Table of contents for issue 2, volume 845, The Astrophysical Journal

We report the discovery of a rare new form of long-term radio variability in the light curves of active galaxies (AG)—symmetric achromatic variability (SAV)—a pair of opposed and strongly skewed peaks in the radio flux density observed over a broad frequency range. We propose that SAV arises through gravitational milli-lensing when relativistically moving features in AG jets move through gravitational lensing caustics created by subhalo condensates or black holes located within intervening galaxies. The lower end of this mass range has been inaccessible with previous gravitational lensing techniques. This new interpretation of some AG variability can easily be tested and if it passes these tests, will enable a new and powerful probe of cosmological matter distribution on these intermediate-mass scales, as well as provide, for the first time, micro-arcsecond resolution of the nuclei of AG—a factor of 30–100 greater resolution than is possible with ground-based millimeter very-long-baseline interferometry.

The radio light curve of J1415+1320 (PKS 1413+135) shows time-symmetric and recurring U-shaped features across the centimeter-wave and millimeter-wave bands. The symmetry of these features points to lensing by an intervening object as the cause. U-shaped events in radio light curves in the centimeter-wave band have previously been attributed to Extreme scattering events (ESE). ESEs are thought to be the result of lensing by compact plasma structures in the Galactic interstellar medium, but the precise nature of these plasma structures remains unknown. Since the strength of a plasma lens evolves with wavelength λ as , the presence of correlated variations at over a wide wavelength range casts doubt on the canonical ESE interpretation for J1415+1320. In this paper, we critically examine the evidence for plasma lensing in J1415+1320. We compute limits on the lensing strength and the associated free–free opacity of the putative plasma lenses. We compare the observed and model ESE light curves, and also derive a lower limit on the lens distance based on the effects of parallax due to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. We conclude that plasma lensing is not a viable interpretation for J1415+1320's light curves and that symmetric U-shaped features in the radio light curves of extragalactic sources do not present prima facie evidence for ESEs. The methodology presented here is generic enough to be applicable to any plasma-lensing candidate.

We analyze 3D hydrodynamical simulations of the interaction of jets and the bubbles they inflate with the intracluster medium (ICM) and show that the heating of the ICM by mixing hot bubble gas with the ICM operates over tens of millions of years and hence can smooth the sporadic activity of the jets. The inflation process of hot bubbles by propagating jets forms many vortices, and these vortices mix the hot bubble gas with the ICM. The mixing, and hence the heating of the ICM, starts immediately after the jets are launched, but continues for tens of millions of years. We suggest that the smoothing of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) sporadic activity by the long-lived vortices accounts for the recent finding of a gentle energy coupling between AGN heating and the ICM.

Despite the fact that the observed gradient in water content among the Galilean satellites is globally consistent with a formation in a circum-Jovian disk on both sides of the snowline, the mechanisms that led to a low water mass fraction in Europa (∼8%) are not yet understood. Here, we present new modeling results of solids transport in the circum-Jovian disk accounting for aerodynamic drag, turbulent diffusion, surface temperature evolution, and sublimation of water ice. We find that the water mass fraction of pebbles (e.g., solids with sizes of 10⁻²–1 m) as they drift inward is globally consistent with the current water content of the Galilean system. This opens the possibility that each satellite could have formed through pebble accretion within a delimited region whose boundaries were defined by the position of the snowline. This further implies that the migration of the forming satellites was tied to the evolution of the snowline so that Europa fully accreted from partially dehydrated material in the region just inside of the snowline.

We study the star formation activity of nearby galaxies with bars using a sample of late-type galaxies at and from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We compare the physical properties of strongly and weakly barred galaxies with those of non-barred galaxies that have stellar mass and redshift distributions similar to barred galaxies. We find that the star formation activity of strongly barred galaxies probed by starburstiness, , , and mid-infrared [3.4]–[12] colors is, on average, lower than that of non-barred galaxies. However, weakly barred galaxies do not show such a difference between barred and non-barred galaxies. The amounts of atomic and molecular gas in strongly barred galaxies are smaller than those in non-barred galaxies, and the gas metallicity is higher in strongly barred galaxies than in non-barred galaxies. The gas properties of weakly barred galaxies again show no difference from those of non-barred galaxies. We stack the optical spectra of barred and non-barred galaxies in several mass bins and fit to the stacked spectra with a spectral fitting code, STARLIGHT. We find no significant difference in stellar populations between barred and non-barred galaxies for both strongly and weakly barred galaxies. Our results are consistent with the idea that the star formation activity of barred galaxies was enhanced in the past along with significant gas consumption, and is currently lower than or similar to that of non-barred galaxies. The past star formation enhancement depends on the strength of bars.

We present observational analysis of two successive two-sided loop jets observed by the ground-based New Vacuum Solar Telescope and the space-borne Solar Dynamics Observatory. The two successive two-sided loop jets manifested similar evolution processes and both were associated with the interaction of two small-scale adjacent filamentary threads, magnetic emerging, and cancellation processes at the jet’s source region. High temporal and high spatial resolution observations reveal that the two adjacent ends of the two filamentary threads are rooted in opposite magnetic polarities within the source region. The two threads approached each other, and then an obvious brightening patch is observed at the interaction position. Subsequently, a pair of hot plasma ejections are observed heading in opposite directions along the paths of the two filamentary threads at a typical speed for two-sided loop jets of the order 150 km s⁻¹. Close to the end of the second jet, we report the formation of a bright hot loop structure at the source region, which suggests the formation of new loops during the interaction. Based on the observational results, we propose that the observed two-sided loop jets are caused by magnetic reconnection between the two adjacent filamentary threads, largely different from the previous scenario that a two-sided loop jet is generated by magnetic reconnection between an emerging bipole and the overlying horizontal magnetic fields.

The unique and highly unusual drift feature reported for PSR J0815+0939, wherein one component’s subpulses drift in the direction opposite of the general trend, is a veritable challenge to pulsar theory. In this paper, we observationally quantify the drift direction throughout its profile, and find that the second component is the only one that exhibits “bi-drifting,” meaning that only the second component moves in the direction opposite of the others. We present a model that shows that the observed bi-drifting phenomenon follows from the insight that the discharging regions, i.e., sparks, do not rotate around the magnetic axis per se, but rather around the point of maximum potential at the polar cap. We show that a purely dipolar surface magnetic field cannot exhibit bi-drifting behavior. though certain non-dipolar configurations can. We can distinguish two types of solutions, with relatively low () and high () surface magnetic fields. Depending on the strength of the surface magnetic field, the radius of the curvature of magnetic field lines ranges from to . Pulsar J0815+0939 allows us to gain an understanding of the polar-cap conditions essential for plasma generation processes in the inner acceleration region, by linking the observed subpulse shift to the underlying spark motion.

The [C ii] 158 μm fine-structure line is the brightest emission line observed in local star-forming galaxies. As a major coolant of the gas-phase interstellar medium, [C ii] balances the heating, including that due to far-ultraviolet photons, which heat the gas via the photoelectric effect. However, the origin of [C ii] emission remains unclear because C⁺ can be found in multiple phases of the interstellar medium. Here we measure the fractions of [C ii] emission originating in the ionized and neutral gas phases of a sample of nearby galaxies. We use the [N ii] 205 μm fine-structure line to trace the ionized medium, thereby eliminating the strong density dependence that exists in the ratio of [C ii]/[N ii] 122 μm. Using the FIR [C ii] and [N ii] emission detected by the KINGFISH (Key Insights on Nearby Galaxies: a Far- Infrared Survey with Herschel) and Beyond the Peak Herschel programs, we show that 60%–80% of [C ii] emission originates from neutral gas. We find that the fraction of [C ii] originating in the neutral medium has a weak dependence on dust temperature and the surface density of star formation, and has a stronger dependence on the gas-phase metallicity. In metal-rich environments, the relatively cooler ionized gas makes substantially larger contributions to total [C ii] emission than at low abundance, contrary to prior expectations. Approximate calibrations of this metallicity trend are provided.

White dwarfs (WDs) that accrete helium at rates , such as those in close binaries with sdB stars, can accumulate large () helium envelopes, which are likely to detonate. We perform binary stellar evolution calculations of sdB+WD binary systems with MESA, incorporating the important reaction chain (NCO), including a recent measurement for the rate. In large accreted helium shells, the NCO reaction chain leads to ignitions at the dense base of the freshly accreted envelope, in contrast to ignitions, which occur away from the base of the shell. In addition, at these accretion rates, the shells accumulate on a timescale comparable to their thermal time, leading to an enhanced sensitivity of the outcome on the accretion rate history. Hence, time dependent accretion rates from binary stellar evolution are necessary to determine the helium layer mass at ignition. We model the observed sdB+WD system CD  and find that the inclusion of these effects predicts ignition of a helium shell, nearly a factor of two larger than previous predictions. A shell with this mass will ignite dynamically, a necessary condition for a helium shell detonation.

We test the predictions of the Alfvén Wave Solar Model (AWSoM), a global wave-driven magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of the solar atmosphere, against high-resolution spectra emitted by the quiescent off-disk solar corona. AWSoM incorporates Alfvén wave propagation and dissipation in both closed and open magnetic field lines; turbulent dissipation is the only heating mechanism. We examine whether this mechanism is consistent with observations of coronal EUV emission by combining model results with the CHIANTI atomic database to create synthetic line-of-sight spectra, where spectral line widths depend on thermal and wave-related ion motions. This is the first time wave-induced line broadening is calculated from a global model with a realistic magnetic field. We used high-resolution SUMER observations above the solar west limb between 1.04 and 1.34 R_⊙ at the equator, taken in 1996 November. We obtained an AWSoM steady-state solution for the corresponding period using a synoptic magnetogram. The 3D solution revealed a pseudo-streamer structure transversing the SUMER line of sight, which contributes significantly to the emission; the modeled electron temperature and density in the pseudo-streamer are consistent with those observed. The synthetic line widths and the total line fluxes are consistent with the observations for five different ions. Further, line widths that include the contribution from the wave-induced ion motions improve the correspondence with observed spectra for all ions. We conclude that the turbulent dissipation assumed in the AWSoM model is a viable candidate for explaining coronal heating, as it is consistent with several independent measured quantities.

We carried out near-infrared (IR) observations to examine star formation toward the bright-rimmed cloud SFO 12, of which the main exciting star is O7V star in W5-W. We found a small young stellar object (YSO) cluster of six members embedded in the head of SFO 12 facing its exciting star, aligned along the UV radiation incident direction from the exciting star. We carried out high-resolution near-IR observations with the Subaru adaptive optics (AO) system and revealed that three of the cluster members appear to have circumstellar envelopes, one of which shows an arm-like structure in its envelope. Our near-IR and -band photometry and Spitzer IRAC data suggest that formation of two members at the tip side occurred in advance of other members toward the central part, under our adopted assumptions. Our near-IR data and previous studies imply that more YSOs are distributed in the region just outside the cloud head on the side of the main exciting star, but there is little sign of star formation toward the opposite side. We infer that star formation has been sequentially occurring from the exciting star side to the central part. We examined archival data of far-infrared and CO () which reveals that, unlike in the optical image, SFO 12 has a head–tail structure that is along the UV incident direction. This suggests that SFO 12 is affected by strong UV from the main exciting star. We discuss the formation of this head–tail structure and star formation there by comparing with a radiation-driven implosion (RDI) model.

We use spectropolarimetric observations of the Ca ii 8542 Å line, taken from the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope, in an attempt to recover dynamic activity in a micro-flaring region near a sunspot via inversions. These inversions show localized mean temperature enhancements of ∼1000 K in the chromosphere and upper photosphere, along with co-spatial bi-directional Doppler shifting of 5–10 km s⁻¹. This heating also extends along a nearby chromospheric fibril, which is co-spatial to 10–15 km s⁻¹ downflows. Strong magnetic flux cancellation is also apparent in one of the footpoints, and is concentrated in the chromosphere. This event more closely resembles that of an Ellerman Bomb, though placed slightly higher in the atmosphere than what is typically observed.

