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Physics Astrophysics

astro-ph Watch Astrophysics

Wednesday 1 April

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Cross-listed from gr-qc

A framework for creating galaxy models in the geometry of the conservation group with dark matter halos and flat rotation curves

Edward Lee Green

Pandres has developed a theory which extends the geometrical structure of a real four-dimensional space-time via a field of orthonormal tetrads with an enlarged covariance group. This new group, called the conservation group, contains the group of diffeomorphisms as a proper subgroup. The free-field Lagrangian density involves only the curvature vector which is a vector which measures curvature. When massive objects are present a source term is added to this Lagrangian density. The weak-field approximation implies that gravitational waves travel at the speed of light. Spherically symmetric solutions for both the free field and the field with sources are found. In the free-field case, the field equations require nonzero stress-energy tensors. However, we find that for our model to be an acceptable model, we must have a source term in the Lagrangian. In our framework, we divide up the galaxy into three spherically symmetric regions: a baryonic matter-dominated central bulge, a dark matter-dominated mesosphere and an outside region where neither type dominates. Assuming the density of baryonic matter has a central cusp, we show how to model the bulge. Via an isothermal condition we find a model for the mesosphere and show this model implies flat rotation curves with one free parameter. The outside region is readily modeled via previously published results. The models for the bulge, mesosphere and outside region are combined into one continuous model. Using the radial acceleration relation we then show how a galaxy model may be set up for a rotationally supported galaxy.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Cross-listed from gr-qc

Plummer Dark Matter Black Hole with Topological Defects: Shadow, Greybody Factors, Quasinormal Modes, and Thermodynamics

Ahmad Al-Badawi, Faizuddin Ahmed and İzzet Sakall{\i}

We construct a static, spherically symmetric black hole (BH) solution embedded in a cored Plummer dark matter (DM) halo and a Letelier cloud of strings (CoS). Starting from the Plummer-Schwarzschild metric of Senjaya et al.~\cite{Senjaya2026}, we incorporate the string-cloud tension parameter $\alpha$ into the lapse function, obtaining $A(r) = h_{\rm Plummer}(r) - \alpha$. The resulting spacetime admits a single, non-degenerate event horizon (EH) for $\alpha < 1$ and a naked singularity for $\alpha \ge 1$. We determine the photon sphere (PS) and BH shadow radii, compute the weak deflection angle via the Gauss-Bonnet theorem (GBT), and analyze the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO). Scalar perturbations are studied through the effective potential, greybody factor (GF) bounds obtained from the Boonserm-Visser method, the Hawking emission spectrum, and quasinormal mode (QNM) frequencies computed with the WKB approximation. The thermodynamic analysis covers the Hawking temperature, Bekenstein-Hawking entropy, heat capacity, and Gibbs free energy; the heat capacity is found to be strictly negative for all parameter values, confirming the absence of any Davies-type phase transition. A consistent hierarchy emerges across all six analyses: the CoS tension $\alpha$ governs the leading-order modifications to every observable, while the Plummer halo density $\rho_0$ provides a subdominant, additive correction.
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High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Multimessenger Constraints on Production Sites of High-Energy Neutrinos from NGC 1068

Abhishek Das, Kohta Murase and B. Theodore Zhang

The detection of high-energy neutrino signals from the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068 provides us with a unique opportunity to explore nonthermal processes near the center of supermassive black holes. Using the IceCube and Fermi-LAT data, we present general multimessenger constraints on the energetics of cosmic rays and the extent of the neutrino emission region, considering not only photohadronic (photomeson and photopair production) but also hadronuclear ($pp$) processes. Compared to the photohadronic scenario, the hadronuclear scenario can alleviate constraints on the emission region, yielding $R\lesssim30-70R_S$ for low-$\beta$ plasma, where the magnetic pressure dominates the gas pressure, and $R\lesssim5-50R_S$ for high-$\beta$ plasma. While our results support the previous conclusion that the photohadronic scenario favors a compact corona with $R\sim3-10R_S$, these suggest the relevance of further investigations into $pp$ neutrino contributions. When the the cosmic-ray spectrum is extended down to a minimum energy of 1 GeV, which is natural in light of particle acceleration mechanisms, we find that the required cosmic-ray luminosity exceeds the X-ray luminosity for a spectral index of $s_{\rm CR}\gtrsim2$, which challenges some shock acceleration models. We also show that the beta decay scenario is unlikely even if the magnetic field is as strong as the maximum allowed by the Eddington luminosity. Given that NGC 1068 can be established as a neutrino source, our results will provide evidence for the standard hadronic scenario, including magnetically powered corona models having hard spectra with $s_{\rm CR}\lesssim2$.
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Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Information content of JWST transmission spectroscopy of the exoplanet HAT-P-12b from the optical to the mid-infrared

L. Heinke, M. Min, J. Bouwman et al. (+18 more)

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) provides low- to medium-resolution spectra with unprecedented precision and broad near- to mid-infrared wavelength coverage, enabling detailed characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. We present a new JWST NIRISS SOSS transit observation of the warm sub-Saturn HAT-P-12b. Combined with NIRSpec G395M and MIRI LRS data, this enables an assessment of the information content across JWST instruments over the full accessible wavelength range. The NIRISS data were reduced and the impact of reduction choices on the transmission spectrum evaluated. Atmospheric retrievals were performed for all JWST combinations, with selected cases including archival HST data. Four molecules are significantly detected: H2O, CO2, CO, and H2S. Except for H2O, detections require NIRSpec coverage, while H2S is only detected in multi-instrument retrievals. NIRISS SOSS is essential to establish robust evidence for non-gray cloud behavior. A moderate scattering slope (p < 4) is consistently retrieved. Single-instrument retrievals tend to overestimate abundances, whereas combined JWST datasets yield more consistent constraints. The C/O ratio remains sensitive to differences between NIRSpec reductions. Results broadly agree with studies of WASP-39b, but highlight variations in information content across exoplanet types.
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All authors L. Heinke, M. Min, J. Bouwman, N. Crouzet, T. Konings, L. Decin, L. B. F. M. Waters, P.-O. Lagage, T. Henning, P. I. Palmer, B. Edwards, J. P. Pye, M. Güdel, O. Absil, D. Barrado, C. Cossou, A. Glasse, A. M. Glauser, G. Östlin, N. Whiteford, T. P. Ray

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Beaming of polarized radiation in subcritical X-ray pulsars

