Table of contents for issue 1, volume 910, The Astrophysical Journal

Monitoring of vibrational eigenmodes of an elastic body excited by gravitational waves was one of the first concepts proposed for the detection of gravitational waves. At laboratory scale, these experiments became known as resonant bar detectors first developed by Joseph Weber in the 1960s. Due to the dimensions of these bars, the targeted signal frequencies were in the kHz range. Weber also pointed out that monitoring of vibrations of Earth or the Moon could reveal gravitational waves in the mHz band. His Lunar Surface Gravimeter experiment deployed on the Moon by the Apollo 17 crew had a technical failure, which greatly reduced the science scope of the experiment. In this article, we revisit the idea and propose a Lunar Gravitational-Wave Antenna (LGWA). We find that LGWA could become an important partner observatory for joint observations with the space-borne, laser-interferometric detector LISA and at the same time contribute an independent science case due to LGWA’s unique features. Technical challenges need to be overcome for the deployment of the experiment, and development of inertial vibration sensor technology lays out a future path for this exciting detector concept.

The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of some blazars exhibit an ultraviolet (UV) and/or soft X-ray excess that can be modeled with different radiation mechanisms. Polarization measurements of the UV/X-ray emission from blazars may provide new and unique information about the astrophysical environment of blazar jets, and could thus help to distinguish between different emission scenarios. In this paper, a new Monte Carlo code—Monte Carlo Applications for Partially Polarized Inverse External-Compton Scattering—for polarization-dependent Compton scattering is used to simulate the polarization signatures in a model where the UV/soft X-ray excess arises from the bulk Compton process. Predictions of the expected polarization signatures of Compton emission from the soft X-ray excess in the SED of AO 0235+164 and the UV excess in the SED of 3C 279 are made for upcoming and proposed polarimetry missions.

Here we aim to explore the origin of the strong C₂H lines to reimagine the chemistry of protoplanetary disks. There are a few key aspects that drive our analysis. First, C₂H is detected in young and old systems, hinting at a long-lived chemistry. Second, as a radical, C₂H is rapidly destroyed, within <1000 yr. These two statements hint that the chemistry responsible for C₂H emission must be predominantly in the gas phase and must be in equilibrium. Combining new and published chemical models, we find that elevating the total volatile (gas and ice) C/O ratio is the only natural way to create a long-lived, high C₂H abundance. Most of the C₂H resides in gas with an F_UV/n_gas ∼ 10⁻⁷G₀ cm³. To elevate the volatile C/O ratio, additional carbon has to be released into the gas to enable equilibrium chemistry under oxygen-poor conditions. Photoablation of carbon-rich grains seems the most straightforward way to elevate the C/O ratio above 1.5, powering a long-lived equilibrium cycle. The regions at which the conditions are optimal for the presence of high C/O ratio and elevated C₂H abundances in the gas disk set by the F_UV/n_gas condition lie just outside the pebble disk as well as possibly in disk gaps. This process can thus also explain the (hints of) structure seen in C₂H observations.

In multi-messenger astronomy, rapid investigation of interesting transients is imperative. As an observatory with a 4π steradian field of view, and ∼99% uptime, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a unique facility to follow up transients, as well as to provide valuable insights for other observatories and inform their observational decisions. Since 2016, IceCube has been using low-latency data to rapidly respond to interesting astrophysical events reported by the multi-messenger observational community. Here, we describe the pipeline used to perform these followup analyses, and provide a summary of the 58 analyses performed as of July 2020. We find no significant signal in the first 58 analyses performed. The pipeline has helped inform various electromagnetic observation strategies, and has constrained neutrino emission from potential hadronic cosmic accelerators.

Massive black holes (BHs) in dwarf galaxies can provide strong constraints on BH seeds; however, reliably detecting them is notoriously difficult. High-resolution radio observations were recently used to identify accreting massive BHs in nearby dwarf galaxies, with a significant fraction found to be non-nuclear. Here we present the first results of our optical follow-up of these radio-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in dwarf galaxies using integral field unit (IFU) data from Gemini-North. We focus on the dwarf galaxy J1220+3020, which shows no clear optical AGN signatures in its nuclear Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum covering the radio source. With our new IFU data, we confirm the presence of an active BH via the AGN coronal line [Fe x] and enhanced [O i] emission coincident with the radio source. Furthermore, we detect broad Hα emission and estimate a BH mass of M_BH = 10^4.9M_⊙. We compare the narrow emission line ratios to standard BPT diagnostics and shock models. Spatially resolved BPT diagrams show some AGN signatures, particularly in [O i]/Hα, but overall do not unambiguously identify the AGN. A comparison of our data to shock models clearly indicates shocked emission surrounding the AGN. The physical model most consistent with the data is an active BH with a radiatively inefficient accretion flow that both photoionizes and shock-excites the surrounding gas. We conclude that feedback is important in radio-selected BHs in dwarf galaxies and that radio surveys may probe a population of low accretion rate BHs in dwarf galaxies that cannot be detected through optical surveys alone.

Multiple stellar populations (MPs) are a distinct characteristic of globular clusters (GCs). Their general properties have been widely studied among main-sequence, red giant branch (RGB), and horizontal branch (HB) stars, but a common framework is still missing at later evolutionary stages. We studied the MP phenomenon along the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) sequences in 58 GCs, observed with the Hubble Space Telescope in UV and optical filters. Using UV–optical color–magnitude diagrams, we selected the AGB members of each cluster and identified the AGB candidates of the metal-enhanced population in type II GCs. We studied the photometric properties of the AGB stars and compared them to theoretical models derived from synthetic spectral analysis. We observed the following features: (i) the spread of AGB stars in photometric indices sensitive to variations of light elements and helium is typically larger than that expected from photometric errors; (ii) the fraction of metal-enhanced stars in the AGB is lower than that in the RGB in most of the type II GCs; (iii) the fraction of 1G stars derived from the chromosome map of AGB stars in 15 GCs is larger than that of RGB stars; and (v) the AGB/HB frequency correlates with the average mass of the most helium-enriched population. These findings represent clear evidence of the presence of MPs along the AGB of Galactic GCs and indicate that a significant fraction of helium-enriched stars, which have lower mass in the HB, do not evolve to the AGB phase, leaving the HB sequence toward higher effective temperatures, as predicted by the AGB manqué scenario.

The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) aims to explore the nascent solar wind close to the Sun. Meanwhile, PSP is also expected to encounter small objects like comets and asteroids. In this work, we survey the ephemerides to find the chance of a recent encounter and then model the interaction between released dusty plasmas and solar wind plasmas. On 2019 September 2, a comet-like object, the 322P/Solar and Heliosphere Observatory, just passed its perihelion flying to a heliocentric distance of 0.12 au and swept by PSP at a relative distance as close as 0.025 au. We present the dynamics of the dust particles released from 322P, forming a curved dust tail. Along the path of PSP in the simulated inner heliosphere, the states of plasma and magnetic field are sampled and illustrated, with the magnetic field sequences from simulation results being compared directly with the in situ measurements from PSP. Through the comparison, we suggest that 322P might be at a deficient activity level releasing limited dusty plasmas on its way to becoming a “rock comet.” We also present images of solar wind streamers as recorded by the Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe Plus, showing an indication of dust bombardment for the images superposed with messy trails. We observe from the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph that 322P was transiting from a dimming region to a relatively bright streamer during its perihelion passage, and perform a simulation to confirm that 322P was flying from relatively faster to slower solar wind streams, modifying the local plasma states of the streams.

In this study, we present a visual explanation of a deep learning solar flare forecast model and its relationship to physical parameters of solar active regions (ARs). For this, we use full-disk magnetograms at 00:00 UT from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager and the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager, physical parameters from the Space-weather HMI Active Region Patch (SHARP), and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite X-ray flare data. Our deep learning flare forecast model based on the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) predicts “Yes” or “No” for the daily occurrence of C-, M-, and X-class flares. We interpret the model using two CNN attribution methods (guided backpropagation and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping [Grad-CAM]) that provide quantitative information on explaining the model. We find that our deep learning flare forecasting model is intimately related to AR physical properties that have also been distinguished in previous studies as holding significant predictive ability. Major results of this study are as follows. First, we successfully apply our deep learning models to the forecast of daily solar flare occurrence with TSS = 0.65, without any preprocessing to extract features from data. Second, using the attribution methods, we find that the polarity inversion line is an important feature for the deep learning flare forecasting model. Third, the ARs with high Grad-CAM values produce more flares than those with low Grad-CAM values. Fourth, nine SHARP parameters such as total unsigned vertical current, total unsigned current helicity, total unsigned flux, and total photospheric magnetic free energy density are well correlated with Grad-CAM values.

We studied general advective accretion solutions around a Kerr black hole (BH) by investigating two types of inflow gases at the outer accretion boundary (AB). We classified these two types of gases as cold-mode and hot-mode inflow gas at the outer AB on the basis of their temperatures and solutions. We found that the hot-mode gas is more efficient for angular momentum transport around the outer AB than the cold-mode gas. The hot-mode gas can give multiple global (popular as a shock solution) or single sonic point solutions, and the cold-mode gas can give a smooth global solution (popularly known as advection-dominated accretion flow) or two sonic point solutions. These solutions are also presented on a plane in energy and angular momentum (B_ob−L₀) parameter space. For the first time, we explored theoretically the relation between the nature of accretion solutions and the nature of the initial accreting gas at the AB with a detailed computational and possible physical analysis. We also found that the surface density of the flow is highly affected by changes in the temperature at the AB, which can alter the radiative emissivities of the flow. The flow variables of various advective solutions are also compared. On the basis of those results, we plotted some inner disk structures around the BHs. By doing so, we conjecture on the persistent/transient nature of spectral states, soft excess, and timescales of variabilities around the BH X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei.

We use a generic thermophysical model to study in detail the formation of water-ice frost in the near-surface layers of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. We show that nightly frost formation is a common phenomenon. In particular, while abrupt landscapes may be conducive to frost formation, they are not a requisite condition. We show that the process of subsurface frost formation is similar to that of the condensed ice layer, or crust, underneath. The sublimation of frost produces regular, enhanced outgassing early in the morning. In the case of 67P, this activity is subordinate to and precedes the daily peak sourced from the ice-rich layers located above the diurnal skin depth. In any case, frost activity should be a nominal component of comet water activity.

We have observed the very low-mass Class 0 protostar IRAS 15398−3359 at scales ranging from 50 to 1800 au, as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array Large Program FAUST. We uncover a linear feature, visible in H₂CO, SO, and C¹⁸O line emission, which extends from the source in a direction almost perpendicular to the known active outflow. Molecular line emission from H₂CO, SO, SiO, and CH₃OH further reveals an arc-like structure connected to the outer end of the linear feature and separated from the protostar, IRAS 15398−3359, by 1200 au. The arc-like structure is blueshifted with respect to the systemic velocity. A velocity gradient of 1.2 km s⁻¹ over 1200 au along the linear feature seen in the H₂CO emission connects the protostar and the arc-like structure kinematically. SO, SiO, and CH₃OH are known to trace shocks, and we interpret the arc-like structure as a relic shock region produced by an outflow previously launched by IRAS 15398−3359. The velocity gradient along the linear structure can be explained as relic outflow motion. The origins of the newly observed arc-like structure and extended linear feature are discussed in relation to turbulent motions within the protostellar core and episodic accretion events during the earliest stage of protostellar evolution.

