, (ii) Pluto, (iii) Mercury and Mars, and (iv) other objects.

Keywords: gravitational deflection; radio astrometry; gravitation; general relativity; compact galaxies; radio interferometry
Quantum Chemical Computations of Gas-phase Glycolaldehyde Deuteration and Constraints on Its Formation Route

Despite the detection of numerous interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs) for decades, it is still a matter of debate whether they are synthesized in the gas phase or on the icy surface of interstellar grains. In the past, molecular deuteration has been used to constrain the formation paths of small and abundant hydrogenated interstellar species. More recently, the deuteration degree of formamide, one of the most interesting iCOMs, has also been explained with the hypothesis that it is formed by the gas-phase reaction NH2 + H2CO. In this paper, we aim at using molecular deuteration to constrain the formation of another iCOM, glycolaldehyde, which is an important prebiotic species. More specifically, we have performed dedicated electronic structure and kinetic calculations to establish the glycolaldehyde deuteration degree in relation to that of ethanol, which is its possible parent species according to the suggestion of Skouteris et al. We found that the abundance ratio of the species containing one D atom over the all-protium counterpart depends on the produced D isotopomer and varies from 0.9 to 0.5. These theoretical predictions compare extremely well with the monodeuterated isotopomers of glycolaldehyde and that of ethanol measured toward the solar-like protostar IRAS 16293-2422, supporting the hypothesis that glycolaldehyde could be produced in the gas phase for this source. In addition, the present work confirms that the deuterium fractionation of iCOMs cannot be simply anticipated based on the deuterium fractionation of the parent species but necessitates a specific study, as already shown for the case of formamide.

Keywords: astrochemistry
The OGLE Collection of Variable Stars: Nearly 66,000 Mira Stars in the Milky Way

We present a collection of 65,981 Mira-type variable stars found in the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) project database. Two-thirds of our sample (40,356 objects) are located in the Galactic bulge fields, whereas 25,625 stars are in the Galactic disk. The vast majority of the collection (47,532 objects) comprises new discoveries. We provide basic observational parameters of the Mira variables: equatorial coordinates, pulsation periods, I-band and V-band mean magnitudes, I-band brightness amplitudes, and identifications in other catalogs of variable stars. We also provide the I-band and V-band time-series photometry collected since 1997 during the OGLE-II, OGLE-III, and OGLE-IV phases. The classical selection process, i.e., being mostly based on the visual inspection of light curves by experienced astronomers, has led to the high purity of the catalog. As a result, this collection can be used as a training set for machine-learning classification algorithms. Using overlapping areas of adjacent OGLE fields, we estimate the completeness of the catalog to be about 96%. We compare and discuss the statistical features of Miras located in different regions of the Milky Way. We show examples of stars that change their type over time, from a semiregular variable to Mira and vice versa. This data set is perfectly suited to studying the three-dimensional structure of the Milky Way, and it may help to explain the puzzle of the X-shaped bulge.

Keywords: asymptotic giant branch stars; carbon stars; mira variable stars; long period variable stars; time series analysis; astrographic catalogs; catalogs; sky surveys; galactic bulge; galactic center; milky way galaxy; milky way disk
PSR J1810+1744: Companion Darkening and a Precise High Neutron Star Mass

Keck-telescope spectrophotometry of the companion of PSR J1810+1744 shows a flat, but asymmetric light-curve maximum and a deep, narrow minimum. The maximum indicates strong gravity darkening (GD) near the L1 point, along with a heated pole and surface winds. The minimum indicates a low underlying temperature and substantial limb darkening. The GD is a consequence of extreme pulsar heating and the near-filling of the Roche lobe. Light-curve modeling gives a binary inclination i = 65°7 ± 0°4. With the Keck-measured radial-velocity amplitude Kc = 462.3 ± 2.2 km s-1, this gives an accurate neutron star mass MNS = 2.13 ± 0.04 M⊙, with important implications for the dense-matter equation of state. A classic direct-heating model, ignoring the L1 gravitational darkening, would predict an unphysical MNS > 3 M⊙. A few other "spider" pulsar binaries have similar large heating and fill factor; thus, they should be checked for such effects.

Keywords: binary stars
Analytic Light Curves in Reflected Light: Phase Curves, Occultations, and Non-Lambertian Scattering for Spherical Planets and Moons

We derive efficient, closed-form, differentiable, and numerically stable solutions for the flux measured from a spherical planet or moon seen in reflected light, either in or out of occultation. Our expressions apply to the computation of scattered light phase curves of exoplanets, secondary eclipse light) curves in the optical, or future measurements of planet-moon and planet-planet occultations, as well as to photometry of solar system bodies. We derive our solutions for Lambertian bodies illuminated by a point source, but extend them to model illumination sources of finite angular size and rough surfaces with phase-dependent scattering. Our algorithm is implemented in Python within the open-source starry mapping framework and is designed with efficient gradient-based inference in mind. The algorithm is ~4-5 orders of magnitude faster than direct numerical evaluation methods and ~10 orders of magnitude more precise. We show how the techniques developed here may one day lead to the construction of two-dimensional maps of terrestrial planet surfaces, potentially enabling the detection of continents and oceans on exoplanets in the habitable zone. 6 6 https://github.com/rodluger/starrynight

Keywords: exoplanets; light curves; occultation; eclipses; analytical mathematics
Sun-as-a-star Spectroscopic Observations of the Line-of-sight Velocity of a Solar Eruption on 2021 October 28

The propagation direction and true velocity of a solar coronal mass ejection, which are among the most decisive factors for its geo-effectiveness, are difficult to determine through single-perspective imaging observations. Here we show that Sun-as-a-star spectroscopic observations, together with imaging observations, could allow us to solve this problem. Using observations of the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we found clear blueshifted secondary emission components in extreme-ultraviolet spectral lines during a solar eruption on 2021 October 28. From simultaneous imaging observations, we found that the secondary components are caused by a mass ejection from the flare site. We estimated the line-of-sight (LOS) velocity of the ejecta from both the double Gaussian fitting method and the red-blue asymmetry analysis. The results of both methods agree well with each other, giving an average LOS velocity of the plasma of ~423 km s-1. From the 304 Å image series taken by the Extreme ultraviolet Imager onboard the Solar Terrestrial Relation Observatory-A (STEREO-A) spacecraft, we estimated the plane-of-sky velocity from the STEREO-A viewpoint to be around 587 km s-1. The full velocity of the bulk motion of the ejecta was then computed by combining the imaging and spectroscopic observations, which turns out to be around 596 km s-1 with an angle of 42.°4 to the west of the Sun-Earth line and 16.°0 south to the ecliptic plane.

Keywords: solar coronal mass ejections; solar filament eruptions; spectroscopy