bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The emergence of diffused gamma-ray burst afterglows from the discs of active galactic nuclei
Authors: Wang Yi-Han , Lazzati Davide , Perna Rosalba
Published: July 2022

The discs of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have emerged as rich environments for the production and capture of stars and the compact objects that they leave behind. These stars produce long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) at their deaths, while frequent interactions among compact objects form binary neutron stars and neutron star–black hole binaries, leading to short GRBs upon their merger. Predicting the properties of these transients as they emerge from the dense environments of AGN discs is key to their proper identification and to better constrain the star and compact object population in AGN discs. Some of these transients would appear unusual because they take place in much higher densities than the interstellar medium. Others, which are the subject of this paper, would additionally be modified by radiation diffusion, since they are generated within optically thick regions of the accretion discs. Here, we compute the GRB afterglow light curves for diffused GRB sources for a representative variety of central black hole masses and disc locations. We find that the radiation from radio to ultraviolet and soft X-rays can be strongly suppressed by synchrotron self-absorption in the dense medium of the AGN disc. In addition, photon diffusion can significantly delay the emergence of the emission peak, turning a beamed, fast transient into a slow, isotropic, and dimmer one. These would appear as broad-band correlated AGN variability with a dominance at the higher frequencies. Their properties can constrain both the stellar populations within AGN discs and the disc structure.
Modelling the light curve of Type IIn-P SN 2005cl with red supergiant progenitors featuring pre-SN outbursts
Authors: Li Chunhui , Morozova Viktoriya
Published: July 2022

All Type IIn supernovae (SNe IIn) show narrow hydrogen emission lines in their spectra. Apart from this common feature, they demonstrate very broad diversity in brightness, duration, and morphology of their light curves, which indicates that they likely come from a variety of progenitor systems and explosion channels. A particular subset of SNe IIn, the so-called SNe IIn-P, exhibit ∼100 d plateau phases that are very similar to the ones of the ordinary hydrogen-rich SNe (SNe II). In the past, SNe IIn-P were explained by the models of sub-energetic electron capture explosions surrounded by dense extended winds. In this work, we attempt to explain this class of SNe with standard red supergiant progenitors that experience outbursts several months before the final explosion. The outburst energies that show the best agreement between our models and the data ($5\times 10^{46}\, {\rm erg}$) fall at the low range of the outburst energies that have been observed for SNe IIn (between few times $10^{46}\, {\rm erg}$ and $10^{49}\, {\rm erg}$). Instead, the inferred explosion energy of SN 2005cl is relatively high ($1{-}2\times 10^{51}\, {\rm erg}$) compared to the explosion energies of the ordinary SNe II. Our models provide alternative explanation of SNe IIn-P to the previously proposed scenarios.
Observability of forming planets and their circumplanetary discs – IV. With JWST and ELT
Authors: Chen Xueqing , Szulágyi Judit
Published: July 2022

To understand the potential for observing forming planets and their circumplanetary discs (CPDs) with James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), we created mock observations from three-dimensional radiative hydrodynamic simulations and radiative transfer post-processing for planets with 10, 5, and 1 Jupiter and 1 Saturn masses with orbital separation of 50 and 30 au in 0, 30, and 60○ inclinations. Instrumental effects were then simulated with Mirage for JWST/NIRCam and NIRISS, MIRISim for JWST/MIRI, and SimCADO and SimMETIS for ELT/MICADO and METIS. We found that the longer wavelengths (mid-infrared and beyond) are the best to detect CPDs, since they allow CPD of planet with smaller mass to be detected. MIRI on JWST and METIS on ELT offer the best possibility on these telescopes. Specifically, below 3 $\mu{\rm m}$, only 10 MJup planets with their CPDs are detectable with NIRCam and MICADO. 5 MJup planets are only detectable if at 30 au (i.e. closer) orbital separation. Planets above 5 MJup with their CPDs are detectable between 3 and 5 $\mu{\rm m}$ with NIRCam and METIS L/M band, or above 10 $\mu{\rm m}$ with MIRI and METIS N band. For ≤1 MJup planets >15 $\mu{\rm m}$ are needed, where MIRI uniquely offers imaging capability. We present magnitudes and spectral energy distributions for separate components of the planet + CPD + circumstellar disc (CSD) system, to differentiate the extinction rates of CPDs and CSDs and to provide predictions for observational proposals. Because the CPD turns out to be the main absorber of the planet’s emission, especially <10 $\mu{\rm m}$, this makes the detection of forming planets quite challenging.
Extragalactic transient candidates in the second Swift-XRT point source catalogue
Authors: Eyles-Ferris R A J , Starling R L C , O’Brien P T , Evans P A
Published: July 2022

The second Swift-XRT Point Source catalogue offers a combination of sky coverage and sensitivity and presents an invaluable opportunity for transient discovery. We search the catalogue at the positions of inactive and active galaxies, and identify transient candidates by comparison with XMM–Newton and ROSAT. We recover 167 previously known transients and find 19 sources consistent with being new sources, estimating a completeness of $\sim 65{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. These 19 new sources are split approximately equally between inactive and active hosts and their peak X-ray luminosities span ∼1042–1047 erg s−1. We find eight are best fit with non-thermal spectral models and one with a blackbody. We also discuss our methodology and its application to the forthcoming Living Swift-XRT Point Source catalogue for the potential near real time serendipitous discovery of ∼few new X-ray transients per year.
Realistic 3D hydrodynamics simulations find significant turbulent entrainment in massive stars
Authors: Rizzuti F , Hirschi R , Georgy C , Arnett W D , Meakin C , Murphy A StJ
Published: July 2022