We present a comprehensive study of three solar energetic electron events observed in the Earth’s cusp/lobe regions by the BeiDa Image Electron Spectrometer (BD-IES) on board a BeiDou satellite in an inclined (55°) geosynchronous orbit in 2015 October, 2015 November, and 2016 January, respectively. In all three events at energies above 50 keV, the electron omnidirectional differential fluxes from BD-IES show a strong (∼0.7–0.9) correlation with the simultaneous electron fluxes from the Wind 3DP instrument in the interplanetary medium, but generally with a smaller intensity. Compared to the Wind 3DP spectra of electron flux versus energy, the BD-IES electron spectra also fit well to a power-law function, , but the power-law spectral index appears to be mostly smaller than the 3DP spectral index, for all three events. These measurements provide the first observational evidence that solar/interplanetary energetic electrons can directly and continuously enter the planet’s cusp/lobe regions and get trapped there, probably leading to a contribution to the energetic electrons and/or seed particles for acceleration in the planetary magnetosphere.

Spatially resolved images of debris disks frequently reveal complex morphologies such as gaps, spirals, and warps. Most existing models for explaining such morphologies focus on the role of massive perturbers (i.e., planets, stellar companions), ignoring the gravitational effects of the disk itself. Here we investigate the secular interaction between an eccentric planet and a massive, external debris disk using a simple analytical model. Our framework accounts for both the gravitational coupling between the disk and the planet, as well as the disk self-gravity—with the limitation that it ignores the non-axisymmetric component of the disk (self-)gravity. We find generally that even when the disk is less massive than the planet, the system may feature secular resonances within the disk (contrary to what may be naively expected), where planetesimal eccentricities get significantly excited. Given this outcome, we propose that double-ringed debris disks, such as those around HD 107146 and HD 92945, could be the result of secular resonances with a yet-undetected planet interior to the disk. We characterize the dependence of the properties of the secular resonances (i.e., locations, timescales, and widths) on the planet and disk parameters, finding that the mechanism is robust provided the disk is massive enough. As an example, we apply our results to HD 107146 and find that this mechanism readily produces ∼20 au wide non-axisymmetric gaps. Our results may be used to set constraints on the total mass of double-ringed debris disks. We demonstrate this for HD 206893, for which we infer a disk mass of ≈170M_⊕ by considering perturbations from the known brown dwarf companion.

The thermodynamic properties of the hot plasma in galaxy clusters retain information on the processes leading to the formation and evolution of the gas in their deep, dark matter potential wells. These processes are dictated not only by gravity but also by gas physics, e.g., active galactic nucleus feedback and turbulence. In this work, we study the thermodynamic properties, e.g., density, temperature, pressure, and entropy, of the most massive and the most distant (seven clusters at z > 1.2) clusters selected by the South Pole Telescope and compare them with those of the nearby clusters (13 clusters at z < 0.1) to constrain their evolution as a function of time and radius. We find that thermodynamic properties in the outskirts of high-redshift clusters are remarkably similar to the low-redshift clusters, and their evolution follows the prediction of the self-similar model. Their intrinsic scatter is larger, indicating that the physical properties that lead to the formation and virialization of cluster outskirts show evolving variance. On the other hand, thermodynamic properties in the cluster cores deviate significantly from self-similarity, indicating that the processes that regulate the core are already in place in these very high redshift clusters. This result is supported by the unevolving physical scatter of all thermodynamic quantities in cluster cores.

The pure rotational spectrum of the CCl⁺ (X¹Σ⁺) cation has been observed for the first time using a cryogenic ion trap apparatus and applying an action spectroscopy scheme. The major isotopic species ¹²C³⁵Cl⁺ was observed up to the J = 4 ← 3 transition around 191 GHz and ¹²C³⁷Cl⁺ was observed up to J = 3 ← 2. All transitions exhibit (partially) resolved hyperfine structure from the presence of the chlorine nuclei (both I = 3/2). This study provides the data needed for future sensitive radio astronomical searches for CCl⁺ in space.

We present High Sensitivity Array and enhanced Multi-Element Remotely Linked Interferometer Network observations of the radio-loud broad-lined Type Ic supernova PTF11qcj obtained ∼7.5 yr after the explosion. Previous observations of this supernova at 5.5 yr since explosion showed a double-peaked radio light curve accompanied by a detection in the X-rays, but no evidence for broad Hα spectral features. The Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations presented here show that the PTF11qcj GHz radio ejecta remains marginally resolved at the submilliarcsecond level ≈7.5 yr after the explosion, pointing toward a nonrelativistic expansion. Our VLBI observations thus favor a scenario in which the second peak of the PTF11qcj radio light curve is related to the strong interaction of the supernova ejecta with a circumstellar medium of variable density, rather than to the emergence of an off-axis jet. Continued VLBI monitoring of PTF11qcj in the radio may further strengthen this conclusion.

Many approaches to galaxy dynamics assume that the gravitational potential is simple and the distribution function is time invariant. Under these assumptions there are traditional tools for inferring potential parameters given observations of stellar kinematics (e.g., Jeans models). However, spectroscopic surveys measure many stellar properties beyond kinematics. Here we present a new approach for dynamical inference, Orbital Torus Imaging, which makes use of kinematic measurements and element abundances (or other invariant labels). We exploit the fact that, in steady state, stellar labels vary systematically with orbit characteristics (actions), yet must be invariant with respect to orbital phases (conjugate angles). The orbital foliation of phase space must therefore coincide with surfaces along which all moments of all stellar label distributions are constant. Both classical-statistics and Bayesian methods can be built on this; these methods will be more robust and require fewer assumptions than traditional tools because they require no knowledge of the (spatial) survey selection function and do not involve second moments of velocity distributions. We perform a classical-statistics demonstration with red giant branch stars from the APOGEE surveys: we model the vertical orbit structure in the Milky Way disk to constrain the local disk mass, scale height, and the disk–halo mass ratio (at fixed local circular velocity). We find that the disk mass can be constrained (naïvely) at the few-percent level with Orbital Torus Imaging using only eight element-abundance ratios, demonstrating the promise of combining stellar labels with dynamical invariants.

We report the discovery of a new ultra-faint stellar system found near the Magellanic Clouds in the DECam Local Volume Exploration Survey. This new system, DELVE J0155−6815 (DELVE 2), is located at a heliocentric distance of D_⊙ = 71 ± 4 kpc, which places it at a 3D physical separation of 12 ± 3 kpc from the center of the Small Magellanic Cloud and from the center of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). DELVE 2 is identified as a resolved overdensity of old (τ > 13.3 Gyr) and metal-poor ( dex) stars with a projected half-light radius of and an absolute magnitude of . The size and luminosity of DELVE 2 are consistent with both the population of recently discovered ultra-faint globular clusters and the smallest ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. However, its photometrically derived age and metallicity would place it among the oldest and most metal-poor globular clusters in the Magellanic system. In the absence of spectroscopic measurements of the system’s metallicity dispersion and internal kinematics, we are unable to conclusively classify this system at this time. DELVE 2 is detected in Gaia DR2 with a clear proper-motion signal, with multiple blue horizontal-branch stars near the centroid of the system with proper motions consistent with the systemic mean. We measure the system proper motion to be = mas yr⁻¹. We compare the spatial position and proper motion of DELVE 2 with simulations of the accreted satellite population of the LMC and find that it is very likely to be associated with the LMC.

We present the spatial analysis of five Compton thick (CT) active galactic nuclei (AGNs), including MKN 573, NGC 1386, NGC 3393, NGC 5643, and NGC 7212, for which high-resolution Chandra observations are available. For each source, we find hard X-ray emission (>3 keV) extending to ∼kiloparsec scales along the ionization cone, and for some sources, in the cross-cone region. This collection represents the first, high-signal sample of CT AGN with extended hard X-ray emission for which we can begin to build a more complete picture of this new population of AGN. We investigate the energy dependence of the extended X-ray emission, including possible dependencies on host galaxy and AGN properties, and find a correlation between the excess emission and obscuration, suggesting a connection between the nuclear obscuring material and the galactic molecular clouds. Furthermore, we find that the soft X-ray emission extends farther than the hard X-rays along the ionization cone, which may be explained by a galactocentric radial dependence on the density of molecular clouds due to the orientation of the ionization cone with respect to the galactic disk. These results are consistent with other CT AGN with observed extended hard X-ray emission (e.g., ESO 428-G014 and the Ma et al. CT AGN sample), further demonstrating the ubiquity of extended hard X-ray emission in CT AGN.

To date, about two dozen low-mass embedded protostars exhibit rich spectra with lines of complex organic molecules (COMs). These protostars seem to possess a different enrichment in COMs. However, the statistics of COM abundance in low-mass protostars are limited by the scarcity of observations. This study introduces the Perseus ALMA Chemistry Survey (PEACHES), which aims at unbiasedly characterizing the chemistry of COMs toward the embedded (Class 0/I) protostars in the Perseus molecular cloud. Of the 50 embedded protostars surveyed, 58% of them have emission from COMs. 56%, 32%, and 40% of the protostars have CH₃OH, CH₃OCHO, and N-bearing COMs, respectively. The detectability of COMs depends neither on the averaged continuum brightness temperature, a proxy of the H₂ column density, nor on the bolometric luminosity and the bolometric temperature. For the protostars with detected COMs, CH₃OH has a tight correlation with CH₃CN, spanning more than two orders of magnitude in column densities normalized by the continuum brightness temperature, suggesting a chemical relation between CH₃OH and CH₃CN and a large chemical diversity in the PEACHES samples at the same time. A similar trend with more scatter is also found between all identified COMs, which hints at a common chemistry for the sources with COMs. The correlation between COMs is insensitive to the protostellar properties, such as the bolometric luminosity and the bolometric temperature. The abundance of larger COMs (CH₃OCHO and CH₃OCH₃) relative to that of smaller COMs (CH₃OH and CH₃CN) increases with the inferred gas column density, hinting at an efficient production of complex species in denser envelopes.

The microquasar MAXI J1820+070 went into outburst from 2018 mid-March until mid-July, with several faint rebrightenings afterward. With a peak flux of approximately 4 Crab in the 20–50 keV energy range, the source was monitored across the electromagnetic spectrum with detections from radio to hard X-ray frequencies. Using these multiwavelength observations, we analyzed quasi-simultaneous observations from April 12, near the peak of the outburst (∼March 23). Analysis of the X-ray spectrum found it indicative of an accreting black hole binary in the hard state, consistent with the flat/inverted radio spectrum and the accretion disk winds seen at optical wavelengths. Then, we constructed a spectral energy distribution spanning ∼12 orders of magnitude using modeling in JetSeT. The model is composed of an irradiated disk with a Compton hump and a leptonic jet with an acceleration region and a synchrotron-dominated cooling region. JetSeT finds that the spectrum is dominated by jet emission up to approximately 10¹⁴ Hz, after which disk and coronal emission dominates. The acceleration region has a magnetic field of B ∼ 1.6 × 10⁴ G, a cross section of R ∼ 2.8 × 10⁹ cm, and a flat radio spectral shape naturally obtained from the synchroton cooling of the accelerated electrons. The jet luminosity is >8 × 10³⁷ erg s⁻¹ (>0.15L_Edd), compared to an accretion luminosity of ∼6 × 10³⁷ erg s⁻¹, assuming a distance of 3 kpc. Because these two values are comparable, it is possible that the jet is powered predominately via accretion with only a small contribution needed from the Blanford–Znajek mechanism from the reportedly slowly spinning black hole.

