adsabs/SciX_UAT_keywords huggingface dataset:
Distribution Properties of the 6.7 GHz Methanol Masers and Their Surrounding Gases in the Milky Way

An updated catalog consisting of 1092 6.7 GHz methanol maser sources is reported in this work. Additionally, the NH3 (1, 1), NH3 (2, 2), and NH3 (3, 3) transitions were observed toward 214 star-forming regions using the Shanghai Tianma radio telescope in order to examine the differences in physical environments, such as the excitation temperature and column density of molecular clouds associated with methanol masers on the Galactic scale. Statistical results reveal that the number of 6.7 GHz methanol masers in the Perseus arm is significantly lower than that in the other three main spiral arms. In addition, the Perseus arm also has the lowest gas column density among the main spiral arms traced by the NH3 observations. Both findings suggest that the Perseus arm has the lowest rate of high-mass star formation compared to the other three main spiral arms. We also observed a trend in which both the luminosity of the 6.7 GHz methanol masers and the ammonia gas column density decreased with the galactocentric distance. This finding indicates that the density of material in the inner Milky Way is generally higher than that in the outer Milky Way. This further suggests that high-mass stars are more easily formed at the head of the spiral arms. Furthermore, we found that the column density of ammonia gas is higher in the regions on the arms than in the inter-arm regions, supporting that the former is more likely to be the birthplace of high-mass stars.

Keywords: interstellar masers; massive stars; spiral arms; surveys; star formation
Investigating the Lower Mass Gap with Low-mass X-Ray Binary Population Synthesis

Mass measurements from low-mass black hole X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and radio pulsars have been used to identify a gap between the most massive neutron stars (NSs) and the least massive black holes (BHs). BH mass measurements in LMXBs are typically only possible for transient systems: outburst periods enable detection via all-sky X-ray monitors, while quiescent periods enable radial velocity measurements of the low-mass donor. We quantitatively study selection biases due to the requirement of transient behavior for BH mass measurements. Using rapid population synthesis simulations (COSMIC), detailed binary stellar-evolution models (MESA), and the disk instability model of transient behavior, we demonstrate that transient LMXB selection effects introduce observational biases, and can suppress mass-gap BHs in the observed sample. However, we find a population of transient LMXBs with mass-gap BHs form through accretion-induced collapse of an NS during the LMXB phase, which is inconsistent with observations. These results are robust against variations of binary evolution prescriptions. The significance of this accretion-induced collapse population depends upon the maximum NS birth mass ${M}_{\mathrm{NS},\mathrm{birth}-\max }$ . To reflect the observed dearth of low-mass BHs, COSMIC and MESA models favor ${M}_{\mathrm{NS},\mathrm{birth}-\max }\lesssim 2{M}_{\odot }$ . In the absence of further observational biases against LMXBs with mass-gap BHs, our results indicate the need for additional physics connected to the modeling of LMXB formation and evolution.

Keywords: x-ray transient sources; low-mass x-ray binary stars; stellar mass black holes; stellar evolutionary models
A Statistical Study of Soft X-Ray Flares on Solar-type Stars

The statistical characteristics of stellar flares at optical bands have received extensive study, but they remain to be studied at soft X-ray bands, in particular for solar-type stars. Here, we present a statistical study of soft X-ray flares on solar-type stars, which can help in understanding the multiwavelength behaviors of stellar flares. We mainly use Chandra Source Catalog Release 2.0, which includes a number of flaring stars with denoted variability, and Gaia Data Release 3, which includes the necessary information for classifying stars. We also develop a set of methods for identifying and classifying stellar soft X-ray flares and estimating their properties. A detailed statistical investigation of 129 flare samples on 103 nearby solar-type stars as selected yields the following main results. (1) The flare energy emitted at the soft X-ray band in our sample ranges from ~1033 to ~1037 erg, and the majority of them are superflares, with the most energetic one having energy of ${6.0}_{-4.7}^{+3.2}\times {10}^{37}\ \mathrm{erg}$ . (2) The flare duration is related to its energy as formulated by ${T}_{\mathrm{duration},\mathrm{SXR}}\propto {E}_{\mathrm{flare},\mathrm{SXR}}^{\ 0.201\pm 0.024}$ , which is different from those derived at optical and near-IR bands, indicating distinct radiation mechanisms at different bands. (3) The frequency distribution of stellar flares as a function of energy is formulated as ${{dN}}_{\mathrm{flare}}/{{dE}}_{\mathrm{flare},\mathrm{SXR}}\propto {E}_{\mathrm{flare},\mathrm{SXR}}^{\ -1.77}$ , which is similar to the results found at other bands and on other types of stars, indicating that the energy emitted at the soft X-ray band could be a constant fraction of the full-band bolometric energy.

