Peer Revenue Impact factor: volatile

Papers

Fresh from arXiv, typeset properly. Highlighted words trade on the market.

Physics Astrophysics

astro-ph Watch Astrophysics (sign in to use)

Wednesday 13 May

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

No Measurable Changes in Radio and X-ray Emission Surrounding Glitches in the Young Pulsar PSR J2229+6114

We present our first result from an ongoing pulsar glitch monitoring campaign at the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), in which we analyzed the radio and X-ray emission surrounding four glitches in PSR~J2229+6114. Using daily CHIME observations, we detected a glitch in PSR~J2229+6114 in near-real time and triggered an X-ray follow-up with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) two days after the glitch. We identified three additional glitch events in archival CHIME/Pulsar observations that coincided with an independent X-ray observing campaign with the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER).. Our data show there is no measurable change in the source's X-ray and radio emission during the four glitch events, in stark contrast to the post-glitch activity in high-magnetic-field, rotation-powered pulsars (RPPs), which have been observed to exhibit magnetar-like X-ray outbursts immediately after large glitches. Those high-magnetic-field (high-$B$) RPPs are considered transitional objects between ordinary RPPs and magnetars, thereby leading to a unifying neutron star model in which the inferred dipolar surface magnetic field strength serves as a unifying parameter. However, such a model remains challenged, in part, by the lack of constraints near the low-$B$ end of the high-$B$ regime, and our result provides additional evidence that magnetar-like post-glitch activity is likely more common among high-$B$ RPPs.
Read the full abstract

All authors Wenke Xia, Robert A. Main, Mason Ng, Victoria M. Kaspi, Jason W. Hessels, Alyssa Cassity, Abigail K. Denney, Emmanuel Fonseca, Deborah C. Good, Ajay Kumar, Lars Kunkel, Bradley W. Meyers, Aaron B. Pearlman, Ingrid Stairs

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

On the Reparameterization Between Cartesian Position-Velocity Vectors and Orbital Elements in the Kepler Problem

Reparameterization from the standard set of orbital elements to Cartesian position-velocity vectors can be computationally advantageous for orbit inference problems, particularly when orbital elements are weakly constrained. Here we present compact analytic expressions for the Jacobian determinants of this transformation and its variants, which enable consistent transformation of prior probability densities under reparameterization and are therefore useful for a Bayesian treatment of such problems. We then use these results to clarify the application of this reparameterization in microlensing and astrometric contexts. We first revisit the widely used formulation of lens orbital motion during binary microlensing events presented by Skowron et al (2011). We show that their parameterization inadvertently adopts an incorrect definition of the longitude of the ascending node with respect to the sky-projected binary axis at a reference epoch, which renders the intermediate Jacobian formally singular. Using our closed-form expression, we provide a corrected analytic derivation of the Jacobian for this transformation and show that the resulting formula remains effectively unchanged when the longitude of the ascending node is properly defined with respect to an axis independent of the binary orbit. We also perform an explicit quantitative comparison of astrometric orbit fitting using a gradient-based Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm under the two parameterizations, and find that reparameterizing to Cartesian state vectors improves sampling efficiency and robustness relative to orbital-element sampling.
Read the full abstract

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Forward Modeling of Dust-Induced Stray Light in Ground-Based Coronagraphs: A Dual-Path Monitoring Approach for High-Precision Inner Corona Observations

High-precision ground-based observations of the inner corona (1.05-2.0 R_sun) are fundamentally constrained by instrumental stray light, particularly the additive background from dynamic dust accumulation on the objective lens. To address this issue, we propose a correction method for the Spectral Imaging Coronagraph (SICG) based on dual-path real-time monitoring and forward physical modeling. By simultaneously imaging the objective lens surface, we obtain deterministic prior information on dust distribution. We construct a physical point-spread function using optical defocus parameters and reconstruct the nonuniform scattering background via convolution. Model parameters are retrieved through data-driven inversion constrained by polar coronal holes. The method demonstrates excellent robustness under varying contamination conditions. After correction, the rms noise in the polar background is reduced by approximately 67% on average, and the signal-to-background ratio improves by a factor of up to 3.7 under heavy contamination conditions. Comparisons with space-based Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly observations indicate that the corrected images recover the morphological structures of streamers with high fidelity. Further radial intensity analysis reveals that the correction process successfully restores the hydrostatic exponential decay characteristic of inner coronal radiation. The fitted decay coefficient corresponds to a plasma temperature of approximately 2.0 MK, consistent with the characteristic formation temperature of the Fe XIV 530.3 nm line. These results demonstrate that the method effectively eliminates the dominant systematic bias in ground-based observations, providing a reliable data foundation for high-precision coronal thermodynamic and dynamic research with the SICG.
Read the full abstract

All authors Xiande Liu, Xuefei Zhang, Yu Liu, Tengfei Song, Mingyu Zhao, Mingzhe Sun, Feiyang Sha, Jun Fang

Astrophysics of Galaxies

A Spatially Resolved HI Survey of Seyfert Galaxies: the Role of AGN Feedback in Shaping Atomic Gas Reservoirs

Active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback is a key ingredient in galaxy evolution, yet its impact on the cold atomic gas reservoir – the neutral hydrogen (HI) phase – remains poorly constrained. We present the most extensive spatially resolved HI 21-cm survey of Seyfert AGN hosts to date, based on observations with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). Our high-resolution HI maps of eight Seyfert galaxies reveal detailed kinematics and surface density distributions of their atomic gas disks. We find that AGN-host galaxies exhibit a slightly shallower HI mass-size relation than the canonical relation or the SIMBA simulation predictions; however, the measured slope remains consistent with the canonical value within $2\sigma$ uncertainties. This result suggests that AGN feedback does not significantly disrupt the global extent or large-scale structure of atomic gas reservoirs. To investigate the internal HI kinematics in greater detail, we perform a 3D kinematic forward modeling of the HI disk in UGC 4503. Our analysis reveals an elevated intrinsic velocity dispersion of $\sigma = 14.9^{+6.1}_{-3.8}$ km/s and a reduced level of rotational support, with $V/\sigma = 14.28_{-4.17}^{+4.97}$, compared to large-sample star-forming spirals. These kinematic signatures, together with localized residuals in the velocity field, indicate that AGN-driven outflows or jets may inject or indirectly affect the turbulence in the atomic gas disk, potentially regulating the cold gas reservoir. Future GMRT observations, combined with optical integral-field spectroscopy from MaNGA, will enable quantitative constraints on the role of AGN feedback in regulating star formation efficiency across a larger and more representative galaxy sample.
Read the full abstract