The space gravitational wave (GW) detector Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) that is planned to be launched in the early 2030s will detect the low-frequency GW signals in the Galaxy. AM CVn stars were generally thought to be important low-frequency GW sources. Employing the MESA code, in this work we calculate the evolution of a great number of binary systems consisting of a white dwarf (WD) and a main sequence (MS) star, and diagnose whether their descendant-AM CVn stars will be visible with LISA. The simulated results show that the progenitors of these LISA sources, within a distance of 1 kpc, are WD–MS binaries with a donor star of 1.0–1.4 M_⊙ (for initial WD mass of 0.5 M_⊙) or 1.0–2.0 M_⊙ (for initial WD mass of 0.7 M_⊙), and an initial orbital period slightly smaller than the bifurcation period. Our simulations also indicate that 10 verification AM CVn sources can be reproduced by the standard magnetic braking model, and are potential LISA sources. Based on the birth rate of AM CVn stars simulated by the population synthesis, the birth rate of AM CVn-LISA sources evolving from the evolved donor star channel within a distance of 1 kpc can be estimated to be (0.6–1.4) × 10⁻⁶ yr⁻¹, and the predicted number of AM CVn-LISA sources is about 340–810. Therefore, the evolved donor star channel plays an important role in forming AM CVn-LISA sources in the Galaxy.

In beyond-Horndeski theories of gravity, the Vainshtein screening mechanism might only be partially effective inside stellar objects. This results in a modification of the pressure balance equation inside stars, often characterized by a single parameter (ϒ) in isotropic systems. We show how to constrain such theories of modified gravity, using tidal effects. We study such effects in cataclysmic variable star binaries and numerically obtain limits on the critical masses of the donor stars, below which they are tidally disrupted, by modeling them in beyond-Horndeski theories. This is contrasted with values of the donor masses, obtained using existing observational data, by a Monte Carlo error progression method. A best-fit scenario of the two yields a parametric constraint in the theories that we consider, within the approximations used. Here, we obtain the allowed range 0 ≤ ϒ ≤ 0.50.

We explore changes in the adiabatic low-order g-mode pulsation periods of 0.526, 0.560, and 0.729 M_⊙ carbon–oxygen white dwarf models with helium-dominated envelopes due to the presence, absence, and enhancement of ²²Ne in the interior. The observed g-mode pulsation periods of such white dwarfs are typically given to 6−7 significant figures of precision. Usually white dwarf models without ²²Ne are fit to the observed periods and other properties. The rms residuals to the ≃150−400 s low-order g-mode periods are typically in the range of σ_rms ≲ 0.3 s, for a fit precision of σ_rms/P ≲ 0.3%. We find average relative period shifts of ΔP/P ≃ ±0.5% for the low-order dipole and quadrupole g-mode pulsations within the observed effective temperature window, with the range of ΔP/P depending on the specific g-mode, abundance of ²²Ne, effective temperature, and the mass of the white dwarf model. This finding suggests a systematic offset may be present in the fitting process of specific white dwarfs when ²²Ne is absent. As part of the fitting processes involves adjusting the composition profiles of a white dwarf model, our study on the impact of ²²Ne can provide new inferences on the derived interior mass fraction profiles. We encourage routinely including ²²Ne mass fraction profiles, informed by stellar evolution models, to future generations of white dwarf model-fitting processes.

We report that the RS CVn–type star GT Mus (HR 4492, HD 101379+HD 101380) was the most active star in the X-ray sky in the last decade in terms of the scale of recurrent energetic flares. We detected 11 flares from GT Mus in 8 yr of observations with the Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) from 2009 August to 2017 August. The detected flare peak luminosities were 1–4 × 10³³ erg s⁻¹ in the 2.0–20.0 keV band for its distance of 109.6 pc. Our timing analysis showed long durations (τ_r + τ_d) of 2–6 days with long decay times (τ_d) of 1–4 days. The released energies during the decay phases of the flares in the 0.1–100 keV band were in the range of 1–11 × 10³⁸ erg, which are at the upper end of the observed stellar flare. The released energies during the whole duration were in the range of 2–13 × 10³⁸ erg in the same band. We carried out X-ray follow-up observations for one of the 11 flares with the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) on 2017 July 18 and found that the flare cooled quasi-statically. On the basis of a quasi-static cooling model, the flare loop length is derived to be 4 × 10¹² cm (or 60 R_☉). The electron density is derived to be 1 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻³, which is consistent with the typical value of solar and stellar flares (10^10–13 cm⁻³). The ratio of the cooling timescales between radiative (τ_rad) and conductive (τ_cond) cooling is estimated to be τ_rad ∼ 0.1 τ_cond from the temperature; thus, radiative cooling was dominant in this flare.

Water ice has a strong spectral feature at a wavelength of approximately 3 μm, which plays a vital role in our understanding of the icy universe. In this study, we investigate the scattering polarization of this water-ice feature. The linear polarization degree of light scattered by micron-sized icy grains is known to be enhanced at the ice band; however, the dependence of this polarization enhancement on various grain properties is unclear. We find that the enhanced polarization at the ice band is sensitive to the presence of micron-sized grains as well as their ice abundance. We demonstrate that this enhancement is caused by the high absorbency of the water-ice feature, which attenuates internal scattering and renders the surface reflection dominant over internal scattering. Additionally, we compare our models with polarimetric observations of the low-mass protostar L1551 IRS 5. Our results show that scattering by a maximum grain radius of a few microns with a low water-ice abundance is consistent with observations. Thus, scattering polarization of the water-ice feature is a useful tool for characterizing ice properties in various astronomical environments.

Extreme debris disks (EDDs) are rare systems with peculiarly large amounts of warm dust that may stem from recent giant impacts between planetary embryos during the final phases of terrestrial planet growth. Here we report on the identification and characterization of six new EDDs. These disks surround F5-G9 type main-sequence stars with ages >100 Myr, have dust temperatures higher than 300 K, and fractional luminosities between 0.01 and 0.07. Using time-domain photometric data at 3.4 and 4.6 μm from the WISE all-sky surveys, we conclude that four of these disks exhibited variable mid-infrared (IR) emission between 2010 and 2019. Analyzing the sample of all known EDDs, now expanded to 17 objects, we find that 14 of them showed changes at 3–5 μm over the past decade, suggesting that mid-IR variability is an inherent characteristic of EDDs. We also report that wide-orbit pairs are significantly more common in EDD systems than in the normal stellar population. While current models of rocky planet formation predict that the majority of giant collisions occur in the first 100 Myr, we find that the sample of EDDs is dominated by systems older than this age. This raises the possibility that the era of giant impacts may be longer than we think, or that some other mechanism(s) can also produce EDDs. We examine a scenario where the observed warm dust stems from the disruption and/or collisions of comets delivered from an outer reservoir into the inner regions, and explore what role the wide companions could play in this process.

We forecast constraints on the amplitude of matter clustering σ₈(z) achievable with the combination of cluster weak lensing and number counts, in current and next-generation weak lensing surveys. We advocate for an approach, analogous to galaxy–galaxy lensing, in which the observables in each redshift bin are the mean number counts and the mean weak lensing profile of clusters above a mass proxy threshold. The primary astrophysical nuisance parameter is the logarithmic scatter between the mass proxy and true mass near the threshold. For surveys similar to the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the Roman Space Telescope High Latitude Survey (HLS), and the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), we forecast aggregate precision on σ₈ of 0.26%, 0.24%, and 0.10%, respectively, if the mass–observable scatter is known externally to . These constraints would be degraded by about 20% for in the case of DES or HLS and for for LSST. A 1 month observing program with Roman Space Telescope targeting ∼2500 massive clusters could achieve a ∼ 0.5% constraint on σ₈(z = 0.7) on its own, or a ∼ 0.33% constraint in combination with the HLS. Realizing the constraining power of clusters Requires accurate knowledge of the mass–observable relation and stringent control of systematics. We provide analytic approximations to our numerical results that allow for easy scaling to other survey assumptions or other methods of cluster mass estimation.

State-of-the-art cosmological simulations on classical computers are limited by time, energy, and memory usage. Quantum computers can perform some calculations exponentially faster than classical computers, using exponentially less energy and memory, and may enable extremely large simulations that accurately capture the whole dynamic range of structure in the universe within statistically representative cosmic volumes. However, not all computational tasks exhibit a “quantum advantage.” Quantum circuits act linearly on quantum states, so nonlinearities (e.g., self-gravity in cosmological simulations) pose a significant challenge. Here we outline one potential approach to overcome this challenge and solve the (nonlinear) Schrödinger–Poisson equations for the evolution of self-gravitating dark matter, based on a hybrid quantum–classical variational algorithm framework (Lubasch et al.). We demonstrate the method with a proof-of-concept mock quantum simulation, envisioning a future where quantum computers will one day lead simulations of dark matter.

We present the merger rate density of Population III binary black holes (BHs) by means of a widely used binary population synthesis code BSE with extensions to very massive and extreme metal-poor stars. We consider not only low-mass BHs (lBHs: 5–50M_⊙) but also high-mass BHs (hBHs: 130–200M_⊙), where lBHs and hBHs are below and above the pair-instability mass gap (50–130M_⊙), respectively. Population III BH–BHs can be categorized into three subpopulations: BH–BHs without hBHs (hBH0s: m_tot ≲ 100M_⊙), with one hBH (hBH1s: m_tot ∼ 130–260M_⊙), and with two hBHs (hBH2s: m_tot ∼ 270–400M_⊙), where m_tot is the total mass of a BH–BH. Their merger rate densities at the current universe are ∼0.1 yr⁻¹ Gpc⁻³ for hBH0s, and ∼0.01 yr⁻¹ Gpc⁻³ for the sum of hBH1s and hBH2s, provided that the mass density of Population III stars is ∼10¹³M_⊙ Gpc⁻³. These rates are modestly insensitive to initial conditions and single star models. The hBH1 and hBH2 mergers can dominate BH–BHs with hBHs discovered in the near future. They have low effective spins ≲0.2 in the current universe. The number ratio of hBH2s to hBH1s is high, ≳0.1. We also find that BHs in the mass gap (up to ∼85M_⊙) merge. These merger rates can be reduced to nearly zero if Population III binaries are always wide (≳100R_⊙), and if Population III stars always enter into chemically homogeneous evolution. The presence of close Population III binaries (∼10R_⊙) is crucial for avoiding the worst scenario.

Planets form in young circumstellar disks called protoplanetary disks. However, it is still difficult to catch planet formation in situ. Nevertheless, from recent ALMA/SPHERE data, encouraging evidence of the direct and indirect presence of embedded planets has been identified in disks around young stars: co-moving point sources, gravitational perturbations, rings, cavities, and emission dips or shadows cast on disks. The interpretation of these observations needs a robust physical framework to deduce the complex disk geometry. In particular, protoplanetary disk models usually assume the gas pressure scale height given by the ratio of the sound speed over the azimuthal velocity H/r = c_s/v_k. By doing so, radiative pressure fields are often ignored, which could lead to a misinterpretation of the real vertical structure of such disks. We follow the evolution of a gaseous disk with an embedded Jupiter-mass planet through hydrodynamical simulations, computing the disk scale height including radiative pressure, which was derived from a generalization of the stellar atmosphere theory. We focus on the vertical impact of the radiative pressure in the vicinity of circumplanetary disks, where temperatures can reach ≳1000 K for an accreting planet and radiative forces can overcome gravitational forces from the planet. The radiation pressure effects create a vertical, optically thick column of gas and dust at the protoplanet location, casting a shadow in scattered light. This mechanism could explain the peculiar illumination patterns observed in some disks around young stars such as HD 169142 where a moving shadow has been detected or the extremely high aspect ratio H/r ∼ 0.2 observed in systems like AB Aur and CT Cha.

