adsabs/SciX_UAT_keywords huggingface dataset:
Two-dimensional Particle-in-cell Simulations of Axisymmetric Black Hole Magnetospheres: Angular Dependence of the Blandford-Znajek Flux

We examine the temporary evolution of axisymmetric magnetospheres around rapidly rotating black holes (BHs), by applying our two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation code. Assuming a stellar-mass BH, we find that the created pairs fail to screen the electric field along the magnetic field, provided that the mass accretion rate is much small compared to the Eddington limit. Magnetic islands are created by reconnection near the equator and migrate toward the event horizon, expelling magnetic flux tubes from the BH vicinity during a large fraction of time. When the magnetic islands stick to the horizon due to redshift and virtually vanish, a strong magnetic field penetrates the horizon, enabling efficient extraction of energy from the BH. During this flaring phase, a BH gap appears around the inner light surface with a strong meridional return current toward the equator within the ergosphere. If the mass accretion rate is 0.025% of the Eddington limit, the BH's spin-down luminosity becomes 16-19 times greater than its analytical estimate during the flares, although its long-term average is only 6% of it. We demonstrate that the extracted energy flux concentrates along the magnetic field lines threading the horizon in the middle latitudes. It is implied that this meridional concentration of the Poynting flux may result in the formation of limb-brightened jets from low-accreting BH systems.

Keywords: kerr black holes; magnetic fields; general relativity; relativistic jets; plasma astrophysics; high energy astrophysics
Narrowband Observations of Comet 46P/Wirtanen during Its Exceptional Apparition of 2018/19. II. Photometry, Jet Morphology, and Modeling Results

We report on our extensive photometry and imaging of comet 46P/Wirtanen during its 2018/19 apparition and use these data to constrain the modeling of Wirtanen's activity. Narrowband photometry was obtained in 9 epochs from 2018 October through 2019 March as well as 10 epochs during the 1991, 1997, and 2008 apparitions. The ensemble photometry reveals a typical composition and a secular decrease in activity since 1991. Production rates were roughly symmetric around perihelion for the carbon-bearing species (CN, C3, and C2), but steeper for OH and NH outbound. Our imaging program emphasized CN, whose coma morphology and lightcurve yielded rotation periods reported in a companion paper (Farnham et al. 2021). Here, we compare the gas and dust morphology on the 18 nights for which observations of additional species were obtained. The carbon-bearing species exhibited similar morphology that varied with rotation. OH and NH had broad, hemispheric brightness enhancements in the tailward direction that did not change significantly with rotation, which we attribute to their originating from a substantial icy grain component. We constructed a Monte Carlo model that replicates the shape, motion, and brightness distribution of the CN coma throughout the apparition with a single, self-consistent solution in principal axis rotation. Our model yields a pole having (R.A., decl.) = 319°, -5° (pole obliquity of 70°) and two large sources (radii of 50° and 40°) centered at near-equatorial latitudes and separated in longitude by ∼160°. Applications of the model to explain observed behaviors are discussed.

Keywords: comets; comae; short period comets; comet volatiles; comet nuclei; near-earth objects
Probing the Galactic Diffuse Continuum Emission with COSI

In 2016, the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) had a successful 46 day flight on board NASA's Super Pressure Balloon platform. In this work, we report measurements of the Galactic diffuse continuum emission (GDCE) observed toward the inner Galaxy during the flight, which in the COSI energy band (0.2-5 MeV) is primarily generated from inverse Compton radiation. Within uncertainties, we find overall good agreement with previous measurements from INTEGRAL/SPI and COMPTEL. Based on these initial findings, we discuss the potential for further probing the GDCE with the 2016 COSI balloon data, as well as prospects for the upcoming satellite mission.