Our understanding of stellar structure and evolution coming from one-dimensional (1D) stellar models is limited by uncertainties related to multidimensional processes taking place in stellar interiors. 1D models, however, can now be tested and improved with the help of detailed three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics models, which can reproduce complex multidimensional processes over short time-scales, thanks to the recent advances in computing resources. Among these processes, turbulent entrainment leading to mixing across convective boundaries is one of the least understood and most impactful. Here, we present the results from a set of hydrodynamics simulations of the neon-burning shell in a massive star, and interpret them in the framework of the turbulent entrainment law from geophysics. Our simulations differ from previous studies in their unprecedented degree of realism in reproducing the stellar environment. Importantly, the strong entrainment found in the simulations highlights the major flaws of the current implementation of convective boundary mixing in 1D stellar models. This study therefore calls for major revisions of how convective boundaries are modelled in 1D, and in particular the implementation of entrainment in these models. This will have important implications for supernova theory, nucleosynthesis, neutron stars, and black holes physics.
Fragmented atomic shell around S187 H iiregion and its interaction with molecular and ionized gas
Authors: Zemlyanukha Petr , Zinchenko Igor I , Dombek Evgeny , Pirogov Lev E , Topchieva Anastasiia , Joncas Gilles , Dewangan Lokesh K , Ojha Devendra K , Ghosh Swarna K
Published: July 2022

The environment of S187, a nearby H ii region (1.4 ± 0.3 kpc), is analyzed. A surrounding shell has been studied in the H i line, molecular lines, and also in infrared and radio continua. We report the first evidence of a clumpy H i environment in its photodissociation region. A background radio galaxy enables the estimation of the properties of cold atomic gas. The estimated atomic mass fraction of the shell is ∼260 M⊙, the median spin temperature is ∼50 K, the shell size is ∼4 pc with typical wall width around 0.2 pc. The atomic shell consists of ∼100 fragments. The fragment sizes correlate with mass with a power-law index of 2.39–2.50. The S187 shell has a complex kinematical structure, including the expanding quasi-spherical layer, molecular envelope, an atomic sub-bubble inside the shell and two dense cores (S187 SE and S187 NE) at different stages of evolution. The atomic sub-bubble inside the shell is young, contains a Class II young stellar object and OH maser in the centre and the associated YSOs in the walls of the bubble. S187 SE and S187 NE have similar masses (∼1200 and ∼900 M⊙, respectively). S187 SE is embedded into the atomic shell and has a number of associated objects, including high-mass protostars, outflows, maser sources, and other indicators of ongoing star formation. No YSOs inside S187 NE were detected, but indications of compression and heating by the H ii region exist.
Observing the reionization: effect of calibration and position errors on realistic observation conditions
Authors: Mazumder Aishrila , Datta Abhirup , Chakraborty Arnab , Majumdar Suman
Published: July 2022

Observation of the redshifted 21-cm signal from Cosmic Dawn and Epoch of Reionization is a challenging endeavor in observational cosmology. Presence of orders of magnitude brighter astrophysical foregrounds and various instrumental systematics increases the complexity of these observations. This work presents an end-to-end pipeline dealing with synthetic interferometric data of sensitive radio observations. The mock sky model includes the redshifted 21-cm signal and astrophysical foregrounds. The effects of calibration error and position error in the extraction of the redshifted 21-cm power spectrum has been simulated. The effect of the errors in the image plane detection of the cosmological signal has also been studied. A comparative analysis for array configurations like the SKA1-Low, MWA, and HERA has been demonstrated. The calibration error tolerance of the arrays, under some assumptions about the nature of the systematic components, is optimally found to be $\sim 0.01{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for the detection of the signal. For position errors, an offset of ⪆5 arcsec makes the residual foregrounds obscure the target signal. These simulations also imply that the SKA-1 Low performs marginally better than the other telescopes in the image domain. The same is true for MWA in the power spectrum domain. This is one of the first studies that compares performance of various radio telescopes operating under similar observing conditions towards detecting the cosmological signal. This end-to-end pipeline can also be extended to study effects of chromatic primary beam, radio frequency inferences, foregrounds with spectral features, etc.
The kinematics and ionization structure of the extended emission-line region of QSO E1821+643
Authors: Rosborough Sara A , Robinson A , Seelig T
Published: July 2022

