Hasil untuk "astro-ph.GA"

Kai Wu, Philip Cho, Rainer Spurzem et al.

As a continuation of DRAGON-II, we present the DRAGON-III project, which focuses on the simulations of million-body globular clusters and nuclear clusters over 10 Gyr. We report on its preliminary results on globular clusters. The first 100 Myr of the simulations have produced 41 pulsars, 191 X-ray binaries, 17 gravitational wave sources, and one black hole-black hole merger due to the loss of orbital energy in the form of gravitational wave emission. The inclusion of initial soft binaries brings surprisingly interesting results, including one IMBH in a binary black hole, and compact object binaries resembling the Gaia-BH1 and the wide black hole-giant binary reported in Wang et al. (2024, Nat. Astro.).

Chong-Chong He, Benjamin D. Wibking, Aditi Vijayan et al.

We present a novel, GPU-optimized algorithm for particle-mesh interactions in grid-based hydrodynamics simulations, designed for massively parallel architectures. This approach overcomes the inefficiency of particle neighbour searches or sorts across multiple GPU nodes by using a new "particle-mesh-particle" interaction scheme, which extends the particle-mesh method for self-gravity. The algorithm proceeds in two main stages: first, quantities exchanged between particles and the mesh -- such as mass, energy, and momentum added by stellar feedback or removed by accretion onto a sink -- are deposited into a buffer mesh equipped with ghost zones, where multiple contributions per cell are accumulated using atomic additions and then communicated across distributed memory ranks. In the second stage, the buffer states are applied to real mesh states, incorporating cell-wise limiters to enforce physical constraints such as positive density. We implement this scheme in the GPU-native radiation-magnetohydrodynamics code QUOKKA and validate it through a comprehensive suite of tests, including Bondi and Bondi-Hoyle accretion, and single and multiple supernova remnant evolution at varying spatial resolutions. We show that the algorithm achieves $\approx 50\%$ weak-scaling efficiency running on up to 8192 GPUs on the Frontier supercomputer. This scheme enables efficient, scalable particle-mesh coupling for GPU-optimized simulations of star formation and feedback in galaxies.

Urmila Chadayammuri, Lukas Eisert, Annalisa Pillepich et al.

The physical properties of the intracluster medium (ICM) reflect signatures of the underlying gravitational potential, mergers and strong interactions with other halos and satellite galaxies, as well as galactic feedback from supernovae and supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Traditionally, clusters have been characterized in terms of summary statistics, such as halo mass, X-ray luminosity, cool-core state, luminosity of AGN, and number of merging components. In this paper of the Extracting Reality from Galaxy Observables with Machine Learning series (ERGO-ML), we instead consider the full information content available in maps of X-ray emission from the ICM. We employ Nearest Neighbour Contrastive Learning (NNCLR) to identify and populate a low-dimensional representation space of such images. Using idealized X-ray maps of the 352 clusters of the TNG-Cluster cosmological magnetohydrodynamical simulation suite, we take three orthogonal projections of each cluster at eight snapshots within the redshift range $0\leq z<1$, resulting in a dataset of $\sim$8,000 images. Our findings reveal that this representation space forms a continuous distribution from relaxed to merging objects, and from centrally-peaked to flat emission profiles. The representation also exhibits clear trends with redshift, with halo, gas, stellar, and SMBH mass, with time since a last major merger, and with indicators of dynamical state. We show that an 8-dimensional representation can be used to predict a variety of cluster properties, find analogs, and identify correlations between physical properties, thereby suggesting causal relationships. Our analysis demonstrates that contrastive learning is a powerful tool for characterizing galaxy clusters from their images alone, allowing us to derive constraints on their physical properties and formation histories using cosmological hydrodynamical galaxy simulations.

Marcin Misiaszek, Nicola Rossi

The nature of the dark matter in the Universe is one of the hardest unsolved problems in modern physics. Indeed, on one hand, the overwhelming indirect evidence from astrophysics seems to leave no doubt about its existence; on the other hand, direct search experiments, especially those conducted with low background detectors in underground laboratories all over the world seem to deliver only null results, with a few debated exceptions. Furthermore, the lack of predicted candidates at the LHC energy scale has made this dichotomy even more puzzling. We will recall the most important phases of this novel branch of experimental astro-particle physics, analyzing the interconnections among the main projects involved in this challenging quest, and we will draw conclusions slightly different from how the problem is commonly understood.

Yang-wei Zhang, Yang Huang, Jin-ming Bai et al.