We use the first Gaia data release, combined with the RAVE and APOGEE spectroscopic surveys, to investigate the origin of halo stars within kpc from the Sun. We identify halo stars kinematically as moving at a relative speed of at least 220 km s⁻¹ with respect to the local standard of rest. These stars are generally less metal-rich than the disk, but surprisingly, half of our halo sample is comprised of stars with . The orbital directions of these metal-rich halo stars are preferentially aligned with the disk rotation, in sharp contrast with the intrinsically isotropic orbital distribution of the metal-poor halo stars. We find similar properties in the Latte cosmological zoom-in simulation of a Milky Way-like galaxy from the FIRE project. In Latte, metal-rich halo stars formed primarily inside of the solar circle, whereas lower-metallicity halo stars preferentially formed at larger distances (extending beyond the virial radius). This suggests that metal-rich halo stars in the solar neighborhood actually formed in situ within the Galactic disk, rather than having been accreted from satellite systems. These stars, currently on halo-like orbits, therefore have likely undergone substantial radial migration/heating.

We perform non-LTE inversions in a large set of umbral flashes, including the dark fibrils visible within them, and in the quiescent umbra by using the inversion code NICOLE on a set of full Stokes high-resolution Ca ii λ8542 observations of a sunspot at disk center. We find that the dark structures have Stokes profiles that are distinct from those of the quiescent and flashed regions. They are best reproduced by atmospheres that are more similar to the flashed atmosphere in terms of velocities, even if with reduced amplitudes. We also find two sets of solutions that finely fit the flashed profiles: a set that is upflowing, featuring a transition region that is deeper than in the quiescent case and preceded by a slight dip in temperature, and a second solution with a hotter atmosphere in the chromosphere but featuring downflows close to the speed of sound at such heights. Such downflows may be related, or even dependent, on the presence of coronal loops, rooted in the umbra of sunspots, as is the case in the region analyzed. Similar loops have been recently observed to have supersonic downflows in the transition region and are consistent with the earlier “sunspot plumes,” which were invariably found to display strong downflows in sunspots. Finally, we find, on average, a magnetic field reduction in the flashed areas, suggesting that the shock pressure is moving field lines in the upper layers.

The brief transient emitted as a shock wave erupts through the surface of a pre-supernova star carrying information about the stellar radius and explosion energy. Here, the CASTRO code, which treats radiation transport using multigroup flux-limited diffusion, is used to simulate the light curves and spectra of shock breakout in very low-energy supernovae (VLE SNe), explosions in giant stars with final kinetic energy much less than 10⁵¹ erg. VLE SN light curves, computed here with the KEPLER code, are distinctively faint, red, and long-lived, making them challenging to find with transient surveys. The accompanying shock breakouts are brighter, though briefer, and potentially easier to detect. Previous analytic work provides general guidance, but numerical simulations are challenging, due to the range of conditions and lack of equilibration between color and effective temperatures. We consider previous analytic work and extend discussions of color temperature and opacity to the lower energy range explored by these events. Since this is the first application of the CASTRO code to shock breakout, test simulations of normal energy shock breakout of SN 1987A are carried out and compared with the literature. A set of breakout light curves and spectra are then calculated for VLE SNe with final kinetic energies in the range erg for red supergiants with main-sequence masses of 15 and 25 . The importance of uncertainties in stellar atmosphere model, opacity, and ambient medium is discussed, as are observational prospects with current and forthcoming missions.

When integrating the radiative transfer equation for polarized light, the necessity of high-order numerical methods is well known. In fact, well-performing high-order formal solvers enable higher accuracy and the use of coarser spatial grids. Aiming to provide a clear comparison between formal solvers, this work presents different high-order numerical schemes and applies the systematic analysis proposed by Janett et al., emphasizing their advantages and drawbacks in terms of order of accuracy, stability, and computational cost.

The kinematics and dynamics of young stellar populations enable us to test theories of star formation. With this aim, we continue our analysis of the SDSS-III/APOGEE IN-SYNC survey, a high-resolution near-infrared spectroscopic survey of young clusters. We focus on the Orion A star-forming region, for which IN-SYNC obtained spectra of ∼2700 stars. In Paper IV we used these data to study the young stellar population. Here we study the kinematic properties through radial velocities (v_r). The young stellar population remains kinematically associated with the molecular gas, following a gradient along the filament. However, near the center of the region, the v_r distribution is slightly blueshifted and asymmetric; we suggest that this population, which is older, is slightly in the foreground. We find evidence for kinematic subclustering, detecting statistically significant groupings of colocated stars with coherent motions. These are mostly in the lower-density regions of the cloud, while the ONC radial velocities are smoothly distributed, consistent with it being an older, more dynamically evolved cluster. The velocity dispersion varies along the filament. The ONC appears virialized, or just slightly supervirial, consistent with an old dynamical age. Here there is also some evidence for ongoing expansion, from a v_r-extinction correlation. In the southern filament, is ∼2–3 times larger than virial in the L1641N region, where we infer a superposition along the line of sight of stellar subpopulations, detached from the gas. In contrast, decreases toward L1641S, where the population is again in agreement with a virial state.

The stability of planetary orbits around the GJ 832 star system, which contains inner (GJ 832c) and outer (GJ 832b) planets, is investigated numerically and a detailed phase-space analysis is performed. Special attention is given to the existence of stable orbits for a planet less than 15 M_⊕ that is injected between the inner and outer planets. Thus, numerical simulations are performed for three and four bodies in elliptical orbits (or circular for special cases) by using a large number of initial conditions that cover the selected phase-spaces of the planet’s orbital parameters. The results presented in the phase-space maps for GJ 832c indicate the least deviation of eccentricity from its nominal value, which is then used to determine its inclination regime relative to the star–outer planet plane. Also, the injected planet is found to display stable orbital configurations for at least one billion years. Then, the radial velocity curves based on the signature from the Keplerian motion are generated for the injected planets with masses 1 M_⊕ to 15 M_⊕ in order to estimate their semimajor axes and mass limits. The synthetic RV signal suggests that an additional planet of mass ≤15 M_⊕ with a dynamically stable configuration may be residing between 0.25 and 2.0 au from the star. We have provided an estimated number of RV observations for the additional planet that is required for further observational verification.

The flux of positrons and electrons (e⁺ + e⁻) has been measured by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) in the energy range between 7 GeV and 2 TeV. We discuss a number of interpretations of Pass 8 Fermi-LAT e⁺ + e⁻ spectrum, combining electron and positron emission from supernova remnants (SNRs) and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), or produced by the collision of cosmic rays (CRs) with the interstellar medium. We find that the Fermi-LAT spectrum is compatible with the sum of electrons from a smooth SNR population, positrons from cataloged PWNe, and a secondary component. If we include in our analysis constraints from the AMS-02 positron spectrum, we obtain a slightly worse fit to the e⁺ + e⁻Fermi-LAT spectrum, depending on the propagation model. As an additional scenario, we replace the smooth SNR component within 0.7 kpc with the individual sources found in Green’s catalog of Galactic SNRs. We find that separate consideration of far and near sources helps to reproduce the e⁺ + e⁻Fermi-LAT spectrum. However, we show that the fit degrades when the radio constraints on the positron emission from Vela SNR (which is the main contributor at high energies) are taken into account. We find that a break in the power-law injection spectrum at about 100 GeV can also reproduce the measured e⁺ + e⁻ spectrum and, among the CR propagation models that we consider, no reasonable break of the power-law dependence of the diffusion coefficient can modify the electron flux enough to reproduce the observed shape.

We present the results of a blind millimeter line emitter search using ALMA Band 6 data with a single-frequency tuning toward four gravitational lensing clusters (RXJ1347.5−1145, Abell S0592, MACS J0416.1−2403, and Abell 2744). We construct 3D signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) cubes with 60 and 100 MHz binning, and search for millimeter line emitters. We do not detect any line emitters with a peak S/N > 5, although we do find a line emitter candidate with a peak S/N ≃ 4.5. These results provide upper limits to the CO(3−2), CO(4−3), CO(5−4), and [C ii] luminosity functions at z ≃ 0.3, 0.7, 1.2, and 6, respectively. Because of the magnification effect of gravitational lensing clusters, the new data provide the first constraints on the CO and [C ii] luminosity functions at unprecedentedly low luminosity levels, i.e., down to ≲10⁻³ – 10⁻¹ Mpc⁻³ dex⁻¹ at K km s⁻¹ pc² and ≲10⁻³–10⁻² Mpc⁻³ dex⁻¹ at , respectively. Although the constraints to date are not yet stringent, we find that the evolution of the CO and [C ii] luminosity functions are broadly consistent with the predictions of semi-analytical models. This study demonstrates that the wide observations with a single-frequency tuning toward gravitational lensing clusters are promising for constraining the CO and [C ii] luminosity functions.

An interesting phenomenon, plasma poloidal motion, has been found in many magnetic clouds (MCs), and viscosity has been proposed as a possible mechanism. However, it is not clear how significant the role of viscosity is in generating such motion. In this paper, we conduct a statistical study of the MCs detected by the Wind spacecraft during 1995–2012. It is found that, for 19% of all the studied MCs (186), the poloidal velocities of the MC plasma near the MC boundaries are well correlated with those of the corresponding ambient solar wind plasma. A non-monotonic increase from inner to outer MCs suggests that the viscosity does play a role, albeit weak, on the poloidal motion in the MC statistically. The possible dependence on the solar wind parameters is then studied in detail for the nine selected crossings, which represent the viscosity characteristic. There is an evident negative correlation between the viscosity and the density, a weak negative correlation between the viscosity and the turbulence strength, and no clear correlation between the viscosity and the temperature.

The nearby (d = 12 pc) M8 dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 (2MASS J23062928−0502285) hosts a compact system of at least seven exoplanets with sizes similar to Earth. Given its importance for testing planet formation and evolution theories, and for assessing the prospects for habitability among Earth-size exoplanets orbiting the most common type of star in the Galaxy, we present a comprehensive assessment of the age of this system. We collate empirical age constraints based on the color-absolute magnitude diagram, average density, lithium absorption, surface gravity features, metallicity, kinematics, rotation, and magnetic activity; and conclude that TRAPPIST-1 is a transitional thin/thick disk star with an age of 7.6 ± 2.2 Gyr. The star’s color–magnitude position indicates that it is slightly metal-rich, which is consistent with the previously reported near-infrared spectroscopic metallicity; and it has a radius ) that is larger by 8%–14% than the predictions of solar-metallicity evolutionary models. We discuss some implications of the old age of this system with regard to the stability and habitability of its planets.

Flux estimates for ionizing radiation escaping from star-forming galaxies with characteristic UV luminosities (), derived from GALEX and the VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey, are presented as a function of redshift and assumed escape fraction. These estimates offer guidance to the design of instrumentation and observing strategies, be they spectroscopic or photometric, for attempting to detect LyC escaping star-forming galaxies for redshifts . Examples are given that relate the integrated escape fraction (f^e_LyC) of ionizing photons, obtained by integrating over the entire extreme UV (EUV) bandpass, to the relative escape fraction (f^e₉₀₀) observed just shortward of the ionization edge at 911.8 Å as a function of H i, He i, and He ii column densities. We find that for , f^e_LyC is significantly greater than f^e₉₀₀. Detection of LyC “drop-ins” in the rest-frame EUV will provide enhanced fidelity to determinations of the integrated fraction of ionizing photons f^e_LyC that escape star-forming galaxies and contribute to the metagalactic ionizing background (MIB).