The most luminous quasars are created by major, gas-rich mergers and E1821+643, an optically luminous quasar situated at the centre of a cool-core cluster, appears to be in the late stages of the post-merger blowout phase. This quasar is also identified as a gravitational recoil candidate, in which the supermassive black hole (SMBH) has received a recoil kick due to anisotropic emission of gravitational waves during the coalescence of a progenitor SMBH binary. We analyse long-slit spectra of the extended, ionized gas surrounding E1821+643 to study its kinematics and ionization. We have identified three kinematically distinct components, which we associate, respectively, with a wide-angle polar wind from the nucleus, kinematically undisturbed gas, and a redshifted arc-like structure of gas, at a distance of 3–4 arcsec (13–18 kpc) from the nucleus. The latter component coincides with the northern and eastern extremities of an arc of [O iii] emission seen in HST images. This feature could trace a tidal tail originating from a merger with a gas-rich galaxy to the south-east of the nucleus, whose presence has been inferred by Aravena et al. from the detection of CO emission. Alternatively, the arc could be the remnant of a shell of gas swept up by a powerful quasar wind. The emission-line ratios of the extended gas are consistent with photoionization by the quasar, but a contribution from radiative shocks cannot be excluded.
Tracing a decade of activity towards a yellow hypergiant. The spectral and spatial morphology of IRC+10420 at au scales
Authors: Koumpia Evgenia , Oudmaijer R D , de Wit W-J , Mérand A , Black J H , Ababakr K M
Published: July 2022

The fate of a massive star during the latest stages of its evolution is highly dependent on its mass-loss history and geometry, with the yellow hypergiants (YHGs) being key objects. We present near-IR interferometric observations of the famous YHG IRC+10420 and blue spectra taken between 1994 and 2019. Our 2.2-μm GRAVITY/VLTI observations attain a spatial resolution of ∼5 stellar radii and spatially resolve the hot emission in the K-band tracing the gas via Na i doublet emission and the Br γ emission. Our geometric modelling reveals a compact neutral zone (Na i) which is slightly larger than the continuum but within an extended Br γ emitting region. Our study confirms an hour-glass geometry of the wind, but we find no signature of a companion at 7–800 au separations at the contrast limit of our observations (3.7 mag at 3σ) to explain this geometry. We report an evolution of the ejecta over 7 yr, and constrain the opening angle of the hour-glass to be <10°. Lastly, we present the first blue optical spectra of IRC+10420 since 1994. The multi-epoch data indicate that the spectral type, and thus temperature, of the object has essentially remained constant during the intervening years. Therefore, the observed increase in temperature of 2000 K in less than two decades prior to 1994 is now halted. This suggests that this YHG has ‘hit’ the White Wall in the HR-diagram preventing it from evolving blue-wards, and will likely undergo a major mass-loss event in the near future.
Hidden cooling flows in clusters of galaxies
Authors: Fabian A C , Ferland G J , Sanders J S , McNamara B R , Pinto C , Walker S A
Published: July 2022

The radiative cooling time of the hot gas at the centres of cool cores in clusters of galaxies drops down to 10 Myr and below. The observed mass cooling rate of such gas is very low, suggesting that active galactic nucleus feedback is very tightly balanced or that the soft X-ray emission from cooling is somehow hidden from view. We use an intrinsic absorption model in which the cooling and coolest gas are closely interleaved to search for hidden cooling flows in the Centaurus, Perseus, and A1835 clusters of galaxies. We find hidden mass cooling rates of between 10 and $500\,{{\rm M_{\odot }}\,{\rm yr}^{-1}}$ as the cluster mass increases, with the absorbed emission emerging in the far-infrared (FIR) band. Good agreement is found between the hidden cooling rate and observed FIR luminosity in the Centaurus Cluster. The limits on the other two clusters allow for considerable hidden cooling. The implied total mass of cooled gas is much larger than the observed molecular masses. We discuss its fate including possible further cooling and collapse into undetected very cold clouds, low-mass stars, and substellar objects.
ExoMol line lists – XLVI. Empirical rovibronic spectra of silicon mononitrate (SiN) covering the six lowest electronic states and four isotopologues
Authors: Semenov Mikhail , Clark Nicholas , Yurchenko Sergei N , Kim Gap-Sue , Tennyson Jonathan
Published: July 2022

Silicon mononitride (28Si14N, 29Si14N, 30Si14N, 28Si15N) line lists covering infrared, visible, and ultraviolet regions are presented. The SiNful line lists produced by ExoMol include rovibronic transitions between six electronic states: $X\, {}^{2}\Sigma ^{+}$, $A\, {}^{2}\Pi$, $B\, {}^{2}\Sigma ^{+}$, $D\, {}^{2}\Delta$, $a\, {}^{4}\Sigma ^{+}$, $b\, {}^{4}\Pi$. The ab initio potential energy and coupling curves, computed at the multireference configuration interaction (MRCI/aug-cc-pVQZ) level of theory, are refined for the observed states by fitting their analytical representations to 1052 experimentally derived SiN energy levels determined from rovibronic bands belonging to the X–X, A–X, and B–X electronic systems through the MARVEL procedure. The SiNful line lists are compared to previously observed spectra, recorded and calculated lifetimes, and previously calculated partition functions. SiNful is available via the www.exomol.com database.
Translation and rotation equivariant normalizing flow (TRENF) for optimal cosmological analysis
Authors: Dai Biwei , Seljak Uroš
Published: July 2022