All authors Ruitian Li, Xin Wang, Daizhong Liu, Hui Shi, Yuxuan Pang, Pengfei Ren, Shengzhe Wang, Ming Zhu, Mengting Ju, Xiao-Lei Meng, Xinwen Shu, Ningyu Tang, Jing Wang, Chuan-Peng Zhang, Hong-Xin Zhang, Le Zhang, Zheng Zheng, Fujia Li, Chen Xu, Sijia Li, Yiming Yang, Hang Zhou

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Cross-listed from hep-ph

Secondary Gravitational Wave Signatures from 5D Rotating Primordial Black Holes in the Dark Dimension

We investigate five-dimensional rotating primordial black holes (PBHs) as dark matter candidates within the Dark Dimension (DD) scenario motivated by the Swampland Program. In this framework, a micron-scale extra dimension suppresses Hawking evaporation, allowing PBHs with initial masses \(M \gtrsim 10^{10}\,\mathrm{g}\) to survive to the present epoch. Moreover, the memory burden effect, a quantum-gravitational suppression of the evaporation rate by \(S^{-p}\), significantly prolongs PBH lifetimes and enlarges the allowed parameter space. We compute the evaporation dynamics for rotating 5D PBHs, derive the enhanced lifetime for \(p=2\), and establish the dark matter window \(10^{10}\,\mathrm{g} \lesssim M \lesssim 10^{21}\,\mathrm{g}\). The curvature perturbations responsible for PBH formation also generate a stochastic gravitational wave background through second-order scalar-induced effects. Assuming a log-normal primordial power spectrum with \(\sigma=1\) and \(f_{\mathrm{PBH}}=1\), we calculate the present-day energy density \(\Omega_{\mathrm{GW}}h^2\) across the Dark Dimension window. The predicted signals peak at frequencies from nHz to Hz, within the sensitivity ranges of LISA and DECIGO/BBO, while remaining consistent with current CMB spectral distortion bounds. Fisher forecasts show that future observatories can constrain the PBH mass, dark matter fraction, spectral width, and memory burden exponent with percent-level precision. A detection of the predicted gravitational wave background would provide simultaneous evidence for a micron-sized extra dimension, PBH dark matter, and the memory burden effect, offering a decisive test of quantum gravity and extra-dimensional physics.
Read the full abstract

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Cross-listed from hep-ph

Minimal Majoron Dark Matter

We study Majoron dark matter (DM) in its minimal realization, based on the Type-I seesaw framework extended by a SM-singlet complex scalar. Remaining agnostic about the origin and value of the Majoron mass, we evaluate the DM abundance from both the freeze-in and misalignment mechanisms, and identify the viable parameter space consistent with observational constraints. Without fine-tuning of the initial misalignment angle, we find that the Majoron mass is bounded by $m_J \lesssim \mathcal{O}(10)~\mathrm{MeV}$. We also discuss compatibility with thermal leptogenesis. Successful leptogenesis with two right-handed neutrinos favors misalignment-dominated production with the Majoron mass $m_J \lesssim \mathcal{O}(100)~\mathrm{eV}$, while freeze-in dominated production is compatible with leptogenesis only with a mild fine-tuning of the initial misalignment angle, $\theta_i \lesssim \mathcal{O}(0.01)$.
Read the full abstract

All authors Kensuke Akita, Koichi Hamaguchi, Haruto Kitagawa, Tatsuya Yokoyama

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Jets from Scratch: Dynamo-Generated Poloidal Magnetic Fields in 3D Collapsar Simulations

The origin of the large-scale poloidal magnetic field required to power relativistic jets in collapsars remains uncertain. While such a field may be inherited during PNS collapse, the efficiency of this process is unclear, motivating an in situ mechanism to generate poloidal fields out of the predominantly toroidal fields produced by stellar differential rotation. We present the first 3D general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic collapsar simulations initialized with toroidal magnetic field profiles that closely follows those of pre-collapse stellar models. As the toroidal field in the disk becomes dynamically important, it seeds the dynamo, producing coherent poloidal magnetic loops that appear at $\sim \mathcal{O}(100)$ gravitational radii and are then advected inward along paths that may deviate from the disk midplane. The resulting poloidal fields thread the black hole (BH) and launch highly variable, wobbling relativistic jets on timescales of order seconds, with the onset depending on the initial magnetic field and the plasma circularization radius. Although the jets are highly variable and misaligned with the BH spin axis, they sustain $\gtrsim 10^{50}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$, comparable to that inferred for long gamma-ray bursts (LGRB). We identify magnetic-flux inversions driven by the stochastic dynamo, leading to the formation of striped jets that could be imprinted in LGRB light curves. These results demonstrate that accretion-disk dynamos provide a robust pathway for jet production in collapsars across a broad range of progenitors.
Read the full abstract

All authors Ho-Sang Chan, Ore Gottlieb, Jonatan Jacquemin-Ide, Matteo Cantiello, Mathieu Renzo

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Machine-learning applications for weak-lensing cosmology

This article reviews recent advances in the application of machine learning to weak-lensing cosmology. Weak gravitational lensing provides a unique and powerful probe of the total matter distribution in the Universe, independent of its physical state. By directly tracing the spatial distribution of otherwise invisible dark matter within the cosmic web, weak lensing has become a cornerstone for studying both the nature of dark matter and the physics governing large-scale structure formation. We begin by introducing the conventional estimators used to extract weak-lensing signals from modern galaxy-imaging surveys and by summarizing established methods for deriving cosmological information from these observables. We then discuss the limitations inherent in traditional analyses and outline how machine-learning techniques can mitigate these challenges. Finally, we explore future prospects for machine-learning-based approaches, highlighting their potential to further enhance the scientific return of current and upcoming weak-lensing datasets.
Read the full abstract

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Extensions of Brown Hamiltonian-III. Applications to irregular satellites of giant planets

Irregular satellites, orbiting at large distances from their host planets, are subject to strong solar perturbations that render long-term orbital predictions particularly challenging. Building upon the extended Brown Hamiltonian framework developed in Paper I, we introduce the modified Lidov integral ($C_{\rm ZLK}$) as a practical diagnostic index to characterize the dynamical modes. We demonstrate that a satellite is trapped inside the von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai (ZLK) resonance when $C_{\rm ZLK} < 0$. Applying this criterion to the known population of irregular satellites, we identify 27 candidates in libration. Direct $N$-body simulations confirm 26 of these predictions, with the sole exception of S/2019 S1, whose discrepancy is attributed to its proximity to the separatrix. These results establish $C_{\rm ZLK}$ as a decisive parameter for identifying the ZLK resonance, providing an efficient tool for analyzing the secular dynamics in weakly hierarchical three-body systems.
Read the full abstract

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Forbidden Formation Histories: The Binary Black Hole Merger Rate Disfavors Long Delay Times