As cosmic structures form, matter density fluctuations collapse gravitationally and baryonic matter is shock-heated and thermalized. We therefore expect a connection between the mean gravitational potential energy density of collapsed halos, , and the mean thermal energy density of baryons, Ω_th. These quantities can be obtained using two fundamentally different estimates: we compute using the theoretical framework of the halo model, which is driven by dark matter statistics, and measure Ω_th using the Sunyaev–Zeldovich (SZ) effect, which probes the mean thermal pressure of baryons. First, we derive that, at the present time, about 90% of originates from massive halos with M > 10¹³M_⊙. Then, using our measurements of the SZ background, we find that Ω_th accounts for about 80% of the kinetic energy of the baryons available for pressure in halos at z ≲ 0.5. This constrains the amount of nonthermal pressure, e.g., due to bulk and turbulent gas motion sourced by mass accretion, to be about Ω_non‐th ≃ 0.4 × 10⁻⁸ at z = 0.

We studied the weak-lined T Tauri star Hubble 4, a known long-period binary, and its star-spot phenomena. We used optical radial velocity (RV) data taken over a span of 14 yr (2004–2010, 2017–2019) at the McDonald Observatory 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith Telescope and single epoch imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Wide Field Camera 3 instrument. The observed and apparent RV variations show contributions, respectively, from the binary motion as well as from a large spot group on one of the stars, presumed to be the primary. Fitting and removing the orbital signal from the RVs, we found the lower bound on the lifetime of a previously identified large spot group on the surface of the star to be at least 5.1 yr. An ∼5 yr lower limit is a long, but not unprecedented, duration for a single spot group. The later epoch data indicate significant spot evolution has occurred, placing an upper bound on the spot group lifetime at 12 yr. We find that pre-main-sequence evolutionary models for the age of Taurus (∼2 Myr), combined with component mass estimates from the literature, permit us to reproduce the HST relative photometry and the binary-induced contribution to the apparent RV variations. The long-lived star spot we find on Hubble 4 has significant implications for dynamo models in young stars, as it adds evidence for long lifetimes of magnetic field topologies. There are also significant implications for young star exoplanet searches, as long-lived coherent RV signals may be spot induced and not the result of planetary motion.

Mixing between convective zones is quite uncertain in the envelopes of A-type stars. To study the mixing in A-type envelopes, we use a new convection model, the k-ω model, in the MESA stellar evolution code. Using the k-ω model, we find that the overshooting regions of the He ii and H/He i convection zones are integrated with each other. There is material exchange between the He ii and H/He i convection zones through overshooting, in agreement with recent numerical simulations.We obtain the overshooting distance of about 3.5H_p below the base of the H/He i convection zone in a 2.3 M_⊙ star. There are two overshooting regions beyond the He ii convection zone in the same stellar model. We obtain that the overshooting distance of the upper one is about 3.9H_p and about 2.0H_p for the lower one. We find that the turbulent diffusion effect is particularly strong in the convective envelopes of A-type stars. In addition, we find that the typical size of the convective rolling cells is restricted by the actual thickness of the convective zones, because the thickness of the convection zones are usually smaller than or approximately equal to the local pressure scale height. Through comparisons with the results of the k-ω model, we find that a suitable value of f_ov is about 0.45 for the H/He i convective overshooting region. It is about 0.27 for the upper He ii convective overshooting region and about 0.25 for the lower one.

In recent studies, several active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have exhibited gradients of the Faraday rotation measure (RM) transverse to their parsec-scale jet direction. Faraday rotation likely occurs as a result of a magnetized sheath wrapped around the jet. In the case of 3C 273, using Very Long Baseline Array multiepoch observations at 5, 8, and 15 GHz in 2009–2010, we observe that the jet RM has changed significantly toward negative values compared with that previously observed. These changes could be explained by a swing of the parsec-scale jet direction, which causes synchrotron emission to pass through different portions of the Faraday screen. We develop a model for the jet–sheath system in 3C 273 where the sheath is wider than the single-epoch narrow relativistic jet. We present our oversized sheath model together with a derived wide-jet full intrinsic opening angle α_int = 21 and magnetic field strength B_∣∣ = 3 μG, and thermal particle density N_e = 125 cm⁻³ at the wide jet–sheath boundary 230 pc downstream (deprojected) from its beginning. Most of the Faraday rotation occurs within the innermost layers of the sheath. The model brings together the jet direction swing and long-term RM evolution and may be applicable to other AGN jets that exhibit changes in their apparent jet direction.

We present a new kinematic model for the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), using data from the Gaia Data Release 2 catalog. We identify a sample of astrometrically well-behaved red giant (RG) stars belonging to the SMC and cross-match with publicly available radial velocity (RV) catalogs. We create a 3D spatial model for the RGs, using RR Lyrae for distance distributions, and apply kinematic models with varying rotation properties and a novel tidal expansion prescription to generate mock proper motion (PM) catalogs. When we compare this series of mock catalogs to the observed RG data, we find that a combination of moderate rotation (with a magnitude of ∼10–20 km s⁻¹ at 1 kpc from the SMC center, inclination between ∼50 and 80°, and a predominantly north-to-south line-of-nodes position angle of ∼180°) and tidal expansion (with a scaling of ∼10 km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹) is required to explain the PM signatures. The exact best-fit parameters depend somewhat on whether we assess only the PMs or include the RVs as a qualitative check, leaving some tension remaining between the PM and RV conclusions. In either case, the parameter space preferred by our model is different from previously inferred rotational geometries, including from the SMC H i gas, and from the RG RV-only analyses and new SMC PM analyses, which conclude that a rotation signature is not detectable. Taken together this underscores the need to treat the SMC as a series of different populations with distinct kinematics.

We report the temporal and spectral analysis of three thermonuclear X-ray bursts from 4U 1608−52, observed by the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) during and just after the outburst observed from the source in 2020. In two of the X-ray bursts, we detect secondary peaks 30 and 18 s after the initial peaks. The secondary peaks show a fast rise exponential decay-like shape resembling a thermonuclear X-ray burst. Time-resolved X-ray spectral analysis reveals that the peak flux, blackbody temperature, and apparent emitting radius values of the initial peaks are in agreement with X-ray bursts previously observed from 4U 1608−52, while the same values for the secondary peaks tend toward the lower end of the distribution of bursts observed from this source. The third X-ray burst, which happened during much lower accretion rates, did not show any evidence for a deviation from an exponential decay and was significantly brighter than the previous bursts. We present the properties of the secondary peaks and discuss the events within the framework of short recurrence time bursts or bursts with secondary peaks. We find that the current observations do not fit in standard scenarios and challenge our understanding of flame spreading.

Constraining Jupiter’s internal structure is crucial for understanding its formation and evolution history. Recent interior models of Jupiter that fit Juno’s measured gravitational field suggest an inhomogeneous interior and potentially the existence of a diluted core. These models, however, strongly depend on the model assumptions and the equations of state used. A complementary modeling approach is to use empirical structural models. These can later be used to reveal new insights into the planetary interior and be compared to standard models. Here we present empirical structural models of Jupiter where the density profile is constructed by piecewise-polytropic equations. With these models we investigate the relation between the normalized moment of inertia (MoI) and the gravitational moments J₂ and J₄. Given that only the first few gravitational moments of Jupiter are measured with high precision, we show that an accurate and independent measurement of the MoI value could be used to further constrain Jupiter’s interior. An independent measurement of the MoI with an accuracy better than ∼0.1% could constrain Jupiter’s core region and density discontinuities in its envelope. We find that models with a density discontinuity at ∼1 Mbar, as would produce a presumed hydrogen–helium separation, correspond to a fuzzy core in Jupiter. We next test the appropriateness of using polytropes, by comparing them with empirical models based on polynomials. We conclude that both representations result in similar density profiles and ranges of values for quantities like core mass and MoI.

We investigate the use of approximate Bayesian neural networks (BNNs) in modeling hundreds of time delay gravitational lenses for Hubble constant (H₀) determination. Our BNN was trained on synthetic Hubble Space Telescope quality images of strongly lensed active galactic nuclei with lens galaxy light included. The BNN can accurately characterize the posterior probability density functions (PDFs) of model parameters governing the elliptical power-law mass profile in an external shear field. We then propagate the BNN-inferred posterior PDFs into an ensemble H₀ inference, using simulated time delay measurements from a plausible dedicated monitoring campaign. Assuming well-measured time delays and a reasonable set of priors on the environment of the lens, we achieve a median precision of 9.3% per lens in the inferred H₀. A simple combination of a set of 200 test lenses results in a precision of 0.5 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹ (0.7%), with no detectable bias in this H₀ recovery test. The computation time for the entire pipeline—including the generation of the training set, BNN training and H₀ inference—translates to 9 minutes per lens on average for 200 lenses and converges to 6 minutes per lens as the sample size is increased. Being fully automated and efficient, our pipeline is a promising tool for exploring ensemble-level systematics in lens modeling for H₀ inference.

We present an analysis of the formation and eruption of a filament and fast coronal mass ejection associated with a flare that occurred in active region 11429 using observations in the ultraviolet, extreme ultraviolet, X-ray, and radio wavelength bands. Precursor activity began as an interaction between two filaments, F1 and F2, that are identified as having twisted magnetic flux ropes (MFRs). Transient brightenings in all wavelengths are observed as a result of this interaction, likely the result of magnetic reconnection between the two filaments. This interaction results in a reconfiguration of the two filaments into a long overlying filament and a shorter low-lying filament. The upper filament subsequently undergoes a partial confined eruption. Plasma flows originating near the east footpoint of F1 lead to an extension of the upper filament into the filament channel to the west, resulting in a new active region filament (ARF). This new filament begins a slow rise and expansion. During its slowly rising phase, the MFR in which the filament is embedded becomes visible, with both the filament and flux rope rising and expanding simultaneously. The twist of the magnetic rope is determined as four turns. The erupting configuration changes from a twisted arch shape to a reversed γ shape within ∼75 s at the beginning of the fast-rise phase, representing a transformation from twist to writhe. The observations provide a clear example of filament formation via the tether-cutting reconnection of two nearby filaments. A helical kink instability may be the trigger of the ARF eruption.

Power-law size distributions are the hallmarks of nonlinear energy dissipation processes governed by self-organized criticality (SOC). Here we analyze 75 data sets of stellar flare size distributions, mostly obtained from the Extreme-Ultraviolet Explorer and the Kepler mission. We aim to answer the following questions for size distributions of stellar flares. (i) What are the values and uncertainties of power-law slopes? (ii) Do power-law slopes vary with time? (iii) Do power-law slopes depend on the stellar spectral type? (iv) Are they compatible with solar flares? (v) Are they consistent with SOC models? We find that the observed size distributions of stellar flare fluences (or energies) exhibit power-law slopes of α_E = 2.09 ± 0.24 for optical data sets observed with Kepler. The observed power-law slopes do not show much time variability and do not depend on the stellar spectral type (M, K, G, F, A, giants). In solar flares, we find that background subtraction lowers the uncorrected value of α_E = 2.20 ± 0.22 to α_E = 1.57 ± 0.19. Furthermore, most of the stellar flares are temporally not resolved in low-cadence (30 minutes) Kepler data, which causes an additional bias. Taking these two biases into account, the stellar flare data sets are consistent with the theoretical prediction of SOC models, i.e., α_E = 1.5. Thus, accurate power-law fits require automated detection of the inertial range and background subtraction, which can be modeled with the generalized Pareto distribution, finite-system size effects, and extreme event outliers.