Our Universe is homogeneous and isotropic, and its perturbations obey translation and rotation symmetry. In this work, we develop translation and rotation equivariant normalizing flow (TRENF), a generative normalizing flow (NF) model which explicitly incorporates these symmetries, defining the data likelihood via a sequence of Fourier space-based convolutions and pixel-wise non-linear transforms. TRENF gives direct access to the high dimensional data likelihood p(x|y) as a function of the labels y, such as cosmological parameters. In contrast to traditional analyses based on summary statistics, the NF approach has no loss of information since it preserves the full dimensionality of the data. On Gaussian random fields, the TRENF likelihood agrees well with the analytical expression and saturates the Fisher information content in the labels y. On non-linear cosmological overdensity fields from N-body simulations, TRENF leads to significant improvements in constraining power over the standard power spectrum summary statistic. TRENF is also a generative model of the data, and we show that TRENF samples agree well with the N-body simulations it trained on, and that the inverse mapping of the data agrees well with a Gaussian white noise both visually and on various summary statistics: when this is perfectly achieved the resulting p(x|y) likelihood analysis becomes optimal. Finally, we develop a generalization of this model that can handle effects that break the symmetry of the data, such as the survey mask, which enables likelihood analysis on data without periodic boundaries.
Predictions for the X-ray circumgalactic medium of edge-on discs and spheroids
Authors: Nica Anna , Oppenheimer Benjamin D , Crain Robert A , Bogdán Ákos , Davies Jonathan J , Forman William R , Kraft Ralph P , ZuHone John A
Published: July 2022

We investigate how the X-ray circumgalactic medium (CGM) of present-day galaxies depends on galaxy morphology and azimuthal angle using mock observations generated from the EAGLE cosmological hydrodynamic simulation. By creating mock stacks of eROSITA-observed galaxies oriented to be edge-on, we make several observationally testable predictions for galaxies in the stellar mass range M⋆ = 1010.7–11.2 M⊙. The soft X-ray CGM of disc galaxies is between 60 and 100 per cent brighter along the semimajor axis compared to the semiminor axis, between 10 and 30 kpc. This azimuthal dependence is a consequence of the hot (T > 106 K) CGM being non-spherical: specifically, it is flattened along the minor axis such that denser and more luminous gas resides in the disc plane and corotates with the galaxy. Outflows enrich and heat the CGM preferentially perpendicular to the disc, but we do not find an observationally detectable signature along the semiminor axis. Spheroidal galaxies have hotter CGMs than disc galaxies related to spheroids residing at higher halo masses, which may be measurable through hardness ratios spanning the 0.2–1.5 keV band. While spheroids appear to have brighter CGMs than discs for the selected fixed M⋆ bin, this owes to spheroids having higher stellar and halo masses within that M⋆ bin, and obscures the fact that both simulated populations have similar total CGM luminosities at the exact same M⋆. Discs have brighter emission inside 20 kpc and more steeply declining profiles with radius than spheroids. We predict that the eROSITA 4-yr all-sky survey should detect many of the signatures we predict here, although targeted follow-up observations of highly inclined nearby discs after the survey may be necessary to observe some of our azimuthally dependant predictions.
The analysis of the iron-rich spectra of a sample of narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies
Authors: Paul Bynish , Winkler Hartmut , Potter Stephen
Published: July 2022

We analyse medium resolution optical spectra of 14 narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies with average to strong iron emission. The targets were observed several times over a 2-yr period to probe the nature of spectral variations. Parameters determined from fitting the line profiles include relative strength, width, and asymmetry. We explore the applicability of various profile combinations to H β. We achieve satisfactory fits using three components: the narrow and broad components characteristic of all Seyfert 1 galaxies and that are reasonably represented by Gaussian profiles, and an intermediate component with width similar to that of the Fe ii lines. This intermediate component accounted for the largest fraction of the H β flux in most of our sample, especially when fitted with a Lorentzian instead of a Gaussian profile. This Lorentzian component improves the overall H β fits in most cases. In contrast to many other types of active galactic nucleus, no dramatic spectral changes were detected in our sample over the 2-yr period spanning this study, even though some of our targets are known for large and rapid X-ray variability. In particular, we find the variability of the Fe ii lines relative to the H β intermediate component to be minimal. For the [O iii] lines, we identified asymmetries in almost all our targets well represented by two Gaussians: a primary central and a second blueshifted component. These may signify different gas dynamics connected with nuclear outflow. As in several previous studies, we identify a clear correlation between [O iii] asymmetry and its core component width.
Milky Way-like galaxies: stellar population properties of dynamically defined discs, bulges and stellar haloes
Authors: Ortega-Martinez Sara , Obreja Aura , Dominguez-Tenreiro Rosa , Pedrosa Susana E , Rosas-Guevara Yetli , Tissera Patricia B
Published: July 2022

The formation of galaxies can be understood in terms of the assembly patterns of each type of galactic component. To perform this kind of analysis, it is necessary to define some criteria to separate those components. Decomposition methods based on dynamical properties are more physically motivated than photometry-based ones. We use the unsupervised Gaussian Mixture model of galactic structure finder to extract the components of a sub-sample of galaxies with Milky Way-like masses from the eagle simulations. A clustering in the space of first- and second-order dynamical moments of all identified substructures reveals five types of galaxy components: thin and thick discs, stellar haloes, bulges and spheroids. We analyse the dynamical, morphological and stellar population (SP) properties of these five component types, exploring to what extent these properties correlate with each other, and how much they depend on the total galaxy stellar and dark matter halo masses. All galaxies contain a bulge, a stellar halo and a disc. In total, 60 per cent of objects host two discs (thin and thick), and 68 per cent host also a spheroid. The dynamical disc-to-total ratio does not depend on stellar mass, but the median rotational velocities of the two discs do. Thin discs are well separated in stellar ages, [Fe/H] and α-enhancement from the three dispersion-dominated components, while thick discs are in between. Except for thin discs, all components show correlations among their SP properties: older ages mean lower metallicities and larger α-enhancement. Finally, we quantify the weak dependence of SP properties on each component’s dynamics.
Milky Way mass with K giants and BHB stars using LAMOST, SDSS/SEGUE, and Gaia: 3D spherical Jeans equation and tracer mass estimator
Authors: Bird Sarah A , Xue Xiang-Xiang , Liu Chao , Flynn Chris , Shen Juntai , Wang Jie , Yang Chengqun , Zhai Meng , Zhu Ling , Zhao Gang , Tian Hai-Jun
Published: July 2022