The redshift evolution of the binary black hole (BBH) merger rate can be expressed as the convolution of the progenitor formation rate with the distribution of time delays between formation and merger. We show that starting with data-driven fits to the BBH merger rate as a function of redshift, deconvolving the inferred BBH merger rate into a delay time distribution and progenitor formation rate exposes physically incompatible delay time distributions. For a given evolution of the merger rate, certain delay time distributions are forbidden because their long-delay tails overpredict low redshift mergers independently of any assumption about the progenitor formation rate. Using delay-time distributions derived from the COMPAS population synthesis code in combination with the BBH merger rate inferred from GWTC-4.0, we reconstruct the physically permitted progenitor formation histories and find a steeper decline toward low redshift than the global star formation rate. We also find that the GWTC-4.0 data are in tension with formation channels that predict shallow power-law delay-time distributions ($\alpha \gtrsim -0.7$), such as stable mass transfer. Conversely, imposing the COMPAS predictions for the delay time distribution as a prior reduces the median merger rate inferred in GWTC-4.0 by 10% at $z=1.5$, favoring a shallower merger rate evolution than the standard GWTC-4.0 inference. Additionally, we demonstrate that our method can constrain binary evolution physics by directly evaluating the compatibility of population synthesis parameters with gravitational wave observations. Our framework provides a model-independent avenue for ruling out regions of binary evolution and merger rate parameter space.
Read the full abstract

Tuesday 12 May

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

The Fleeting Laboratory: An Experimental Guide for Total Solar Eclipses

Since times immemorial, total solar eclipses have inspired awe and wonder. In the modern scientific era, they have transformed into exclusive natural laboratories, offering fleeting but invaluable opportunities to study the Sun's faint outer atmosphere that is otherwise obscured by the intense glare of the photosphere. This unique vantage point has enabled revolutionary discoveries, from the identification of the element Helium and the first empirical validation of Einstein's General Relativity, to deciphering the corona's surprisingly high temperature. Today, ground-based eclipse experiments provide crucial data that complements and calibrates our space-based solar observatories, and offer high-resolution capabilities in the spatial, temporal as well as spectral domains. This chapter serves as a comprehensive guide detailing how to leverage modern observing equipments, detectors, and advanced computational techniques in image and data processing to conduct meaningful scientific investigations, bridging the gap between historical precedent and cutting-edge research.
Read the full abstract

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Cross-listed from gr-qc

On the impossibility of observational confirmation of black holes

General relativity has achieved remarkable experimental and observational success. Critically, recent data from the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA, Event Horizon Telescope, and GRAVITY collaborations are often credited with demonstrating the existence of black holes, but in fact they only provide evidence for objects that should be regarded as black hole candidates. While current data are in striking agreement with the predictions for Kerr black holes, they can only rule out specific alternative models of compact objects rather than provide conclusive proof of black holes. More fundamentally, and independent of whether or not black holes exist, general relativity itself imposes limits on what can be observationally established. Essentially, no observational data is sufficient to confirm the existence of black holes.
Read the full abstract

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Cross-listed from gr-qc

Analytic thin disks and rings in a class of nonasymptotically flat static spacetimes

External matter distributions can substantially reshape the strong field environment of compact objects, yet this effect is usually neglected in idealized isolated models. In this work, we investigate geometrically thin, optically thick relativistic accretion onto a static axisymmetric space-time that describes a slightly deformed compact object immersed in an external quadrupolar field as an exact solution of vacuum Einstein field equations. Our aim is to determine whether such locally geometries can produce distinctive accretion signatures and, more broadly, to identify the physically meaningful radial domain over which the local solution remains self-consistent. We show that the external quadrupolar distortion leaves a clear imprint on both orbital dynamics and accretion structure. We further find that the outer edge of the radiating region is closely tied to the transition between radiation pressure and gas pressure dominance, which may link the geometry to the thermodynamic properties of the flow. Therefore, the local nature of the distorted spacetime is not merely a formal geometric feature, but has observable consequences for the morphology and emission properties of accretion flows.
Read the full abstract

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Assessing the imprint of eccentricity in GW signatures using two independent waveform models

The gravitational wave signal from merging compact binaries encodes information about their orbital and intrinsic properties. Over the last few years, state-of-the-art waveform models have begun to incorporate the effects of orbital eccentricity into their estimated signal. Over a similar period, many groups have applied these waveforms to characterize whether the imprint of eccentricity is present and, if so, measure this time-evolving property (at a suitably-defined reference point). In this work, we present a comprehensive analysis of 162 confident sources identified in the O3 and O4a observing runs of the International Gravitational Wave Network (LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA). Using the RIFT parameter inference engine, we employ two independently implemented waveform models (SEOBNRv5EHM and TEOBResumS-Dali) which account for orbital eccentricity and the effects of aligned compact object spins. Using these two waveforms, we find consistent conclusions that disfavor the eccentric hypothesis. Unlike previous work, among binary black hole candidates, we find potential evidence for eccentricity in three events: GW200129, GW231001, and GW231123. For the latter two events, the evidence for eccentricity is ambiguous, with different degrees of support from different waveforms. Consistent with previous work, we find conclusions obtained about GW200129 can be sensitive to analysis settings, as expected, given the nonstationary noise present.
Read the full abstract

Astrophysics of Galaxies

The Metallicity Distribution of the Ultra-Faint Dwarf Galaxy Segue 1

Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (UFDs; stellar masses $M_* < 10^5\,M_\odot$) offer unique insights into early chemical evolution in low-mass systems. However, interpreting their metallicity distribution functions (MDFs) has been challenging due to limited spectroscopic samples, especially beyond the red giant branch. We present metallicities from the CaII K absorption feature, measured from low-resolution ($R\sim1000$) Keck/LRIS spectroscopy of 40 stars in the UFD Segue 1 ($M_* \approx 500\,M_\odot$), including both red giant branch and main-sequence turnoff stars, resulting in a metallicity sample more than six times larger than previously published data for Segue 1. The resulting MDF has an average [Fe/H] $= -2.52 \pm 0.10$ dex and a dispersion of $\sigma = 0.59 \pm 0.06$ dex, and is best described by a single Gaussian, with no evidence for multimodal substructure. This is consistent with a continuous, short-duration ($\lesssim$1~Gyr) episode of star formation and chemical enrichment prior to reionization. The nonzero metallicity spread reaffirms its classification as a galaxy. Segue 1 highlights the rich chemical enrichment histories present even in the least massive galaxies, and underscores the importance of deep spectroscopic follow-up to fully characterize these ancient stellar systems.
Read the full abstract