The influence of adiabatic focusing on particle diffusion is an important topic in astrophysics and plasma physics. In the past, several authors have explored the influence of along-field adiabatic focusing on the parallel diffusion of charged energetic particles. In this paper, using the unified nonlinear transport theory developed by Shalchi and the method of He and Schlickeiser, we derive a new nonlinear perpendicular diffusion coefficient for a non-uniform background magnetic field. This formula demonstrates that the particle perpendicular diffusion coefficient is modified by along-field adiabatic focusing. For isotropic pitch-angle scattering and the weak adiabatic focusing limit, the derived perpendicular diffusion coefficient is independent of the sign of adiabatic focusing characteristic length. For the two-component model, we simplify the perpendicular diffusion coefficient up to the second order of the power series of the adiabatic focusing characteristic quantity. We find that the first-order modifying factor is equal to zero and that the sign of the second order is determined by the energy of the particles.

We perform the first study of the properties of the Larmor electric field (LEF) in collisionless asymmetric magnetic reconnection in the presence of an out-of-plane (guide) magnetic field for different sets of representative upstream parameters at Earth’s dayside magnetopause with an ion temperature greater than the electron temperature (the ion-to-electron temperature ratio fixed at 2) using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. We show that the LEF does persist in the presence of a guide field. We study how the LEF thickness and strength change as a function of guide field and the magnetospheric temperature and reconnecting magnetic field strength. We find that the thickness of the LEF structure decreases, while its magnitude increases when a guide field is added to the reconnecting magnetic field. The added guide field makes the Larmor radius smaller, so the scaling with the magnetospheric ion Larmor radius is similar to that reported for the case without a guide field. Note, however, that the physics causing the LEF is not well understood, so future work in other parameter regimes is needed to fully predict the LEF for arbitrary conditions. We also find that a previously reported upstream electron temperature anisotropy arises in the vicinity of the LEF region both with and without a guide field. We argue that the generation of the anisotropy is linked to the existence of the LEF. The LEF can be used in combination with the electron temperature anisotropy as a signature to effectively identify dayside reconnection sites in observations.

The development of two-dimensional (2D) bulge-to-disk decomposition techniques has shown their advantages over traditional one-dimensional (1D) techniques, especially for galaxies with non-axisymmetric features. However, the full potential of 2D techniques has yet to be fully exploited. Secondary morphological features in nearby disk galaxies, such as bars, lenses, rings, disk breaks, and spiral arms, are seldom accounted for in 2D image decompositions, even though some image-fitting codes, such as GALFIT, are capable of handling them. We present detailed, 2D multi-model and multi-component decomposition of high-quality R-band images of a representative sample of nearby disk galaxies selected from the Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey, using the latest version of GALFIT. The sample consists of five barred and five unbarred galaxies, spanning Hubble types from S0 to Sc. Traditional 1D decomposition is also presented for comparison. In detailed case studies of the 10 galaxies, we successfully model the secondary morphological features. Through a comparison of best-fit parameters obtained from different input surface brightness models, we identify morphological features that significantly impact bulge measurements. We show that nuclear and inner lenses/rings and disk breaks must be properly taken into account to obtain accurate bulge parameters, whereas outer lenses/rings and spiral arms have a negligible effect. We provide an optimal strategy to measure bulge parameters of typical disk galaxies, as well as prescriptions to estimate realistic uncertainties of them, which will benefit subsequent decomposition of a larger galaxy sample.

The presence of FeO particles in circumstellar space has been suggested based on the observation of a mysterious 21 μm emission band. However, the complete infrared spectra of FeO have not been obtained so far; hence, data of the infrared (IR) spectra of FeO need to be investigated. We prepared synthetic and commercial samples of FeO, which were obtained by crushing bulk samples, annealing iron oxalate dihydrate (), and mechanical milling of a powder mixture comprising (Fe and ) particles with different milling times. We present a new study on the IR spectra of these samples, and show that these spectra changed according to defects and disorders. Furthermore, FeO particles are very sensitive to oxygen fugacity and temperature. The spectra of FeO particles were compared with the unidentified observed feature. It may be difficult for FeO particles to exist alone in the ISM and circumstellar space. This may be connected to the problem of missing iron in the ISM.

We have conducted a mapping spectral line survey toward the Galactic giant molecular cloud W51 in the 3 mm band with the Mopra 22 m telescope in order to study an averaged chemical composition of the gas extended over a molecular-cloud scale in our Galaxy. We have observed the area of 25′ × 30′, which corresponds to 39 pc × 47 pc. The frequency ranges of the observation are 85.1–101.1 GHz and 107.0–114.9 GHz. In the spectrum spatially averaged over the observed area, spectral lines of 12 molecular species and 4 additional isotopologues are identified. An intensity pattern of the spatially averaged spectrum is found to be similar to that of the spiral arm in the external galaxy M51, indicating that these two sources have similar chemical compositions. The observed area has been classified into five subregions according to the integrated intensity of ¹³CO(J = 1 − 0) (), and contributions of the fluxes of 11 molecular lines from each subregion to the averaged spectrum have been evaluated. For most of the molecular species, 50% or more of the flux comes from the subregions with from 25 to 100 K km s⁻¹, which does not involve active star-forming regions. Therefore, the molecular-cloud-scale spectrum observed in the 3 mm band hardly represents the chemical composition of star-forming cores, but mainly represents the chemical composition of an extended quiescent molecular gas. The present result constitutes a sound base for interpreting the spectra of external galaxies at a resolution of a molecular-cloud scale (∼10 pc) or larger.

As one of the most violent astrophysical phenomena, coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have strong potential space weather effects. However, not all Earth-directed CMEs encounter the Earth and produce geo-effects. One reason is the deflected propagation of CMEs in interplanetary space. Although there have been several case studies clearly showing such deflections, it has not yet been statistically assessed how significantly the deflected propagation would influence the CME’s arrival at Earth. We develop an integrated CME-arrival forecasting (iCAF) system, assembling the modules of CME detection, three-dimensional (3D) parameter derivation, and trajectory reconstruction to predict whether or not a CME arrives at Earth, and we assess the deflection influence on the CME-arrival forecasting. The performance of iCAF is tested by comparing the two-dimensional (2D) parameters with those in the Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) Data Center catalog, comparing the 3D parameters with those of the gradual cylindrical shell model, and estimating the success rate of the CME Earth-arrival predictions. It is found that the 2D parameters provided by iCAF and the CDAW catalog are consistent with each other, and the 3D parameters derived by the ice cream cone model based on single-view observations are acceptable. The success rate of the CME-arrival predictions by iCAF with deflection considered is about 82%, which is 19% higher than that without deflection, indicating the importance of the CME deflection for providing a reliable forecasting. Furthermore, iCAF is a worthwhile project since it is a completely automatic system with deflection taken into account.

A few dark matter substructures have recently been detected in strong gravitational lenses through their perturbations of highly magnified images. We derive a characteristic scale for lensing perturbations and show that they are significantly larger than the perturber’s Einstein radius. We show that the perturber’s projected mass enclosed within this radius, scaled by the log-slope of the host galaxy’s density profile, can be robustly inferred even if the inferred density profile and tidal radius of the perturber are biased. We demonstrate the validity of our analytic derivation using several gravitational lens simulations where the tidal radii and the inner log-slopes of the density profile of the perturbing subhalo are allowed to vary. By modeling these simulated data, we find that our mass estimator, which we call the effective subhalo lensing mass, is accurate to within about 10% or smaller in each case, whereas the inferred total subhalo mass can potentially be biased by nearly an order of magnitude. We therefore recommend that the effective subhalo lensing mass be reported in future lensing reconstructions, as this will allow for a more accurate comparison with the results of dark matter simulations.

We study the X-ray phases of the Crab pulsar utilizing the 11-year observations from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, 6-year radio observations from Nanshan Telescope, and the ephemeris from Jodrell Bank Observatory. It is found that the X-ray phases in different energy bands and the radio phases from the Nanshan Telescope show similar behaviors, including long-time evolution and short-time variations. Such strong correlations between the X-ray and radio phases imply that the radio and X-ray timing noises are both generated from the pulsar spin that cannot be well described by the the monthly ephemeris from the Jodrell Bank observatory. When using the Nanshan phases as references to study the X-ray timing noise, it has a significantly smaller variation amplitude and shows no long-time evolution, with a change rate of (−1.1 ± 1.1) × 10⁻⁷ periods per day. These results show that the distance of the X-ray and radio emission regions on the Crab pulsar has no detectable secular change, and it is unlikely that the timing noises resulted from any unique physical processes in the radio or X-ray emitting regions. The similar behaviors of the X-ray and radio timing noises also imply that the variation of the interstellar medium is not the origin of the Crab pulsar’s timing noises, which is consistent with the results obtained from the multi-frequency radio observations of PSR B1540−06.

The architectures of debris disks encode the history of planet formation in these systems. Studies of debris disks via their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) have found infrared excesses arising from cold dust, warm dust, or a combination of the two. The cold outer belts of many systems have been imaged, facilitating their study in great detail. Far less is known about the warm components, including the origin of the dust. The regularity of the disk temperatures indicates an underlying structure that may be linked to the water snow line. If the dust is generated from collisions in an exo-asteroid belt, the dust will likely trace the location of the water snow line in the primordial protoplanetary disk where planetesimal growth was enhanced. If instead the warm dust arises from the inward transport from a reservoir of icy material farther out in the system, the dust location is expected to be set by the current snow line. We analyze the SEDs of a large sample of debris disks with warm components. We find that warm components in single-component systems (those without detectable cold components) follow the primordial snow line rather than the current snow line, so they likely arise from exo-asteroid belts. While the locations of many warm components in two-component systems are also consistent with the primordial snow line, there is more diversity among these systems, suggesting additional effects play a role.

Signal estimates for direct axion dark matter (DM) searches have used the isothermal sphere halo model for the last several decades. While insightful, the isothermal model does not capture effects from a halo’s infall history nor the influence of baryonic matter, which has been shown to significantly influence a halo’s inner structure. The high resolution of cavity axion detectors can make use of modern cosmological structure-formation simulations, which begin from realistic initial conditions, incorporate a wide range of baryonic physics, and are capable of resolving detailed structure. This work uses a state-of-the-art cosmological N-body+Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics simulation to develop an improved signal model for axion cavity searches. Signal shapes from a class of galaxies encompassing the Milky Way are found to depart significantly from the isothermal sphere. A new signal model for axion detectors is proposed and projected sensitivity bounds on the Axion DM eXperiment (ADMX) data are presented.

We report a Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) observation of a solar microflare, SOL2015-09-01T04. Although it was too faint to be observed by the GOES X-ray Sensor, we estimate the event to be an A0.1 class flare in brightness. This microflare, with only ∼5 counts s⁻¹ detector⁻¹ observed by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), is fainter than any hard X-ray (HXR) flare in the existing literature. The microflare occurred during a solar pointing by the highly sensitive NuSTAR astrophysical observatory, which used its direct focusing optics to produce detailed HXR microflare spectra and images. The microflare exhibits HXR properties commonly observed in larger flares, including a fast rise and more gradual decay, earlier peak time with higher energy, spatial dimensions similar to the RHESSI microflares, and a high-energy excess beyond an isothermal spectral component during the impulsive phase. The microflare is small in emission measure, temperature, and energy, though not in physical size; observations are consistent with an origin via the interaction of at least two magnetic loops. We estimate the increase in thermal energy at the time of the microflare to be 2.4 × 10²⁷ erg. The observation suggests that flares do indeed scale down to extremely small energies and retain what we customarily think of as “flare-like” properties.

The 3.3 μm unidentified infrared emission feature is commonly attributed to the C–H stretching band of aromatic molecules. Astronomical observations have shown that this feature is composed of two separate bands at 3.28 and 3.30 μm, and the origin of these two bands is unclear. In this paper, we perform vibrational analyses based on quantum mechanical calculations of 153 organic molecules, including both pure aromatic molecules and molecules with mixed aromatic/olefinic/aliphatic hydridizations. We find that many of the C–H stretching vibrational modes in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules are coupled. Even considering the uncoupled modes only, the correlation between the band intensity ratios and the structure of the PAH molecule is not observed, and the 3.28 and 3.30 μm features cannot be directly interpreted in the PAH model. Based on these results, the possible aromatic, olefinic, and aliphatic origins of the 3.3 μm feature are discussed. We suggest that the 3.28 μm feature is assigned to aromatic C–H stretch whereas the 3.30 μm feature is olefinic. From the ratio of these two features, the relative olefinic to aromatic content of the carrier can be determined.