We measure the enclosed Milky Way mass profile to Galactocentric distances of ∼70 and ∼50 kpc using the smooth, diffuse stellar halo samples of Bird et al. The samples are Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey/Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SDSS/SEGUE) K giants (KG) and SDSS/SEGUE blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars with accurate metallicities. The 3D kinematics are available through LAMOST and SDSS/SEGUE distances and radial velocities and Gaia DR2 proper motions. Two methods are used to estimate the enclosed mass: 3D spherical Jeans equation and Evans et al. tracer mass estimator (TME). We remove substructure via the Xue et al. method based on integrals of motion. We evaluate the uncertainties on our estimates due to random sampling noise, systematic distance errors, the adopted density profile, and non-virialization and non-spherical effects of the halo. The tracer density profile remains a limiting systematic in our mass estimates, although within these limits we find reasonable agreement across the different samples and the methods applied. Out to ∼70 and ∼50 kpc, the Jeans method yields total enclosed masses of 4.3 ± 0.95 (random) ±0.6 (systematic) × 1011 M⊙ and 4.1 ± 1.2 (random) ±0.6 (systematic) × 1011 M⊙ for the KG and BHB stars, respectively. For the KG and BHB samples, we find a dark matter virial mass of $M_{200}=0.55^{+0.15}_{-0.11}$ (random) ±0.083 (systematic) × 1012 M⊙ and $M_{200}=1.00^{+0.67}_{-0.33}$ (random) ±0.15 (systematic) × 1012 M⊙, respectively.
Testing a varying-Λ model for dark energy within co-varying physical couplings framework
Authors: Cuzinatto R R , Gupta R P , Holanda R F L , Jesus J F , Pereira S H
Published: July 2022

The Co-varying Physical Couplings (CPC) framework is a modified gravity set up assuming Einstein Field Equations wherein the quantities {G, c, Λ} are promoted to space–time functions. Bianchi identity and the requirement of stress-energy tensor conservation entangle the possible variations of the couplings {G, c, Λ}, which are forced to co-vary as dictated by the General Constraint (GC). In this paper, we explore a cosmological model wherein G, c, and Λ are functions of the redshift respecting the GC of the CPC framework. We assume a linear parametrization of Λ in terms of the scale factor a. We use the ansatz $\dot{G}/G = \sigma \left(\dot{c}/c \right)$ with σ = constant to deduce the functional forms of c = c(z) and G = G(z). We show that this varying-{G, c, Λ} model fits SNe Ia data and H(z) data with σ = 3. The model parameters can be constrained to describe dark energy at the background level.
Companion mass limits for 17 binary systems obtained with binary differential imaging and MagAO/Clio
Authors: Pearce Logan A , Males Jared R , Weinberger Alycia J , Long Joseph D , Morzinski Katie M , Close Laird M , Hinz Philip M
Published: July 2022

Improving direct detection capability close to the star through improved star subtraction and post-processing techniques is vital for discovering new low-mass companions and characterizing known ones at longer wavelengths. We present results of 17 binary star systems observed with the Magellan adaptive optics system (MagAO) and the Clio infrared camera on the Magellan Clay Telescope using binary differential imaging (BDI). BDI is an application of reference differential imaging (RDI) and angular differential imaging (ADI) applied to wide binary star systems (2 arcsec <Δρ < 10 arcsec) within the isoplanatic patch in the infrared. Each star serves as the point spread function (PSF) reference for the other, and we performed PSF estimation and subtraction using principal component analysis. We report contrast and mass limits for the 35 stars in our initial survey using BDI with MagAO/Clio in L′ and 3.95 µm bands. Our achieved contrasts varied between systems, and spanned a range of contrasts from 3.0 to 7.5 magnitudes and a range of separations from 0.2 to 2 arcsec. Stars in our survey span a range of masses, and our achieved contrasts correspond to late-type M-dwarf masses down to ∼10 MJup. We also report detection of a candidate companion signal at 0.2 arcsec (18 au) around HIP 67506 A (SpT G5V, mass ∼1.2 M⊙), which we estimate to be $\sim 60-90 \, \rm{M_{Jup}}$. We found that the effectiveness of BDI is highest for approximately equal brightness binaries in high-Strehl conditions.
Satellite mass functions and the faint end of the galaxy mass–halo mass relation in LCDM
Authors: Santos-Santos Isabel M E , Sales Laura V , Fattahi Azadeh , Navarro Julio F
Published: July 2022