As the third installment in a series systematically searching dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) amongst merging galaxies, we present the results of 20 dual AGNs found by using the SDSS fiber spectra. To reduce the flux contamination from both the fiber aperture and seeing effects, the angular separation of two cores in our merging galaxy pairs sample is restricted at least larger than 3 arcsec. By careful analysis of the emission lines, 20 dual AGNs are identified from 61 merging galaxies with their two cores both observed by the SDSS spectroscopic surveys. 15 of them are identified for the first time. The identification efficiency is about 32.79$\%$ (20/61), comparable to our former results (16 dual AGNs identified from 41 merging galaxies) based on the long-slit spectroscopy. Interestingly, two of the 20 dual AGNs show two prominent cores in radio images and their radio powers show they as the radio-excess AGNs. So far, 31 dual AGNs are found by our project and this is the current largest dual AGN sample, ever constructed with a consistent approach. This sample, together with more candidates from ongoing observations, is of vital importance to study the AGN physics and the coevolution between the supermassive black holes and their host galaxies.

I. Jankov, D. Ilić

Investigation of quasar emission line properties and relationships between spectral parameters is important for understanding the physical mechanisms that originate inside different regions of the active galactic nuclei. In this paper, we investigate the optical spectral parameters of type 1 quasars taken from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 Quasar Catalog (arXiv:1006.5178 [astro-ph.CO]). Spectral parameters, such are equivalent widths and full widths at half maximum of both narrow and broad lines are taken into account. We perform the analysis of correlation matrix and principal component analysis of our sample. We obtain that the narrow line Baldwin effect is significant enough and deserves further investigation. We provide the correlation coefficients and slope values for Baldwin effect in several narrow lines.

Nate Bastian, Carmela Lardo

Globular Clusters (GCs) exhibit star-to-star variations in specific elements (e.g., He, C, N, O, Na, Al) that bare the hallmark of high temperature H burning. These abundance variations can be observed spectroscopically and also photometrically, with the appropriate choice of filters, due to the changing of spectral features within the band pass. This phenomenon is observed in nearly all of the ancient GCs, although, to date, has not been found in any massive cluster younger than 2~Gyr. Many scenarios have been suggested to explain this phenomenon, with most invoking multiple epochs of star-formation within the cluster, however all have failed to reproduce various key observations, in particular when a global view of the GC population is taken. We review the state of current observations, and outline the successes and failures of each of the main proposed models. The traditional idea of using the stellar ejecta from a 1st generation of stars to form a 2nd generation of stars, while conceptually straight forward, has failed to reproduce an increasing number of observational constraints. We conclude that the puzzle of multiple populations remains unsolved, hence alternative theories are needed.

M. M. Mäkelä, L. K. Haikala, G. F. Gahm

The Rosette Nebula is an HII region ionized mainly by the stellar cluster NGC 2244. Elephant trunks, globules, and globulettes are seen at the interface where the HII region and the surrounding molecular shell meet. We have observed a field in the northwestern part of the Rosette Nebula where we study the small globules protruding from the shell. Our aim is to measure their properties and study their star formation history in continuation of our earlier study of the features of the region. We imaged the region in broadband near-infrared (NIR) JsHKs filters and narrowband H2 1-0 S(1), P$β$, and continuum filters using the SOFI camera at the ESO/NTT. The imaging was used to study the stellar population and surface brightness, create visual extinction maps, and locate star formation. Mid-infrared (MIR) Spitzer IRAC and WISE and optical NOT images were used to further study the star formation and the structure of the globules. The NIR and MIR observations indicate an outflow, which is confirmed with CO observations made with APEX. The globules have mean number densities of ~$4.6\times10^4 \rm cm^{-3}$. P$β$ is seen in absorption in the cores of the globules where we measure visual extinctions of 11-16 mag. The shell and the globules have bright rims in the observed bands. In the Ks band 20 to 40% of the emission is due to fluorescent emission in the 2.12 $μ$m H2 line similar to the tiny dense globulettes we studied earlier in a nearby region. We identify several stellar NIR excess candidates and four of them are also detected in the Spitzer IRAC 8.0 $μ$m image and studied further. We find an outflow with a cavity wall bright in the 2.124 $μ$m H2 line and at 8.0 $μ$m in one of the globules. The outflow originates from a Class I young stellar object (YSO) embedded deep inside the globule. An H$α$ image suggests the YSO drives a possible parsec-scale outflow. (abridged)

Colin S. Wallace, Edward E. Prather, Seth D. Hornstein et al.