All authors Daisy Bissonette, Alexander P. Ji, Joshua D. Simon, Joss Bland-Hawthorn, Anirudh Chiti, Marla Geha, Ting S. Li, Anna Frebel, Alice M. Luna

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Quantitative Spectroscopic Diagnostics for FU Orionis-Type Young Stellar Objects

We present near-infrared spectroscopic diagnostics that can be used to identify FU Orionis stars (FUOrs). FUOrs are young stellar objects (YSOs) that are currently in a state of extreme outburst, caused by enhanced mass {inflow} from their accretion disks. The disks give FUOrs a distinct multi-temperature optical and infrared spectrum. Considering both the predicted spectrum from a disk atmosphere model, and existing spectral diagnostics from the literature, we identify key atomic and molecular features for characterizing FUOrs. Some of the chosen features are proxies for temperature, others are sensitive to surface gravity, and still others probe disk winds. Using the Palomar Observatory/Hale Telescope TripleSpec spectrograph, we gathered near-infrared spectra of 28 known FUOrs. We use standard equivalent widths to determine the strength of atomic lines and we design several band ratios for measuring molecular features. We compare the measurements between our spectra and a control sample of late-type dwarfs and evolved stars from the Infrared Telescope Facility Spectral Library. By considering the relative distributions of these samples in our defined spectral diagnostics, we propose a number of parameter spaces that can distinguish FUOr disks from normal stars. The rate of discovery of FUOr candidates has increased significantly in recent years, largely due to the increasing prevalence of time-domain surveys. Our proposed diagnostics will allow new photometric candidates to be confirmed or refuted as such.
Read the full abstract

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

A New WZ Sagittae-type Dwarf Nova KSP-OT-202104a Near the Period Minimum from the KMTNet Supernova Program

We present photometric and spectroscopic studies of a new WZ Sagittae (Sge)-type dwarf nova (DN) KSP-OT-202104a discovered by the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network Supernova Program. The source exhibits outburst amplitudes of $\sim 8$ mag with a duration of $\sim 28.5$ days in the $V$-band. It is a type D DN among WZ Sge-types, and we estimate the superhump period to be $P_{\rm sh} \approx 71.7$ minutes ($=0.04978$ days). Its spectrum shows blue continuum as often found in optically-thick accretion disks of DNe during outbursts with hydrogen absorption lines from H$\beta$ to H$\zeta$. Since the orbital period in WZ Sge-type DNe is typically very close to the superhump period, we consider that this target would belong to the small sample of DNe below the period minimum and may be evolving toward AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) stars. This system therefore adds an example of a short-period dwarf nova with a low mass-transfer rate to the known sample.
Read the full abstract

All authors Sang Chul Kim, Youngdae Lee, Dae-Sik Moon, Hong Soo Park, Yuan Qi Ni, Nan Jiang, Hyobin Im

Astrophysics of Galaxies

The Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Southern Treasury (PHAST). II. The Spatially Resolved Recent Star Formation History in M31

We use Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging from the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Southern Treasury (PHAST) to measure the spatially resolved recent star formation history (SFH) across the southern disk of M31. We fit color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of over 6500 individual 0.01 kpc$^2$ regions to measure SFHs over the last $\sim$500 Myr. The resulting maps show coherent structure that traces the ringed morphology of the disk. We find a clear global decline in the recent SFR, with a pronounced drop in the last $\sim$40 Myr that is most evident in the region closest to M32. Combining PHAST and PHAT measurements, we now cover two thirds of M31's star-forming disk with homogeneous SFHs, yielding the highest-resolution spatially resolved SFHs of M31. Inside the joint footprint, we measure mean SFRs of $0.445 \pm0.006$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ over the last 100 Myr and $0.285 \pm 0.014$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ over the last 20 Myr, implying total disk SFRs of $\sim$0.67 and $\sim$0.43 M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$, respectively. The observed decline is interpreted as the late stage of a multi-Gyr wind-down from a previously more active state. Because recent star formation in M31 is concentrated primarily in the rings, the global decline is driven mainly by decreasing activity within those features. We also compare the CMD-based SFR surface densities to those inferred from FUV+24 $\mu$m prescriptions and find that the FUV-based calibration underestimates the CMD-based 100 Myr average by a factor of $\sim$2.1. However, the PHAST SFHs produce a synthetic GALEX FUV image that agrees well with observations, indicating that the CMD-derived SFHs provide an accurate description of recent star formation. The mismatch with the FUV+24 $\mu$m estimates underscores that tracers implicitly averaged over $\sim$100 Myr are not reliable when the recent SFR is evolving.
Read the full abstract

All authors Tobin M. Wainer, Benjamin F. Williams, Zhuo Chen, Margaret Lazzarini, Julianne J. Dalcanton, Eric F. Bell, Kameron Goold, Andrew Dolphin, Meredith J. Durbin, Stefany L. Fabian Dubón, Karoline M. Gilbert, Puragra Guhathakurta, Francois Hammer, L. Clifton Johnson, Eric W. Koch, Kristen. B. W. McQuinn, Ekta Patel, Vaishnav V. Rao, Julia Roman-Duval, Adam Smercina, Debby Tran, Daniel R. Weisz

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Light Propagation Prescriptions for Black Hole Movies

The spatiotemporal content of a black-hole movie is set jointly by source variability and by the distribution of light-travel times across the image. In the slow-light prescription, an image evaluated at fixed observer time contains photons emitted at different source times, whereas in fast light all rays sample a single source emission time. In this work we compare these light-propagation prescriptions through the lensing-band structure of Kerr geodesic delays in a controlled semi-analytic setting. For a given emitting geometry, black-hole spin, and observer inclination, we show how the coordinate-time delay distributions of Kerr null geodesics, decomposed by image order across lensing bands, can be compared with the source correlation time to quantify differences between light-propagation prescriptions. We find that when the intrinsic variability timescale is comparable to, or shorter than, the relevant delay spread, the high-inclination mismatch between fast- and slow-light curves can reach several tens of percent. Motivated by this geometric structure, we introduce brisk light, an intermediate prescription that compresses each lensing-band delay map to its dominant temporal interval rather than collapsing the full image to a single source time. The proposed methodology provides both a practical criterion for when slow light matters and an efficient route to black-hole movies that retain the leading temporal imprint of strong lensing, a regime of direct relevance for future space-based VLBI targeting photon-ring observables.
Read the full abstract