I. D. Markozov, A. Y. Potekhin, A. D. Kaminker et al. (+1 more)

Radiation of X-ray pulsars is powered by accretion on the neutron star surface from a binary companion under the influence of a strong magnetic field. We study beaming of this radiation in the case of subcritical X-ray pulsars, where it is formed in the accretion channel close to the neutron star surface. We solve equations of the hydrodynamics and radiative transfer of two coupled polarization modes in the accretion channel numerically, taking into account resonant Compton scattering and vacuum polarization. The beaming patterns are obtained for different accretion rates, photon energies and polarizations, and for different models of the neutron star surface radiation. The calculated beaming patterns are converted into light curves for both the intensity and polarization, taking into account the effects of General Relativity. These beaming patterns and light curves are found to be strongly affected by the resonant Compton scattering for photon energies comparable with the electron cyclotron energy. In particular, the angular redistribution of radiation near the cyclotron resonance may reduce the light-curve modulation amplitude, which is consistent with observational indications of a suppressed pulsed fraction at these energies.
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All authors I. D. Markozov, A. Y. Potekhin, A. D. Kaminker, A. A. Mushtukov

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

The RRATalog: a Galactic census of rotating radio transients

Devansh Agarwal, Evan F. Lewis, Duncan R. Lorimer et al. (+4 more)

Rotating radio transients (RRATs) represent a significant but poorly understood component of the Galactic neutron star population, characterized by sporadic emission first detectable only through single-pulse searches. We present the RRATalog, an up-to-date catalogue of 335 RRATs, and utilize a uniform sample of RRATs discovered in four Parkes telescope surveys to model their Galactic population. Accounting in detail for observational selection effects, we find a radial density profile similar to pulsars, but identify a significantly steeper luminosity function (power-law index $\alpha \simeq -1.3$) than previously assumed. For sources beaming towards Earth, we estimate $34000 \pm 1600$ potentially observable RRATs above a peak luminosity of 30 mJy kpc$^2$. At these high luminosities, the RRAT population is comparable in size to that of canonical pulsars. Consistent with the observed distribution, the underlying period distribution is significantly shifted toward longer periods compared to canonical pulsars, suggesting RRATs represent a more evolved population. We find evidence for a turnover in the luminosity function below 30 mJy kpc$^2$, and predict that the total number of potentially observable RRATs is $\lesssim 70,000$. Applying the Tauris & Manchester beaming model, we estimate the total Galactic RRAT population to be $\lesssim 400,000$. The implied birth rate of $\lesssim 1.4$ RRATs per century is consistent with the Galactic core-collapse supernova rate, suggesting RRATs can be reconciled with known progenitor rates without requiring a separate evolutionary origin. We provide predictions for RRAT discoveries in ongoing and future surveys.
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All authors Devansh Agarwal, Evan F. Lewis, Duncan R. Lorimer, Maura A. McLaughlin, Bingyi Cui, Anna Turner, Natasha McMann

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Delayed Radio Flares in Neutrino-associated Blazars: The Case of TXS 0506+056

S. I. Stathopoulos, C. Yuan, G. Vasilopoulos et al. (+4 more)

Radio flares have been postulated to be associated with the production of astrophysical neutrinos. For example, TXS 0506+056 exhibits a 2-3 yr delay between the 2017 IceCube-170922A/gamma-ray flare and a GHz radio maximum. We quantitatively test if the delayed radio flare originates from the same compact region where neutrinos and gamma-rays are produced as it expands downstream and synchrotron self-absorption (SSA) is reduced. Starting from the 2017 flare blob parameters, we model the expanding production region and its evolving radio emission with LeHaMoC in a fully time-dependent framework, and compare our 1.2-22 GHz light curves to RATAN-600 data. We study different scenarios with increasing levels of sophistication, including continuous injection and energy re-dissipation on pc scales. While a simple expanding blob scenario fails to reproduce the radio data, a downstream dissipation episode of particles in the optically thin regime, followed by jet deceleration, successfully describes the radio evolution. The radio flare is powered by leptonic synchrotron emission and is largely insensitive to the proton population relevant for neutrino production, implying that the delayed radio flare mainly probes downstream dissipation and beaming in certain jet configurations instead of being a direct radiative counterpart of the compact neutrino-production zone.
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All authors S. I. Stathopoulos, C. Yuan, G. Vasilopoulos, F. Testagrossa, D. Karavola, M. Petropoulou, W. Winter

Astrophysics of Galaxies

First results of AMBRA: Abundant Seeds and Early Mergers as a Pathway to the First Massive Black Holes

Yihao Zhou, Aklant Kumar Bhowmick, Tiziana Di Matteo et al. (+6 more)

AMBRA combines the large cosmological volume and statistical power of ASTRID with the physically motivated gas-based black hole seeding models from BRAHMA. Motivated by JWST's discoveries of massive black holes (BHs) at $z\gtrsim 9$, AMBRA adopts a lenient heavy-seed prescription from the BRAHMA suite, allowing for the formation of $4\times 10^{4-5}\ M_{\odot}$ seeds in halos with star-forming, metal-poor gas. The seeding model is motivated by scenarios in which heavy seeds form through stellar collisions in star clusters or from the rapid growth of Population III remnants. The improved seeding model enables AMBRA to form BH seeds much earlier and more efficiently compared to ASTRID. This significantly enhances early BH growth, producing a $z=8$ BH number density more than an order of magnitude higher than that in ASTRID over the mass range $10^{5-7}\ M_{\odot}$. BHs reaching masses consistent with GN-z11 and CEERS-1019 typically originate in highly compact density peaks and undergo multiple early mergers. In these systems, $\sim50\%$ of BH masses by $z=11$ is from BH mergers, after which gas accretion becomes the dominant growth channel. Without this early merger-driven assembly, ASTRID cannot reproduce the high-mass BH detected by JWST. Our results indicate that abundant early seed formation combined with frequent mergers can explain several JWST massive BH candidates without requiring sustained super-Eddington accretion. As a testable prediction, AMBRA yields $\approx4$ LISA detectable BH merger events per year at $z\geq8$, which is three orders of magnitude higher than that in ASTRID.
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All authors Yihao Zhou, Aklant Kumar Bhowmick, Tiziana Di Matteo, Patrick LaChance, Rupert Croft, Laura Blecha, Simeon Bird, Paul Torrey, Lars Hernquist

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Cosmological zoom-in perturbation theory as a consistent beyond point-particle approximation framework