Light and spectroscopy are among the most important and frequently taught topics in introductory, college-level, general education astronomy courses. This is due to the fact that the vast majority of observational data studied by astronomers arrives at Earth in the form of light. While there are many processes by which matter can emit and absorb light, Astro 101 courses typically limit their instruction to the Bohr model of the atom and electron energy level transitions. In this paper, we report on the development of a new Lecture-Tutorial to help students learn about other processes that are responsible for the emission and absorption of light, namely molecular rotations, molecular vibrations, and the acceleration of charged particles by magnetic fields.

Jelte T. A. de Jong, Gijs A. Verdoes Kleijn, Danny R. Boxhoorn et al.

The Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) is an optical wide-field imaging survey carried out with the VLT Survey Telescope and the OmegaCAM camera. KiDS will image 1500 square degrees in four filters (ugri), and together with its near-infrared counterpart VIKING will produce deep photometry in nine bands. Designed for weak lensing shape and photometric redshift measurements, the core science driver of the survey is mapping the large-scale matter distribution in the Universe back to a redshift of ~0.5. Secondary science cases are manifold, covering topics such as galaxy evolution, Milky Way structure, and the detection of high-redshift clusters and quasars. KiDS is an ESO Public Survey and dedicated to serving the astronomical community with high-quality data products derived from the survey data, as well as with calibration data. Public data releases will be made on a yearly basis, the first two of which are presented here. For a total of 148 survey tiles (~160 sq.deg.) astrometrically and photometrically calibrated, coadded ugri images have been released, accompanied by weight maps, masks, source lists, and a multi-band source catalog. A dedicated pipeline and data management system based on the Astro-WISE software system, combined with newly developed masking and source classification software, is used for the data production of the data products described here. The achieved data quality and early science projects based on the data products in the first two data releases are reviewed in order to validate the survey data. Early scientific results include the detection of nine high-z QSOs, fifteen candidate strong gravitational lenses, high-quality photometric redshifts and galaxy structural parameters for hundreds of thousands of galaxies. (Abridged)

Miguel Sánchez-Portal, Irene Pintos-Castro, Ricardo Pérez-Martínez et al.

The cores of clusters at 0 $\lesssim$ z $\lesssim$ 1 are dominated by quiescent early-type galaxies, whereas the field is dominated by star-forming late-type ones. Galaxy properties, notably the star formation (SF) ability, are altered as they fall into overdense regions. The critical issues to understand this evolution are how the truncation of SF is connected to the morphological transformation and the responsible physical mechanism. The GaLAxy Cluster Evolution Survey (GLACE) is conducting a study on the variation of galaxy properties (SF, AGN, morphology) as a function of environment in a representative sample of clusters. A deep survey of emission line galaxies (ELG) is being performed, mapping a set of optical lines ([OII], [OIII], H$β$ and H$α$/[NII]) in several clusters at z $\sim$ 0.40, 0.63 and 0.86. Using the Tunable Filters (TF) of OSIRIS/GTC, GLACE applies the technique of TF tomography: for each line, a set of images at different wavelengths are taken through the TF, to cover a rest frame velocity range of several thousands km/s. The first GLACE results target the H$α$/[NII] lines in the cluster ZwCl 0024.0+1652 at z = 0.395 covering $\sim$ 2 $\times$ r$_{vir}$. We discuss the techniques devised to process the TF tomography observations to generate the catalogue of H$α$ emitters of 174 unique cluster sources down to a SFR below 1 M$_{\odot}$/yr. The AGN population is discriminated using different diagnostics and found to be $\sim$ 37% of the ELG population. The median SFR is 1.4 M$_{\odot}$/yr. We have studied the spatial distribution of ELG, confirming the existence of two components in the redshift space. Finally, we have exploited the outstanding spectral resolution of the TF to estimate the cluster mass from ELG dynamics, finding M$_{200}$ = 4.1 $\times$ 10$^{14}$ M$_{\odot} h^{-1}$, in agreement with previous weak-lensing estimates.

Yohei Miki, Masao Mori, Toshihiro Kawaguchi et al.