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

The HAges Catalog: Stellar Ages for High Priority HWO Target Stars

Precise stellar ages (uncertainties $\lesssim 1$ Gyr, or $\sim 20\%$ at solar age) are required to discern evolutionary trends in atmospheric biosignatures of terrestrial habitable zone exoplanets surveyed by the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) and will aid in constraining planetary interior evolution and target prioritization. We present a catalog of stellar ages for Tier 1 and Tier 2 targets in the HWO Target Stars and Systems (TSS) sub-working group's TSS25 list, compiling published literature ages derived from high-precision methods. The sample comprises 659 stars likely to be observed by HWO, independent of the final mission architecture. This initial catalog focuses on asteroseismology and gyrochronology, which can achieve $\sim 20\%$ precision for the majority of these stars. We find that only $\sim 5\%$ of the sample have asteroseismic ages and $\sim 20\%$ have gyrochronal ages, with just $\sim 2\%$ having constraints from both methods. For stars with multiple published measurements, the median reported statistical uncertainties are slightly smaller than the systematic uncertainties: $\sim 9\%$ versus $\sim 12\%$ for asteroseismology and $\sim 16\%$ versus $\sim 18\%$ for gyrochronology. The scarcity of precise stellar ages in this sample highlights the need for a concerted effort to obtain robust age constraints in advance of HWO; this catalog is intended as a living resource that will be regularly updated in the lead-up to the mission.
Read the full abstract

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Ariel stellar characterisation IV. Fundamental parameters of 18 hot stars in the Ariel mission candidate sample

The characterisation of exoplanetary systems depends on the accurate determination of host star parameters. The Ariel mission will probe the atmospheres of a statistically significant sample of exoplanets, and so requires a precise characterisation of the stellar properties well before its launch in 2029. The homogeneous determination of stellar parameters for Ariel will enable both the optimisation of the final target list and set roots for a reliable interpretation of the formation and evolution of planetary systems. Such a homogeneous characterisation has thus far only been carried out for the cool (\teff\ $\lesssim 7000\,$K) host stars among the Ariel target candidates. We present a uniform determination of fundamental stellar parameters for 18 hot stars in the Tier 1 candidate list of the Ariel mission candidate sample. We adopted an iterative spectro-trigonometric approach optimised for high-temperature stars. High-resolution spectra were analysed using the zeeman code with $\chi^2$ minimisation, combining model fits to metal and Balmer lines. Surface gravity was refined using photometry-based radii and masses from stellar evolutionary tracks. We derived effective temperatures, surface gravities, projected rotational velocities, microturbulent velocities, overall metallicities, iron abundances, stellar masses, and radii for our sample of $18$ hot stars. Our results were validated against a set of benchmark stars previously presented in the literature. The derived parameters provide an internally consistent basis for studying the link between stellar properties and planetary characteristics in intermediate-mass stars. Building on our previous work on FGK host stars, we show that correlations between stellar mass, metallicity, and planetary radii also extend to early-type stars, and stellar properties influence the architecture of multi-planet systems.
Read the full abstract

All authors H. Ramler, S. P. D. Borthakur, C. P. Folsom, D. Bossini, A. Lehtmets, C. Danielski, D. Turrini, M. Benito, M. Tsantaki, L. Magrini, N. Moedas, K. Biazzo, R. da Silva, M. Kama, E. Siimon, V. Mitrokhina, K. G. Hełminiak, S. Benatti, M. Rainer

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

On the Numerical Stability of the Diffusion Coefficient in Microscopic Simulations

Nowadays, the calculation of the Galactic Cosmic Rays diffusion coefficient with direct microscopic numerical simulations is a widespread approach. In this work, we investigated the numerical limits for such calculations and demonstrated that modern computations are affected by the influence of numerical errors. We found that velocity errors have a greater impact on the result than spatial ones.
Read the full abstract

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Revisiting the ultraviolet spectroscopy of the eta Tel edge-on debris disk

We revisit the ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy of the edge-on debris disk surrounding the A0V star $\eta$ Telescopii. Previous work found absorption components at four velocities ($\sim$ -23, -18, -10, -1 km s$^{-1}$), with the most blueshifted component (-23 km s$^{-1}$) interpreted as a likely disk wind. However, optical spectroscopy of $\eta$ Tel and other nearby stars in projection demonstrate that the -23 km s$^{-1}$ component is likely interstellar in origin. We find that there are three interstellar components toward this sight line (-23, -18, -10 km s$^{-1}$), but that the fourth component near -1 km s$^{-1}$, which was only detected in O I, is inconsistent with an interstellar origin and could be circumstellar. We place a 3-$\sigma$ upper limit on the C/O ratio of the -1 km s$^{-1}$ gas (log C/O $<$ -2.1), finding that it is consistent with Earth and solar system comet abundances. However, the abundance is inconsistent with the carbon-rich disks of $\beta$ Pic (A5V) and 49 Cet (A1V), probably because $\eta$ Tel (A0V) is a warmer star imposing greater levels of radiation pressure on carbon atoms in the disk. A low C/O ratio is also inconsistent with Herschel's [CII] detection toward $\eta$ Tel and may indicate that carbon gas is misaligned from the line of sight or variable in time.
Read the full abstract

All authors Allison Youngblood, Alexis Brandeker, Sebastian Perez, Aki Roberge, Alycia Weinberger, Meredith A. MacGregor, Barry Welsh

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

$\alpha\beta q_\mathrm{th}$-mapping of planet-induced density wave damping in protoplanetary discs

Planets embedded in protoplanetary discs are capable of creating a wide variety of substructures through gravitational interactions. This process is mediated through the excitation and damping of density waves which carry angular momentum across the disc. Therefore, to interpret observations of substructures, it is critical to understand the physical processes which lead to deposition of wave angular momentum to the disc fluid. In this study, we explore the relative efficiency of viscosity ($\alpha$), cooling ($\beta$), and non-linear wave evolution ($q_\mathrm{th}$) in damping planet-generated density waves. We run a large suite of hydrodynamic simulations varying viscosity, cooling timescale, and planetary mass, from which we extract radial profiles of wave angular momentum deposition. We quantify the efficiency of different wave damping mechanisms as a joint function of planetary mass, viscosity and cooling time. We find that nonlinear wave evolution leading to shock formation is typically the most important cause of angular momentum deposition, but that cooling on timescales comparable to local orbital time reaches similar levels of importance for low mass planets (sub-thermal, $q_\mathrm{th}<1$). On the contrary, linear wave damping due to viscosity is rather inefficient, requiring $\alpha \gtrsim 10^{-1.5}$ to noticeably affect damping of waves launched by thermal mass planets. Even for lowest mass planets considered ($q_\mathrm{th}=0.025$), viscosity affects wave damping only if $\alpha \gtrsim 10^{-2.9}$. Our findings could be applied to interpret observations of protoplanetary discs; they are also important for understanding wave propagation in other types of astrophysical discs.
Read the full abstract

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Radio sirens: inferring $H_0$ with binary black holes and neutral hydrogen in the era of the Einstein Telescope and the SKA Observatory