The abundance of the faintest galaxies provides insight into the nature of dark matter and the process of dwarf galaxy formation. In the LCDM scenario, low-mass haloes are so numerous that the efficiency of dwarf formation must decline sharply with decreasing halo mass in order to accommodate the relative scarcity of observed dwarfs and satellites in the Local Group. The nature of this decline contains important clues to the mechanisms regulating the onset of galaxy formation in the faintest systems. We explore here two possible models for the stellar mass (M*)–halo mass (M200) relation at the faint end, motivated by some of the latest LCDM cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. One model includes a sharp mass threshold below which no luminous galaxies form, as expected if galaxy formation proceeds only in systems above the hydrogen-cooling limit. In the second model, M* scales as a steep power law of M200 with no explicit cut-off, as suggested by recent semi-analytical work. Although both models predict satellite numbers around Milky Way-like galaxies consistent with current observations, they predict vastly different numbers of ultrafaint dwarfs and of satellites around isolated dwarf galaxies. Our results illustrate how the satellite mass function around dwarfs may be used to probe the M*–M200 relation at the faint end and to elucidate the mechanisms that determine which low-mass haloes ‘light up’ or remain dark in the LCDM scenario.
The interplay between AGN feedback and precipitation of the intracluster medium in simulations of galaxy groups and clusters
Authors: Nobels Folkert S J , Schaye Joop , Schaller Matthieu , Bahé Yannick M , Chaikin Evgenii
Published: July 2022

Using high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations of idealized galaxy clusters, we study the interaction between the brightest cluster galaxy, its supermassive black hole (BH), and the intracluster medium (ICM). We create initial conditions for which the ICM is in hydrostatic equilibrium within the gravitational potential from the galaxy and an NFW dark matter halo. Two free parameters associated with the thermodynamic profiles determine the cluster gas fraction and the central temperature, where the latter can be used to create cool-core or non-cool-core systems. Our simulations include radiative cooling, star formation, BH accretion, and stellar and active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. Even though the energy of AGN feedback is injected thermally and isotropically, it leads to anisotropic outflows and buoyantly rising bubbles. We find that the BH accretion rate (BHAR) is highly variable and only correlates strongly with the star formation rate (SFR) and the ICM when it is averaged over more than $1~\rm Myr$. We generally find good agreement with the theoretical precipitation framework. In $10^{13}~\rm M_\odot$ haloes, AGN feedback quenches the central galaxy and converts cool-core systems into non-cool-core systems. In contrast, higher mass, cool-core clusters evolve cyclically. Episodes of high BHAR raise the entropy of the ICM out to the radius, where the ratio of the cooling time and the local dynamical time tcool/tdyn > 10, thus suppressing condensation and, after a delay, the BHAR. The corresponding reduction in AGN feedback allows the ICM to cool and become unstable to precipitation, thus initiating a new episode of high SFR and BHAR.
On the inconsistency of [C/Fe] abundances and the fractions of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars among various stellar surveys
Authors: Arentsen Anke , Placco Vinicius M , Lee Young Sun , Aguado David S , Martin Nicolas F , Starkenburg Else , Yoon Jinmi
Published: July 2022

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars are a unique resource for Galactic archaeology because they probe the properties of the First Stars, early chemical evolution, and binary interactions at very low metallicity. Comparing the fractions and properties of CEMP stars in different Galactic environments can provide us with unique insights into the formation and evolution of the Milky Way halo and its building blocks. In this work, we investigate whether directly comparing fractions of CEMP stars from different literature samples of very metal-poor ($\rm {[Fe/H]}\,\lt\, -2.0$) stars is valid. We compiled published CEMP fractions and samples of Galactic halo stars from the past 25 years, and find that they are not all consistent with each other. Focusing on giant stars, we find significant differences between various surveys when comparing their trends of [Fe/H] versus [C/Fe] and their distributions of CEMP stars. To test the role of the analysis pipelines for low-resolution spectroscopic samples, we re-analysed giant stars from various surveys with the sspp and ferre pipelines. We found systematic differences in [C/Fe] of ∼0.1−0.4 dex, partly independent of degeneracies with the stellar atmospheric parameters. These systematics are likely due to the different pipeline approaches, different assumptions in the employed synthetic grids, and/or the comparison of different evolutionary phases. We conclude that current biases in (the analysis of) very metal-poor samples limit the conclusions one can draw from comparing different surveys. We provide some recommendations and suggestions that will hopefully aid the community to unlock the full potential of CEMP stars for Galactic archaeology.
Evolution of dipolar mixed-mode coupling factor in red giant stars: impact of buoyancy spike
Authors: Jiang C , Cunha M , Christensen-Dalsgaard J , Zhang Q S , Gizon L
Published: July 2022