Keywords: x-ray stars; stellar activity; stellar flares; stellar x-ray flares; flare stars; magnetic fields; stellar magnetic fields; stellar atmospheres; stellar astronomy; stellar physics
Extending the SAGA Survey (xSAGA). I. Satellite Radial Profiles as a Function of Host-galaxy Properties

We present "Extending the Satellites Around Galactic Analogs Survey" (xSAGA), a method for identifying low-z galaxies on the basis of optical imaging and results on the spatial distributions of xSAGA satellites around host galaxies. Using spectroscopic redshift catalogs from the SAGA Survey as a training data set, we have optimized a convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify z < 0.03 galaxies from more-distant objects using image cutouts from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys. From the sample of >100,000 CNN-selected low-z galaxies, we identify >20,000 probable satellites located between 36-300 projected kpc from NASA-Sloan Atlas central galaxies in the stellar-mass range $9.5\lt \mathrm{log}({M}_{\star }/{M}_{\odot })\lt 11$ . We characterize the incompleteness and contamination for CNN-selected samples and apply corrections in order to estimate the true number of satellites as a function of projected radial distance from their hosts. Satellite richness depends strongly on host stellar mass, such that more-massive host galaxies have more satellites, and on host morphology, such that elliptical hosts have more satellites than disky hosts with comparable stellar masses. We also find a strong inverse correlation between satellite richness and the magnitude gap between a host and its brightest satellite. The normalized satellite radial distribution between 36-300 kpc does not depend on host stellar mass, morphology, or magnitude gap. The satellite abundances and radial distributions we measure are in reasonable agreement with predictions from hydrodynamic simulations. Our results deliver unprecedented statistical power for studying satellite galaxy populations and highlight the promise of using machine-learning for extending galaxy samples of wide-area surveys.

Keywords: dwarf galaxies; galaxy evolution; galaxy formation; galaxy groups; convolutional neural networks
Dark Matter-admixed Rotating White Dwarfs as Peculiar Compact Objects

Discoveries of anomalous compact objects challenge our understanding of the standard theory of stellar structures and evolution, so they serve as an excellent laboratory for searching for new physics. Earlier studies on spherically symmetric dark matter (DM)-admixed compact stars could explain a handful of anomalies. In this paper, we investigate the observational signatures of DM-admixed rotating white dwarfs, and make connections to observed peculiar compact objects. We compute the equilibrium structures of DM-admixed rotating white dwarfs using a self-consistent, two-fluid method, with the DM component being a nonrotating degenerate Fermi gas. We find that admixing DM to rotating white dwarfs could: (1) account for some peculiar white dwarfs that do not follow their usual mass-radius relation; (2) allow stable rapid-rotating white dwarfs that are free from thermonuclear runaway to exist, which could explain some soft gamma-ray repeaters/anomalous X-ray pulsars; and (3) produce universal I (moment of inertia)-Love (tidal Love number)-Q (quadrupole moment) relations that span bands above those without DM admixture, thus providing an indirect way of searching for DM in white dwarfs through gravitational-wave detection. To conclude, DM-admixed rotating white dwarfs can account for some peculiar compact objects. Our results suggest a systematic approach to accounting for the unusual compact objects that upcoming surveys could discover.

Keywords: gravitational waves; stellar rotation; white dwarf stars; dark matter
Optical Color of Type Ib and Ic Supernovae and Implications for Their Progenitors

Type Ib and Ic supernovae (SNe Ib/Ic) originate from hydrogen-deficient massive star progenitors, of which the exact properties are still much debated. Using SN data in the literature, we investigate the optical B - V color of SNe Ib/Ic at the V-band peak and show that SNe Ib are systematically bluer than SNe Ic. We construct SN models from helium-rich and helium-poor progenitors of various masses using the radiation hydrodynamics code STELLA and discuss how the B - V color at the V-band peak is affected by the 56Ni to ejecta mass ratio, 56Ni mixing, and the presence/absence of a helium envelope. We argue that the dichotomy in the amount of helium in the progenitors plays the primary role in making the observed systematic color difference at the optical peak, in favor of the most commonly invoked SN scenario that SNe Ib and SNe Ic progenitors are helium rich and helium poor, respectively.