A new synergy between gravitational waves (GWs) and the study of the large-scale structure of the Universe is now emerging. Along this line of research, we combine simulated observations of stellar-origin black hole mergers and neutral hydrogen 21 cm line intensity mapping to probe the expansion rate of the Universe through the distance-redshift relation. GW signals from binary black holes provide direct distance information, while neutral hydrogen intensity maps offer a tomographic view of the large-scale structure of the Universe. Using the 3-dimensional density fields of hydrogen as a redshift prior for GW events, we explore a novel dark-sirens-like approach, here termed radio sirens, to measure the late-time expansion history of the Universe. We study the performance of the next-generation GW observatories, such as the Einstein Telescope, to ensure enough statistics and access to high-redshift data. On the other hand, future spectroscopic intensity mapping surveys with the SKA-Mid telescope are expected to trace the underlying dark matter distribution at large scales up to redshift $z\sim 3$. This combined methodology allows us to constrain the Hubble constant to $\sim 8\%$ precision, using around 3,000 GW events with signal-to-noise ratios greater than 150. This corresponds to an improvement of around $90\%$ compared to not considering the information from the neutral hydrogen maps.
Read the full abstract

All authors Ulyana Dupletsa, Simone Mastrogiovanni, Marta Spinelli, Tommaso Ronconi, Matteo Schulz, Riccardo Murgia, Jan Harms, Tessa Baker, Matteo Calabrese, Carmelita Carbone, Steven Cunnington, Ian Harrison, Konstantin Leyde, Dounia Nanadoumgar-Lacroze

Astrophysics of Galaxies

SIMPLIFI – Study of Interstellar Magnetic Polarization: a Legacy Investigation of Filaments. I. Magnetically-Guided Accretion onto the DR21 Ridge

We present first results from SIMPLIFI (Study of Interstellar Magnetic Polarization: a Legacy Investigation of Filaments), a SOFIA/HAWC+ $214~\mu\rm{}m$ polarimetric survey of Galactic molecular cloud filaments. We trace magnetic field morphology from the DR21 Main Ridge into surrounding sub-filaments at $\sim{}0.1~\rm{}pc$ resolution, extending polarimetric detections for the first time beyond high-column-density regions probed by prior submillimeter observations. We compare the plane-of-sky orientations of the magnetic field $\hat{B}_{\rm{}pos}$, the projected gravitational acceleration $\vec{g}_{\rm{}pos}$, and the intensity gradient rotated by $90^{\circ}$. The relative orientation of $\hat{B}_{\rm{}pos}$ and the rotated gradient transitions from preferentially parallel in sub-filaments to perpendicular in the Main Ridge at $N({\rm{}H_2})\sim{}2\times{}10^{22}~\rm{}cm^{-2}$, consistent with thresholds seen with Planck. This is expected in clouds formed from strongly magnetized, sub-Alfvenic, magnetically sub-critical gas. We find region-to-region and pixel-to-pixel variations at fixed column density, indicating that column density alone is not sufficient to encode changes in magnetic field structure. Our central finding is that $\vec{g}_{\rm{}pos}$ and $\hat{B}_{\rm{}pos}$ remain aligned throughout the cloud regardless of column density or environment, unlike the environment-dependent behavior of either quantity vs. the intensity gradient. This persistent alignment is consistent with magnetically-guided accretion: sub-filaments channel material along field lines at several $10^{-3}\,M_{\odot}\,\rm{}yr^{-1}$, sufficient to assemble the Ridge within $\sim{}1~\rm{}Myr$ and sustain high-mass star formation. The framework also explains why observed radial velocities $\sim{}2~\rm{}km\,s^{-1}$ fall well below free-fall expectations $\sim{}8~\rm{}km\,s^{-1}$ due to projection effects.
Read the full abstract

All authors Thushara G. S. Pillai, Jens Kauffmann, Juan D. Soler, Mark Heyer, Philip C. Myers, Laura M. Fissel, Dan Clemens, Koji Sugitani, Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez, Fumitaka Nakamura, Andrea Giannetti, Daniel Seifried, Paul F. Goldsmith, Helmut Wiesemeyer, Evangelia Ntormousi, Gabriel Franco, Stefan Reissl, Karl M. Menten

Astrophysics of Galaxies

The flare and spiral structure of the Milky Way's disc as traced by young giant stars

We explore the three-dimensional structure of a sample of $\sim$ 16000 young giant stars in the Galactic disc out to $\sim$8 kpc in heliocentric distance. This population traces a thin disc with a local vertical scale height of $h_{Z \odot} = 77 \pm 4$ pc, that progressively thickens toward the outer Galaxy with a prominent Galactic flare, rising exponentially with a radial scale length of $h_{fl} = 3.5 \pm 0.3 \, \rm{kpc}$. Our analysis incorporates both the survey selection function and the vertical displacements caused by the Galactic warp and corrugations, which, if neglected, would lead to significant biases in the derived disc scale height. In the Galactic plane, the young giants trace coherent spiral arm segments, extending previous maps based on upper main sequence (UMS) and OB stars by 2-4 kpc depending on the considered direction. The obtained map supports a pitch angle of roughly 20 degrees for the Perseus Arm, and shows that the Local/Orion arm stretches at least 10 kpc in length. Unlike earlier and more local maps based on UMS and OB stars, where the relatively small sampled portion of the Perseus Arm appeared as a short, nearly straight feature, our map reveals it as an extended structure with a gentle curvature, as expected for spiral arms on large scales. In the inner Galaxy, we also identify a new segment likely associated with the Scutum Arm, clearly detached from the Sagittarius-Carina Arm in the fourth Galactic quadrant.
Read the full abstract

All authors E. Poggio, R. Drimmel, S. Khanna, R. Andrae, M. G. Lattanzi

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Tracking down the broadband polarimetric properties of PG 1553+113

We report on a nine-month monitoring campaign of the blazar PG 1553+113, relying on three observations carried out in 2025 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and supported by multi-wavelength facilities. The source displayed pronounced variability across the electromagnetic spectrum, with X-ray flux changes by up to a factor of $\sim5$ and complex evolution of the optical polarization properties, including one of the largest (exceeding $150^{\circ}$) and fastest rotations in the electric vector position angle (EVPA) ever recorded. This swing of the EVPA was also accompanied by a temporary drop of the optical polarization degree to nearly zero. Significant X-ray polarization was observed during the third IXPE pointing, with a polarization degree $\Pi_{\rm X}\,=(\,18.4\,\pm\,5.8)\%$ and $\Psi_{\rm X}\,=\,74^{\circ} \pm 9^{\circ}$ in the 2–8~keV band, while only upper limits were obtained in the first two epochs. The optical data show that the second IXPE observation occurred shortly after a dramatic optical polarization event characterized by a rapid EVPA swing and strong depolarization. Two possible scenarios may explain the broadband polarimetric behavior: (i) the superposition of two emitting regions with nearly orthogonal magnetic field configurations and variable relative contributions, and (ii) the interaction of a single emitting region with a shock that temporarily reorders the magnetic field. In both cases, the data support a picture in which the X-ray and optical emissions arise from closely related but not strictly co-spatial regions within a dynamically evolving, magnetically structured jet.
Read the full abstract