We present our photometric and spectroscopic observations of the peculiar transient AT2018cow. The multiband photometry covers from peak to ∼70 days, and the spectroscopy ranges from 5 to ∼50 days. The rapid rise (t_r ≲ 2.9 days), high luminosity (M_V,peak ∼ −20.8 mag), and fast decline after peak make AT2018cow stand out from any other optical transients, whereas we find that its light curves show a high resemblance to those of Type Ibn supernovae. Moreover, the spectral energy distribution remains at a high temperature of ∼14,000 K at t > 15 days after discovery. The spectra are featureless in the first 10 days, while some broad emission lines due to H, He, C, and O emerge later, with velocity declining from ∼14,000 to ∼3000 km s⁻¹ at the end of our observations. Narrow and weak He I emission lines emerge in the spectra at t > 20 days after discovery. These emission lines are reminiscent of the features seen in interacting supernovae like the Type Ibn and IIn subclasses. We fit the bolometric light curves with a model of circumstellar interaction and radioactive decay of ⁵⁶Ni and find a good fit with ejecta mass M_ej ∼ 3.16 M_⊙, circumstellar medium (CSM) mass M_CSM ∼ 0.04 M_⊙, and ejected ⁵⁶Ni mass M_⊙. The CSM shell might be formed in an eruptive mass ejection of the progenitor star. Furthermore, the host environment of AT2018cow implies a connection of AT2018cow with massive stars. Combining observational properties and the light-curve fitting results, we conclude that AT2018cow might be a peculiar interacting supernova that originated from a massive star.

Delta-gravity (DG) is a gravitational model based on an extension of general relativity given by a new symmetry called . In this model, new matter fields are added to the original matter fields, motivated by the additional symmetry. We call them matter fields. This model predicts an accelerating universe without the need to introduce a cosmological constant. In this work, we study the scalar cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature (TT) power spectrum predicted by DG using an analytical hydrodynamic approach. To fit the Planck satellite’s data with the DG model, we used a Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis. We also include a study about the compatibility between Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and CMB observations in the DG context. Finally, we obtain the scalar CMB TT power spectrum and the fitted parameters needed to explain both SN Ia data and CMB measurements. The results are in reasonable agreement with both observations considering the analytical approximation. We also discuss whether the Hubble constant and the accelerating universe are in concordance with the observational evidence in the DG context.

We present detailed observations of photoionization conditions and galaxy kinematics in 11 z = 1.39–2.59 radio-loud quasar host galaxies. Data were taken with the OSIRIS integral field spectrograph and the adaptive optics system at the W. M. Keck Observatory that targeted nebular emission lines (Hβ, [O iii], Hα, [N ii]) redshifted into the near-infrared (1–2.4 μm). We detect extended ionized emission on scales ranging from 1 to 30 kpc photoionized by stars, shocks, and active galactic nuclei (AGN). Spatially resolved emission-line ratios indicate that our systems reside off the star formation and AGN-mixing sequence on the Baldwin, Phillips, & Terlevich diagram at low redshift. The dominant cause of the difference between line ratios of low-redshift galaxies and our sample is due to lower gas-phase metallicities, which are 2–5× less compared to galaxies with AGN in the nearby universe. Using gas velocity dispersion as a proxy to stellar velocity dispersion and dynamical mass measurement through inclined disk modeling, we find that the quasar host galaxies are undermassive relative to their central supermassive black hole mass, with all systems residing off the local scaling (M_•–σ, M_•–M_*) relationship. These quasar host galaxies require substantial growth, up to an order of magnitude in stellar mass, to grow into present-day massive elliptical galaxies. Combining these results with part I of our sample paper, we find evidence for winds capable of causing feedback before the AGN host galaxies land on the local scaling relation between black hole and galaxy stellar mass, and before the enrichment of the interstellar medium to a level observed in local galaxies with AGN.

The study of low surface brightness light in large, deep imaging surveys is still uncharted territory as automated data reduction pipelines over-subtract or eliminate this light. Using archival data of the A85 cluster of galaxies taken with the Hyper Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope, we show that using careful data processing can unveil the diffuse light within the cluster, the intracluster light. We reach surface brightness limits of (3σ, 10″ × 10″) = 30.9 and (3σ, 10″ × 10″) = 29.7 mag arcsec⁻². We measured the radial surface brightness profiles of the brightest cluster galaxy out to the intracluster light (radius ∼215 kpc) for the g and i bands. We found that both the surface brightness and the color profiles become shallower beyond ∼75 kpc suggesting that a distinct component, the intracluster light, starts to dominate at that radius. The color of the profile at ∼100 kpc suggests that the buildup of the intracluster light of A85 occurs by the stripping of massive (∼10¹⁰M_⊙) satellites. The measured fraction of this light ranges from 8%–30% in g, depending on the definition of intracluster light chosen.

We characterize the kinematic and chemical properties of 589 Galactic anticenter substructure stars (GASS) with K/M giants in integrals-of-motion space. These stars likely include members of previously identified substructures such as Monoceros, A13, and the Triangulum-Andromeda cloud. We show that these stars are in nearly circular orbits on both sides of the Galactic plane. We can see a velocity (V_Z) gradient along Y-axis especially for the south GASS members. Our GASS members have similar energy and angular momentum distributions to thin-disk stars. Their location in [α/M] versus [M/H] space is more metal-poor than typical thin-disk stars, with [α/M] lower than that of the thick disk. We infer that our GASS members are part of the outer metal-poor disk stars and that the outer disk extends to 30 kpc. Considering the distance range and α-abundance features, GASS could be formed after the thick disk was formed due to the molecular cloud density decreasing in the outer disk where the star-formation rate might be less efficient compared to the inner disk.

Although interstellar grains are known to be aspherical, their actual shapes remain poorly constrained. We assess whether three continuous distributions of ellipsoids (CDEs) from the literature are suitable for describing the shapes of interstellar grains. Randomly selected shapes from each distribution are shown as illustrations. The often-used Bohren–Huffman CDE includes a very large fraction of extreme shapes: fully 10% of random draws have axial ratio a₃/a₁ > 19.7, and 5% have a₃/a₁ > 33. The CDE2 distribution includes a much smaller fraction of extreme shapes, and appears to be the most realistic. For each of the three CDEs considered, we derive shape-averaged cross sections for extinction and polarization in the Rayleigh limit. Finally, we describe a method for “synthesizing” a dielectric function for an assumed shape or shape distribution if the actual absorption cross sections per grain volume in the Rayleigh limit are known from observations. This synthetic dielectric function predicts the wavelength dependence of polarization, which can then be compared to observations to constrain the grain shape.

Radiation contributes to the acceleration of large-scale flows in various astrophysical environments because of strong opacity in the spectral lines. Quantification of the associated force is crucial to understanding these line-driven flows, and a large number of lines (due to the full set of elements and ionization stages) must be taken into account. Here we provide new calculations of the dimensionless line strengths and associated opacity-dependent force multipliers for an updated list of approximately 4.5 million spectral lines compiled from the NIST, CHIANTI, CMFGEN, and TOPbase databases. To maintain generality of application to different environments, we assume local thermodynamic equilibrium, illumination by a Planck function, and the Sobolev approximation. We compute the line forces in a two-dimensional grid of temperatures (i.e., values between 5200 and 70,000 K) and densities (varying over 11 orders of magnitude). Historically, the force multiplier function has been described by a power-law function of optical depth. We revisit this assumption by fitting alternate functions that include saturation to a constant value (Gayley’s parameter) in the optically thin limit. This alternate form is a better fit than the power-law form, and we use it to calculate example mass-loss rates for massive main-sequence stars. Because the power-law force multiplier does not continue to arbitrarily small optical depths, we find a sharp decrease, or quenching, of line-driven winds for stars with effective temperatures less than about 15,000 K.

A fraction of the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the surface of a geometrically thin and optically thick accretion disk of a black hole returns to the disk because of the strong light bending in the vicinity of the compact object (returning radiation). While such radiation clearly affects the observed spectrum of the source, it is often neglected in theoretical models. In the present paper, we study the impact of the returning radiation on relativistic reflection spectra. Assuming neutral material in the disk, we estimate the systematic uncertainties on the measurement of the properties of the system when we fit the data with a theoretical model that neglects the returning radiation. Our NICER simulations show that the inclination angle of the disk and the black hole spin parameter tend to be overestimated for low viewing angles, while no clear bias is observed for high viewing angles. The iron abundance of the disk is never overestimated. In the most extreme cases (in particular, for maximally rotating black holes), the returning radiation flattens the radial emissivity beyond a few gravitational radii. In such cases, it also produces residuals that cannot be compensated for by adjusting the parameters of models that neglect the returning radiation. This may be an important issue for the interpretation of data from future X-ray missions (e.g., Athena). When we simulate some observations with NuSTAR and fit data above 10 keV, we find that some conclusions that are valid for the NICER simulations are no longer true (e.g., we can obtain a high iron abundance).

We focus on the connection between the internal dynamo magnetic field and the stellar wind. If the star has a cyclic dynamo, the modulations of the magnetic field can affect the wind, which, in turn, can back-react on the boundary conditions of the star, creating a feedback loop. We have developed a 2.5D numerical setup to model this essential coupling. We have implemented an alpha–omega mean-field dynamo in the PLUTO code and then coupled it to a spherical polytropic wind model via an interface composed of four grid layers with dedicated boundary conditions. We present here a dynamo model close to a young Sun with cyclic magnetic activity. First, we show how this model allows one to track the influence of the dynamo activity on the corona by displaying the correlation between the activity cycle, the coronal structure, and the time evolution of integrated quantities. Then we add the feedback of the wind on the dynamo and discuss the changes observed in the dynamo symmetry and wind variations. We explain these changes in terms of dynamo modes; in this parameter regime, the feedback loop leads to a coupling between the dynamo families via a preferred growth of the quadrupolar mode. We also study our interface in terms of magnetic helicity and show that it leads to a small injection in the dynamo. This model confirms the importance of coupling physically internal and external stellar layers, as it has a direct impact on both the dynamo and the wind.

Recent multiwavelength observations suggest that inner parts of protoplanetary disks (PPDs) have shorter lifetimes for heavier host stars. Since PPDs around high-mass stars are irradiated by strong ultraviolet radiation, photoevaporation may provide an explanation for the observed trend. We perform radiation hydrodynamics simulations of photoevaporation of PPDs for a wide range of host star mass of M_* = 0.5–7.0 M_⊙. We derive disk mass-loss rate , which has strong stellar dependence as . The absolute value of scales with the adopted far-ultraviolet and X-ray luminosities. We derive the surface mass-loss rates and provide polynomial function fits to them. We also develop a semianalytic model that well reproduces the derived mass-loss rates. The estimated inner-disk lifetime decreases as the host star mass increases, in agreement with the observational trend. We thus argue that photoevaporation is a major physical mechanism for PPD dispersal for a wide range of the stellar mass and can account for the observed stellar mass dependence of the inner-disk lifetime.