Mixed modes observed in red giants allow for investigation of the stellar interior structures. One important feature in these structures is the buoyancy spike caused by the discontinuity of the chemical gradient left behind during the first dredge-up. The buoyancy spike emerges at the base of the convective zone in low-luminosity red giants and later becomes a glitch when the g-mode cavity expands to encompass the spike. Here, we study the impact of the buoyancy spike on the dipolar mixed modes using stellar models with different properties. We find that the applicability of the asymptotic formalisms for the coupling factor, q, varies depending on the location of the evanescent zone, relative to the position of the spike. Significant deviations between the value of q inferred from fitting the oscillation frequencies and either of the formalisms proposed in the literature are found in models with a large frequency separation in the interval 5–15 μHz, with evanescent zones located in a transition region that may be thin or thick. However, it is still possible to reconcile q with the predictions from the asymptotic formalisms, by choosing which formalism to use according to the value of q. For stars approaching the luminosity bump, the buoyancy spike becomes a glitch and strongly affects the mode frequencies. Fitting the frequencies without accounting for the glitch leads to unphysical variations in the inferred q, but we show that this is corrected when properly accounting for the glitch in the fitting.
Connecting radio emission to AGN wind properties with broad absorption line quasars
Authors: Petley J W , Morabito L K , Alexander D M , Rankine A L , Fawcett V A , Rosario D J , Matthews J H , Shimwell T M , Drabent A
Published: July 2022

Broad absorption line quasars (BALQSOs) show strong signatures of powerful outflows, with the potential to alter the cosmic history of their host galaxies. These signatures are only seen in ∼10 per cent of optically selected quasars, although the fraction significantly increases in IR and radio selected samples. A proven physical explanation for this observed fraction has yet to be found, along with a determination of why this fraction increases at radio wavelengths. We present the largest sample of radio matched BALQSOs using the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey Data Release 2 and employ it to investigate radio properties of BALQSOs. Within the DR2 footprint, there are 3537 BALQSOs from Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR12 with continuum signal-to-noise ≥5. We find radio-detections for 1108 BALQSOs, with an important subpopulation of 120 LoBALs, an unprecedented sample size for radio matched BALQSOs given the sky coverage to date. BALQSOs are a radio-quiet population that show an increase of ×1.50 radio-detection fraction compared to non-BALQSOs. LoBALs show an increase of ×2.22 that of non-BALQSO quasars. We show that this detection fraction correlates with wind-strength, reddening, and C iv emission properties of BALQSOs and that these features may be connected, although no single property can fully explain the enhanced radio detection fraction. We create composite spectra for subclasses of BALQSOs based on wind strength and colour, finding differences in the absorption profiles of radio-detected and radio-undetected sources, particularly for LoBALs. Overall, we favour a wind-ISM interaction explanation for the increased radio-detection fraction of BALQSOs.
Broadband spectro-temporal study on blazar TXS 1700+685
Authors: Banerjee Anuvab , Nandi Prantik , Prince Raj , Khatoon Rukaiya , Bose Debanjan
Published: July 2022

We attempt to present a multiwavelength variability and correlation study as well as detailed multiwaveband spectral characteristics of the May 2021 gamma-ray flare of the blazar source TXS 1700+685. The multiwavelength observation from Fermi-LAT, Swift-XRT/UVOT as well as radio archival data are used for our spectro-temporal investigation. We estimate the variability time-scale of the source from the flux doubling time in different flaring region detected in Fermi-LAT observation and the shortest variability time is used to put a constraint on the minimum Doppler factor and on the size of the emission region. We have detected a statistically significant quasi-periodic oscillation feature at ∼17 d. The broad-band emission is satisfactorily represented during its flaring state with a leptonic synchrotron and inverse Compton component. From the broad-band spectral modelling, we observe the external Comptonization of the seed photons originating in the broad-line region to be dominant compared to the dusty torus. The equipartition value implies the energy density of the magnetic field in the jet comoving frame is weak. In order to produce the high-energy hump, we need the injection of a large population of high-energy electrons and/or the presence of strong magnetic field; and we observe the later component to be subdominant in our case. The gamma-ray spectral energy distribution shows the flat rising and steep falling profile, as well as the break or spectral curvature at ∼1 GeV, which has been seen for other flat-spectrum radio quasar sources before.
Can we reveal the core-chemical composition of ultra-massive white dwarfs through their magnetic fields?
Authors: Camisassa Maria E , Raddi Roberto , Althaus Leandro G , Isern Jordi , Rebassa-Mansergas Alberto , Torres Santiago , Córsico Alejandro H , Korre Lydia
Published: July 2022

Ultra-massive white dwarfs ($1.05\, \rm M_\odot \lesssim M_{WD}$) are particularly interesting objects that allow us to study extreme astrophysical phenomena such as type Ia supernovae explosions and merger events. Traditionally, ultra-massive white dwarfs are thought to harbour oxygen–neon (ONe) cores. However, recent theoretical studies and new observations suggest that some ultra-massive white dwarfs could harbour carbon–oxygen (CO) cores. Although several studies have attempted to elucidate the core composition of ultra-massive white dwarfs, to date, it has not been possible to distinguish them through their observed properties. Here, we present a new method for revealing the core-chemical composition in ultra-massive white dwarfs that is based on the study of magnetic fields generated by convective mixing induced by the crystallization process. ONe white dwarfs crystallize at higher luminosities than their CO counterparts. Therefore, the study of magnetic ultra-massive white dwarfs in the particular domain where ONe cores have reached the crystallization conditions but CO cores have not, may provide valuable support to their ONe core-chemical composition, since ONe white dwarfs would display signs of magnetic fields and CO would not. We apply our method to eight white dwarfs with magnetic field measurements and we suggest that these stars are candidate ONe white dwarfs.
Fast prograde coronal flows in solar active regions
Authors: Hudson Hugh S , Mulay Sargam M , Fletcher Lyndsay , Docherty Jennifer , Fitzpatrick Jimmy , Pike Eleanor , Strong Morven , Chamberlin Phillip C , Woods Thomas N
Published: July 2022