All authors Riccardo Middei, Svetlana G. Jorstad, Alan P. Marscher, Ioannis Liodakis, Matteo Perri, Alessandro Maselli, Stefano Ciprini, Emanuele Nardini, Simonetta Puccetti, Laura Di Gesu, Iván Agudo, Dawoon E. Kim, Ioannis Myserlis, A. Trindade Falcão, D. Ł. Król, Lucio A. Antonelli, Tommaso Aniello, Pouya M. Kouch, Kari Nilsson, Elina Lindfors, Tapio Pursimo, Francisco José Aceituno, Víctor Casanova, Gabriel Emery, Juan Escudero Pedrosa, Jorge Otero-Santos, Alfredo Sota, Vilppu Piirola, George A. Borman, Tatiana S. Grishina, Vladimir A. Hagen-Thorn, Evgenia N. Kopatskaya, Elena G. Larionova, Daria A. Morozova, Sergey S. Savchenko, Ekaterina V. Shishkina, Ivan S. Troitskiy, Yulia V. Troitskaya, Andrey A. Vasilyev, Alexey V. Zhovtan, Petra Benke, Lena Debbrecht, Julia Eich, Florian Eppel, Andrea Gokus, Steven Hämmerich, Jonas Heßdörfer, Matthias Kadler, Dana Kirchner, Georgios F. Paraschos, Florian Rösch, Wladislaw Schulga, Mark Gurwell, Garrett Keating, Ramprasad Rao, Emmanouil Angelakis, Alexander Kraus, Beatriz Agís-González, Dmitry Blinov, Anastasia Glykopoulou, Sara Capecchiacci, Alberto Floris, Panagiotis Fotis, Alkmini Koukoutsi, John A. Kypriotakis, Dimitrios A. Langis, Dimitrios Rompogiannakis, Aristeidis Polychronakis, Vasiliki Tsioupli, Stavros Vogiatzis, Orestis Zoumpoulakis, Sumie Tochihara, Ryo Imazawa, Mahito Sasada, Yasushi Fukazawa, Koji S. Kawabata, Makoto Uemura, Tsunefumi Mizuno, Tatsuya Nakaoka, Hiroshi Akitaya, Takahiro Akai

Astrophysics of Galaxies

One Merge to Rule Them All: From Galaxy Interactions to Black Hole Mergers Using Horizon-AGN

Galaxy mergers are fundamental drivers of galaxy evolution and black hole (BH) growth across cosmic time. We use the Horizon-AGN simulation to investigate the fraction of galaxy pairs, the merger fraction, and the galaxy merger rate over a wide range of stellar masses and redshifts. To identify physically connected pairs, we adapt the Matthews Correlation coefficient (MCC) framework, optimizing thresholds in projected distance and redshift difference, and compare our selection to commonly used criteria in the literature. We then connect the derived galaxy merger rates to supermassive BH mergers, tracking the evolution from galaxy interactions to BH coalescences, thereby reconstructing the full merger history. We find that the galaxy pair fraction, merger fraction, characteristic timescale, and merger rate all evolve strongly with both stellar mass and redshift, with higher-mass galaxies and earlier galaxies showing elevated merger activity. BHs exhibit a similar evolutionary trend, with the volume-averaged BH merger rate peaking around cosmic noon ($z\sim2\mbox{--}3$). Our results demonstrate a close correspondence between galaxy and BH cosmic histories. This work provides a comprehensive, simulation-based framework for linking galaxy and BH merger populations, and offers refined selection criteria for future observational studies, for forecasts of gravitational wave detections with LISA, and interpretation of Pulsar Timing Array results.
Read the full abstract

All authors Ecaterina Leonova, Marta Volonteri, Clotilde Laigle, Samaya Nissanke, Pascal A. Oesch, Yohan Dubois

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Depth of Maximum of Air-Shower Profiles above 10^17.7 eV Measured with the Fluorescence Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

We present measurements of the depth of shower maximum, Xmax, for cosmic-ray-induced extensive air showers recorded by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory over 17 years. The data set covers primary energies from 10^17.7 eV to beyond 10^19.6 eV. With improved event reconstruction and an exposure 2.4 times larger than in our previous analysis, this work confirms and refines our conclusions on the mass composition at ultra-high energies. The energy evolution of the mean Xmax exhibits a pronounced break at around 10^18.4 eV, providing direct, model-independent evidence for a change in the evolution of the mass composition. Independently, the observed decrease of the Xmax fluctuations with energy indicates a transition toward a heavier and less diverse primary mass composition. No statistically significant declination dependence of the Xmax distributions is observed within the exposure of the Observatory, indicating an isotropic mass composition. The mean and standard deviation of the Xmax distributions, interpreted with air-shower simulations, yield the energy dependence of the average and variance of the logarithmic mass of cosmic rays arriving at Earth. Furthermore, energy-dependent fractional abundances of four representative primary-mass groups (p, He, CNO, Fe) are obtained by fitting the observed Xmax distributions in each energy bin with a weighted sum of elemental templates. These results provide strong evidence against a long-standing assumption that ultra-high-energy cosmic rays are predominantly protons: above ~10^18.4 eV, the average cosmic-ray mass increases, accompanied by a steadily decreasing diversity in the elemental composition.
Read the full abstract