We introduce a new method for analyzing the aperiodic variability of coherent pulsations in accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars (AMXPs). Our method involves applying a complex frequency correction to the time-domain light curve, allowing for the aperiodic modulation of the pulse amplitude to be robustly extracted in the frequency domain. We discuss the statistical properties of the resulting modulation spectrum and show how it can be correlated with the non-pulsed emission to determine if the periodic and aperiodic variability are coupled processes. Using this method, we study the 598.88 Hz coherent pulsations of the AMXP IGR J00291+5934 as observed with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and XMM-Newton. We demonstrate that our method easily confirms the known coupling between the pulsations and a strong 8 mHz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in XMM-Newton observations. Applying our method to the RXTE observations, we further show, for the first time, that the much weaker 20 mHz QPO and its harmonic are also coupled with the pulsations. We discuss the implications of this coupling and indicate how it may be used to extract new information on the underlying accretion process.

Phobos and Deimos are the two small moons of Mars. Recent works have shown that they can accrete within an impact-generated disk. However, the detailed structure and initial thermodynamic properties of the disk are poorly understood. In this paper, we perform high-resolution SPH simulations of the Martian moon-forming giant impact that can also form the Borealis basin. This giant impact heats up the disk material (around ∼2000 K in temperature) with an entropy increase of ∼1500 J K⁻¹ kg⁻¹. Thus, the disk material should be mostly molten, though a tiny fraction of disk material () would even experience vaporization. Typically, a piece of molten disk material is estimated to be meter sized owing to the fragmentation regulated by their shear velocity and surface tension during the impact process. The disk materials initially have highly eccentric orbits (e ∼ 0.6–0.9), and successive collisions between meter-sized fragments at high impact velocity (∼1–5 km s⁻¹) can grind them down to ∼100 μm sized particles. On the other hand, a tiny amount of vaporized disk material condenses into ∼0.1 μm sized grains. Thus, the building blocks of the Martian moons are expected to be a mixture of these different sized particles from meter-sized down to ∼100 μm sized particles and ∼0.1 μm sized grains. Our simulations also suggest that the building blocks of Phobos and Deimos contain both impactor and Martian materials (at least 35%), most of which come from the Martian mantle (50–150 km in depth; at least 50%). Our results will give useful information for planning a future sample return mission to Martian moons, such as JAXA’s MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission.

We report the detection of heavy reddening and the He i* λ10830 absorption lines at the active galactic nucleus (AGN) redshift in three narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies: SDSS J091848.61+211717.0, SDSS J111354.66+124439.0, and SDSS J122749.13+321458.9. They exhibit very red optical to near-infrared colors, narrow Balmer/Paschen broad emission lines and He i* λ10830 absorption lines. The ultraviolet-optical-infrared nucleus continua are reddened by the SMC extinction law of E(B − V) ∼ 0.74, 1.17, and 1.24 mag for three objects, which are highly consistent with the values obtained from the broad-line Balmer decrements, but larger than those of narrow emission lines. The reddening analysis suggests that the extinction dust simultaneously obscures the accretion disk, the broad emission-line region, and the hot dust from the inner edge of the torus. It is possible that the dust obscuring the AGN structures is the dusty torus itself. Furthermore, the Cloudy analysis of the He i* λ10830 absorption lines proposes the distance of the absorption materials to be the extend scale of the torus, which greatly increases probabilities of the obscure and absorption materials being the dusty torus.

We report the detection of a number of emission lines in the 1.0–2.4 μm spectra of four of the five bright-infrared dust-embedded stars at the center of the Galactic center’s (GC) Quintuplet Cluster. Spectroscopy of the central stars of these objects is hampered not only by the large interstellar extinction that obscures all of the objects in the GC, but also by the large amounts of warm circumstellar dust surrounding each of the five stars. The pinwheel morphologies of the dust observed previously around two of them are indicative of Wolf–Rayet colliding wind binaries; however, infrared spectra of each of the five have until now revealed only dust continua steeply rising to long wavelengths and absorption lines and bands from interstellar gas and dust. The emission lines detected, from ionized carbon and from helium, are broad and confirm that the objects are dusty late-type carbon Wolf–Rayet stars.

Using a numerical hydrodynamics code, we perform various idealized galaxy merger simulations to study the star formation (SF) of two merging disk galaxies. Our simulations include gas accretion onto supermassive black holes and active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. By comparing AGN simulations with those without AGNs, we attempt to understand when the AGN feedback effect is significant. Using ∼70 simulations, we investigate SF with the AGN effect in mergers with a variety of mass ratios, inclinations, orbits, galaxy structures, and morphologies. Using these merger simulations with AGN feedback, we measure merger-driven SF using the burst efficiency parameter introduced by Cox et al. We confirm previous studies which demonstrated that, in galaxy mergers, AGN suppresses SF more efficiently than in isolated galaxies. However, we also find that the effect of AGNs on SF is larger in major than in minor mergers. In minor merger simulations with different primary bulge-to-total ratios, the effect of bulge fraction on the merger-driven SF decreases due to AGN feedback. We create models of Sa-, Sb-, and Sc-type galaxies and compare their SF properties while undergoing mergers. With the current AGN prescriptions, the difference in merger-driven SF is not as pronounced as in the recent observational study of Kaviraj. We discuss the implications of this discrepancy.

We present the analysis of the binary gravitational microlensing event MOA-2015-BLG-020. The event has a fairly long timescale (∼63 days) and thus the light curve deviates significantly from the lensing model that is based on the rectilinear lens-source relative motion. This enables us to measure the microlensing parallax through the annual parallax effect. The microlensing parallax parameters constrained by the ground-based data are confirmed by the Spitzer observations through the satellite parallax method. By additionally measuring the angular Einstein radius from the analysis of the resolved caustic crossing, the physical parameters of the lens are determined. It is found that the binary lens is composed of two dwarf stars with masses and in the Galactic disk. Assuming that the source star is at the same distance as the bulge red clump stars, we find the lens is at a distance . We also provide a summary and short discussion of all of the published microlensing events in which the annual parallax effect is confirmed by other independent observations.

Recent observations and analysis of low-mass (<10 M_⊕) exoplanets have found that rocky planets only have radii up to 1.5–2 R_⊕. Two general hypotheses exist for the cause of the dichotomy between rocky and gas-enveloped planets (or possible water worlds): either low-mass planets do not necessarily form thick atmospheres of a few wt.%, or the thick atmospheres on these planets easily escape, driven by X-ray and extreme ultraviolet (XUV) emissions from young parent stars. Here, we show that a cutoff between rocky and gas-enveloped planets due to hydrodynamic escape is most likely to occur at a mean radius of 1.76 ± 0.38 (2σ) R_⊕ around Sun-like stars. We examine the limit in rocky planet radii predicted by hydrodynamic escape across a wide range of possible model inputs, using 10,000 parameter combinations drawn randomly from plausible parameter ranges. We find a cutoff between rocky and gas-enveloped planets that agrees with the observed cutoff. The large cross-section available for XUV absorption in the extremely distended primitive atmospheres of low-mass planets results in complete loss of atmospheres during the ∼100 Myr phase of stellar XUV saturation. In contrast, more-massive planets have less-distended atmospheres and less escape, and so retain thick atmospheres through XUV saturation—and then indefinitely as the XUV and escape fluxes drop over time. The agreement between our model and exoplanet data leads us to conclude that hydrodynamic escape plausibly explains the observed upper limit on rocky planet size and few planets (a “valley”, or “radius gap”) in the 1.5–2 R_⊕ range.

Energetic ionized gas outflows driven by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have been studied as a key phenomenon related to AGN feedback. To probe the kinematics of the gas in the narrow-line region, [O iii] λ5007 has been utilized in a number of studies showing nonvirial kinematic properties due to AGN outflows. In this paper, we statistically investigate whether the Hα emission line is influenced by AGN-driven outflows by measuring the kinematic properties based on the Hα line profile and comparing them with those of [O iii]. Using the spatially integrated spectra of ∼37,000 Type 2 AGNs at z < 0.3 selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7, we find a nonlinear correlation between Hα velocity dispersion and stellar velocity dispersion that reveals the presence of the nongravitational component, especially for AGNs with a wing component in Hα. The large Hα velocity dispersion and velocity shift of luminous AGNs are clear evidence of AGN outflow impacts on hydrogen gas, while relatively smaller kinematic properties compared to those of [O iii] imply that the observed outflow effect on the Hα line is weaker than the case of [O iii].

The TRAPPIST-1, Proxima Centauri, and LHS 1140 systems are the most exciting prospects for future follow-up observations of potentially inhabited planets. All of the planets orbit nearby M-stars and are likely tidally locked in 1:1 spin–orbit states, which motivates the consideration of the effects that tidal locking might have on planetary habitability. On Earth, periods of global glaciation (snowballs) may have been essential for habitability and remote signs of life (biosignatures) because they are correlated with increases in the complexity of life and in the atmospheric oxygen concentration. In this paper, we investigate the snowball bifurcation (sudden onset of global glaciation) on tidally locked planets using both an energy balance model and an intermediate-complexity global climate model. We show that tidally locked planets are unlikely to exhibit a snowball bifurcation as a direct result of the spatial pattern of insolation they receive. Instead, they will smoothly transition from partial to complete ice coverage and back. A major implication of this work is that tidally locked planets with an active carbon cycle should not be found in a snowball state. Moreover, this work implies that tidally locked planets near the outer edge of the habitable zone with low CO₂ outgassing fluxes will equilibrate with a small unglaciated substellar region rather than cycling between warm and snowball states. More work is needed to determine how the lack of a snowball bifurcation might affect the development of life on a tidally locked planet.

We present a model that explains why galaxies form stars on a timescale significantly longer than the timescales of processes governing the evolution of interstellar gas. We show that gas evolves from a non-star-forming to a star-forming state on a relatively short timescale, and thus the rate of this evolution does not limit the star formation rate (SFR). Instead, the SFR is limited because only a small fraction of star-forming gas is converted into stars before star-forming regions are dispersed by feedback and dynamical processes. Thus, gas cycles into and out of a star-forming state multiple times, which results in a long timescale on which galaxies convert gas into stars. Our model does not rely on the assumption of equilibrium and can be used to interpret trends of depletion times with the properties of observed galaxies and the parameters of star formation and feedback recipes in simulations. In particular, the model explains how feedback self-regulates the SFR in simulations and makes it insensitive to the local star formation efficiency. We illustrate our model using the results of an isolated L_*-sized galaxy simulation that reproduces the observed Kennicutt–Schmidt relation for both molecular and atomic gas. Interestingly, the relation for molecular gas is almost linear on kiloparsec scales, although a nonlinear relation is adopted in simulation cells. We discuss how a linear relation emerges from non-self-similar scaling of the gas density PDF with the average gas surface density.

We use a phenomenological model to show that black hole growth in the local universe () can be described by two separate, mass-independent Eddington ratio distribution functions (ERDFs). We assume that black holes can be divided into two independent groups: those with radiatively efficient accretion, primarily hosted by optically blue and green galaxies, and those with radiatively inefficient accretion, which are mainly found in red galaxies. With observed galaxy stellar mass functions as input, we show that the observed active galactic nucleus (AGN) luminosity functions can be reproduced by using mass-independent, broken power-law-shaped ERDFs. We use the observed hard X-ray and 1.4 GHz radio luminosity functions to constrain the ERDF for radiatively efficient and inefficient AGNs, respectively. We also test alternative ERDF shapes and mass-dependent models. Our results are consistent with a mass-independent AGN fraction and AGN hosts being randomly drawn from the galaxy population. We argue that the ERDF is not shaped by galaxy-scale effects, but by how efficiently material can be transported from the inner few parsecs to the accretion disc. Our results are incompatible with the simplest form of mass quenching where massive galaxies host higher accretion rate AGNs. Furthermore, if reaching a certain Eddington ratio is a sufficient condition for maintenance mode, it can occur in all red galaxies, not just the most massive ones.