Keywords: gamma-rays; galactic cosmic rays; galactic center; gamma-ray telescopes
D/H Ratio in the Interiors of Rocky Protoplanets Accreting in the Solar Nebula

The deuterium/hydrogen (D/H) ratio of primordial water partitioned into a planetary interior seems to be different on Earth and Mars. Water from volcanic rocks originating from Earth's deep mantle has a low D/H ratio with high 3He/4He ratios, implying that it was inherited partially from the solar nebula. In contrast, the D/H ratio of water in the Martian meteorites considered to represent the mantle does not trend toward that of the solar nebula. These differences may be owing to differences in the types of atmospheric structures formed on protoplanets accreting in the solar nebula. Using a 1D radiative-equilibrium model, we analyze the thermal structure of a hybrid-type protoatmosphere in which the solar nebula component dominates the upper layer while a degassed component dominates the lower layer. Our analysis implies Mars-sized protoplanets maintain a hybrid-type protoatmosphere and the D/H ratio of the lower atmosphere resembles that of the building blocks. Conversely, when the mass is larger than Mars-sized, the compositional stratification is collapsed by convective mixing of the solar nebula component with the degassed component, and the D/H ratio approaches that of the solar nebula. This tendency becomes stronger when the planetary mass is larger. If water vapor is distributed through a magma ocean into the planetary interior, Mars-sized protoplanets are likely to reflect the D/H ratios of the building blocks, while larger protoplanets are likely to have acquired a solar-nebula-like D/H ratio.

Keywords: mars; planet formation; earth (planet); planetary atmospheres; planetary science
Discovery of Dust Emission Activity Emanating from Main-belt Asteroid 2015 FW412

We present the discovery of activity emanating from main-belt asteroid 2015 FW412, a finding stemming from the Citizen Science project Active Asteroids, a NASA Partner program. We identified a pronounced tail originating from 2015 FW412 and oriented in the anti-motion direction in archival Blanco 4 m (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile) Dark Energy Camera images from UT 2015 April 13, 18, 19, 21 and 22. Activity occurred near perihelion, consistent with the main-belt comets (MBCs), an active asteroid subset known for sublimation-driven activity in the main asteroid belt; thus 2015 FW412 is a candidate MBC. We did not detect activity on UT 2021 December 12 using the Inamori-Magellan Areal Camera and Spectrograph on the 6.5 m Baade telescope, when 2015 FW412 was near aphelion.

Keywords: asteroids; asteroid belt; comae; comet tails
The Impact of Beam Variations on Power Spectrum Estimation for 21 cm Cosmology. II. Mitigation of Foreground Systematics for HERA

One key challenge in detecting a 21 cm cosmological signal at z > 6 is to separate the cosmological signal from foreground emission. This can be studied in a power spectrum space where the foreground is confined to low delay (or, equivalently, k ∥) modes, whereas the cosmological signal can spread out to high delay modes. When there is a calibration error, however, the chromaticity of the gain errors propagates to the power spectrum estimate and contaminates the modes for cosmological detection. The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) employs a high-precision calibration scheme using redundancy in measurements. In this study, we focus on the gain errors induced by nonredundancies arising from a feed offset relative to HERA's 14 m parabolic dish element and investigate how to mitigate the chromatic gain errors using three different methods: restricting baseline lengths for calibration, smoothing the antenna gains, and applying a temporal filter prior to calibration. With 2 cm/2° perturbations for translation/tilting motions, a level achievable under normal HERA operating conditions, the combination of the baseline cut and temporal filtering indicates that the spurious gain feature due to nonredundancies is significantly reduced, and the power spectrum recovers the clean foreground-free region. We found that the mitigation technique works even for large feed motions, but in order to keep a stable calibration process, the feed positions need to be constrained to 2 cm for translation motions and 2° for tilting offset relative to the dish's vertex.