Obinna Umeh

Modelling structure formation across the full dynamical range of the Universe remains a major challenge in cosmology. This difficulty originates from a fundamental limitation of geodesics in general relativity: a one-parameter family of geodesics can cease to be geodesic at a finite time. This implies that the conventional point-particle approximation is not the primary issue; rather, the breakdown of geodesic flow restricts a consistent description across scales. We develop a covariant multi-scale framework that resolves this problem by decomposing spacetime into hierarchical regions separated by matter horizons. We show how to match shared boundary consistently at the level of the action, leading to a covariant backreaction contribution. The resulting construction provides a first-principles theoretical foundation for cosmological zoom-in simulations and yields an effective energy-momentum tensor capturing the impact of the geometric backreaction effect. As an application, we demonstrate that this backreaction naturally produces flat galaxy rotation curves without invoking an additional dark matter component. Our results establish a new perspective on nonlinear structure formation, in which long dynamical range is resolved through a hierarchy of discrete geodesic domains.
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High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Approximate Energy-Integration Method for Identifying Collisional Neutrino Flavor Instabilities

Jiabao Liu and Hiroki Nagakura

We present an approximate energy-integration method for identifying collisional neutrino flavor instabilities. Direct evaluation of the dispersion relation requires multi-dimensional integrals over neutrino phase space, making systematic searches for unstable modes in numerical models of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) and binary neutron star mergers (BNSMs) computationally expensive. In the literature there are some approximate schemes, but they are largely restricted to the homogeneous limit and can exhibit inaccuracies as reported in recent studies. In the current paper, we clarify the origin of the limitations in previous schemes and provide a better approximation method that robustly preserves the key physics of spectral asymmetries and collision rates. It yields a reduced dispersion relation that is inexpensive to evaluate. Comparison with exact solutions demonstrates that our new approximate method shows a good performance in computing both real frequencies and growth rates across a wide range of regimes, including isotropic and anisotropic neutrino distributions for both homogeneous and inhomogeneous modes. This provides a practical, accurate, and scalable framework for identifying collisional flavor instabilities in high-energy astrophysical simulations such as CCSNe and BNSMs.
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Astrophysics of Galaxies

The radial component of the local Galactic magnetic field in 3D

Lewis McCallum, Philipp Frank, Sebastian Hutschenreuter et al. (+9 more)

We present a distance-resolved reconstruction of the local line-of-sight Galactic magnetic field, $B_{||}$, by combining a 3D electron density ($n_{e}$) map derived from dust map-informed simulations and a full-sky map of Faraday rotation measure (RM). The forward model evaluates RM on the same 3D grid as the $n_{e}$ map and compares to the Galactic Faraday rotation sky. We infer $B_{||}$ with a Gaussian-process prior whose power spectrum is inferred from the data using geometric variational inference. The result is a local (within 1.25 kpc where $|b|>5^{\circ}$) map of $B_{||}$ with uncertainties. The reconstructed RM sky reproduces prominent features of Faraday rotation sky, with a root mean square average strength of $B_{||}$ of $1.63\pm 0.16$ $\mu$G. In face-on views, the magnetic field exhibits coherent patches with alternating sign and hints of kpc-scale modulations, but with significant structure seen on scales of order 100 pc. The $B_{||}$ field is seen to exhibit a 3D power spectrum with an average slope of $-2.73 \pm 0.19$. We validate our $B_{||}$ reconstruction with Galactic pulsars. Predicted RMs (computed by integrating $n_{e}B_{||}$ to each pulsar's distance) correlates with observed RMs, and predicted dispersion measures (DMs) from the $n_{e}$ map also correlate with measured DMs, albeit with significant scatter.
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All authors Lewis McCallum, Philipp Frank, Sebastian Hutschenreuter, Robert Benjamin, Rebecca A. Booth, Susan E. Clark, Marijke Haverkorn, Alex S. Hill, Philipp Mertsch, Anna Ordog, Andrew K. Saydjari, Jennifer West

Astrophysics of Galaxies

ALMA Band 2 line survey of a $z = 3.44$ clumpy strongly-lensed submillimetre galaxy

Tom J. L. C. Bakx

I present the first molecular line survey of the strongly lensed submillimetre galaxy SPT-S J002706-5007.4 ($z = 3.44$) using the new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band~2 receivers (67 - 116 GHz), whose commissioning completes ALMA's full (sub-)millimetre frequency coverage. The broad spectral coverage from 76 to 111 GHz of the observations simultaneously accesses a large suite of molecular and atomic emission lines. I report the novel detections of the lines that were hitherto inaccessible at $z = 3.44$, CO (3-2) and HNC (4-3), as well as detections of previously-observed CO (4-3) transitions, the neutral carbon line [CI], HCN (5-4), HCO$^{+}$ (5-4), and HNC (5-4), with fluxes in line with previous observations. The CO spectral line energy distribution and [CI]/CO line ratios indicate highly excited, dense molecular gas with a strong far-ultraviolet radiation field. The dense gas fraction is estimated at $17 \pm 9$ per cent, consistent with other dusty star-forming galaxies selected from wide-area surveys. High-resolution Band 7 continuum imaging reveals a clumpy lensed morphology, with star-forming clumps contributing 30-50 per cent of the total emission. With multiple CO lines accessible across a wide redshift range, ALMA Band 2 is uniquely positioned as the premier tool for robust spectroscopic redshifts at Cosmic Noon and beyond ($z \sim 1$-$6$), a capability that will be further enhanced by the Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade's full-band coverage in fewer tunings.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Curvature-induced electroweak symmetry breaking and phase transition of a Higgs-portal dark scalar field

Andreas Mantziris

This overview of the study arXiv:2407.18845, regarding the possibility of generating gravitational waves from a curvature-induced phase transition of a non-minimally coupled scalar dark matter field with a Higgs-portal, was showcased at the "Workshop on Standard Model and Beyond 2025" of the Corfu Summer Institute 2025. The phase transition dynamics during the transition from inflation to kination were calculated for various inflationary scales, considering both positive and negative values of the non-minimal coupling, while also examining the potential for triggering electroweak symmetry breaking. Notably, kination enhances the GW amplitudes, significantly restricting the viable parameter space. While the GW spectra follow the usual rule for high-frequencies from high inflationary scales, certain regions of the parameter space allow for a potential detection with future experiments.
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Astrophysics of Galaxies

Distance and [Fe/H] of Galactic bulge clusters from member RR Lyrae I-band light curves