Ever-increasing multi-frequency imaging of solar observations suggests that solar flares often involve more than one magnetic fluxtube. Some of the fluxtubes are closed, while others can contain open fields. The relative proportion of nonthermal electrons among those distinct loops is highly important for understanding energy release, particle acceleration, and transport. The access of nonthermal electrons to the open field is also important because the open field facilitates the solar energetic particle (SEP) escape from the flaring site, and thus controls the SEP fluxes in the solar system, both directly and as seed particles for further acceleration. The large-scale fluxtubes are often filled with a tenuous plasma, which is difficult to detect in either EUV or X-ray wavelengths; however, they can dominate at low radio frequencies, where a modest component of nonthermal electrons can render the source optically thick and, thus, bright enough to be observed. Here we report the detection of a large-scale “plume” at the impulsive phase of an X-class solar flare, SOL2001-08-25T16:23, using multi-frequency radio data from Owens Valley Solar Array. To quantify the flare’s spatial structure, we employ 3D modeling utilizing force-free-field extrapolations from the line of sight SOHO/MDI magnetograms with our modeling tool GX_Simulator. We found that a significant fraction of the nonthermal electrons that accelerated at the flare site low in the corona escapes to the plume, which contains both closed and open fields. We propose that the proportion between the closed and open fields at the plume is what determines the SEP population escaping into interplanetary space.

Recent observational evidence for initial mass function (IMF) variations in massive quiescent galaxies at z = 0 challenges the long-established paradigm of a universal IMF. While a few theoretical models relate the IMF to birth cloud conditions, the physical driver underlying these putative IMF variations is still largely unclear. Here we use post-processing analysis of the Illustris cosmological hydrodynamical simulation to investigate possible physical origins of IMF variability with galactic properties. We do so by tagging stellar particles in the simulation (each representing a stellar population of ) with individual IMFs that depend on various physical conditions, such as velocity dispersion, metallicity, or star formation rate, at the time and place in which the stars are formed. We then follow the assembly of these populations throughout cosmic time and reconstruct the overall IMF of each z = 0 galaxy from the many distinct IMFs it is composed of. Our main result is that applying the observed relations between IMF and galactic properties to the conditions at the star formation sites does not result in strong enough IMF variations between z = 0 galaxies. Steeper physical IMF relations are required for reproducing the observed IMF trends, and some stellar populations must form with more extreme IMFs than those observed. The origin of this result is the hierarchical nature of massive galaxy assembly, and it has implications for the reliability of the strong observed trends, for the ability of cosmological simulations to capture certain physical conditions in galaxies, and for theories of star formation aiming to explain the physical origin of a variable IMF.

Rieger-type periodicity has been detected in different activity indices over many solar cycles. It was recently shown that the periodicity correlates with solar activity having a shorter period during stronger cycles. Solar activity level is generally asymmetric between northern and southern hemispheres, which could suggest the presence of a similar behavior in the Rieger-type periodicity. We analyze the sunspot area/number and the total magnetic flux data for northern and southern hemispheres during solar cycles 19–23, which had remarkable north–south asymmetry. Using wavelet analysis of sunspot area and number during the north-dominated cycles (19–20), we obtained the periodicity of 160–165 days in the stronger northern hemisphere and 180–190 days in the weaker southern hemisphere. On the other hand, south-dominated cycles (21–23) display the periodicity of 155–160 days in the stronger southern hemisphere and 175–188 days in the weaker northern hemisphere. Therefore, the Rieger-type periodicity has the north–south asymmetry in sunspot area/number data during solar cycles with strong hemispheric asymmetry. We suggest that the periodicity is caused by magnetic Rossby waves in the internal dynamo layer. Using the dispersion relation of magnetic Rossby waves and observed Rieger periodicity, we estimated the magnetic field strength in the layer as 45–49 kG in more active hemispheres (north during cycles 19–20 and south during cycles 21–23) and 33–40 kG in weaker hemispheres. The estimated difference in the hemispheric field strength is around 10 kG, which provides a challenge for dynamo models. Total magnetic flux data during cycles 20–23 reveals no clear north–south asymmetry, which needs to be explained in the future.

We present new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the dust continuum and [C ii] 158 μm fine structure line emission toward a far-infrared-luminous quasar, ULAS J131911.29+095051.4 at z = 6.13, and combine the new Cycle 1 data with ALMA Cycle 0 data. The combined data have an angular resolution of ∼03, and resolve both the dust continuum and the [C ii] line emission on a few kiloparsec scales. The [C ii] line emission is more irregular than that of the dust continuum emission, which suggests different distributions between the dust and the [C ii]-emitting gas. The combined data confirm the [C ii] velocity gradient that we had previously detected in a lower-resolution ALMA image from the Cycle 0 data alone. We apply a tilted ring model to the [C ii] velocity map to obtain a rotation curve, and constrain the circular velocity to be 427 ± 55 km s⁻¹ at a radius of 3.2 kpc with an inclination angle of 34°. We measure the dynamical mass within the 3.2 kpc region to be . This yields a black-hole and host galaxy mass ratio of , which is about times higher than that of the present-day / ratio. This suggests that the supermassive black hole grows the bulk of its mass before the formation of most of the stellar mass in this quasar host galaxy in the early universe.

For pulsars born in supernovae, the expansion of the shocked pulsar wind nebula is initially in the freely expanding ejecta of the supernova. While the nebula is in the inner flat part of the ejecta density profile, the swept-up, accelerating shell is subject to the Rayleigh–Taylor instability. We carried out two- and three-dimensional simulations showing that the instability gives rise to filamentary structure during this initial phase but does not greatly change the dynamics of the expanding shell. The flow is effectively self-similar. If the shell is powered into the outer steep part of the density profile, the shell is subject to a robust Rayleigh–Taylor instability in which the shell is fragmented and the shocked pulsar wind breaks out through the shell. The flow is not self-similar in this phase. For a wind nebula to reach this phase requires that the deposited pulsar energy be greater than the supernova energy, or that the initial pulsar period be in the ms range for a typical 10⁵¹ erg supernova. These conditions are satisfied by some magnetar models for Type I superluminous supernovae. We also consider the Crab Nebula, which may be associated with a low energy supernova for which this scenario applies.

The Andromeda galaxy (M31) hosts one of the nearest and most quiescent supermassive black holes, which provides a rare, but promising opportunity for studying the physics of black hole accretion at the lowest state. We have conducted a multifrequency, multi-epoch observing campaign, using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in its extended configurations in 2011–2012, to advance our knowledge of the still poorly known radio properties of M31*. For the first time, we detect M31* at 10, 15, and 20 GHz and measure its spectral index, α ≈ −0.45 ± 0.08 (S_ν ∝ ν^α), over the frequency range of 5–20 GHz. The relatively steep spectrum suggests that the observed radio flux is dominated by the optically thin part of a putative jet, which is located at no more than a few thousand Schwarzschild radii from the black hole. On the other hand, our sensitive radio images show little evidence for an extended component, perhaps except for several parsec-scale “plumes,” the nature of which remains unclear. Our data also reveal significant (a few tens of percent) flux variation of M31* at 6 GHz, on timescales of hours to days. Furthermore, a curious decrease of the mean flux density, by ∼50%, is found between VLA observations taken during 2002–2005 and our new observations, which might be associated with a substantial increase in the mean X-ray flux of M31* starting in 2006.

Using a potential field source-surface (PFSS) model, we recently analyzed the global topology of the background coronal magnetic field for a sequence of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that occurred on 2010 August 1–2. Here we repeat this analysis for the background field reproduced by a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model that incorporates plasma thermodynamics. As for the PFSS model, we find that all three CME source regions contain a coronal hole (CH) that is separated from neighboring CHs by topologically very similar pseudo-streamer structures. However, the two models yield very different results for the size, shape, and flux of the CHs. We find that the helmet-streamer cusp line, which corresponds to a source-surface null line in the PFSS model, is structurally unstable and does not form in the MHD model. Our analysis indicates that, generally, in MHD configurations, this line instead consists of a multiple-null separator passing along the edge of disconnected-flux regions. Some of these regions are transient and may be the origin of the so-called streamer blobs. We show that the core topological structure of such blobs is a three-dimensional “plasmoid” consisting of two conjoined flux ropes of opposite handedness, which connect at a spiral null point of the magnetic field. Our analysis reveals that such plasmoids also appear in pseudo-streamers on much smaller scales. These new insights into the coronal magnetic topology provide some intriguing implications for solar energetic particle events and for the properties of the slow solar wind.

We investigate the properties of a hot accretion flow bathed in a poloidal magnetic field. We consider an axisymmetric viscous-resistive flow in the steady-state configuration. We assume that the dominant mechanism of energy dissipation is due to turbulence viscosity and magnetic diffusivity. A certain fraction of that energy can be advected toward the central compact object. We employ the self-similar method in the radial direction to find a system of ODEs with just one varible, θ in the spherical coordinates. For the existence and maintenance of a purely poloidal magnetic field in a rotating thick disk, we find that the necessary condition is a constant value of angular velocity along a magnetic field line. We obtain an analytical solution for the poloidal magnetic flux. We explore possible changes in the vertical structure of the disk under the influences of symmetric and asymmetric magnetic fields. Our results reveal that a polar magnetic field with even symmetry about the equatorial plane makes the disk vertically thin. Moreover, the accretion rate decreases when we consider a strong magnetic field. Finally, we notice that hot magnetized accretion flows can be fully advected even in a slim shape.

We present the evolution of the phase lags associated with the type-C QPO in GX 339–4 during the rising phase of the 2006/2007 outburst. We find that the phase lags at the QPO frequency are always positive (hard) and show very different behavior between QPOs with frequencies below and above ∼1.7 Hz: when the QPO frequency is below ∼1.7 Hz, the phase lags increase both with QPO frequency and energy, while when the QPO frequency is above ∼1.7 Hz, the phase lags remain more or less constant. When the QPO frequency is higher than ∼1.7 Hz, a broad feature is always present in the lag–energy spectra at around 6.5 keV, suggesting that the reflection component may have a significant contribution to the phase lags. Below ∼1.7 Hz, the QPO rms first decreases with energy and then turns to almost flat, while above ∼1.7 Hz, the QPO rms increases with energy. During the transition from the low-hard state to the hard-intermediate state, the second harmonic and subharmonic of this QPO appear in the power density spectra. The second-harmonic and subharmonic phase lags show very similar evolutions for their centroid frequencies. However, the energy dependence of the second-harmonic and subharmonic phase lags are quite different. Our results suggest that, at different phases of the outburst, different mechanisms may be responsible for the phase lags of the QPO. We briefly discuss the possible scenarios for producing the lags.

Ellerman bombs (EBs) are brightenings in the Hα line wings that are believed to be caused by magnetic reconnection in the lower atmosphere. To study the response and evolution of the chromospheric line profiles, we perform radiative hydrodynamic simulations of EBs using both non-thermal and thermal models. Overall, these models can generate line profiles that are similar to observations. However, in non-thermal models we find dimming in the Hα line wings and continuum when the heating begins, while for the thermal models dimming occurs only in the Hα line core, and with a longer lifetime. This difference in line profiles can be used to determine whether an EB is dominated by non-thermal heating or thermal heating. In our simulations, if a higher heating rate is applied, then the Hα line will be unrealistically strong and there are still no clear UV burst signatures.