Keywords: cosmology; reionization; radio astronomy; radio interferometers; astronomical instrumentation
A Unified Model for the Coevolution of Galaxies and Their Circumgalactic Medium: The Relative Roles of Turbulence and Atomic Cooling Physics

The circumgalactic medium (CGM) plays a pivotal role in regulating gas flows around galaxies and thus shapes their evolution. However, the details of how galaxies and their CGM coevolve remain poorly understood. We present a new time-dependent two-zone model that self-consistently tracks not just mass and metal flows between galaxies and their CGM but also the evolution of the global thermal and turbulent kinetic energy of the CGM. Our model accounts for heating and turbulence driven by both supernova winds and cosmic accretion as well as radiative cooling, turbulence dissipation, and halo outflows due to CGM overpressurization. We demonstrate that, depending on parameters, the CGM can undergo a phase transition ("thermalization") from a cool, turbulence-supported phase to a virial-temperature, thermally supported phase. This CGM phase transition is largely determined by the ability of radiative cooling to balance heating from supernova winds and turbulence dissipation. We perform an initial calibration of our model to the FIRE-2 cosmological hydrodynamical simulations and show that it can approximately reproduce the baryon cycles of the simulated halos. In particular, we find that, for these parameters, the phase transition occurs at high redshift in ultrafaint progenitors and at low redshift in classical M vir ~ 1011 M ⊙ dwarfs, while Milky Way-mass halos undergo the transition at z ≈ 0.5. We see a similar transition in the simulations though it is more gradual, likely reflecting radial dependence and multiphase gas not captured by our model. We discuss these and other limitations of the model and possible future extensions.

Keywords: circumgalactic medium; galactic winds; galaxy evolution; galaxy accretion; cooling flows; hydrodynamical simulations; analytical mathematics
High-resolution Spectroscopy of an Erupting Minifilament and Its Impact on the Nearby Chromosphere

We study the evolution of a minifilament eruption in a quiet region at the center of the solar disk and its impact on the ambient atmosphere. We used high spectral resolution imaging spectroscopy in Hα acquired by the echelle spectrograph of the Vacuum Tower Telescope, Tenerife, Spain; photospheric magnetic field observations from the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager; and UV/EUV imaging from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly of the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The Hα line profiles were noise-stripped using principal component analysis and then inverted to produce physical and cloud model parameter maps. The minifilament formed between small-scale, opposite-polarity magnetic features through a series of small reconnection events, and it erupted within an hour after its appearance in Hα. Its development and eruption exhibited similarities to large-scale erupting filaments, indicating the action of common mechanisms. Its eruption took place in two phases, namely, a slow rise and a fast expansion, and it produced a coronal dimming, before the minifilament disappeared. During its eruption, we detected a complicated velocity pattern, indicative of a twisted, thread-like structure. Part of its material returned to the chromosphere, producing observable effects on nearby low-lying magnetic structures. Cloud model analysis showed that the minifilament was initially similar to other chromospheric fine structures, in terms of optical depth, source function, and Doppler width, but it resembled a large-scale filament on its course to eruption. High spectral resolution observations of the chromosphere can provide a wealth of information regarding the dynamics and properties of minifilaments and their interactions with the surrounding atmosphere.

Keywords: the sun; solar chromosphere; active solar chromosphere; active solar corona; solar filament eruptions; high resolution spectroscopy
Characterizing the Multiphase Origin of [C II] Emission in M101 and NGC 6946 with Velocity-resolved Spectroscopy

The [C II] fine-structure transition at 158 μm is frequently the brightest far-infrared line in galaxies. Due to its low ionization potential, C+ can trace the ionized, atomic, and molecular phases of the ISM. We present velocity-resolved [C II] and [N II] pointed observations from SOFIA/GREAT on ~500 pc scales in the nearby galaxies M101 and NGC 6946 and investigate the multiphase origin of [C II] emission over a range of environments. We show that ionized gas makes a negligible contribution to the [C II] emission in these positions using [N II] observations. We spectrally decompose the [C II] emission into components associated with the molecular and atomic phases using existing CO (2-1) and H I data and show that a peak signal-to-noise ratio of 10-15 is necessary for a reliable decomposition. In general, we find that in our pointings ≳50% of the [C II] emission arises from the atomic phase, with no strong dependence on star formation rate, metallicity, or galactocentric radius. We do find a difference between pointings in these two galaxies, where locations in NGC 6946 tend to have larger fractions of [C II] emission associated with the molecular phase than in M101. We also find a weak but consistent trend for fainter [C II] emission to exhibit a larger contribution from the atomic medium. We compute the thermal pressure of the cold neutral medium through the [C II] cooling function and find $\mathrm{log}({P}_{\mathrm{th}}/k)=3.8\mbox{--}4.6\,\,[{\rm{K}}\ \,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}]$ , a value slightly higher than similar determinations, likely because our observations are biased toward star-forming regions.