A. Arellano Ferro and Z. Prudil

We have investigated the results for [Fe/H] and distance for a group of 24 globular clusters in the Galactic bulge, employing recent calibrations of RR Lyrae light curves Fourier decomposition and period-absolute magnitude-metallicity (PMZ) calibrations in the I-band. We have limited our calculations to RR Lyrae stars that have been proven to be very likely cluster members. These results are compared with [Fe/H] and Mv (distance) obtained from well-established Fourier calibrations in the V-band. These calibrations of the I-band were found to produce iron values that can differ from the UVES spectroscopic scale by -0.29 to +0.15 dex. The PMZ distances agree within 0.4 kpc with recent solid critical distance compilations. Adopting the newly derived distances, we conducted a spatial and orbital analysis of the bulge globular clusters in a non-axisymmetric Milky Way potential, and compared their orbital properties with earlier studies, finding broadly consistent trends with small systematic differences driven by the assumed distances and Galactic model. Clusters associated with the in situ bulge component display a narrow range low angular momentum and low orbital energies, consistent with formation in the early inner Milky Way.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Universal Non-Gaussian Signatures from Transient Instabilities

Shuntaro Aoki, Diederik Roest and Denis Werth

We identify universal signatures in the bispectrum arising from a transient tachyonic instability of entropic fluctuations during inflation, a phenomenon that naturally arises in hyperbolic field-space geometries. We perform exact numerical calculations directly at the level of fluctuations, without relying on a specific background model, and distinguish two cases. In the light case, with masses around the Hubble scale, our results provide the first-ever computation of the bispectrum due to such tachyonic instabilities. We find a universal magnification of the folded configuration, together with the known non-analytic scaling in the squeezed limit. As an illustrative example, we compute and analyse the bispectrum in angular inflation, demonstrating compatibility with current limits. In the heavy case, with masses well above the Hubble scale, the bispectrum exhibits a distinctive correlation between magnified folded configurations and a `tachyonic resonance' in mildly squeezed limits, with the resonance scale set by the strength of the instability. While the main qualitative features are reproduced, we show that there exists no UV matching for which a single-field effective description, obtained by integrating out the entropic modes, accurately captures the bispectrum for all kinematic configurations. To facilitate observational applications, we introduce simple bispectrum shape templates suitable for current and forthcoming cosmological surveys. Our model-independent results allow for constraining non-standard inflationary attractors characterised by strongly non-geodesic motion.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

A Non-Spherical Model for the Solar Coronal Magnetic Field

Ziqi Wu, Jiansen He, Chuanpeng Hou et al. (+7 more)

The coronal magnetic field plays a fundamental role in governing coronal activities, driving space-weather events, and shaping the heliosphere. Due to a lack of direct observations, extrapolation models such as the Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) model become the primary method to obtain the three-dimensional magnetic field distribution in the corona. However, the PFSS model cannot solve the long-standing open-flux problem, in which the extrapolated open magnetic flux is significantly lower than that inferred from in-situ measurements. To address this issue, we develop a Non-Spherical Potential Field (NSPF) model. The model introduces a Non-Spherical Source Surface (NSSS) defined as an isosurface of the total magnetic field. The NSSS naturally forms concave structures beneath external current sheets, enabling the model to generate substantially more open magnetic flux while yielding a physically plausible distribution of open field regions. As a result, the NSPF model successfully reproduces complex coronal magnetic topologies, interplanetary magnetic field properties, and solar wind source mappings. Our refined coronal magnetic model provides a useful framework for future research on solar and heliospheric magnetic coupling.
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All authors Ziqi Wu, Jiansen He, Chuanpeng Hou, Tom van Doorsselaere, Rui Zhuo, Tianhang Chen, Liping Yang, David Pontin, Daniel Verscharen, Fang Shen

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

Focal plane wavefront control with model-based reinforcement learning

Jalo Nousiainen, Iremsu Taskin, Markus Kasper et al. (+2 more)

The direct imaging of potentially habitable exoplanets is one prime science case for high-contrast imaging instruments on extremely large telescopes. Most such exoplanets orbit close to their host stars, where their observation is limited by fast-moving atmospheric speckles and quasi-static non-common-path aberrations (NCPA). Conventional NCPA correction methods often use mechanical mirror probes, which compromise performance during operation. This work presents machine-learning-based NCPA control methods that automatically detect and correct both dynamic and static NCPA errors by leveraging sequential phase diversity. We extend previous work in reinforcement learning for AO to focal plane control. A new model-based RL algorithm, Policy Optimization for NCPAs (PO4NCPA), interprets the focal-plane image as input data and, through sequential phase diversity, determines phase corrections that optimize both non-coronagraphic and post-coronagraphic PSFs without prior system knowledge. Further, we demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach by numerically simulating static NCPA errors on a ground-based telescope and an infrared imager affected by water-vapor-induced seeing (dynamic NCPAs). Simulations show that PO4NCPA robustly compensates static and dynamic NCPAs. In static cases, it achieves near-optimal focal-plane light suppression with a coronagraph and near-optimal Strehl without one. With dynamics NCPA, it matches the performance of the modal least-squares reconstruction combined with a 1-step delay integrator in these metrics. The method remains effective for the ELT pupil, vector vortex coronagraph, and under photon and background noise. PO4NCPA is model-free and can be directly applied to standard imaging as well as to any coronagraph. Its sub-millisecond inference times and performance also make it suitable for real-time low-order correction of atmospheric turbulence beyond HCI.
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All authors Jalo Nousiainen, Iremsu Taskin, Markus Kasper, Gilles Orban De Xivry, Olivier Absil

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

High-Precision Near-Infrared Abundances of Solar Analogs in the YJ Bands

Noriyuki Matsunaga, Takuji Tsujimoto, Daisuke Taniguchi et al. (+12 more)