We use stellar mass functions to study the properties and the significance of quenching through major galaxy mergers. In addition to SDSS DR7 and Galaxy Zoo 1 data, we use samples of visually selected major galaxy mergers and post-merger galaxies. We determine the stellar mass functions of the stages that we would expect major-merger-quenched galaxies to pass through on their way from the blue cloud to the red sequence: (1) major merger, (2) post-merger, (3) blue early type, (4) green early type, and (5) red early type. Based on their similar mass function shapes, we conclude that major mergers are likely to form an evolutionary sequence from star formation to quiescence via quenching. Relative to all blue galaxies, the major-merger fraction increases as a function of stellar mass. Major-merger quenching is inconsistent with the mass and environment quenching model. At , major-merger-quenched galaxies are unlikely to constitute the majority of galaxies that transition through the green valley. Furthermore, between , major-merger-quenched galaxies account for 1%–5% of all quenched galaxies at a given stellar mass. Major galaxy mergers are therefore not a significant quenching pathway, neither at nor within the last 5 Gyr. The majority of red galaxies must have been quenched through an alternative quenching mechanism that causes a slow blue to red evolution.

IC 1613 is an isolated dwarf galaxy within the Local Group. Low foreground and internal extinction, low metallicity, and low crowding make it an invaluable testbed for the calibration of the local distance ladder. We present new, high-fidelity distance estimates to IC 1613 via its Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB) and its RR Lyrae (RRL) variables as part of the Carnegie-Chicago Hubble Program, which seeks an alternate local route to H₀ using Population II stars. We have measured a TRGB magnitude mag using wide-field observations obtained from the IMACS camera on the Magellan-Baade telescope. We have further constructed optical and near-infrared RRL light curves using archival BI- and new H-band observations from the ACS/WFC and WFC3/IR instruments on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). In advance of future Gaia data releases, we set provisional values for the TRGB luminosity via the Large Magellanic Cloud and Galactic RRL zero-points via HST parallaxes. We find corresponding true distance moduli and mag. We compare our results to a body of recent publications on IC 1613 and find no statistically significant difference between the distances derived from Population I and II stars.

Machine learning techniques have been successfully used to classify variable stars on widely studied astronomical surveys. These data sets have been available to astronomers long enough, thus allowing them to perform deep analysis over several variable sources and generating useful catalogs with identified variable stars. The products of these studies are labeled data that enable supervised learning models to be trained successfully. However, when these models are blindly applied to data from new sky surveys, their performance drops significantly. Furthermore, unlabeled data become available at a much higher rate than their labeled counterpart, since labeling is a manual and time-consuming effort. Domain adaptation techniques aim to learn from a domain where labeled data are available, the source domain, and through some adaptation perform well on a different domain, the target domain. We propose a full probabilistic model that represents the joint distribution of features from two surveys, as well as a probabilistic transformation of the features from one survey to the other. This allows us to transfer labeled data to a study where they are not available and to effectively run a variable star classification model in a new survey. Our model represents the features of each domain as a Gaussian mixture and models the transformation as a translation, rotation, and scaling of each separate component. We perform tests using three different variability catalogs, EROS, MACHO, and HiTS, presenting differences among them, such as the number of observations per star, cadence, observational time, and optical bands observed, among others.

Over the past decade, the discovery of three unique stellar populations and a large number of confirmed pulsars within the globular cluster Terzan 5 has raised questions over its classification. Using the long-term radio pulsar timing of ms pulsars in the cluster core, we provide new measurements of key physical properties of the system. As Terzan 5 is located within the galactic bulge, stellar crowding and reddening make optical and near-infrared observations difficult. Pulsar accelerations, however, allow us to study the intrinsic characteristics of the cluster independent of reddening and stellar crowding and probe the mass density profile without needing to quantify the mass-to-light ratio. Relating the spin and orbital periods of each pulsar to the acceleration predicted by a King model, we find a core density of  × 10⁶ pc⁻³, a core radius of pc, a pulsar density profile of , and a total mass of ( pc) ≃ 3.0 × 10⁵, assuming a cluster distance of 5.9 kpc. Using this information, we argue against Terzan 5 being a disrupted dwarf galaxy and discuss the possibility of it being a fragment of the Milky Way’s proto-bulge. We also discuss whether low-mass pulsars were formed via electron-capture supernovae or exist in a core full of heavy white dwarfs and hard binaries. Finally, we provide an upper limit for the mass of a possible black hole at the core of the cluster of .

KIC 7341653 is one of several late-type M dwarfs observed by the main mission of Kepler with peculiar infrared colors placing them in the domain of suspected young stellar objects (YSO). It is likely associated with a powerful X-ray emitter with X-ray flares. Kepler light curves reveal two distinct types of activity: frequent flares lasting from less than 30 minutes to a few hours, and a periodic variability with a period of 0.5463441(7) days. The largest detected flare increased the flux in the Kepler passband by a factor of 2.8 and released an estimated 4 × 10³⁴ erg of energy in the Kepler band. Segmented periodogram analysis reveals that the amplitude of the periodic variation was subject to secular changes, dropping from peak values around 20 ppt to below 5 ppt toward the end of the mission, while the phase varied periodically with an amplitude of 0.15 rad and period 362(3) days. Two possible interpretations of the phase periodicity are discussed: a migrating long-lived photospheric spot, and a Doppler frequency shift generated by a solar-mass faint companion, such as a white dwarf.

To date, nearly all multi-wavelength modeling of long-duration γ-ray bursts has ignored synchrotron radiation from the significant population of electrons expected to pass the shock without acceleration into a power-law distribution. We investigate the effect of including the contribution of thermal, non-accelerated electrons to synchrotron absorption and emission in the standard afterglow model, and show that these thermal electrons provide an additional source of opacity to synchrotron self-absorption, and yield an additional emission component at higher energies. The extra opacity results in an increase in the synchrotron self-absorption frequency by factors of 10–100 for fiducial parameters. The nature of the additional emission depends on the details of the thermal population, but is generally observed to yield a spectral peak in the optical brighter than radiation from the nonthermal population by similar factors a few seconds after the burst, remaining detectable at millimeter and radio frequencies several days later.

Several abundance analyses of Galactic open clusters (OCs) have shown a tendency for Ba but not for other heavy elements (La−Sm) to increase sharply with decreasing age such that Ba was claimed to reach [Ba/Fe] ≃ +0.6 in the youngest clusters (ages < 100 Myr) rising from [Ba/Fe] = 0.00 dex in solar-age clusters. Within the formulation of the s-process, the difficulty to replicate higher Ba abundance and normal La−Sm abundances in young clusters is known as the barium puzzle. Here, we investigate the barium puzzle using extremely high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra of 24 solar twins and measured the heavy elements Ba, La, Ce, Nd, and Sm with a precision of 0.03 dex. We demonstrate that the enhanced Ba ii relative to La−Sm seen among solar twins, stellar associations, and OCs at young ages (<100 Myr) is unrelated to aspects of stellar nucleosynthesis but has resulted from overestimation of Ba by standard methods of LTE abundance analysis in which the microturbulence derived from the Fe lines formed deep in the photosphere is insufficient to represent the true line broadening imposed on Ba ii lines by the upper photospheric layers from where the Ba ii lines emerge. Because the young stars have relatively active photospheres, Ba overabundances most likely result from the adoption of a too low value of microturbulence in the spectrum synthesis of the strong Ba ii lines but the change of microturbulence in the upper photosphere has only a minor affect on La−Sm abundances measured from the weak lines.

We present multi-wavelength follow-up campaigns by the AstroSat CZTI and GROWTH collaborations in search of an electromagnetic counterpart to the gravitational wave event GW 170104. At the time of the GW 170104 trigger, the AstroSat CZTI field of view covered 50.3% of the sky localization. We do not detect any hard X-ray (>100 keV) signal at this time, and place an upper limit of , for a 1 s timescale. Separately, the ATLAS survey reported a rapidly fading optical source dubbed ATLAS17aeu in the error circle of GW 170104. Our panchromatic investigation of ATLAS17aeu shows that it is the afterglow of an unrelated long, soft GRB 170105A, with only a fortuitous spatial coincidence with GW 170104. We then discuss the properties of this transient in the context of standard long GRB afterglow models.

In the ΛCDM framework, presenting nonrelativistic matter inhomogeneities as discrete massive particles, we develop the second‐order cosmological perturbation theory. Our approach relies on the weak gravitational field limit. The derived equations for the second‐order scalar, vector, and tensor metric corrections are suitable at arbitrary distances, including regions with nonlinear contrasts of the matter density. We thoroughly verify fulfillment of all Einstein equations, as well as self‐consistency of order assignments. In addition, we achieve logical positive results in the Minkowski background limit. Feasible investigations of the cosmological back-reaction manifestations by means of relativistic simulations are also outlined.

We present ALMA band 3 observations of the CO(6–5), CO(7–6), and [C i] 369 μm emission lines in three of the highest-redshift quasar host galaxies at . These measurements constitute the highest-redshift CO detections to date. The target quasars have previously been detected in [C ii] 158 μm emission and the underlying FIR dust continuum. We detect (spatially unresolved, at a resolution of >2″, or ≳14 kpc) CO emission in all three quasar hosts. In two sources, we detect the continuum emission around 400 μm (rest-frame), and in one source we detect [C i] at low significance. We derive molecular gas reservoirs of (1–3) × 10¹⁰ in the quasar hosts, i.e., approximately only 10 times the mass of their central supermassive black holes. The extrapolated [C ii]-to-CO(1–0) luminosity ratio is 2500–4200, consistent with measurements in galaxies at lower redshift. The detection of the [C i] line in one quasar host galaxy and the limit on the [C i] emission in the other two hosts enables a first characterization of the physical properties of the interstellar medium in z ∼ 7 quasar hosts. In the sources, the derived global CO/[C ii]/[C i] line ratios are consistent with expectations from photodissociation regions, but not X-ray-dominated regions. This suggest that quantities derived from the molecular gas and dust emission are related to ongoing star-formation activity in the quasar hosts, providing further evidence that the quasar hosts studied here harbor intense starbursts in addition to their active nucleus.

We present the first kinematic study of extraplanar diffuse ionized gas (eDIG) in the nearby, face-on disk galaxy M83 using optical emission-line spectroscopy from the Robert Stobie Spectrograph on the Southern African Large Telescope. We use a Markov Chain Monte Carlo method to decompose the [N ii] 6548, 6583, Hα, and [S ii] 6717, 6731 emission lines into H ii region and diffuse ionized gas emission. Extraplanar, diffuse gas is distinguished by its emission-line ratios ([N ii]λ6583/Hα) and its rotational velocity lag with respect to the disk ( km s⁻¹ in projection). With interesting implications for isotropy, the velocity dispersion of the diffuse gas, km s⁻¹, is a factor of a few higher in M83 than in the Milky Way and nearby, edge-on disk galaxies. The turbulent pressure gradient is sufficient to support the eDIG layer in dynamical equilibrium at an electron scale height of kpc. However, this dynamical equilibrium model must be finely tuned to reproduce the rotational velocity lag. There is evidence of local bulk flows near star-forming regions in the disk, suggesting that the dynamical state of the gas may be intermediate between a dynamical equilibrium and a galactic fountain flow. As one of the first efforts to study eDIG kinematics in a face-on galaxy, this study demonstrates the feasibility of characterizing the radial distribution, bulk velocities, and vertical velocity dispersions in low-inclination systems.

Integrated pulse profiles at 8.6 GHz obtained with the Shanghai Tian Ma Radio Telescope (TMRT) are presented for a sample of 26 pulsars. Mean flux densities and pulse width parameters of these pulsars are estimated. For 11 pulsars these are the first high-frequency observations and for a further four, our observations have a better signal-to-noise ratio than previous observations. For one (PSR J0742−2822), the 8.6 GHz profile differs from previously observed profiles. A comparison of 19 profiles with those at other frequencies shows that in nine cases, the separation between the outmost leading and trailing components decreases with frequency, which is roughly in agreement with radius-to-frequency mapping, whereas in the other 10 the separation is nearly constant. Different spectral indices of profile components lead to the variation of integrated pulse profile shapes with frequency. In seven pulsars with multi-component profiles, the spectral indices of the central components are steeper than those of the outer components. For the 12 pulsars with multi-component profiles in the high-frequency sample, we estimate the core width using Gaussian fitting and discuss the width-period relationship.