Keywords: type ib supernovae; type ic supernovae; massive stars; stellar evolution; core-collapse supernovae
Late-time Circumstellar Interaction of SN 2017eaw in NGC 6946

SN 2017eaw, the tenth supernova observed in NGC 6946, was a normal Type II-P supernova with an estimated 11-13 M⊙ red supergiant progenitor. Here we present nebular-phase spectra of SN 2017eaw at +545 and +900 days post-max, extending approximately 50-400 days past the epochs of previously published spectra. While the +545 day spectrum is similar to spectra taken between days +400 and +493, the +900 day spectrum shows dramatic changes both in spectral features and emission-line profiles. The Hα emission is flat-topped and boxlike with sharp blue and red profile velocities of ≃-8000 and +7500 km s-1. These late-time spectral changes indicate strong circumstellar interaction with a mass-loss shell, expelled ∼1700 yr before explosion. SN 2017eaw's +900 day spectrum is similar to those seen for SN 2004et and SN 2013ej observed 2-3 yr after explosion. We discuss the importance of late-time monitoring of bright SNe II-P and the nature of presupernova mass-loss events for SN II-P evolution.

Keywords: core-collapse supernovae; type ii supernovae; circumstellar matter; ejecta
Identification of Extended Emission Gamma-Ray Burst Candidates Using Machine Learning

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been classified traditionally based on their duration. The increasing number of extended emission (EE) GRBs, lasting typically more than 2s but with properties similar to those of short GRBs, challenges the traditional classification criteria. In this work, we use the t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), a machine-learning technique, to classify GRBs. We present the results for GRBs observed until 2022 July by the Swift/BAT (Burst Alert Telescope) instrument in all its energy bands. We show the effects of varying the learning rate and perplexity parameters as well as the benefit of preprocessing the data by a nonparametric noise-reduction technique. Consistently with previous works, we show that the t-SNE method separates GRBs into two subgroups. We also show that EE GRBs reported by various authors under different criteria tend to cluster in a few regions of our t-SNE maps and identify seven new EE GRB candidates by using the gamma-ray data provided by the automatic pipeline of Swift/BAT and the proximity with previously identified EE GRBs.

Keywords: gamma-ray bursts; high energy astrophysics
On the Nature of the Mass-gap Object in the GW190814 Event

In this work, we conduct an extensive study of the conditions that allow the mass-gap object in the GW190814 event to be faced as a degenerate star instead of a black hole. We begin by revisiting some parameterizations of quantum hadrodynamics and then study under which conditions hyperons are present in such a massive star. Afterward, using a vector MIT-based model, we study whether self-bound quark stars, satisfying the Bodmer-Witten conjecture, fulfill all the observational constraints. Finally, we study hybrid stars within a Maxwell construction and check for what values of the bag, as well as the vector interaction, a quark core star with only nucleons, and with nucleons admixed with hyperons can reach at least 2.50 M ⊙. We conclude that, depending on the choice of parameters, none of the possibilities can be completely ruled out, i.e., the mass-gap object can be a hadronic (either nucleonic or hyperonic), a quark, or a hybrid star, although some cases are more probable than others.

Keywords: neutron stars
Tracing the Coevolution Path of Supermassive Black Holes and Spheroids with AKARI-selected Ultraluminous IR Galaxies at Intermediate Redshifts