In this paper, we first investigate the equatorial circular orbit structure of Kerr black holes with scalar hair (KBHsSH) and highlight their most prominent features, which are quite distinct from the exterior region of ordinary bald Kerr black holes, i.e., peculiarities that arise from the combined bound system of a hole with an off-center, self-gravitating distribution of scalar matter. Some of these traits are incompatible with the thin-disk approach; thus, we identify and map out various regions in parameter space. All of the solutions for which the stable circular orbital velocity (and angular momentum) curve is continuous are used for building thin and optically thick disks around them, from which we extract the radiant energy fluxes, luminosities, and efficiencies. We compare the results in batches with the same spin parameter j but different normalized charges, and the profiles are richly diverse. Because of the existence of a conserved scalar charge, Q, these solutions are nonunique in the (M, J) parameter space. Furthermore, Q cannot be extracted asymptotically from the metric functions. Nevertheless, by constraining the parameters through different observations, the luminosity profile could in turn be used to constrain the Noether charge and characterize the spacetime, should KBHsSH exist.

We present a recent Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observation of the CO(1−0) line emission in the central galaxy of the Zw 3146 galaxy cluster (z = 0.2906). We also present updated X-ray cavity measurements from archival Chandra observations. The 5 × 10¹⁰M_⊙ supply of molecular gas, which is confined to the central 4 kpc, is marginally resolved into three extensions that are reminiscent of the filaments observed in similar systems. No velocity structure that would be indicative of ordered motion is observed. The three molecular extensions all trail X-ray cavities, and are potentially formed from the condensation of intracluster gas lifted in the wakes of the rising bubbles. Many cycles of feedback would be required to account for the entire molecular gas reservoir. The molecular gas and continuum source are mutually offset by 2.6 kpc, with no detected line emission coincident with the continuum source. It is the molecular gas, not the continuum source, that lies at the gravitational center of the brightest cluster galaxy. As the brightest cluster galaxy contains possible tidal features, the displaced continuum source may correspond to the nucleus of a merging galaxy. We also discuss the possibility that a gravitational wave recoil following a black hole merger may account for the displacement.

Some observations of warm carbon-chain chemistry (WCCC) cores indicate that they are often located near the edges of molecular clouds. This finding may suggest that WCCC is promoted in star-forming cores exposed to radiation from the interstellar medium. We aim to investigate the chemistry of carbon chains in such a core. A chemical simulation of a gas parcel in a low-mass star-forming core with a full level of irradiation by interstellar photons and cosmic rays was compared to a simulation of a core receiving only 1/10 of such irradiation. In the full irradiation model, the abundances of carbon chains were found to be higher by a factor of a few to a few hundred, compared to the model with low irradiation. Higher carbon-chain abundances in the prestellar stage and, presumably, in the extended circumstellar envelope arise because of irradiation of gas and dust by interstellar photons and cosmic rays. A full standard rate of cosmic-ray-induced ionization is essential for a high carbon-chain abundance peak to occur in the circumstellar envelope, which is heated by the protostar (the “true” WCCC phenomenon). The full irradiation model has lower abundances of complex organic molecules than the low-irradiation model. We conclude that WCCC can be caused by exposure of a star-forming core to interstellar radiation, or even just to cosmic rays. The Appendix describes an updated accurate approach for calculating the rate of cosmic-ray-induced desorption.

The detection of phosphorous-bearing molecules in interstellar environments constitutes a fundamental task for understanding the formation of prebiotic molecules, but it is also a challenge. In cold interstellar environments, where rich chemistry is expected to happen, only PN and PO have been detected. Phosphine (PH₃) must also play an essential role in these regions, since P is expected to deplete onto dust grains significantly, and hydrogenation reactions are dominant in such environments. Surface chemistry on dust grains shows a particular idiosyncrasy where an equilibrium between competitive reactions, photoconversion processes, and desorption are in continuous interplay, modifying both the dust composition and the gas composition. In this study, we theoretically study in detail the interconversion of P to PH₃ via subsequent additions of H on cold dust grain analogs. For all reactions, we provide the binding energy of the adsorbates, reaction energies, and, when present, activation barriers and tunneling-corrected rate constants. We also present an estimate of the desorption temperature of these species based on transition state theory. Using recently available experimental results on PH₃ desorption via chemical reactions, we conclude that all of the intermediate products of the hydrogenation sequence to phosphine may be released to the gas phase.

We investigate the mass–velocity dispersion relation (MVDR) in 29 galaxy clusters in the HIghest X-ray FLUx Galaxy Cluster Sample (HIFLUGCS). We measure the spatially resolved, line-of-sight velocity dispersion profiles of these clusters, which we find to be mostly flat at large radii, reminiscent of the rotation curves of galaxies. We discover a tight empirical relation between the baryonic mass M_bar and the flat velocity dispersion σ of the member galaxies, i.e., MVDR, , with the lognormal intrinsic scatter of . The residuals of the MVDR are uncorrelated with other cluster properties like temperature, cluster radius, baryonic mass surface density, and redshift. These characteristics are reminiscent of the MVDR for individual galaxies, albeit at about a ten times larger characteristic acceleration scale. The cluster baryon fraction falls short of the cosmic value, exposing a problem: the discrepancy increases systematically for clusters of lower mass and lower baryonic acceleration.

We study the mass–metallicity relation for 19 members of a spectroscopically confirmed protocluster in the COSMOS field at z = 2.2 (CC2.2), and compare it with that of 24 similarly selected field galaxies at the same redshift. Both samples are Hα emitting sources, chosen from the HiZELS narrowband survey, with metallicities derived from the line ratio. For the mass-matched samples of protocluster and field galaxies, we find that protocluster galaxies with 10^9.9M_⊙ ≤ M_* ≤ 10^10.9M_⊙ are metal deficient by 0.10 ± 0.04 dex (2.5σ significance) compared to their coeval field galaxies. This metal deficiency is absent for low-mass galaxies, M_* < 10^9.9M_⊙. Moreover, relying on both spectral energy distribution derived and Hα (corrected for dust extinction based on M_*) star formation rates (SFRs), we find no strong environmental dependence of the SFR–M_* relation; however, we are not able to rule out the existence of small dependence due to inherent uncertainties in both SFR estimators. The existence of 2.5σ significant metal deficiency for massive protocluster galaxies favors a model in which funneling of the primordial cold gas through filaments dilutes the metal content of protoclusters at high redshifts (z ≳ 2). At these redshifts, gas reservoirs in filaments are dense enough to cool down rapidly and fall into the potential well of the protocluster to lower the gas-phase metallicity of galaxies. Moreover, part of this metal deficiency could be originated from galaxy interactions that are more prevalent in dense environments.

In a previous paper, we computed the energy density and the nonlinear energy cascade rate for transverse kink waves using Elsässer variables. In this paper, we focus on the standing kink waves, which are impulsively excited in coronal loops by external perturbations. We present an analytical calculation to compute the damping time due to the nonlinear development of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The main result is that the damping time is inversely proportional to the oscillation amplitude. We compare the damping times from our formula with the results of numerical simulations and observations. In both cases we find a reasonably good match. The comparison with the simulations shows that the nonlinear damping dominates in the high amplitude regime, while the low amplitude regime shows damping by resonant absorption. In the comparison with the observations, we find a power law inversely proportional to the amplitude η⁻¹ as an outer envelope for our Monte Carlo data points.

Sgr B1 is a luminous H ii region in the Galactic center immediately next to the massive star-forming giant molecular cloud Sgr B2 and apparently connected to it from their similar radial velocities. In 2018 we showed from SOFIA FIFI-LS observations of the [O iii] 52 and 88 μm lines that there is no central exciting star cluster and that the ionizing stars must be widely spread throughout the region. Here we present SOFIA FIFI-LS observations of the [O i] 146 and [C ii] 158 μm lines formed in the surrounding photodissociation regions (PDRs). We find that these lines correlate neither with each other nor with the [O iii] lines although together they correlate better with the 70 μm Herschel PACS images from Hi-GAL. We infer from this that Sgr B1 consists of a number of smaller H ii regions plus their associated PDRs, some seen face-on and the others seen more or less edge-on. We used the PDR Toolbox to estimate densities and the far-ultraviolet intensities exciting the PDRs. Using models computed with Cloudy, we demonstrate possible appearances of edge-on PDRs and show that the density difference between the PDR densities and the electron densities estimated from the [O iii] line ratios is incompatible with pressure equilibrium unless there is a substantial pressure contribution from either turbulence or magnetic field or both. We also conclude that the hot stars exciting Sgr B1 are widely spaced throughout the region at substantial distances from the gas with no evidence of current massive star formation.

We present optical follow-up observations for candidate clusters in the Clusters Hiding in Plain Sight survey, which is designed to find new galaxy clusters with extreme central galaxies that were misidentified as bright isolated sources in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey catalog. We identify 11 cluster candidates around X-ray, radio, and mid-IR-bright sources, including six well-known clusters, two false associations of foreground and background clusters, and three new candidates, which are observed further with Chandra. Of the three new candidates, we confirm two newly discovered galaxy clusters: CHIPS 1356-3421 and CHIPS 1911+4455. Both clusters are luminous enough to be detected in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey data if not because of their bright central cores. CHIPS 1911+4455 is similar in many ways to the Phoenix cluster, but with a highly disturbed X-ray morphology on large scales. We find the occurrence rate for clusters that would appear to be X-ray-bright point sources in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (and any surveys with similar angular resolution) to be 2% ± 1%, and the occurrence rate of clusters with runaway cooling in their cores to be <1%, consistent with predictions of chaotic cold accretion. With the number of new groups and clusters predicted to be found with eROSITA, the population of clusters that appear to be point sources (due to a central QSO or a dense cool core) could be around 2000. Finally, this survey demonstrates that the Phoenix cluster is likely the strongest cool core at z < 0.7—anything more extreme would have been found in this survey.

The l = +13 region in the Galactic center is characterized by multiple shell-like structures and their extremely broad velocity widths. We revisit the molecular superbubble hypothesis for this region, based on high-resolution maps of CO J = 1–0, ¹³CO J = 1−0, H¹³CN J = 1−0, H¹³CO⁺J = 1−0, SiO J = 2−1, and CS J = 2−1 lines obtained from the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescope, as well as CO J = 3−2 maps obtained from the James Clerk Maxwell telescope. We identified 11 expanding shells with total kinetic energy and typical expansion time E_kin ∼ 10^51.9 erg and t_exp ∼ 10^4.9 yr, respectively. In addition, the l = +13 region exhibited high SiO J = 2−1/H¹³CN J = 1−0 and SiO J = 2−1/H¹³CO⁺J = 1−0 intensity ratios, indicating that the region has experienced dissociative shocks in the past. These new findings confirm the molecular superbubble hypothesis for the l = +13 region. The nature of the embedded star cluster, which may have supplied 20–70 supernova explosions within 10⁵ yr, is discussed. This work also shows the importance of compact broad-velocity-width features in searching for localized energy sources hidden behind severe interstellar extinction and stellar contamination.