We present new observations of the three nearest early-type galaxy (ETG) strong lenses discovered in the SINFONI Nearby Elliptical Lens Locator Survey (SNELLS). Based on their lensing masses, these ETGs were inferred to have a stellar initial mass function (IMF) consistent with that of the Milky Way, not the bottom-heavy IMF that has been reported as typical for high-σ ETGs based on lensing, dynamical, and stellar population synthesis techniques. We use these unique systems to test the consistency of IMF estimates derived from different methods. We first estimate the stellar M_*/L using lensing and stellar dynamics. We then fit high-quality optical spectra of the lenses using an updated version of the stellar population synthesis models developed by Conroy & van Dokkum. When examined individually, we find good agreement among these methods for one galaxy. The other two galaxies show 2–3σ tension with lensing estimates, depending on the dark matter contribution, when considering IMFs that extend to 0.08 M_⊙. Allowing a variable low-mass cutoff or a nonparametric form of the IMF reduces the tension among the IMF estimates to <2σ. There is moderate evidence for a reduced number of low-mass stars in the SNELLS spectra, but no such evidence in a composite spectrum of matched-σ ETGs drawn from the SDSS. Such variation in the form of the IMF at low stellar masses (m ≲ 0.3 M_⊙), if present, could reconcile lensing/dynamical and spectroscopic IMF estimates for the SNELLS lenses and account for their lighter M_*/L relative to the mean matched-σ ETG. We provide the spectra used in this study to facilitate future comparisons.

A study has been conducted of ¹²C/¹³C ratios in five complex molecules in the Galactic center. H₂CS, CH₃CCH, NH₂CHO, CH₂CHCN, and CH₃CH₂CN and their ¹³C-substituted species have been observed in numerous transitions at 1, 2, and 3 mm, acquired in a spectral-line survey of Sgr B2(N), conducted with the telescopes of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). Between 22 and 54 individual, unblended lines for the ¹²C species and 2–54 for ¹³C-substituted analogs were modeled in a global radiative transfer analysis. All five molecules were found to consistently exhibit two velocity components near V_LSR ∼ 64 and 73 km s⁻¹, with column densities ranging from N_tot ∼ 3 × 10¹⁴ − 4 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻² and ∼2 × 10¹³ − 1 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻² for the ¹²C and ¹³C species, respectively. Based on 14 different isotopic combinations, ratios were obtained in the range ¹²C/¹³C = 15 ± 5 to 33 ± 13, with an average value of 24 ± 7, based on comparison of column densities. These measurements better anchor the ¹²C/¹³C ratio at the Galactic center, and suggest a slightly revised isotope gradient of ¹²C/¹³C = 5.21(0.52) D_GC + 22.6(3.3). As indicated by the column densities, no preferential ¹³C enrichment was found on the differing carbon sites of CH₃CCH, CH₂CHCN, and CH₃CH₂CN. Because of the elevated temperatures in Sgr B2(N), ¹³C isotopic substitution is effectively “scrambled,” diminishing chemical fractionation effects. The resulting ratios thus reflect stellar nucleosynthesis and Galactic chemical evolution, as is likely the case for most warm clouds.

We present Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) hard X-ray timing and spectroscopy of the three exceptionally energetic rotation-powered millisecond pulsars PSRs B1821-24, B1937+21, and J0218+4232. By correcting for the frequency and phase drifts of the NuSTAR onboard clock, we are able to recover the intrinsic hard X-ray pulse profiles of all three pulsars with a resolution down to . The substantial reduction of background emission relative to previous broadband X-ray observations allows us to detect for the first time pulsed emission up to ∼50 keV, ∼20 keV, and ∼25 keV for the three pulsars, respectively. We conduct phase-resolved spectroscopy in the 0.5–79 keV range for all three objects, obtaining the best measurements yet of the broadband spectral shape and high-energy pulsed emission to date. We find extensions of the same power-law continua seen at lower energies, with no conclusive evidence for a spectral turnover or break. Extrapolation of the X-ray power-law spectrum to higher energies reveals that a turnover in the 100 keV to 100 MeV range is required to accommodate the high-energy γ-ray emission observed with Fermi-LAT, similar to the spectral energy distribution observed for the Crab pulsar.

The general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamical (GRMHD) formulation for black hole-powered jets naturally gives rise to a stagnation surface, where inflows and outflows along magnetic field lines that thread the black hole event horizon originate. We derive a conservative formulation for the transport of energetic electrons, which are initially injected at the stagnation surface and subsequently transported along flow streamlines. With this formulation the energy spectra evolution of the electrons along the flow in the presence of radiative and adiabatic cooling is determined. For flows regulated by synchrotron radiative losses and adiabatic cooling, the effective radio emission region is found to be finite, and geometrically it is more extended along the jet central axis. Moreover, the emission from regions adjacent to the stagnation surface is expected to be the most luminous as this is where the freshly injected energetic electrons are concentrated. An observable stagnation surface is thus a strong prediction of the GRMHD jet model with the prescribed non-thermal electron injection. Future millimeter/submillimeter (mm/sub-mm) very-long-baseline interferometric observations of supermassive black hole candidates, such as the one at the center of M87, can verify this GRMHD jet model and its associated non-thermal electron injection mechanism.

We present high-resolution, spatially resolved, near-infrared spectroscopy and imaging of the two components of DF Tau, a young, low-mass, visual binary in the Taurus star-forming region. With these data, we provide a more precise orbital solution for the system, determine component spectral types, radial velocity, veiling and values, and construct individual spectral energy distributions. We estimate the masses of both stars to be . We find markedly different circumstellar properties for DF Tau A and B: evidence for a disk, such as near-infrared excess and accretion signatures, is clearly present for the primary, while it is absent for the secondary. Additionally, the and rotation period measurements show that the secondary is rotating significantly more rapidly than the primary. We interpret these results in the framework of disk-locking and argue that DF Tau A is an example of disk-modulated rotation in a young system. The DF Tau system raises fundamental questions about our assumptions of universal disk formation and evolution.

The Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment provides the opportunity of measuring elemental abundances for C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni in vast numbers of stars. We analyze thechemical-abundance patterns of these elements for 158 red giant stars belonging to the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy (Sgr). This is the largest sample of Sgr stars with detailed chemical abundances, and it is the first time that C, N, P, K, V, Cr, Co, and Ni have been studied at high resolution in this galaxy. We find that the Sgr stars with [Fe/H] ≳ −0.8 are deficient in all elemental abundance ratios (expressed as [X/Fe]) relative to the Milky Way, suggesting that the Sgr stars observed today were formed from gas that was less enriched by Type II SNe than stars formed in the Milky Way. By examining the relative deficiencies of the hydrostatic (O, Na, Mg, and Al) and explosive (Si, P, K, and Mn) elements, our analysis supports the argument that previous generations of Sgr stars were formed with a top-light initial mass function, one lacking the most massive stars that would normally pollute the interstellar medium with the hydrostatic elements. We use a simple chemical-evolution model, flexCE, to further support our claim and conclude that recent stellar generations of Fornax and the Large Magellanic Cloud could also have formed according to a top-light initial mass function.

We have obtained estimates for the cosmic-ray ionization rate (CRIR) in the Galactic disk, using a detailed model for the physics and chemistry of diffuse interstellar gas clouds to interpret previously published measurements of the abundance of four molecular ions: ArH⁺, OH⁺, , and . For diffuse atomic clouds at Galactocentric distances in the range , observations of ArH⁺, OH⁺, and imply a mean primary CRIR of per hydrogen atom, where . Within diffuse molecular clouds observed toward stars in the solar neighborhood, measurements of and H₂ imply a primary CRIR of per H atom, corresponding to a total ionization rate per H₂ molecule of in good accord with previous estimates. These estimates are also in good agreement with a rederivation, presented here, of the CRIR implied by recent observations of carbon and hydrogen radio recombination lines along the sight line to Cas A. Here, our best-fit estimate for the primary CRIR is per H atom. Our results show marginal evidence that the CRIR in diffuse molecular clouds decreases with cloud extinction, , with a best-fit dependence for .

We investigate the inhomogeneity of kinetic and magnetic dissipations in thermal convection using high-resolution calculations. In statistically steady turbulence, the injected and dissipated energies are balanced. This means that a large amount of energy is continuously converted into internal energy via dissipation. As in thermal convection, downflows are colder than upflows and the inhomogeneity of the dissipation potentially changes the convection structure. Our investigation of the inhomogeneity of the dissipation shows the following. (1) More dissipation is seen around the bottom of the calculation domain, and this tendency is promoted with the magnetic field. (2) The dissipation in the downflow is much larger than that in the upflow. The dissipation in the downflow is more than 80% of the total at maximum. This tendency is also promoted with the magnetic field. (3) Although 2D probability density functions of the kinetic and magnetic dissipations versus the vertical velocity are similar, the kinetic and magnetic dissipations are not well correlated. Our result suggests that the spatial inhomogeneity of the dissipation is significant and should be considered when modeling a small-scale strong magnetic field generated with an efficient small-scale dynamo for low-resolution calculations.

We present the remarkable discovery that the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 2366 is an excellent analog of the Green Pea (GP) galaxies, which are characterized by extremely high ionization parameters. The similarities are driven predominantly by the giant H ii region Markarian 71 (Mrk 71). We compare the system with GPs in terms of morphology, excitation properties, specific star-formation rate, kinematics, absorption of low-ionization species, reddening, and chemical abundance, and find consistencies throughout. Since extreme GPs are associated with both candidate and confirmed Lyman continuum (LyC) emitters, Mrk 71/NGC 2366 is thus also a good candidate for LyC escape. The spatially resolved data for this object show a superbubble blowout generated by mechanical feedback from one of its two super star clusters (SSCs), Knot B, while the extreme ionization properties are driven by the ≲1 Myr-old, enshrouded SSC Knot A, which has ∼10 times higher ionizing luminosity. Very massive stars (>100 M_⊙) may be present in this remarkable object. Ionization-parameter mapping indicates that the blowout region is optically thin in the LyC, and the general properties also suggest LyC escape in the line of sight. Mrk 71/NGC 2366 does differ from GPs in that it is one to two orders of magnitude less luminous. The presence of this faint GP analog and candidate LyC emitter (LCE) so close to us suggests that LCEs may be numerous and commonplace, and therefore could significantly contribute to the cosmic ionizing budget. Mrk 71/NGC 2366 offers an unprecedentedly detailed look at the viscera of a candidate LCE, and could clarify the mechanisms of LyC escape.

We evaluated the prospects of quantifying the parameterized post-Newtonian parameter β and solar quadrupole moment with observations of near-Earth asteroids with large orbital precession rates (9 to 27 arcsec century⁻¹). We considered existing optical and radar astrometry, as well as radar astrometry that can realistically be obtained with the Arecibo planetary radar in the next five years. Our sensitivity calculations relied on a traditional covariance analysis and Monte Carlo simulations. We found that independent estimates of β and can be obtained with precisions of 6 × 10⁻⁴ and 3 × 10⁻⁸, respectively. Because we assumed rather conservative observational uncertainties, as is the usual practice when reporting radar astrometry, it is likely that the actual precision will be closer to 2 × 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻⁸, respectively. A purely dynamical determination of solar oblateness with asteroid radar astronomy may therefore rival the helioseismology determination.