We present the stellar population and ionized-gas outflow properties of ultraluminous IR galaxies (ULIRGs) at z = 0.1-1.0 that are selected from the AKARI far-IR all-sky survey. We construct a catalog of 1077 ULIRGs to examine feedback effects after major mergers. Of the 1077 ULIRGs, 202 are spectroscopically identified by SDSS and Subaru/FOCAS observations. Thanks to the deeper depth and higher resolution of AKARI compared to the previous Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) survey and reliable identification from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mid-IR pointing, the sample is unique in identifying optically faint (i ∼ 20) IR-bright galaxies, which could be missed in previous surveys. A self-consistent spectrum and broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) decomposition method, which constrains stellar population properties in SED modeling based on spectral fitting results, has been employed for 149 ULIRGs whose optical continua are dominated by host galaxies. They are massive galaxies ( ${M}_{\mathrm{star}}\sim {10}^{11}$ -1012 M ${}_{\odot }$ ) associated with intense star formation activities (SFR ∼ 200-2000 M ${}_{\odot }$ yr-1). The sample covers a range of active galactic nucleus (AGN) bolometric luminosity of 1010-1013 L ${}_{\odot }$ , and the outflow velocity measured from the [O III] 5007 Å line shows a correlation with AGN luminosity. Eight galaxies show extremely fast outflows with velocity up to 1500-2000 km s-1. However, the coexistence of vigorous starbursts and strong outflows suggests the star formation has not been quenched during the ULIRG phase. By deriving the stellar mass and mass fraction of the young stellar population, we find no significant discrepancies between stellar properties of ULIRGs with weak and powerful AGNs. The results are not consistent with the merger-induced evolutionary scenario, which predicts that star formation-dominated ULIRGs will show smaller stellar masses and younger stellar populations compared to AGN-dominated ULIRGs.

Keywords: ultraluminous infrared galaxies; infrared galaxies; active galactic nuclei; galaxy evolution; agn host galaxies; starburst galaxies
The Giant Low Surface Brightness Galaxy Malin 1: New Constraints for Its Molecular Gas Mass from GBT/ARGUS Observations

We report on results from GBT/ARGUS 12CO(1-0) observations for the giant low surface brightness galaxy Malin 1, which allow us to determine an upper limit for its CO mass, and hence its molecular gas mass and molecular gas mass surface density ${{\rm{\Sigma }}}_{{{\rm{H}}}_{2}}$ . Although we performed very deep observations through 17 hr on-source integration time, reaching a noise level of ~0.2 mK (T ${}_{A}^{* }$ ) with a corresponding extended source CO limit (3σ) of 0.09 K km s-1, 19 times more sensitive than previous works, we do not detect the 12CO(1-0) emission line. However, the observations allow us to estimate an upper limit (3σ) for the CO mass of about 7.4 × 109 M ⊙ for the extended emission, and 1.4 × 108 M ⊙ for the central part of the galaxy. With these figures we conclude that the molecular gas surface density is lower than 0.3 M ⊙ pc-2, and the corresponding molecular to atomic gas mass ratio is lower than 0.13. The evidence suggests quite different physical conditions for the interstellar medium in Malin 1 compared to that of normal, high surface brightness spirals. This, in one way to another, keeps an usual molecular gas tracer as CO hidden from our observations, in spite of the diverse stellar and structural properties of Malin 1 observed by several authors since more than 30 yr.

Keywords: galaxies; low surface brightness galaxies; molecular gas; detection
Bridging between Type IIb and Ib Supernovae: SN IIb 2022crv with a Very Thin Hydrogen Envelope

We present optical, near-infrared, and radio observations of supernova (SN) SN IIb 2022crv. We show that it retained a very thin H envelope and transitioned from an SN IIb to an SN Ib; prominent Hα seen in the pre-maximum phase diminishes toward the post-maximum phase, while He I lines show increasing strength. SYNAPPS modeling of the early spectra of SN 2022crv suggests that the absorption feature at 6200 Å is explained by a substantial contribution of Hα together with Si II, as is also supported by the velocity evolution of Hα. The light-curve evolution is consistent with the canonical stripped-envelope SN subclass but among the slowest. The light curve lacks the initial cooling phase and shows a bright main peak (peak M V = -17.82 ± 0.17 mag), mostly driven by radioactive decay of 56Ni. The light-curve analysis suggests a thin outer H envelope (M env ~ 0.05 M ⊙) and a compact progenitor (R env ~ 3 R ⊙). An interaction-powered synchrotron self-absorption model can reproduce the radio light curves with a mean shock velocity of 0.1c. The mass-loss rate is estimated to be in the range of (1.9-2.8) × 10-5 M ⊙ yr-1 for an assumed wind velocity of 1000 km s-1, which is on the high end in comparison with other compact SNe IIb/Ib. SN 2022crv fills a previously unoccupied parameter space of a very compact progenitor, representing a beautiful continuity between the compact and extended progenitor scenario of SNe IIb/Ib.