The nature of GW190814's secondary component m₂ of mass 2.50–2.67 M_⊙ in the mass gap between the currently known maximum mass of neutron stars and the minimum mass of black holes is currently under hot debate. Among the many possibilities proposed in the literature, m₂ was suggested to be a superfast pulsar, while its r-mode stability against runaway gravitational radiation through the Chandrasekhar–Friedman–Schutz mechanism is still unknown. Previously, Fortin et al. constructed a sample of 33 unified equations of state using the same nuclear interactions from the crust to the core consistently; from that sample we use those equations that fulfill all currently known astrophysical and nuclear physics constraints to compare the minimum frequency required for m₂ to rotationally sustain a mass greater than 2.50 M_⊙ with the critical frequency above which the r-mode instability occurs. We use two extreme damping models assuming that the crust is either perfectly rigid or elastic. Using the stability of 19 observed low-mass X-ray binaries as an indication that the rigid crust damping of the r-mode dominates within the models studied, we find that m₂ is r-mode-stable while rotating with a frequency higher than 870.2 Hz (0.744 times its Kepler frequency of 1169.6 Hz) as long as its temperature is lower than about 3.9 × 10⁷ K, further supporting the proposal that GW190814's secondary component is a supermassive and superfast pulsar.

Two states of the slow solar wind are identified from in situ measurements by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) inside 50 solar radii from the Sun. At such distances the wind measured by PSP has not yet undergone significant transformation related to the expansion and propagation of the wind. We focus in this study on the properties of the quiet solar wind with no magnetic switchbacks. The two states differ by their plasma beta, flux, and magnetic pressure. PSP’s magnetic connectivity established with potential field source surface reconstructions, tested against extreme ultraviolet and white-light imaging, reveals the two states correspond to a transition from a streamer to an equatorial coronal hole. The expansion factors of magnetic field lines in the streamer are 20 times greater than those rooted near the center of the coronal hole. The very different expansion rates of the magnetic field result in different magnetic pressures measured by PSP in the two plasma states. Solar wind simulations run along these differing flux tubes reproduce the slower and denser wind measured in the streamer and the more tenuous wind measured in the coronal hole. Plasma heating is more intense at the base of the streamer field lines rooted near the boundary of the equatorial hole than those rooted closer to the center of the hole. This results in a higher wind flux driven inside the streamer than deeper inside the equatorial hole.

Basing our analysis on ROGUE I, a catalog of over 32,000 radio sources associated with optical galaxies, we provide two diagnostics to select the galaxies where the radio emission is dominated by an active galactic nucleus (AGN), referred to in the paper as radio-AGNs. Each of these diagnostics can be applied independently. The first one, dubbed MIRAD, compares the flux F_W3 in the W3 mid-infrared band of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer telescope, with the radio flux at 1.4 GHz, F_1.4. MIRAD requires no optical spectra. The second diagnostic, dubbed DLM, compares the 4000 Å break strength, D_n(4000), with the radio luminosity per unit stellar mass. The DLM diagram has already been used in the past, but not as stand-alone. For these two diagrams, we propose simple, empirical dividing lines that result in the same classification for the objects in common. These lines correctly classify as radio-AGN 99.5% of the extended radio sources in the ROGUE I catalog, and as star-forming galaxies 98%–99% of the galaxies identified as such by their emission-line ratios. Both diagrams clearly show that radio-AGNs are preferentially found among elliptical galaxies and among galaxies hosting the most massive black holes. Most of the radio sources classified as radio-AGNs in the MIRAD or DLM diagrams are either optically weak AGNs or retired galaxies.

Gravitationally lensed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) may be the next frontier in cosmic probes, able to deliver independent constraints on dark energy, spatial curvature, and the Hubble constant. Measurements of time delays between the multiple images become more incisive due to the standardized candle nature of the source, monitoring for months rather than years, and partial immunity to microlensing. While currently extremely rare, hundreds of such systems should be detected by upcoming time domain surveys. Others will have the images spatially unresolved, with the observed lightcurve a superposition of time-delayed image fluxes. We investigate whether unresolved images can be recognized as lensed sources given only lightcurve information, and whether time delays can be extracted robustly. We develop a method that we show can identify these systems for the case of lensed SNe Ia with two images and time delays exceeding ten days. When tested on such an ensemble, without microlensing, the method achieves a false-positive rate of ≲5%, and measures the time delays with a completeness of ≳93% and with a bias of ≲0.5% for Δt_fit ≳ 10 days. Since the method does not assume a template of any particular type of SN, the method has the (untested) potential to work on other types of lensed SNe systems and possibly on other transients as well.

We analyze magnetic field data from two magnetosheath crossings, representative of a larger collection of similar cases in the database of the Cluster spacecraft. We apply a novel data analysis method to identify the power-law behavior of the structure functions and to find the validity range of the power-law scaling. We validate the technique with solar wind magnetic field data and a synthetic magnetic field signal. This approach grants a rigorous determination of the scale range for a linear fit of the structure function in the log–log representation, which most often is chosen arbitrarily. The fitting allows an estimation of the power spectral index from the scale variation of the second-order structure function exponent. Data recorded during the first Cluster magnetosheath crossing, called Event 1, indicate three different power-law scaling regimes (injection, inertial, and kinetic) separated by two spectral breaks, consistent with the scenario of fully developed turbulence. However, data from the second Cluster magnetosheath crossing, called Event 2, depict a different scenario with only two power-law scaling regimes determined from the fit. A spectral slope shallower than the Kolmogorovian solar wind power-law index is determined at magnetohydrodynamic scales, spanning more than three frequency decades, which is separated by a spectral break from the kinetic regime. An analysis of simultaneous solar wind data from the Advanced Composition Explorer suggests that the scale behavior of the magnetosheath fluctuations might be controlled by the structure of the bow shock; solar wind turbulent fluctuations are only partially destroyed while they are carried across the bow shock. Both events are recorded in a quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath.

An accretion disk in an Active Galactic Nucleus harbors and shields dust from external illumination. Our model shows that, at the midplane of the disk around an M_BH = 10⁷M_⊙ black hole, dust can exist at 0.1 pc from the black hole, compared to 0.5 pc outside of the disk where such self-shielding is constrained. We construct a physical model of a disk region approximately located between the radius of dust sublimation at the disk midplane and the radius at which dust sublimes at the disk surface. Our main conclusion is that, for a wide range of model parameters such as local accretion rate and/or opacity, the accretion disk’s own radiation pressure on dust significantly influences its vertical structure. In this region, convection plays important role in the vertical transport of energy. When the local accretion rate exceeds 2.5M_⊙ yr, the 10⁻² pc scale disk is supercritical with respect to dust opacity. Such a disk puffs up and transforms from geometrically thin to slim. Our model fits into the narrative of a “failed wind” scenario of Czerny & Hryniewicz and the “compact torus” model of Baskin & Laor, incorporating them as variations of the radiative dusty disk model.

Double-peaked light curves are observed for some Type Ic supernovae (SNe Ic), including LSQ14efd, iPTF15dtg, and SN 2020bvc. One possible explanation of the first peak would be shock-cooling emission from massive extended material around the progenitor, which is produced by mass eruption or rapid expansion of the outermost layers of the progenitor shortly before the supernova explosion. We investigate the effects of such circumstellar matter (CSM) on the multiband optical light curves of SNe Ic using the radiation hydrodynamics code STELLA. Two different SNe Ic progenitor masses at the pre-SN stage (3.93 M_⊙ and 8.26 M_⊙) are considered in the SN models. The adopted parameter space consists of the CSM mass of M_CSM = 0.05–0.3M_⊙, the CSM radius of R_CSM = 10¹³–10¹⁵ cm, and the explosion energy of E_burst = (1.0–12.0) × 10⁵¹ erg. We also investigate the effects of the radioactive nickel distribution on the overall shape of the light curve and the color evolution. Comparison of our SN models with the double-peaked SNe Ic LSQ14efd, iPTF15dtg, and SN 2020bvc indicates that these three SNe Ic had a similar CSM structure (i.e., M_CSM ≈ 0.1–0.2M_⊙ and R_CSM = 10¹³–10¹⁴ cm), which might imply a common mechanism for their CSM formation. The implied mass-loss rate of is too high to be explained by the previously suggested scenarios for pre-SN eruption, which calls for a novel mechanism.

We present the analysis of the diffuse, low column density H i environment of 18 MHONGOOSE galaxies. We obtained deep observations with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope and reached down to a 3σ column density detection limit of N_HI = 6.3 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻² over a 20 km s⁻¹ line width. We analyze the environment around these galaxies, with a focus on H i gas that reaches column densities below N_HI = 10¹⁹ cm⁻². We calculate the total amount of H i gas in and around the galaxies, revealing that nearly all of these galaxies contained excess H i outside of their disks. We quantify the amount of diffuse gas in the maps of each galaxy, defined by H i gas with column densities below 10¹⁹ cm⁻², and find a large spread in percentages of diffuse gas. However, by binning the percentage of diffuse H i into quarters, we find that the bin with the largest number of galaxies is the lowest quartile (0%–25% diffuse H i). We identified several galaxies that may be undergoing gas accretion onto the galaxy disk using multiple methods of analysis, including azimuthally averaging column densities beyond the disk, and identifying structure within our integrated intensity (moment 0) maps. We measured H i mass outside the disks of most of our galaxies, with rising cumulative flux even at large radii. We also find a strong correlation between the fraction of diffuse gas in a galaxy and its baryonic mass, and we test this correlation using both Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients. We see evidence of a dark matter halo mass threshold of M_halo ∼ 10^11.1M_☉ in which galaxies with high fractions of diffuse H i all reside below. It is in this regime that cold-mode accretion should dominate. Finally, we suggest a rotation velocity of v_rot ∼ 80 km s⁻¹ as an upper threshold to find diffuse-gas-dominated galaxies.

Understanding the origin of chondritic components and their accretion pathways is critical to unraveling the magnitude of mass transport in the protoplanetary disk, as well as the accretionary history of the terrestrial planet region and, by extension, its prebiotic inventory. Here we trace the heritage of pristine components from the relatively unaltered CV chondrite Leoville through their mass-independent Cr and mass-dependent Zn isotope compositions. Investigating these chondritic fractions in such detail reveals an onion-shell structure of chondrules, which is characterized by ⁵⁴Cr- and ⁶⁶Zn-poor cores surrounded by increasingly ⁵⁴Cr- and ⁶⁶Zn-rich igneous rims and an outer coating of fine-grained dust. This is interpreted as a progressive addition of ⁵⁴Cr- and ⁶⁶Zn-rich, CI-like material to the accretion region of these carbonaceous chondrites. Our findings show that the observed Cr isotopic range in chondrules from more altered CV chondrites is the result of chemical equilibration between the chondrules and matrix during secondary alteration. The ⁵⁴Cr-poor nature of the cores of Leoville chondrules implies formation in the inner solar system and subsequent massive outward chondrule transport past the Jupiter barrier. At the same time, CI-like dust is transferred inward. We propose that the accreting Earth acquired CI-like dust through this mechanism within the lifetime of the disk. This radial mixing of the chondrules and matrix shows the limited capacity of Jupiter to act as an efficient barrier and maintain the proposed noncarbonaceous and carbonaceous chondrite dichotomy over time. Finally, also considering current astrophysical models, we explore both inner and outer solar system origins for the CV chondrite parent body.