We report measurements of proper motion, radial velocity, and elemental composition for 14 compact X-ray-bright knots in Kepler’s supernova remnant (SNR) using archival Chandra data. The knots with the highest speed show both large proper motions (μ ∼ 011–014 yr⁻¹) and high radial velocities (v ∼ 8700–10,020 km s⁻¹). For these knots the estimated space velocities (9100 km s⁻¹ ≲ v_3D ≲ 10,400 km s⁻¹) are similar to the typical Si velocity seen in supernovae (SNe) Ia near maximum light. High-speed ejecta knots appear only in specific locations and are morphologically and kinematically distinct from the rest of the ejecta. The proper motions of five knots extrapolate back over the age of Kepler’s SNR to a consistent central position. This new kinematic center agrees well with previous determinations, but is less subject to systematic errors and denotes a location about which several prominent structures in the remnant display a high degree of symmetry. These five knots are expanding at close to the free expansion rate (expansion indices of 0.75 ≲ m ≲ 1.0), which we argue indicates either that they were formed in the explosion with a high density contrast (more than 100 times the ambient density) or that they have propagated through regions of relatively low density (n_H < 0.1 cm⁻³) in the ambient medium. X-ray spectral analysis shows that the undecelerated knots have high Si and S abundances, a lower Fe abundance, and very low O abundance, pointing to an origin in the partial Si-burning zone, which occurs in the outer layer of the exploding white dwarf for models of SNe Ia. Other knots show lower speeds and expansion indices consistent with decelerated ejecta knots or features in the ambient medium overrun by the forward shock. Our new accurate location for the explosion site has well-defined positional uncertainties, allowing for a great reduction in the area to be searched for faint surviving donor stars under non-traditional single-degenerate SNe Ia scenarios; because of the lack of bright stars in the search area the traditional scenario remains ruled out.

To assess the effectiveness of optical emission as a probe of spatial asymmetry in core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe), we apply the radiative transfer software SuperNu to a unimodal CCSN model. The SNSPH radiation hydrodynamics software was used to simulate an asymmetric explosion of a 16 zero-age main-sequence binary star. The ejecta has 3.36 with 0.024 of radioactive ⁵⁶Ni, with unipolar asymmetry along the z-axis. For 96 discrete angular views, we find a ratio between maximum and minimum peak total luminosities of ∼1.36. The brightest light curves emerge from views orthogonal to the z-axis. Multigroup spectra from UV to IR are obtained. We find a shift in wavelength with viewing angle in a near-IR Ca ii emission feature, consistent with Ca being mostly in the unimode. We compare emission from the gray gamma-ray transfer in SuperNu and from the detailed gamma-ray transfer code Maverick. Relative to the optical light curves, the brightness of the gamma-ray emission is more monotonic with respect to viewing angle. UBVRI broadband light curves are also calculated. Parallel with the unimode, the U and B bands have excess luminosity at days post-explosion, due to ⁵⁶Ni on the unimode. We compare our CCSN model with SN 2002ap, which is thought to have a similar ejecta morphology.

In this paper, we present two distinct types of coronal mass ejection (CME)-flare relationships according to their observing time differences using 107 events from 2010 to 2013. The observing time difference, ΔT, is defined as flare peak time minus CME first appearance time at Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) COR1 field of view. There are 41 events for group A (ΔT < 0) and 66 events for group B (ΔT ≥ 0). We compare CME 3D parameters (speed and kinetic energy) based on multi-spacecraft data (SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and STEREO A and B) and their associated flare properties (peak flux, fluence, and duration). Our main results are as follows. First, there are better relationships between CME and flare parameters for group B than that of group A. In particular, CME 3D kinetic energy for group B is well correlated with flare fluence with the correlation coefficient of 0.67, which is much stronger than that (cc = 0.31) of group A. Second, the events belonging to group A have short flare durations of less than 1 hr (mean = 21 minutes), while the events for group B have longer durations up to 4 hr (mean = 81 minutes). Third, the mean value of height at peak speed for group B is 4.05 Rs, which is noticeably higher than that of group A (1.89 Rs). This is well correlated with the CME acceleration duration (cc = 0.75). A higher height at peak speed and a longer acceleration duration of CME for group B could be explained by the fact that magnetic reconnections for group B continuously occur for a longer time than those for group A.

We present results from an Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Cycle 2 program to map CO(2−1) emission in nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs) that host circumnuclear gas disks. We obtained ∼03 resolution Band 6 observations of seven ETGs selected on the basis of dust disks in Hubble Space Telescope images. We detect CO emission in five at high signal-to-noise ratio with the remaining two only faintly detected. All CO emission is coincident with the dust and is in dynamically cold rotation. Four ETGs show evidence of rapid central rotation; these are prime candidates for higher-resolution ALMA observations to measure the black hole masses. In this paper, we focus on the molecular gas and continuum properties. Total gas masses and H₂ column densities for our five CO-bright galaxies are on average ∼10⁸M_☉ and cm⁻² over the ∼kpc-scale disks, and analysis suggests that these disks are stabilized against gravitational fragmentation. The continuum emission of all seven galaxies is dominated by a central unresolved source, and in five we also detect a spatially extended component. The ∼230 GHz nuclear continua are modeled as power laws ranging from to within the observed frequency band. The extended continuum profiles of the two radio-bright (and CO-faint) galaxies are roughly aligned with their radio jet and suggest resolved synchrotron jets. The extended continua of the CO-bright disks are coincident with optically thick dust absorption and have spectral slopes that are consistent with thermal dust emission.

NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) provided near- and far-UV observations for approximately 77% of the sky over a 10-year period; however, the data reduction pipeline initially only released single NUV and FUV images to the community. The recently released Python module gPhoton changes this, allowing calibrated time-series aperture photometry to be extracted easily from the raw GALEX data set. Here we use gPhoton to generate light curves for all hot subdwarf B (sdB) stars that were observed by GALEX, with the intention of identifying short-period, p-mode pulsations. We find that the spacecraft’s short visit durations, uneven gaps between visits, and dither pattern make the detection of hot subdwarf pulsations difficult. Nonetheless, we detect UV variations in four previously known pulsating targets and report their UV pulsation amplitudes and frequencies. Additionally, we find that several other sdB targets not previously known to vary show promising signals in their periodograms. Using optical follow-up photometry with the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network, we confirm p-mode pulsations in one of these targets, LAMOST J082517.99+113106.3, and report it as the most recent addition to the sdBV_r class of variable stars.

Bright Lyα blobs (LABs)—extended nebulae with sizes of ∼100 kpc and Lyα luminosities of ∼10⁴⁴ erg s⁻¹—often reside in overdensities of compact Lyα emitters (LAEs) that may be galaxy protoclusters. The number density, variance, and internal kinematics of LABs suggest that they themselves trace group-like halos. Here, we test this hierarchical picture, presenting deep, wide-field Lyα narrowband imaging of a 1° × 05 region around a LAB pair at z = 2.3 discovered previously by a blind survey. We find 183 Lyα emitters, including the original LAB pair and three new LABs with Lyα luminosities of erg s⁻¹ and isophotal areas of 16–24 arcsec². Using the LAEs as tracers and a new kernel density estimation method, we discover a large-scale overdensity (Boötes J1430+3522) with a surface density contrast of , a volume density contrast of δ ∼10.4, and a projected diameter of ≈20 comoving Mpc. Comparing with cosmological simulations, we conclude that this LAE overdensity will evolve into a present-day Coma-like cluster with  ∼ 15.1 ± 0.2. In this and three other wide-field LAE surveys re-analyzed here, the extents and peak amplitudes of the largest LAE overdensities are similar, not increasing with survey size, and implying that they were indeed the largest structures then and today evolve into rich clusters. Intriguingly, LABs favor the outskirts of the densest LAE concentrations, i.e., intermediate LAE overdensities of . We speculate that these LABs mark infalling protogroups being accreted by the more massive protocluster.

During a common envelope (CE) episode in a binary system, the engulfed companion spirals to tighter orbital separations under the influence of drag from the surrounding envelope material. As this object sweeps through material with a steep radial gradient of density, net angular momentum is introduced into the flow, potentially leading to the formation of an accretion disk. The presence of a disk would have dramatic consequences for the outcome of the interaction because accretion might be accompanied by strong, polar outflows with enough energy to unbind the entire envelope. Without a detailed understanding of the necessary conditions for disk formation during CE, therefore, it is difficult to accurately predict the population of merging compact binaries. This paper examines the conditions for disk formation around objects embedded within CEs using the “wind tunnel” formalism developed by MacLeod et al. We find that the formation of disks is highly dependent on the compressibility of the envelope material. Disks form only in the most compressible of stellar envelope gas, found in envelopes’ outer layers in zones of partial ionization. These zones are largest in low-mass stellar envelopes, but comprise small portions of the envelope mass and radius in all cases. We conclude that disk formation and associated accretion feedback in CE is rare, and if it occurs, transitory. The implication for LIGO black hole binary assembly is that by avoiding strong accretion feedback, CE interactions should still result in the substantial orbital tightening needed to produce merging binaries.

We propose an analytical method of blind separation (ABS) of cosmic magnification from the intrinsic fluctuations of galaxy number density in the observed galaxy number density distribution. The ABS method utilizes the different dependences of the signal (cosmic magnification) and contamination (galaxy intrinsic clustering) on galaxy flux to separate the two. It works directly on the measured cross-galaxy angular power spectra between different flux bins. It determines/reconstructs the lensing power spectrum analytically, without assumptions of galaxy intrinsic clustering and cosmology. It is unbiased in the limit of an infinite number of galaxies. In reality, the lensing reconstruction accuracy depends on survey configurations, galaxy biases, and other complexities due to a finite number of galaxies and the resulting shot noise fluctuations in the cross-galaxy power spectra. We estimate its performance (systematic and statistical errors) in various cases. We find that stage IV dark energy surveys such as Square Kilometre Array and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope are capable of reconstructing the lensing power spectrum at and accurately. This lensing reconstruction only requires counting galaxies and is therefore highly complementary to cosmic shear measurement by the same surveys.

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of the dust continuum and [C ii] 158 μm line emission from the z = 6.0695 Lyman-Break Galaxy (LBG) WMH5. These observations at 03 spatial resolution show a compact (∼3 kpc) main galaxy in dust and [C ii] emission, with a “tail” of emission extending to the east by about 5 kpc (in projection). The [C ii] tail is comprised predominantly of two distinct sub-components in velocity, separated from the core by ∼100 and 250 km s⁻¹, with narrow intrinsic widths of about 80 km s⁻¹, which we call “sub-galaxies.” The sub-galaxies themselves are extended east–west by about 3 kpc in individual channel images. The [C ii] tail joins smoothly into the main galaxy velocity field. The [C ii] line to continuum ratios are comparable for the main and sub-galaxy positions, within a factor two. In addition, these ratios are comparable to LBGs. We conjecture that the WMH5 system represents the early formation of a galaxy through the accretion of smaller satellite galaxies, embedded in a smoother gas distribution, along a possibly filamentary structure. The results are consistent with current cosmological simulations of early galaxy formation and support the idea of very early enrichment with dust and heavy elements of the accreting material.

We present a radiative transfer code to model the nebular phase spectra of supernovae (SNe) in non-LTE (NLTE). We apply it to a systematic study of SNe Ia using parameterized 1D models and show how nebular spectral features depend on key physical parameters, such as the time since explosion, total ejecta mass, kinetic energy, radial density profile, and the masses of ⁵⁶Ni, intermediate-mass elements, and stable iron-group elements. We also quantify the impact of uncertainties in atomic data inputs. We find the following. (1) The main features of SN Ia nebular spectra are relatively insensitive to most physical parameters. Degeneracy among parameters precludes a unique determination of the ejecta properties from spectral fitting. In particular, features can be equally well fit with generic Chandrasekhar mass (), sub-, and super- models. (2) A sizable (≳0.1 ) central region of stable iron-group elements, often claimed as evidence for models, is not essential to fit the optical spectra and may produce an unusual flat-top [Co iii] profile. (3) The strength of [S iii] emission near 9500 Å can provide a useful diagnostic of explosion nucleosynthesis. (4) Substantial amounts (≳0.1 ) of unburned C/O mixed throughout the ejecta produce [O iii] emission not seen in observations. (5) Shifts in the wavelength of line peaks can arise from line-blending effects. (6) The steepness of the ejecta density profile affects the line shapes, offering a constraint on explosion models. (7) Uncertainties in atomic data limit the ability to infer physical parameters.