In the hierarchical structure formation scenario, galaxies enlarge through multiple merging events with less massive galaxies. In addition, the Magorrian relation indicates that almost all galaxies are occupied by a central supermassive black hole (SMBH) of mass $10^{-3}$ of its spheroidal component. Consequently, SMBHs are expected to wander in the halos of their host galaxies following a galaxy collision, although evidence of this activity is currently lacking. We investigate a current plausible location of an SMBH wandering in the halo of the Andromeda galaxy (M31). According to theoretical studies of $N$-body simulations, some of the many substructures in the M31 halo are remnants of a minor merger occurring about 1 Gyr ago. First, to evaluate the possible parameter space of the infalling orbit of the progenitor, we perform numerous parameter studies using a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) cluster. To reduce uncertainties in the predicted position of the expected SMBH, we then calculate the time evolution of the SMBH in the progenitor dwarf galaxy from $N$-body simulations using the plausible parameter sets. Our results show that the SMBH lies within the halo ($\sim$20--50 kpc from the M31 center), closer to the Milky Way than the M31 disk. Furthermore, the predicted current positions of the SMBH were restricted to an observational field of $0\degr.6 \times 0\degr.7$ in the northeast region of the M31 halo. We also discuss the origin of the infalling orbit of the satellite galaxy and its relationships with the recently discovered vast thin disk plane of satellite galaxies around M31.

R. Blomme, L. Mahy, C. Catala et al.

The detection of pulsational frequencies in stellar photometry is required as input for asteroseismological modelling. The second short run (SRa02) of the CoRoT mission has provided photometric data of unprecedented quality and time-coverage for a number of O-type stars. We analyse the CoRoT data corresponding to three hot O-type stars, describing the properties of their light curves and we search for pulsational frequencies, which we then compare to theoretical model predictions. We determine the amplitude spectrum of the data, using the Lomb-Scargle and a multifrequency HMM-like technique. Frequencies are extracted by prewhitening, and their significance is evaluated under the assumption that the light curve is dominated by red noise. We search for harmonics, linear combinations and regular spacings among these frequencies. We use simulations with the same time sampling as the data as a powerful tool to judge the significance of our results. From the theoretical point of view, we use the MAD non-adiabatic pulsation code to determine the expected frequencies of excited modes. A substantial number of frequencies is listed, but none can be convincingly identified as being connected to pulsations. The amplitude spectrum is dominated by red noise. Theoretical modelling shows that all three O-type stars can have excited modes but the relation between the theoretical frequencies and the observed spectrum is not obvious. The dominant red noise component in the hot O-type stars studied here clearly points to a different origin than the pulsations seen in cooler O stars. The physical cause of this red noise is unclear, but we speculate on the possibility of sub-surface convection, granulation, or stellar wind inhomogeneities being responsible.

Jason S. Kalirai, Harvey B. Richer, Jay Anderson et al.

In HST Cycle 17, we imaged the well known globular star cluster 47 Tucanae for 121 orbits using ACS and both the UVIS and IR channels of WFC3 (GO-11677, PI - H. Richer). This unique data set was obtained to address many scientific questions that demand a very deep, panchromatic, and panoramic view of the cluster's stellar populations. In total, the program obtained over 0.75 Ms of imaging exposure time with the three HST cameras, over a time span of 9 months in 2010. The primary ACS field was imaged in the two broadband filters F606W and F814W filters, at 13 orientations, for all 121 orbits. The parallel WFC3 imaging provides a panchromatic (0.4 - 1.7 micron) and contiguous imaging swath over a 250 degree azimuthal range at impact radii of 6.5 -- 17.9 pc in 47 Tuc. This imaging totals over 60 arcmin^2 in area and utilizes the F390W and F606W broadband filters on WFC3/UVIS and the F110W and F160W broadband filters on WFC3/IR. In this paper, we describe the observational design of the new survey and one of the methods used to analyze all of the imaging data. This analysis combines over 700 full-frame images taken with the three HST cameras into a handful of ultra-deep, well-sampled combined images in each of the six filters. The results reveal unprecedented color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of the cluster extending to >30th magnitude in the optical, 29th magnitude in the UV, and 27th magnitude in the IR. The data set provides a characterization of the complete stellar populations of 47 Tuc, extending from the faintest hydrogen burning dwarfs through the main-sequence and giant branches, down to very cool white dwarf remnants in the cluster. The imaging also provides the deepest probe of the stellar populations of the background Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) galaxy, resolving low mass main-sequence dwarfs with M < 0.2 Msun.