All authors The Pierre Auger Collaboration: A. Abdul Halim, P. Abreu, M. Aglietta, M. Ahmed, I. Allekotte, K. Almeida Cheminant, R. Aloisio, J. Alvarez-Muñiz, A. Ambrosone, J. Ammerman Yebra, L. Anchordoqui, B. Andrada, L. Andrade Dourado, L. Apollonio, C. Aramo, E. Arnone, J.C. Arteaga Velázquez, P. Assis, G. Avila, E. Avocone, A. Bakalova, Y. Balibrea, A. Baluta, F. Barbato, J.A. Bellido, A. Bartz Mocellin, J.P. Behler, C. Berat, M.E. Bertaina, M. Bianciotto, P.L. Biermann, V. Binet, K. Bismark, T. Bister, J. Biteau, J. Blazek, J. Blümer, M. Boháčová, D. Boncioli, C. Bonifazi, N. Borodai, J. Brack, P.G. Brichetto Orquera, A. Bueno, S. Buitink, A. Bwembya, T.R. Caba Pineda, K.S. Caballero-Mora, S. Cabana-Freire, L. Caccianiga, J. Caraça-Valente, R. Caruso, A. Castellina, F. Catalani, G. Cataldi, L. Cazon, M. Cerda, B. Čermáková, A. Cermenati, K. Cerny, J.A. Chinellato, J. Chudoba, L. Chytka, R.W. Clay, A.C. Cobos Cerutti, R. Colalillo, R. Conceição, G. Consolati, M. Conte, F. Convenga, D. Correia dos Santos, P.J. Costa, C.E. Covault, M. Cristinziani, C.S. Cruz Sanchez, S. Dasso, K. Daumiller, B.R. Dawson, R.M. de Almeida, E.-T. de Boone, B. de Errico, J. de Jesús, S.J. de Jong, J.R.T. de Mello Neto, I. De Mitri, D. de Oliveira Franco, F. de Palma, V. de Souza, E. De Vito, A. Del Popolo, O. Deligny, N. Denner, K. Denner Syrokvas, L. Deval, A. di Matteo, C. Dobrigkeit, J.C. D'Olivo, L.M. Domingues Mendes, T. Dominguez, Y. Dominguez Ballesteros, Q. Dorosti, R.C. dos Anjos, J. Ebr, F. Ellwanger, R. Engel, I. Epicoco, M. Erdmann, A. Etchegoyen, C. Evoli, H. Falcke, G. Farrar, A.C. Fauth, T. Fehler, F. Feldbusch, A. Fernandes, M. Fernández Alonso, B. Fick, J.M. Figueira, P. Filip, A. Filipčič, T. Fitoussi, B. Flaggs, A. Franco, M. Freitas, T. Fujii, A. Fuster, C. Galea, B. García, C. Gaudu, P.L. Ghia, U. Giaccari, M. Giammarco, C. Glaser, F. Gobbi, F. Gollan, G. Golup, P.F. Gómez Vitale, J.P. Gongora, N. González, D. Góra, A. Gorgi, M. Gottowik, F. Guarino, G.P. Guedes, Y.C. Guerra, L. Gülzow, S. Hahn, P. Hamal, M.R. Hampel, P. Hansen, V.M. Harvey, A. Haungs, M. Havelka, T. Hebbeker, C. Hojvat, J.R. Hörandel, P. Horvath, M. Hrabovský, T. Huege, A. Insolia, P.G. Isar, M. Ismaiel, P. Janecek, V. Jilek, K.-H. Kampert, B. Keilhauer, V.V. Kizakke Covilakam, H.O. Klages, M. Kleifges, A. Klingel, J. Köhler, F. Krieger, M. Kubatova, N. Kunka, B.L. Lago, N. Langner, N. Leal, M.A. Leigui de Oliveira, Y. Lema-Capeans, A. Letessier-Selvon, I. Lhenry-Yvon, L. Lopes, J.P. Lundquist, M. Mallamaci, S. Mancuso, D. Mandat, P. Mantsch, A.G. Mariazzi, C. Marinelli, I.C. Mariş, G. Marsella, D. Martello, S. Martinelli, O. Martínez Bravo, A. Martínez-Mendez, M.A. Martins, H.-J. Mathes, J. Matthews, G. Matthiae, E. Mayotte, S. Mayotte, P.O. Mazur, G. Medina-Tanco, J. Meinert, D. Melo, A. Menshikov, C. Merx, S. Michal, M.I. Micheletti, L. Miramonti, M. Mogarkar, S. Mollerach, F. Montanet, L. Morejon, K. Mulrey, R. Mussa, W.M. Namasaka, S. Negi, L. Nellen, K. Nguyen, G. Nicora, M. Niechciol, D. Nitz, D. Nosek, A. Novikov, V. Novotny, L. Nožka, A. Nucita, L.A. Núñez, S.E. Nuza, J. Ochoa, M. Olegario, C. Oliveira, L. Östman, M. Palatka, J. Pallotta, G. Parente, T. Paulsen, J. Pawlowsky, M. Pech, J. Pękala, R. Pelayo, V. Pelgrims, C. Pérez Bertolli, L. Perrone, S. Petrera, T. Pierog, M. Pimenta, M. Platino, B. Pont, M. Pourmohammad Shahvar, P. Privitera, C. Priyadarshi, M. Prouza, K. Pytel, S. Querchfeld, J. Rautenberg, D. Ravignani, J.V. Reginatto Akim, M.Z. Rennó, A. Reuzki, J. Ridky, F. Riehn, M. Risse, V. Rizi, B. Rocha Moldes, E. Rodriguez, G. Rodriguez Fernandez, J. Rodriguez Rojo, S. Rossoni, M. Roth, E. Roulet, A.C. Rovero, A. Saftoiu, M. Saharan, F. Salamida, H. Salazar, G. Salina, P. Sampathkumar, N. San Martin, J.D. Sanabria Gomez, F. Sánchez, F.M. Sánchez Rodriguez, E. Santos, F. Sarazin, R. Sarmento, R. Sato, P. Savina, V. Scherini, H. Schieler, M. Schimp, D. Schmidt, O. Scholten, H. Schoorlemmer, P. Schovánek, F.G. Schröder, J. Schulte, T. Schulz, S.J. Sciutto, M. Scornavacche, A. Sedoski, S. Sehgal, S.U. Shivashankara, G. Sigl, K. Simkova, F. Simon, R. Šmída, S. Soares Sippert, P. Sommers, S. Stanič, J. Stasielak, P. Stassi, S. Strähnz, M. Straub, T. Suomijärvi, A.D. Supanitsky, Z. Svozilikova, Z. Szadkowski, F. Tairli, A. Tapia, C. Taricco, C. Timmermans, O. Tkachenko, P. Tobiska, C.J. Todero Peixoto, B. Tomé, A. Travaini, P. Travnicek, C. Trimarelli, M. Tueros, M. Unger, R. Uzeiroska-Geyik, L. Vaclavek, M. Vacula, I. Vaiman, J.F. Valdés Galicia, L. Valore, P. van Dillen, E. Varela, V. Vašíčková, A. Vásquez-Ramírez, D. Veberič, I.D. Vergara Quispe, S. Verpoest, V. Verzi, J. Vicha, S. Vorobiov, J.B. Vuta, C. Watanabe, A.A. Watson, A. Weindl, M. Weitz, L. Wiencke, H. Wilczyński, B. Wundheiler, B. Yue, A. Yushkov, E. Zas, D. Zavrtanik, M. Zavrtanik