The Ecliptic-poles Stellar Survey (EclipSS) collected far-ultraviolet (FUV: 1160–1420 Å) spectra of 49 nearby (d ≲ 100 pc) F3–K3 main-sequence stars, located at high ecliptic latitudes (north and south), using the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph of the Hubble Space Telescope. The ecliptic poles receive higher exposures from scanning missions like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (high-precision optical photometry) and Extended Roentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array (X-ray monitoring), which can deliver crucial contextual information, not otherwise easily secured. The objective was to support theoretical studies of stellar hot outer atmospheres—chromospheres (∼10⁴ K) and coronae (≳1 MK)—which, among other things, can adversely impact exoplanets via host-star “space weather.” Flux–flux diagrams (e.g., C ii 1335 Å versus O i 1306 Å) were constructed for the EclipSS stars, solar Cycle 23/24 irradiances, and long-term FUV records of α Cen A (G2 V) and B (K1 V). The EclipSS cohort displays similar minimum (“basal”) fluxes to the Sun and solar twin α Cen A, in chromospheric O i 1306 Å. In hotter C ii 1335 Å, a downward slump of the basal fluxes—noted in previous, less controlled surveys—can now be explained as an effect of subsolar abundances. The consistent basal minima in chromospheric and higher temperature species at solar metallicity favor the idea that stellar analogs of the solar supergranulation network provide a baseline of high-energy emissions. The magnetic network is replenished by a “local dynamo” independently of the stellar spin. It can operate even when the starspot-spawning internal dynamo has ceased cycling, as during the Sun’s 17th century Maunder Minimum.

We propose a new model for treating solid-phase photoprocesses in interstellar ice analogs. In this approach, photoionization and photoexcitation are included in more detail, and the production of electronically excited (suprathermal) species is explicitly considered. In addition, we have included nonthermal, nondiffusive chemistry to account for the low-temperature characteristic of cold cores. As an initial test of our method, we have simulated two previous experimental studies involving the UV irradiation of pure solid O₂. In contrast to previous solid-state astrochemical model calculations, which have used gas-phase photoabsorption cross-sections, we have employed solid-state cross-sections in our calculations. This method allows the model to be tested using well-constrained experiments rather than poorly constrained gas-phase abundances in interstellar medium regions. Our results indicate that inclusion of nonthermal reactions and suprathermal species allows for reproduction of low-temperature solid-phase photoprocessing that simulates interstellar ices within cold (∼10 K) dense cores such as TMC-1.

We use the Green Bank Telescope to search for ³He⁺ emission from a sample of four Galactic planetary nebulae: NGC 3242, NGC 6543, NGC 6826, and NGC 7009. During the era of primordial nucleosynthesis, the light elements ²H, ³He, ⁴He, and ⁷Li were produced in significant amounts, and these abundances have since been modified primarily by stars. Observations of ³He⁺ in H ii regions located throughout the Milky Way disk reveal very little variation in the ³He/H abundance ratio—the “³He Plateau”—indicating that the net effect of ³He production in stars is negligible. This is in contrast to much higher ³He/H abundance ratios reported for some planetary nebulae. This discrepancy is known as the “³He Problem.” We use radio recombination lines observed simultaneously with the ³He⁺ transition to make a robust assessment of the spectral sensitivity that these observations achieve. We detect spectral lines at ∼1–2 mK intensities, but at these levels, instrumental effects compromise our ability to measure accurate spectral line parameters. We do not confirm reports of previous detections of ³He⁺ in NGC 3242 nor do we detect ³He⁺ emission from any of our sources. This result calls into question all reported detections of ³He⁺ emission from any planetary nebula. The ³He/H abundance upper limit we derive here for NGC 3242 is inconsistent with standard stellar production of ³He and thus requires that some type of extra-mixing process operates in low-mass stars.

We present new X-ray and UV observations of the Wolf–Rayet + black hole (BH) binary system NGC 300 X-1 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. When combined with archival X-ray observations, our X-ray and UV observations sample the entire binary orbit, providing clues to the system geometry and interaction between the BH accretion disk and the donor star wind. We measure a binary orbital period of 32.7921 ± 0.0003 hr, in agreement with previous studies, and perform phase-resolved spectroscopy using the X-ray data. The X-ray light curve reveals a deep eclipse, consistent with inclination angles of i = 60°–75°, and a pre-eclipse excess consistent with an accretion stream impacting the disk edge. We further measure radial velocity variations for several prominent far-UV spectral lines, most notably H iiλ1640 and C ivλ1550. We find that the He ii emission lines systematically lag the expected Wolf–Rayet star orbital motion by a phase difference of Δϕ ∼ 0.3, while C ivλ1550 matches the phase of the anticipated radial velocity curve of the Wolf–Rayet donor. We assume the C ivλ1550 emission line follows a sinusoidal radial velocity curve (semi-amplitude = 250 km s⁻¹) and infer a BH mass of 17 ± 4 M_⊙. Our observations are consistent with the presence of a wind-Roche lobe overflow accretion disk, where an accretion stream forms from gravitationally focused wind material and impacts the edge of the BH accretion disk.

We report the results of new dust polarization of a nearly edge-on disk in the HH 212 protostellar system, obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at ∼0.035″ (14 au) resolution in a continuum at λ ∼ 878 μm. Dust polarization is detected within ∼44 au of the central source, where a rotationally supported disk has formed. The polarized emission forms V-shaped structures opening to the east, and probably to the west, arising from the disk surfaces and arm structures further away in the east and west, which could be due to potential spiral arms excited in the outer disk. The orientations of the polarization are mainly parallel to the minor axis of the disk, with some in the western part tilting slightly away from the minor axis to form a concave shape with respect to the center. This tilting of the orientations of the polarization is expected from dust self-scattering, e.g., by 50−75 μm grains in a young disk. The intensity and degree of the polarization both peak near the central source with a small dip at the central source and decrease toward the edges. These decreases in the intensity and degree of polarization are expected from dichroic extinction by grains aligned by poloidal fields, but may also be consistent with dust self-scattering if the grain size decreases toward the edges. It is possible that both mechanisms are needed to produce the observed dust polarization, suggesting the presence of both grain growth and poloidal fields in the disk.

We investigate self-gravitating equilibria of halos constituted by dark matter (DM) non-minimally coupled to gravity. In particular, we consider a theoretically motivated non-minimal coupling that may arise when the averaging/coherence length L associated with the fluid description of the DM collective behavior is comparable to the local curvature scale. In the Newtonian limit, such a non-minimal coupling amounts to a modification of the Poisson equation by a term L²∇²ρ proportional to the Laplacian of the DM density ρ itself. We further adopt a general power-law equation of state p ∝ ρ^Γr^α relating the DM dynamical pressure p to density ρ and radius r, as expected for phase-space density stratification during the gravitational assembly of halos in a cosmological context. We confirm previous findings that, in the absence of non-minimal coupling, the resulting density ρ(r) features a steep central cusp and an overall shape mirroring the outcomes of N-body simulations in the standard ΛCDM cosmology, as described by the classic Navarro–Frenk–White or Einasto profiles. Most importantly, we find that the non-minimal coupling causes the density distribution to develop an inner core and a shape that closely follows the Burkert profile out to several core scale radii. In fact, we highlight that the resulting mass distributions can fit, with an accuracy comparable to Burkert’s one, the coadded rotation curves of dwarf, DM-dominated galaxies. Finally, we show that non-minimally coupled DM halos are consistent with the observed scaling relation between the core radius r₀ and core density ρ₀, in terms of a universal core surface density ρ₀ × r₀ among different galaxies.

At subterahertz frequencies—i.e., millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths—there is a gap in measurements of the solar radius, as well as other parameters of the solar atmosphere. As the observational wavelength changes, the radius varies because the altitude of the dominant electromagnetic radiation is produced at different heights in the solar atmosphere. Moreover, radius variations throughout long time series are indicative of changes in the solar atmosphere that may be related to the solar cycle. Therefore, the solar radius is an important parameter for the calibration of solar atmospheric models enabling a better understanding of the atmospheric structure. In this work, we use data from the Solar Submillimeter-wave Telescope (SST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at frequencies of 100, 212, 230, and 405 GHz to measure the equatorial and polar radii of the Sun. The radii measured with extensive data from the SST agree with the radius-versus-frequency trend present in the literature. The radii derived from ALMA maps at 230 GHz also agree with the radius-versus-frequency trend, whereas the 100 GHz radii are slightly above the values reported by other authors. In addition, we analyze the equatorial and polar radius behavior over the years by determining the correlation coefficient between solar activity and subterahertz radius time series at 212 and 405 GHz (SST). The variations of the SST-derived radii over 13 yr are correlated to the solar activity when considering equatorial regions of the solar atmosphere and anticorrelated when considering polar regions. The ALMA-derived radius time series for 100 and 230 GHz show very similar behaviors with those of SST.

The emission mechanism for hard γ-ray spectra from supernova remnants (SNRs) is still a matter of debate. Recent multiwavelength observations of the TeV source HESS J1912+101 show that it is associated with an SNR with an age of ∼100 kyr, making it unlikely produce the TeV γ-ray emission via leptonic processes. We analyzed Fermi observations of it and found an extended source with a hard spectrum. HESS J1912+101 may represent a peculiar stage of SNR evolution that dominates the acceleration of TeV cosmic rays. By fitting the multiwavelength spectra of 13 SNRs with hard GeV γ-ray spectra with simple emission models with a density ratio of GeV electrons to protons of ∼10⁻², we obtain reasonable mean densities and magnetic fields with a total energy of ∼10⁵⁰ erg for relativistic ions in each SNR. Among these sources, only two of them, namely SN 1006 and RCW 86, favor a leptonic origin for the γ-ray emission. The magnetic field energy is found to be comparable to that of accelerated relativistic ions and their ratio has a tendency to increase with the age of SNRs. These results suggest that TeV cosmic rays mainly originate from SNRs with hard γ-ray spectra.

We find that, under certain conditions, protoplanetary disks may spontaneously generate multiple, concentric gas rings without an embedded planet through an eccentric cooling instability. Using both linear theory and nonlinear hydrodynamics simulations, we show that a variety of background states may trap a slowly precessing, one-armed spiral mode that becomes unstable when a gravitationally stable disk rapidly cools. The angular momentum required to excite this spiral comes at the expense of nonuniform mass transport that generically results in multiple rings. For example, one long-term hydrodynamics simulation exhibits four long-lived, axisymmetric gas rings. We verify the instability evolution and ring-formation mechanism from first principles with our linear theory, which shows remarkable agreement with the simulation results. Dust trapped in these rings may produce observable features consistent with observed disks. Additionally, direct detection of the eccentric gas motions may be possible when the instability saturates, and any residual eccentricity left over in the rings at later times may also provide direct observational evidence of this mechanism.

We present comprehensive characterization of the Galactic open cluster M 36. Some 200 member candidates, with an estimated contamination rate of ∼8%, have been identified on the basis of proper motion and parallax measured by the Gaia DR2. The cluster has a proper motion grouping around ( mas yr⁻¹, and μ_δ = − 3.35 ± 0.02 mas yr⁻¹), distinctly separated from the field population. Most member candidates have parallax values 0.7–0.9 mas, with a median value of 0.82 ± 0.07 mas (distance ∼1.20 ± 0.13 kpc). The angular diameter of determined from the radial density profile then corresponds to a linear extent of 9.42 ± 0.14 pc. With an estimated age of ∼15 Myr, M 36 is free of nebulosity. To the southwest of the cluster, we discover a highly obscured (A_V up to ∼23 mag), compact (∼) dense cloud, within which three young stellar objects in their infancy (ages ≲0.2 Myr) are identified. The molecular gas, 3.6 pc in extent, contains a total mass of (2–3) × 10²M_⊙, and has a uniform velocity continuity across the cloud, with a velocity range of −20 to −22 km s⁻¹, consistent with the radial velocities of known star members. In addition, the cloud has a derived kinematic distance marginally in agreement with that of the star cluster. If physical association between M 36 and the young stellar population can be unambiguously established, this manifests a convincing example of prolonged star formation activity spanning up to tens of Myr in molecular clouds.