We report the discovery and characterization of high-speed (>100 km s−1) horizontal flows in solar active regions, making use of the Sun-as-a-star spectroscopy in the range 5–105 nm provided by the EVE (Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment) spectrometers on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. These apparent flows are persistent on time-scales of days, and are well observed in lines of Mg x, Si xii, and Fe xvi for example. They are prograde, as evidenced directly by blueshifts/redshifts peaking at the east/west limb passages of isolated active regions. The high-speed flow behaviour does not depend upon active-region latitude or solar cycle, with similar behaviour in Cycles 24 and 25.
Precession and Jitter in FRB 180916B
Authors: Katz J I
Published: July 2022

Recent CHIME/FRB observations of the periodic repeating fast radio bursts (FRB) 180916B have produced a homogeneous sample of 44 bursts. These permit a redetermination of the modulation period and phase window, in agreement with earlier results. If the periodicity results from the precession of an accretion disc, in analogy with those of Her X-1, SS 433, and many other superorbital periods, the width of the observable phase window indicates that the disc axis jitters by an angle of about 0.14 of the inclination angle, similar to the ratio of 0.14 in the well-observed jittering jet source SS 433.
On energetics and progenitors of odd radio circles: a causal connection with tidal disruption of stars?
Authors: Omar Amitesh
Published: July 2022

Odd Radio Circles or ORCs are recently discovered edge-brightened, low surface brightness circular radio sources. The progenitors and astrophysical processes responsible for their origins are presently debated. Some ORCs are host-less and some appear to be hosted in distant quiescent galaxies. Two plausible explanations consider ORCs as nearby supernova remnants with sizes a few hundred parsec in the intragroup medium of the Local Group of galaxies or alternatively shocked haloes of a few hundred kpc extent around distant galaxies. The input shock energy required to create ORCs of a few hundred kpc size is estimated in a range of 1055–1059 erg. It is shown here that the cumulative energy in unbound debris ejected from multiple (105–109) tidal disruption events over ∼100 Myr period around a central massive black hole can meet the required energies to generate ORCs around some galaxies, which have recently undergone a merger. The potential hosts for ORCs are identified here as abundant post-starburst galaxies at intermediate redshifts having massive black holes. A causal connection between ORC around quiescent galaxies and tidal disruption may find support in the observed dominance of tidal disruption events in post-starburst galaxies.
Double-stranded RNA drives SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein to undergo phase separation at specific temperatures
Authors: Roden Christine A , Dai Yifan , Giannetti Catherine A , Seim Ian , Lee Myungwoon , Sealfon Rachel , McLaughlin Grace A , Boerneke Mark A , Iserman Christiane , Wey Samuel A , Ekena Joanne L , Troyanskaya Olga G , Weeks Kevin M , You Lingchong , Chilkoti Ashutosh , Gladfelter Amy S
Published: July 2022

Nucleocapsid protein (N-protein) is required for multiple steps in betacoronaviruses replication. SARS-CoV-2-N-protein condenses with specific viral RNAs at particular temperatures making it a powerful model for deciphering RNA sequence specificity in condensates. We identify two separate and distinct double-stranded, RNA motifs (dsRNA stickers) that promote N-protein condensation. These dsRNA stickers are separately recognized by N-protein's two RNA binding domains (RBDs). RBD1 prefers structured RNA with sequences like the transcription-regulatory sequence (TRS). RBD2 prefers long stretches of dsRNA, independent of sequence. Thus, the two N-protein RBDs interact with distinct dsRNA stickers, and these interactions impart specific droplet physical properties that could support varied viral functions. Specifically, we find that addition of dsRNA lowers the condensation temperature dependent on RBD2 interactions and tunes translational repression. In contrast RBD1 sites are sequences critical for sub-genomic (sg) RNA generation and promote gRNA compression. The density of RBD1 binding motifs in proximity to TRS-L/B sequences is associated with levels of sub-genomic RNA generation. The switch to packaging is likely mediated by RBD1 interactions which generate particles that recapitulate the packaging unit of the virion. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 can achieve biochemical complexity, performing multiple functions in the same cytoplasm, with minimal protein components based on utilizing multiple distinct RNA motifs that control N-protein interactions.
Structural basis of AlpA-dependent transcription antitermination
Authors: Wen Aijia , Zhao Minxing , Jin Sha , Lu Yuan-Qiang , Feng Yu
Published: July 2022

AlpA positively regulates a programmed cell death pathway linked to the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by recognizing an AlpA binding element within the promoter, then binding RNA polymerase directly and allowing it to bypass an intrinsic terminator positioned downstream. Here, we report the single-particle cryo-electron microscopy structures of both an AlpA-loading complex and an AlpA-loaded complex. These structures indicate that the C-terminal helix-turn-helix motif of AlpA binds to the AlpA binding element and that the N-terminal segment of AlpA forms a narrow ring inside the RNA exit channel. AlpA was also revealed to render RNAP resistant to termination signals by prohibiting RNA hairpin formation in the RNA exit channel. Structural analysis predicted that AlpA, 21Q, λQ and 82Q share the same mechanism of transcription antitermination.