We present a near-infrared abundance analysis of 46 solar analogs with known ages, observed with the WINERED WIDE-mode spectrograph at a resolution of $\lambda/\Delta\lambda = 28,000$. Using an empirically calibrated, line-by-line approach in the $YJ$ bands (0.976–1.089 and 1.182–1.319~{$\mu$}m), we derive abundances for 16 elements. Despite the intrinsic weakness of near-infrared phosphorus diagnostics, the combination of five P\,i lines yields a typical uncertainty half-width of $\sim$0.04~dex, providing an estimate of the internal precision over the solar-analog sample. For other elements, the internal precision ranges from $\sim$0.01~dex for Fe and Si to over 0.05–0.14~dex for elements with only a couple of lines available. The resulting per-object abundances for various elements are consistent with previous measurements using high-precision optical spectra with residuals of 0.03–0.2~dex depending on the element. The inferred age–[X/Fe] relations reproduce known trends for the thin disk, while extending them to elements difficult to access in the optical, including P and K. We find the slope of the age–[P/Fe] relation is steeper than that for $\alpha$ elements, which provides an empirical constraint for future modeling of Galactic phosphorus evolution. In addition, we publish a high signal-to-noise (S/N 500–1000) reference spectrum constructed by combining solar-analog spectra, together with the spectra of individual stars, and an empirically calibrated line list with per-line zero-point corrections, for future near-infrared spectroscopic studies.
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All authors Noriyuki Matsunaga, Takuji Tsujimoto, Daisuke Taniguchi, Hiroaki Sameshima, Shogo Otsubo, Tomomi Takeuchi, Yuki Sarugaku, Ilaria Petralia, Scarlet Elgueta, Matilde Coello-Guzman, Kei Fukue, Yuji Ikeda, Hideyo Kawakita, Valentina D'Orazi, Giuseppe Bono

Astrophysics of Galaxies

A subgrid model for chemical enrichment in cosmological simulations

Camila A. Correa, Joop Schaye, Matthieu Schaller et al. (+6 more)

We present the modules for stellar nucleosynthesis, stellar mass loss, and turbulent diffusion of the new COLIBRE subgrid model for cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy formation. COLIBRE models the thermal evolution of the multi-phase interstellar medium, dust grains, star formation, and stellar and AGN feedback. This work focuses on the model for chemical enrichment. We track the evolution of 12 chemical elements produced by a broad range of nucleosynthetic channels, including core-collapse supernovae and stellar winds, Type Ia supernovae, and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Enrichment from $s$- and $r$-process elements is modelled via contributions from AGB stars, neutron star mergers, common envelope supernovae, and collapsars. We present an updated compilation of stellar yields taken from the literature, which we release alongside this work. Small-scale element mixing is implemented through a turbulent diffusion process. While diffusion has only a minimal impact on basic integrated galaxy properties, it does reduce the slope of the gas-phase metallicity-mass relation compared with simulations that do not include it. The distribution of element ratios of individual stellar particles is sensitive to diffusion, but only at low metallicities ($Z \lesssim 10^{-1}\,\rm{Z}_\odot$). The model is tested using redshift $z=0$ results from a set of cosmological simulations, mostly of (25 Mpc)$^3$ volumes, demonstrating generally good agreement with Milky Way stellar abundance trends from the APOGEE survey. The model also reproduces the alpha-element enhancement relations observed in galaxies from SDSS, ATLAS-3D, and the Local Group.
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All authors Camila A. Correa, Joop Schaye, Matthieu Schaller, James W. Trayford, Evgenii Chaikin, Alejandro Benitez-Llambay, Carlos S. Frenk, Sylvia Ploeckinger, Alexander J. Richings

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

On the variability of the reflection nebula Van den Bergh 27 surrounding RY Tau

Harald Strauss and Klaus Bernhard

We present an analysis of the short- and long-term optical variability in Van den Bergh 27 (vdB 27), the reflection nebula surrounding RY Tau. The observed variations form a light-echo pattern, with apparent propagation speeds varying across different regions of the nebula and reaching up to approximately 3.6 c, consistent with geometric projection effects. The observed variations in nebular surface brightness are consistent with changes in illumination from the central star.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Cross-listed from gr-qc

Stability analysis and double critical phenomenon in the Einstein-Maxwell-scalar theory

Zi-Qiang Zhao, Mei-Ling Yan, Zhang-Yu Nie et al. (+2 more)

We investigate the dynamical stability and phase transition behavior in a holographic superfluid model incorporating higher-order self-interaction terms $\lambda |\psi|^4$, $\tau|\psi|^6$, and a non-minimal coupling $h(\psi)=e^{\alpha|\psi|^2}$. Thermodynamic and dynamical stability analyzes show that the thermodynamic stability and dynamical stability of the system are consistent. Phase diagram analysis reveals rich critical and supercritical phenomena. For fixed $\lambda<0$ and $\alpha$, increasing $\tau$ shrinks the first-order phase transition region to a critical point and then enters the supercritical region. When varying $\alpha$, the system can exhibit no critical point and, most notably, a double critical phenomenon in which, as $\alpha$ increases, the system first enters the supercritical region and then re-enters the first-order phase transition region. This double critical phenomenon driven by a single parameter is reported for the first time in holographic superfluid models, revealing a complex nonmonotonic coupling effect between the non-minimal coupling and higher-order interaction terms.
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All authors Zi-Qiang Zhao, Mei-Ling Yan, Zhang-Yu Nie, Jing-Fei Zhang, Xin Zhang

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Resolving Oblique Star-Disk Collisions in Quasi-Periodic Eruptions: Numerical Requirements and the Importance of Geometry

Shunquan Huang, Xiaoshan Huang, Zhaohuan Zhu et al. (+1 more)

Star-disk collisions have been proposed as a promising mechanism for producing quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) in galactic nuclei. Because the stellar atmospheric scale height is orders of magnitude smaller than the stellar radius, studying the shock launching by stars poses a significant numerical challenge. We implement an immersed solid-boundary method in Athena++ to study bow-shock formation and ejecta launching when a solid sphere crosses an accretion disk at supersonic speed. After validating the method against experimental results for solid bodies in uniform flows, we perform two- and three-dimensional adiabatic simulations of star-disk collisions. We find that resolving the bow-shock stand-off distance during the compression phase is essential: under-resolved simulations severely underestimate the ejecta mass and energy. When adequately resolved, the ejecta properties agree well with analytical estimates. We further show that collision geometry plays a critical role. Oblique encounters, which arise naturally due to disk rotation, allow easier shock breakout from the disk's backside and substantially reduce the luminosity contrast between forward and backward ejecta compared to perpendicular collisions. These results emphasize the importance of both numerical resolution and three-dimensional geometry in modeling star-disk collisions and interpreting QPEs.
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All authors Shunquan Huang, Xiaoshan Huang, Zhaohuan Zhu, Rebecca G. Martin

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Near-Earth asteroids in Main Belt-crossing orbits