Hidenobu Yajima, Jun-Hwan Choi, Kentaro Nagamine

Combing the three-dimensional radiative transfer (RT) calculation and cosmological SPH simulations, we study the escape fraction of ionizing photons (f_esc) of high-redshift galaxies at z=3-6. Our simulations cover the halo mass range of M_h = 10^9 - 10^12 M_sun. We postprocess several hundred simulated galaxies with the Authentic Radiative Transfer (ART) code to study the halo mass dependence of f_esc. In this paper, we restrict ourselves to the transfer of stellar radiation from local stellar population in each dark matter halo. We find that the average f_esc steeply decreases as the halo mass increases, with a large scatter for the lower mass haloes. The low mass haloes with M_h ~ 10^9 M_sun have large values of f_esc (with an average of ~ 0.4), whereas the massive haloes with M_h ~ 10^11 M_sun show small values of f_esc (with an average of ~ 0.07). This is because in our simulations, the massive haloes show more clumpy structure in gas distribution, and star-forming regions are embedded inside these clumps, making it more difficult for the ionizing photons to escape. On the other hand, in low mass haloes, there are often conical regions of highly ionized gas due to the shifted location of young star clusters from the center of dark matter halo, which allows the ionizing photons to escape more easily than in the high-mass haloes. By counting the number of escaped ionizing photons, we show that the star-forming galaxies can ionize the intergalactic medium at z=3-6. The main contributor to the ionizing photons is the haloes with M_h < 10^10 M_sun owing to their high f_esc. The large dispersion in f_esc suggests that there may be various sizes of H{\sc ii} bubbles around the haloes even with the same mass in the early stages of reionization. We also examine the effect of UV background radiation field on f_esc using simple, four different treatment of UV background.

J. C. O'Brien, K. C. Freeman, P. C. van der Kruit

This is the fourth paper in a series in which we attempt to put constraints on the flattening of dark halos in disk galaxies. We observed for this purpose the HI in edge-on galaxies, where it is in principle possible to measure the force field in the halo vertically and radially from gas layer flaring and rotation curve decomposition respectively. We have analysed the HI channel maps to accurately measure all four functions that describe the HI kinematics and 3D distribution: the radial HI surface density, the HI vertical thickness, the rotation curve and the HI velocity dispersion. In this paper we analyse these data for the edge-on galaxy UGC7321. We measured the stellar mass distribution ($M=3\times10^8$ \msun with $M/L_R\lesim0.2$), finding that the vertical force of the gas disk dominates the stellar disk at all radii. We find that the vertical force puts a much stronger constraint on the stellar mass-to-light ratio than rotation curve decomposition. Fitting of the vertical force field derived from the flaring and velocity dispersion of the HI revealed that UGC7321 has a spherical halo density distribution with a flattening of $q = c/a = 1.0 \pm 0.1$.

Adrian Jenkins

We describe and test a new method for creating initial conditions for cosmological N-body dark matter simulations based on second-order Lagrangian perturbation theory (2lpt). The method can be applied to multi-mass particle distributions making it suitable for creating resimulation, or `zoom' initial conditions. By testing against an analytic solution we show that the method works well for a spherically symmetric perturbation with radial features ranging over more than three orders of magnitude in linear scale and eleven orders of magnitude in particle mass. We apply the method and repeat resimulations of the rapid formation of a high mass halo at redshift fifty and the formation of a Milky-Way mass dark matter halo at redshift zero. In both cases we find that many properties of the final halo show a much smaller sensitivity to the start redshift with the 2lpt initial conditions, than simulations started from Zel'dovich initial conditions. For spherical overdense regions structure formation is erroneously delayed in simulations starting from Zel'dovich initial conditions, and we demonstrate for the case of the formation the high redshift halo that this delay can be accounted for using the spherical collapse model. In addition to being more accurate, 2lpt initial conditions allow simulations to start later, saving computer time.

Jonathan Arons

I discuss the scientific rationale and opportunities in the study of high energy particle accelerators away from the Earth; mostly, those outside the Solar System. I also briefly outline the features to be desired in telescopes used to probe accelerators studied by remote sensing.

L. R. Bedin, M. Salaris, I. R. King et al.

We use 10 orbits of Advanced Camera for Surveys observations to reach the end of the white dwarf cooling sequence in the solar-metallicity open cluster NGC 2158. Our photometry and completeness tests show that the end falls at magnitude m_F606W = 27.5 +/- 0.15, which implies an age between ~1.8 and ~2.0 Gyr, consistent with the age of 1.9 +/- 0.2 Gyr obtained from fits to the main-sequence turn-off. The faintest white dwarfs show a clear turn toward bluer colors, as predicted by theoretical isochrones.

Tom Greene, Kerri Cahoy, Olivier Guyon et al.

Significant advances in the discovery and characterization of the planetary systems of nearby stars can be accomplished with a moderate aperture high performance coronagraphic space mission that could be started in the next decade. Its observations would make significant progress in studying terrestrial planets in their habitable zones to giant planets and circumstellar debris disks, also informing the design of a more capable future mission. It is quite exciting that such fundamental exoplanet science can be done with relatively modest capabilities.