Keywords: photometry; spectroscopy; supernovae; type ib supernovae; radio astronomy
The Dynamics of a High Mach Number Quasi-perpendicular Shock: MMS Observations

Shock parameters at Earth's bow shock in rare instances can approach the Mach numbers predicted at supernova remnants. We present our analysis of a high Alfvén Mach number (MA = 27) shock utilizing multipoint measurements from the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft during a crossing of Earth's quasi-perpendicular bow shock. We find that the shock dynamics are mostly driven by reflected ions, perturbations that they generate, and nonlinear amplification of the perturbations. Our analyses show that reflected ions create modest magnetic enhancements upstream of the shock, which evolve in a nonlinear manner as they traverse the shock foot. They can transform into proto-shocks that propagate at small angles to the magnetic field and toward the bow shock. The nonstationary bow shock shows signatures of both reformation and surface ripples. Our observations indicate that although shock reformation occurs, the main shock layer never disappears. These observations are at high plasma β, a parameter regime that has not been well explored by numerical models.

Keywords: shocks
Gas-phase Ortho-to-para Ratio of Formaldehyde Formed at Low Temperatures in Laboratory Ices

The ortho-to-para ratio (OPR) of formaldehyde (H2CO) has been used as a probe to estimate the formation temperature of molecules in interstellar, circumstellar, and cometary environments, relying on the assumption that nuclear spin conversion is extremely slow, preserving the OPR from molecular formation. An OPR for H2CO less than 3 corresponds to a spin temperature below 30 K and has been proposed to result from formation at low temperatures within an ice, whereas an OPR of 3 is interpreted as arising from warmer formation in the gas phase. In spite of this common assumption, there is no laboratory evidence in the literature to date in support of it. Here, in the first study of its kind for H2CO, we report rotational spectroscopy measurements of the OPR of H2CO sublimated after its formation in methanol (CH3OH) ice samples that were photolyzed by ultraviolet light at 10, 15, 20, and 40 K. None of the measured OPR values correlated with the ice formation temperature.

Keywords: laboratory astrophysics; astrochemistry; molecular spectroscopy; molecular physics
A Volume-limited Sample of Ultracool Dwarfs. II. The Substellar Age and Mass Functions in the Solar Neighborhood

We present the most precise constraints to date for the mass and age distributions of single ultracool dwarfs in the solar neighborhood, based on an updated volume-limited sample of 504 L, T, and Y dwarfs within 25 pc. We develop a Monte Carlo approach using the $\langle V/{V}_{\max }\rangle $ statistic to correct for incompleteness and obtain a space density of $({1.83}_{-0.15}^{+0.16})\times {10}^{-2}$ pc‑3 for spectral types L0–Y2. We calculate bolometric luminosities for our sample, using an updated "super-magnitude" method for the faintest objects. We use our resulting luminosity function and a likelihood-based population synthesis approach to simultaneously constrain the mass and age distributions. We employ the fraction of young L0–L7 dwarfs as a novel input for this analysis that is crucial for constraining the age distribution. For a power-law mass function $\tfrac{{dN}}{{dM}}\propto {M}^{-\alpha }$ , we find $\alpha ={0.58}_{-0.20}^{+0.16}$ , indicating an increase in numbers toward lower masses, consistent with measurements in nearby star-forming regions. For an exponential age distribution b(t) ∝ e ‑β t we find β = ‑0.44 ± 0.14, i.e., a population with fewer old objects than often assumed, which may reflect dynamical heating of the Galactic plane as much as the historical brown dwarf birthrate. We compare our analysis to that of Kirkpatrick et al., who used a similar volume-limited sample. Although our mass function measurements are numerically consistent, their assumption of a flat age distribution is disfavored by our analysis, and we identify several important methodological differences between our two studies. Our calculation of the age distribution of solar neighborhood brown dwarfs is the first based on a volume-limited sample.

Keywords: brown dwarfs; l dwarfs; t dwarfs; y dwarfs; infrared photometry; late-type dwarf stars; trigonometric parallax; stellar evolutionary models; luminosity function; stellar mass functions; initial mass function