P. S. Zain, R. P. Di Sisto and R. Gil-Hutton

We study the dynamical and collisional evolution of Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) in Main Belt-crossing orbits (NEACs). We select NEACs with H < 18 and integrate their orbits for 1e7 yr with N-body simulations. Objects are grouped by initial semi-major axis (G1: a < 2.06 au; G2: 2.06 < a < 2.5 au; G3: a > 2.5 au). We compute the fraction of each orbit spent within the main belt (MB), dynamical occupancy maps in the (a,e) plane, and median lifetimes. Using collisional evolution, we obtain size-dependent timescales, the change in the NEA size-frequency distribution (SFD) over 1 Myr, and impactor and crater SFDs on 150 m to 1 km targets, representative of NEAs visited by space missions. Median dynamical lifetimes decrease with increasing a: ~1.3e7 yr (G1), ~2.1e6 yr (G2), and ~0.9e6 yr (G3). NEACs in G2-G3 maintain nearly constant MB residence fractions with short intervals of full containment, while G1 exhibits stronger 0-0.8 oscillations (median ~0.55 for ~1e6 yr). DART-analog impacts occur on ~1e5 yr timescales for targets smaller than about 300 m (rising to ~1e6 yr for larger bodies), whereas catastrophic collisions are negligible within NEAC lifetimes. Over 1 Myr, collisional erosion reduces the meter-size NEA population by only 0.1-1.4% depending on Q_D*. Comparison with the observed crater SFDs on Bennu, Didymos, and Ryugu indicates target strengths of Y ~ 100 Pa for Bennu, young effective surface ages for Didymos, and short crater-retention times of order 1e4-1e5 yr for craters with diameters smaller than 100 m on Ryugu, consistent with rapid resurfacing. NEACs spend a substantial fraction of their lifetimes inside the MB and undergo frequent small-scale impacts, yet collisions weakly modify the global NEA SFD on Myr timescales. Our combined dynamical-collisional framework constrains NEAC lifetimes, orbital pathways, collisional timescales, and surface processing.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Imaging magnetically driven astrospheres: a forward modelling approach

Ziqi Wu, Tom Van Doorsselaere, Jiansen He et al. (+5 more)

An astrosphere is a vast, tailed bubble-like volume around a star, formed through the interaction between the stellar magnetic field, the stellar wind, and the interstellar medium (ISM). Detecting and characterizing astrospheres are essential for constraining stellar wind properties, understanding stellar evolution, and assessing the habitability of surrounding exoplanetary systems. Charge exchanges between ionized stellar wind particles and cold ISM hydrogen atoms populate the astrosphere with neutral hydrogen, which can leave observable signatures in the Lyman-$\alpha$ (Ly$\alpha$) line absorption profile. Previous studies have inferred stellar mass-loss rates by measuring Ly$\alpha$ absorption in stellar spectra caused by astrospheric neutral hydrogen. However, our knowledge of the global morphology of astrospheres remains limited and largely dependent on sometimes contradictory simulations. Here we investigate the feasibility of detecting Ly$\alpha$ emission generated by resonant scattering from \NH{} surrounding the star, enabling the construction of a two-dimensional map of the astrosphere. With a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic astrosphere model, we perform forward modelling of the Ly$\alpha$ emission and assess the observation feasibility according to the observational limits of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We further discuss the influence of varied line-of-sight orientations and averaged ISM velocity along the line-of-sight. The spatially resolved circumstellar Ly$\alpha$ emission could provide important constraints on the astrospheric configuration and stellar wind properties, such as the bow shock standing distance, the stellar wind symmetry, and the shape of the astro-tail. Our results highlight Ly$\alpha$ astrosphere detections as a promising science case for HST and future missions such as the Habitable Worlds Observatory.}
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All authors Ziqi Wu, Tom Van Doorsselaere, Jiansen He, Hugues Sana, Nicholas Jannsen, Tianhang Chen, Weining Wang, Zheng Sun

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

20 years of monitoring: PKS 2155-304 and PKS 1510-089 in the eyes of Swift and Fermi. II. PKS 1510-089 and comparison

M. Zacharias and A. Wierzcholska

We present a comprehensive, two-decade, multiwavelength variability study of the blazar PKS 1510-089, one of the most prominent and extensively monitored flat-spectrum radio quasars. Using Fermi-LAT $\gamma$-ray data together with Swift-XRT and UVOT observations spanning 2005-2024, we trace the long-term evolution of its flux, interband correlations, and spectral behaviour across the optical, X-ray, and $\gamma$-ray bands. We find that the HE $\gamma$-ray and X-ray flux distributions are log-normal, while the optical distributions are compatible with double-log-normal functions. The latter may be due to contributions from the accretion disk. The range of fluxes in a given band, as well as the fractional variability values are in-line with the expectations that high-energy parts of a given spectral component are more variable than low-energy parts. No obvious cross-correlations exist between the bands over the 20 years of observations. The X-ray and $\gamma$-ray spectra are variable, but do not show any trend with flux. These results are suggestive of different zones being active in the jet of PKS 1510-089 at any given time. In a previous paper, we used the same techniques to study the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object PKS 2155-304. Both sources follow the aforementioned trend on the energy-dependent variability of the spectral components, as well as the lack of significant cross-correlations between the studied bands. While PKS 2155-304 exhibits a harder-when-brighter behaviour in its high-energy part of the synchrotron component, no such behaviour could be found in PKS 1510-089. Both sources show orphan flares, which can seemingly happen in any band. In summary, the long-term studies of these two sources reveal that the underlying physics is similar in these apparently different source classes, even though variability patterns keep changing and remain unpredictable.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Waiting time distribution of solar flares from a global perspective

Yue Zhang, Rui Liu, Junyan Liu et al. (+1 more)

The waiting time statistics of solar flares provides clues for the underlying physical mechanisms. However, flares occurring on the far-side have been missing in the statistics. In the 2024 May and June, the Solar Orbiter (SolO) spacecraft orbiting behind the Sun, together with near-Earth spacecrafts, provides a unique opportunity to study one of the most flare-productive active regions, NOAA \sar, over its lifetime, as well as the flare occurrence over the entire solar globe. Derived from time intervals between flare peak times, the waiting time distribution (WTD) is fitted by exponential, log-normal, power-law, and \levy functions with the maximum likelihood estimation method. The goodness of fit is evaluated by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and the statistical models are discriminated by information criteria. The major statistical results are: the WTD of flares in the \sar leans towards the log-normal function, while that in the `normal' \rar towards the \levy function; the WTD of global flares defies the local Poisson hypothesis, and its overall profile cannot be reasonably fitted by any of the four candidate distributions, but its power-law tail $\Delta t^{-\alpha}$ is steeper ($\alpha>3$) than the theoretical expectations ($\alpha\le3$), due to the decreased number of long waiting times ($>10^4$ s) and the increased number of shorter waiting times when the far-side flares are taken into account. These results highlight the importance of studying the flare WTD from a global perspective, and suggest that the long-range magnetic connections in the corona may play a role in the flare occurrences.
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All authors Yue Zhang, Rui Liu, Junyan Liu, Dong Wang