Keywords: photodissociation regions; interstellar medium; cold neutral medium; molecular gas; far infrared astronomy; spiral galaxies
Tentative Evidence for Water Vapor in the Atmosphere of the Neptune-sized Exoplanet HD 106315c

We present a transmission spectrum for the Neptune-sized exoplanet HD 106315c from optical to infrared wavelengths based on transit observations from the Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3, K2, and Spitzer. The spectrum shows tentative evidence for a water absorption feature in the 1.1-1.7 μm wavelength range with a small amplitude of 30 ppm (corresponding to just 0.8 ± 0.04 atmospheric scale heights). Based on an atmospheric retrieval analysis, the presence of water vapor is tentatively favored with a Bayes factor of 1.7-2.6 (depending on prior assumptions). The spectrum is most consistent with either an enhanced metallicity or high-altitude condensates, or both. Cloud-free solar composition atmospheres are ruled out at >5σ confidence. We compare the spectrum to grids of cloudy and hazy forward models and find that the spectrum is fit well by models with moderate cloud lofting or haze formation efficiency over a wide range of metallicities (1-100× solar). We combine the constraints on the envelope composition with an interior structure model and estimate that the core mass fraction is ≳0.3. With a bulk composition reminiscent of that of Neptune and an orbital distance of 0.15 au, HD 106315c hints that planets may form out of broadly similar material and arrive at vastly different orbits later in their evolution.

Keywords: exoplanet atmospheres; water vapor; hot neptunes; exoplanets; atmospheric clouds
The Eclipsing Binaries from the LAMOST Medium-resolution Survey. III. A High-precision Empirical Stellar Mass Library

High-precision stellar masses and radii measured directly from binaries can effectively calibrate stellar models. However, such a database containing full spectral types and a large range of metallicity is still not fully established. A continuous effort of data collection and analysis is requested to complete the database. In this work, we provide a catalog containing 184 binaries with independent atmospheric parameters and accurate masses and radii as the benchmark for stellar mass and radius. The catalog contains 56 new detached binaries from the LAMOST medium-resolution spectroscopic survey and 128 detached eclipsing binaries compiled from previous studies. We obtain the orbital solutions of the new detached binaries with uncertainties of masses and radii smaller than 5%. These new samples densify the distribution of metallicity of the high-precision stellar mass library and add nine hot stars with T eff > 8000 K. Comparisons show that these samples agree well with the PARSEC isochrones in T eff-logg-mass-radius-luminosity space. We compare mass and radius estimates from isochrone and spectral energy distribution fitting, respectively, with those from the binary orbital solution. We find that the precision of the stellar-model-dependent mass estimates is >10% and the precision of the radius estimates based on atmospheric parameters is >15%. These give a general view of the uncertainty of the usual approaches to estimate stellar mass and radius.

Keywords: stellar masses; detached binary stars; astronomy data analysis; astronomy databases; catalogs
The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems. IV. NIRISS Aperture Masking Interferometry Performance and Lessons Learned

We present a performance analysis for the aperture masking interferometry (AMI) mode on board the James Webb Space Telescope Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (JWST/NIRISS). Thanks to self-calibrating observables, AMI accesses inner working angles down to and even within the classical diffraction limit. The scientific potential of this mode has recently been demonstrated by the Early Release Science (ERS) 1386 program with a deep search for close-in companions in the HIP 65426 exoplanetary system. As part of ERS 1386, we use the same data set to explore the random, static, and calibration errors of NIRISS AMI observables. We compare the observed noise properties and achievable contrast to theoretical predictions. We explore possible sources of calibration errors and show that differences in charge migration between the observations of HIP 65426 and point-spread function calibration stars can account for the achieved contrast curves. Lastly, we use self-calibration tests to demonstrate that with adequate calibration NIRISS F380M AMI can reach contrast levels of ∼9–10 mag at ≳λ/D. These tests lead us to observation planning recommendations and strongly motivate future studies aimed at producing sophisticated calibration strategies taking these systematic effects into account. This will unlock the unprecedented capabilities of JWST/NIRISS AMI, with sensitivity to significantly colder, lower-mass exoplanets than lower-contrast ground-based AMI setups, at orbital separations inaccessible to JWST coronagraphy.

