Galaxy formation and evolution

Abstract:

Disc winds play a crucial role in many accreting astrophysical systems across all scales. In accreting white dwarfs (AWDs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs), radiation pressure on spectral lines is a promising wind-driving mechanism. However, the efficiency of line driving is extremely sensitive to the ionization state of the flow, making it difficult to construct a reliable physical picture of these winds. Recently, we presented the first radiation-hydrodynamics simulations for AWDs that incorporated detailed, multidimensional ionization calculations via fully frequency-dependent radiative transfer, using the sirocco code coupled to pluto. These simulations produced much weaker line-driven winds ( for our adopted parameters) than earlier studies using more approximate treatments of ionization and radiative transfer (which yielded ). One remaining limitation of our work was the assumption of an isothermal outflow. Here, we relax this by adopting an ideal gas equation of state and explicitly solving for the multidimensional temperature structure of the flow. In the AWD setting, accounting for the thermal state of the wind does not change the overall conclusions drawn from the isothermal approximation. Our new simulations confirm the line-driving efficiency problem: the predicted outflows are too highly ionized, meaning they neither create optimal driving conditions nor reproduce the observed ultraviolet wind signatures. Possible solutions include wind clumping on subgrid scales, a softer-than-expected spectral energy distribution or additional driving mechanisms. With the physics now built into our simulations, we are well equipped to also explore line-driven disc winds in AGN.

Abstract:

Dwarf galaxies serve as powerful laboratories for investigating the underlying physics of galaxy evolution including the impact of baryonic feedback processes and external environmental influences. We compare the visual and structural properties of dwarf galaxies in ultra-deep HSC–SSP imaging of the COSMOS field with those measured from realistic HSC-like synthetic observations of dwarfs generated by the Illustris TNG50 and NewHorizon simulations. Using Sérsic profile fitting and non-parametric morphological metrics (Gini, , asymmetry, and concentration), we evaluate the diversity of structural properties in observed and simulated galaxies. Our analysis shows that NewHorizon and TNG50 galaxies lie at opposite extremes of observed structural trends: NewHorizon produces diffuse, extended galaxies with shallow Sérsic indices, while TNG50 yields compact, concentrated systems with steep indices. Both simulations reproduce observed structural trends more closely at higher stellar masses () but fail to capture the full diversity of COSMOS dwarfs at lower masses. Non-parametric metrics further show that NewHorizon galaxies exhibit more uneven, clumpy light distributions while TNG50 galaxies have smoother but excessively concentrated profiles. These structural differences reflect underlying differences in their physical prescriptions and are likely driven by differing approaches to ISM gas physics, supernova feedback and star formation in addition to differences in numerical resolution. Our findings highlight the unique power of low-mass galaxies to constrain differences in simulation physics, especially star formation and feedback prescriptions. Upcoming surveys from facilities like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and Euclid will enable more rigorous comparisons with simulations, offering deeper insights into the physical processes shaping galaxy evolution.

Abstract:

We report the spectroscopic confirmation of a bright blue Einstein ring in the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) footprint: the Einstein “blue eye.” Spectroscopic data from X-Shooter at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) show that the lens is a typical early-type galaxy (ETG) at zl = 0.9906, while the background source is a Lyα emitter at zs = 2.823. The reference lens modeling was performed on a high-resolution Y-band adaptive-optics image from HAWK-I at VLT. Assuming a singular isothermal ellipsoid total mass density profile, we inferred an Einstein radius REin = 10.47 ± 0.06 kpc. The average slope of the total mass density inside the Einstein radius, as determined by a joint analysis of lensing and isotropic Jeans equations, is γtot=2.14−0.07+0.06 , showing no systematic deviation from the slopes of lower-redshift galaxies. This can be the evidence of ETGs developing through dry mergers plus moderate dissipationless accretion. Stellar population analysis with eight-band (griZYJHKs) photometries from KiDS and VIKING shows that the total stellar mass of the lens is M* = (3.95 ± 0.35) × 1011 M⊙ (Salpeter initial mass function (IMF)), implying a dark matter fraction inside the effective radius of fDM = 0.307 ± 0.151. We finally explored the dark matter halo slope and found a strong degeneracy with the dynamic stellar mass. Dark matter adiabatic contraction is needed to explain the posterior distribution of the slope, unless an IMF heavier than Salpeter is assumed.

Abstract:

We report the detection of continuum excess in the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) between 3000 and 3550 Å in the JWST/Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) spectrum of GN-z11, a luminous galaxy . The shape of the continuum excess resembles a Balmer continuum, but has a break around 3546 Å. The fitting result of this excess depends on the assumed origin of the continuum. If the continuum of GN-z11 is dominated by a stellar population with a small Balmer break, the apparent blueshift of the Balmer continuum is not significant and the best-fitting Balmer continuum model indicates a temperature of K. In contrast, if the continuum is dominated by active galactic nucleus emission, a nebular continuum model cannot fit the spectrum properly. The absence of the Balmer jump indicates an electron temperature of K, significantly higher than the temperature of K inferred from [O iii] and [O iii]. The temperature difference can result from mixing of different ionized regions: the Balmer emission mainly arises from dense and hot clouds in the broad-line region, whereas the forbidden lines originate from less dense and colder gas. An alternative explanation for the observed continuum excess is the Fe ii emission, which shows a characteristic jump blueward of the Balmer limit as previously seen in the spectra of many lower redshift quasars. Through comparisons with cloudy models, we show an Fe abundance above solar is likely needed, which could be achieved via enrichment from Type-Ia supernovae, hypernovae, or pair-instability supernovae.

Abstract:

Abstract Black hole X-ray binaries in outburst launch discrete, large-scale jet ejections which can propagate to parsec scales. The kinematics of these ejecta appear to be well described by relativistic blast wave models original devised for gamma-ray burst afterglows. In previous kinematic-only modelling, a crucial degeneracy prevented the initial ejecta energy and the interstellar medium density from being accurately determined. In this work, we present the first joint Bayesian modelling of the radiation and kinematics of a large-scale jet ejection from the X-ray binary MAXI J1535-571. We demonstrate that a reverse shock powers the bright, early ejecta emission. The joint model breaks the energetic degeneracy, and we find the ejecta has an initial energy of E0 ∼ 3 × 1043 erg, and propagates into a low density interstellar medium of nism ∼ 4 × 10−5 cm−3. The ejecta is consistent with being launched perpendicular to the disc and could be powered by an efficient conversion of available accretion power alone. This work lays the foundation for future parameter estimation studies using all available data of X-ray binary jet ejecta.