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

20 years of monitoring: PKS 2155-304 and PKS 1510-089 in the eyes of Swift and Fermi. I. The case of PKS 2155-304

A. Wierzcholska and M. Zacharias

We present a comprehensive 20-year multiwavelength variability study of the blazar PKS 2155-304, one of the most luminous and extensively monitored high-frequency-peaked BL Lac objects in the southern hemisphere. Using Fermi-LAT $\gamma$-ray data together with Swift-XRT and UVOT observations spanning 2005-2024, we trace the long-term evolution of its flux, interband correlations, and spectral behaviour across the optical, X-ray, and $\gamma$-ray bands. All flux distributions are compatible with log-normality. Interestingly, the optical domain exhibited a notable baseline change around 2009, but this has no strong influence on the fit of the flux distribution. While interband flux-flux correlations are found, no stable temporal lags emerge. This implies varying correlation patterns between epochs. The X-ray emission displays a robust harder-when-brighter trend, however with epoch-dependent slopes, while the $\gamma$-ray spectra show only mild flux dependence. The fractional variability increases systematically with energy within a given radiation component. No direct correlation of the year-wise fractional variability with the corresponding average flux could be found. Interestingly, a pronounced X-ray spectral upturn, detected during a low state in 2012, points to an additional radiative component. As the connection from this upturn to the $\gamma$-ray spectrum is not smooth, it probably is not the onset of the inverse-Compton component, but more likely points either to a hadronic contribution or an additional spatially-separate emission zone. These findings reveal the complexity of variability patterns in PKS 2155-304 and the non-uniform nature of its particle acceleration and emission processes.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Curvature-Conditioned Measures for Cosmological Peak Statistics: A Transport-Geometric Framework

Tsutomu T. Takeuchi

We develop a transport-geometric theory of cosmological peak statistics based on optimal transport and entropy geometry. The density field is treated as a probability measure in Wasserstein space, and its local structure is characterized by a logarithmic curvature tensor obtained as the localized response of an entropy functional. Peaks are thereby defined as positive-curvature stationary points, and their abundance is formulated as a curvatureconditioned measure on local tensor space. In the Gaussian-linear limit, this measure admits a finite-dimensional closure in terms of the spectral moments of the density field. The resulting peak abundance reduces exactly to the classical BBKS formula, identifying BBKS as a solvable Gaussian closure of a more general geometric structure. This formulation separates peak statistics into three fundamental ingredients: the probability distribution of local variables, the positive-curvature constraint, and the induced geometric measure. The theory extends naturally beyond the Gaussian approximation. Nonlinear evolution appears as a deformation of the logarithmic curvature geometry, while primordial non-Gaussianity is interpreted as a deformation of the curvature-conditioned measure itself. We further formulate two- and three-point peak statistics as higher-order curvature-conditioned measures and show that the resulting hierarchy can be organized as response functions to long-wavelength background modes, with conventional peak bias emerging as the lowest-order response coefficient. These results provide a unified description linking optimal transport, curvature geometry, peak statistics, and cosmological observables, and establish a systematic framework for studying nonlinearity, scale dependence, primordial non-Gaussianity, and higher-order peak correlations.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Euclid preparation. Impact of redshift distribution uncertainties on the joint analysis of photometric galaxy clustering and weak gravitational lensing

Euclid Collaboration: K. A. Bertmann, A. Porredon, V. Duret et al. (+289 more)