Keywords: james webb space telescope; interferometry; direct imaging; high contrast techniques; observational astronomy
Magnetic Activity and Period Variation Studies of the Four W Uma-type Eclipsing Binaries: UV Lyn, V781 Tau, NSVS 4484038, and 2MASS J15471055+5302107

We present new photometric data and LAMOST spectra for the W UMa binaries UV Lyn, V781 Tau, NSVS 4484038, and 2MASS J15471055+5302107. The orbital and starspot parameters are obtained using the Wilson-Devinney program. Comparing the starspot parameters at different times, there are magnetic activities in these four binaries. The orbital period of UV Lyn is increasing at a rate of dP/dt = +8.9(5) × 10-8 days yr-1, which maybe due to mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive component (dM1/dt = -6.4 × 10-8 M⊙ yr-1). The period variation of 2MASS J15471055+5302107 is also increasing at a rate of 6.0(4) × 10-7 days yr-1, which can be explained by mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive component (dM1/dt = -2.8 × 10-7 M⊙ yr-1). The period variation of V781 Tau presents the downward parabola superimposed the cyclic oscillation. The period of V781 Tau is decreasing (dP/dt = -3.2(4) × 10-8 days yr-1), which can be explained by mass transfer from the more massive component to the less massive component (dM2/dt = -2.2 × 10-8 M⊙ yr-1). The cyclic oscillation may be due to the magnetic activity with a period of 30.8(5) yr rather than a third body. The period variation of NSVS 4484038 also shows the cyclic oscillation, which could be explained by the magnetic activity with 10.8(1) yr or a black hole candidate. Interestingly, there is a depth variation between the light minimum times of NSVS 4484038, which may also be caused by stellar magnetic activity.

Keywords: starspots; eclipsing binary stars; contact binary stars
Coupled Thermal and Compositional Evolution of Photoevaporating Planet Envelopes

Photoevaporative mass loss sculpts the atmospheric evolution of tightly orbiting sub-Neptune-mass exoplanets. To date, models of the mass loss from warm Neptunes have assumed that the atmospheric abundances remain constant throughout the planet's evolution. However, the cumulative effects of billions of years of escape modulated by diffusive separation and preferential loss of hydrogen can lead to planetary envelopes that are enhanced in helium and metals relative to hydrogen. We have performed the first self-consistent calculations of the coupled thermal, mass-loss, and compositional evolution of hydrogen-helium envelopes surrounding sub-Neptune-mass planets. We extended the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics stellar evolution code to model the evolving envelope abundances of photoevaporating planets. We demonstrate that H-He fractionation can lead to planetary envelopes that are significantly enriched in helium and metals compared to their initial primordial compositions. A subset of our model planets—having Rp ≲ 3.00 R⊕, initial fenv < 0.5%, and irradiation flux ∼101-103 times that of Earth—obtain final helium mass fractions in excess of Y = 0.40 after several billion years of mass loss. GJ 436b, the planet that originally inspired Hu et al. to propose the formation of helium-enhanced planetary atmospheres, requires a primordial envelope that is too massive to become helium enhanced. Planets with envelope helium fractions of Y = 0.40 have radii that are between 0.5% and 10% smaller (depending on their mass, irradiation flux, and envelope mass fraction) than similar planets with solar composition (Y = 0.24) envelopes. The results of preferential loss of hydrogen may have observable consequences for the Mp - Rp relations and atmospheric spectra of sub-Neptune populations.

Keywords: exoplanet astronomy; exoplanet evolution; atmospheric effects; exoplanet atmospheres; planetary atmospheres; exoplanet atmospheric variability; exoplanet atmospheric composition