One of the $\textit{Euclid}$ mission's key projects is the so-called 3$\times$2pt analysis, that is, the combination of cosmic shear, photometric galaxy clustering, and galaxy-galaxy lensing. Although $\textit{Euclid}$ has established quality requirements for the photo-$z$ accuracy needed for the weak lensing galaxy sample, no such requirements have been set for the photometric clustering sample. In this paper, we investigate the impact of redshift uncertainties on $\textit{Euclid}$'s photometric galaxy clustering analysis and its combination with weak gravitational lensing, focusing on data release 1 (DR1). In particular, we study whether having precise knowledge of the mean of the redshift distributions per bin is sufficient to avoid biases in the resulting cosmological constraints or whether accuracy in the higher-order moments of the distribution is required. We evaluate the results based on their constraining power on $w_{\mathrm{0}}$ and $w_{a}$ and define thresholds for the precision and accuracy of $\textit{Euclid}$'s redshift distribution of the photometric clustering sample. We find that the redshift distributions of the photometric clustering sample must be known at an accuracy of 0.004(1+$z$) in the mean in order to recover 80$\%$ of the constraining power in $\textit{Euclid}$'s DR1 $w_{\mathrm{0}}w_{a}$CDM 3$\times$2pt analysis. The impact of the uncertainty on the width is negligible, provided the mean redshift is constrained with sufficient accuracy. For most sources of redshift distribution error, attaining the requirement on the mean will also reduce uncertainty in the width well below the required level.
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All authors Euclid Collaboration: K. A. Bertmann, A. Porredon, V. Duret, J. Fonseca, H. Hildebrandt, I. Tutusaus, S. Camera, S. Escoffier, N. Aghanim, B. Altieri, A. Amara, S. Andreon, N. Auricchio, C. Baccigalupi, M. Baldi, S. Bardelli, P. Battaglia, A. Biviano, E. Branchini, M. Brescia, G. Cañas-Herrera, V. Capobianco, C. Carbone, V. F. Cardone, J. Carretero, S. Casas, F. J. Castander, M. Castellano, G. Castignani, S. Cavuoti, K. C. Chambers, A. Cimatti, C. Colodro-Conde, G. Congedo, L. Conversi, Y. Copin, F. Courbin, H. M. Courtois, M. Cropper, A. Da Silva, H. Degaudenzi, G. De Lucia, H. Dole, M. Douspis, F. Dubath, X. Dupac, S. Dusini, M. Farina, R. Farinelli, S. Farrens, S. Ferriol, F. Finelli, P. Fosalba, S. Fotopoulou, N. Fourmanoit, M. Frailis, E. Franceschi, M. Fumana, S. Galeotta, K. George, W. Gillard, B. Gillis, C. Giocoli, J. Gracia-Carpio, A. Grazian, F. Grupp, S. V. H. Haugan, H. Hoekstra, W. Holmes, F. Hormuth, A. Hornstrup, K. Jahnke, M. Jhabvala, B. Joachimi, S. Kermiche, A. Kiessling, M. Kilbinger, B. Kubik, M. Kunz, H. Kurki-Suonio, A. M. C. Le Brun, S. Ligori, P. B. Lilje, V. Lindholm, I. Lloro, G. Mainetti, D. Maino, E. Maiorano, O. Mansutti, S. Marcin, O. Marggraf, M. Martinelli, N. Martinet, F. Marulli, R. J. Massey, E. Medinaceli, S. Mei, Y. Mellier, M. Meneghetti, E. Merlin, G. Meylan, A. Mora, M. Moresco, L. Moscardini, R. Nakajima, C. Neissner, S.-M. Niemi, J. W. Nightingale, C. Padilla, S. Paltani, F. Pasian, K. Pedersen, W. J. Percival, V. Pettorino, G. Polenta, M. Poncet, L. A. Popa, L. Pozzetti, F. Raison, A. Renzi, J. Rhodes, G. Riccio, E. Romelli, M. Roncarelli, C. Rosset, R. Saglia, Z. Sakr, D. Sapone, B. Sartoris, P. Schneider, T. Schrabback, A. Secroun, E. Sefusatti, G. Seidel, E. Sihvola, P. Simon, C. Sirignano, G. Sirri, A. Spurio Mancini, L. Stanco, P. Tallada-Crespí, A. N. Taylor, I. Tereno, N. Tessore, S. Toft, R. Toledo-Moreo, F. Torradeflot, J. Valiviita, T. Vassallo, G. Verdoes Kleijn, Y. Wang, J. Weller, G. Zamorani, F. M. Zerbi, E. Zucca, M. Ballardini, A. Boucaud, E. Bozzo, C. Burigana, R. Cabanac, M. Calabrese, A. Cappi, T. Castro, J. A. Escartin Vigo, G. Fabbian, J. Macias-Perez, R. Maoli, J. Martín-Fleitas, N. Mauri, R. B. Metcalf, P. Monaco, A. A. Nucita, A. Pezzotta, M. Pöntinen, I. Risso, V. Scottez, M. Sereno, M. Tenti, M. Tucci, M. Viel, M. Wiesmann, Y. Akrami, I. T. Andika, G. Angora, S. Anselmi, M. Archidiacono, F. Atrio-Barandela, L. Bazzanini, D. Bertacca, M. Bethermin, F. Beutler, A. Blanchard, L. Blot, M. Bonici, S. Borgani, M. L. Brown, S. Bruton, A. Calabro, B. Camacho Quevedo, F. Caro, C. S. Carvalho, F. Cogato, S. Conseil, A. R. Cooray, S. Davini, G. Desprez, A. Díaz-Sánchez, S. Di Domizio, J. M. Diego, M. Y. Elkhashab, A. Enia, Y. Fang, A. G. Ferrari, A. Finoguenov, F. Fontanot, A. Franco, K. Ganga, T. Gasparetto, E. Gaztanaga, F. Giacomini, F. Gianotti, G. Gozaliasl, A. Gruppuso, M. Guidi, C. M. Gutierrez, A. Hall, C. Hernández-Monteagudo, J. Hjorth, S. Joudaki, J. J. E. Kajava, Y. Kang, V. Kansal, D. Karagiannis, K. Kiiveri, J. Kim, C. C. Kirkpatrick, S. Kruk, M. Lattanzi, L. Legrand, M. Lembo, F. Lepori, G. Leroy, G. F. Lesci, J. Lesgourgues, T. I. Liaudat, S. J. Liu, M. Magliocchetti, A. Manjón-García, F. Mannucci, C. J. A. P. Martins, M. Migliaccio, M. Miluzio, A. Montoro, C. Moretti, G. Morgante, S. Nadathur, A. Navarro-Alsina, S. Nesseris, L. Pagano, D. Paoletti, F. Passalacqua, K. Paterson, L. Patrizii, A. Pisani, D. Potter, G. W. Pratt, S. Quai, M. Radovich, K. Rojas, W. Roster, S. Sacquegna, D. B. Sanders, E. Sarpa, A. Schneider, M. Schultheis, D. Sciotti, E. Sellentin, L. C. Smith, K. Tanidis, C. Tao, F. Tarsitano, G. Testera, R. Teyssier, S. Tosi, A. Troja, A. Venhola, D. Vergani, F. Vernizzi, G. Verza, S. Vinciguerra, N. A. Walton, A. H. Wright

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

An updated picture of pre-solar history from short-lived radioactive isotopes and inferences on the birth of the Sun

Benjámin Soós, Thomas C. L. Trueman, Andrés Yagüe López et al. (+2 more)

We examine the origin of the short-lived radionuclides (SLRs, defined as having half-lives between 0.1 and 100 Ma) present in the early Solar System (ESS) by investigating how predictions of their abundances in the interstellar medium (ISM) from steady-state equilibrium relate to their ESS values. For this, we take into account the non-negligible time $t_{\mathrm{iso}}$ elapsed between the isolation of the pre-solar molecular cloud and the formation of the ESS, during which the SLRs decayed freely. We also consider the alternative scenario in which the pre-solar molecular cloud remained partially mixed with the ISM, with a mixing timescale $t_{\mathrm{mix}}$. We find that the ESS abundances of $^{107}$Pd and $^{182}$Hf produced by slow neutron captures (s-process), and of $^{53}$Mn and $^{60}$Fe produced by explosive nucleosynthesis, can be consistently explained within these scenarios. Their required $t_{\mathrm{iso}}$ is 9-12 Ma, and their required $t_{\mathrm{mix}}$ is 11-14 Ma (with one potential exception of $t_{\mathrm{mix}}$ = 38 Ma), depending on galactic uncertainties, such as the galactic star formation history and efficiency and the star-to-gas mass ratio. Another s-process SLR, $^{205}$Pb has a more uncertain ESS value, and falls within only some of these time values. The same applies to the SLRs produced by the $p$-process ($^{92}$Nb and $^{146}$Sm), depending on the latter's half-life. In agreement with previous studies, we find that the ESS abundances of the rapid neutron-capture isotopes ($^{129}$I, $^{244}$Pu, and $^{247}$Cm) and of the most short-lived radionuclides ($^{26}$Al, $^{36}$Cl and $^{41}$Ca) cannot be explained by assuming steady-state equilibrium in the ISM.
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All authors Benjámin Soós, Thomas C. L. Trueman, Andrés Yagüe López, Lorenzo Roberti, Maria Lugaro