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Alleviating the Hubble tension with Torsion Condensation (TorC)

Cosmology and Fundamental physics - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 10:50
arXiv:2507.09228v3 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Constraints on the cosmological parameters of Torsion Condensation (TorC) are investigated using Planck 2018 Cosmic Microwave Background data. TorC is a case of Poincar\'e gauge theory -- a formulation of gravity motivated by the gauge field theories underlying fundamental forces in the standard model of particle physics. Unlike general relativity, TorC incorporates intrinsic torsion degrees of freedom while maintaining second-order field equations. At specific parameter values, it reduces to the $\Lambda$CDM model, providing a natural extension to standard cosmology. The base model of TorC introduces two parameters beyond those in $\Lambda$CDM: the initial value of the torsion scalar field and its time derivative -- one can absorb the latter by allowing the dark energy density to float. To constrain these parameters, `PolyChord` nested sampling algorithm is employed, interfaced via `Cobaya` with a modified version of `CAMB`. Our results indicate that TorC allows for a larger inferred Hubble constant, offering a potential resolution to the Hubble tension. Tension analysis using the $R$-statistic shows that TorC alleviates the statistical tension between the Planck 2018 and SH0Es 2020 datasets, though this improvement is not sufficient to decisively favour TorC over $\Lambda$CDM in a Bayesian model comparison. This study highlights TorC as a compelling theory of gravity, demonstrating its potential to address cosmological tensions and motivating further investigations of extended theories of gravity within a cosmological context. As current and upcoming surveys -- including Euclid, Roman Space Telescope, Vera C. Rubin Observatory, LISA, and Simons Observatory -- deliver data on gravity across all scales, they will offer critical tests of gravity models like TorC, making the present a pivotal moment for exploring extended theories of gravity.

Alleviating the Hubble tension with Torsion Condensation (TorC)

Recent IoA Publications - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 10:49
arXiv:2507.09228v3 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Constraints on the cosmological parameters of Torsion Condensation (TorC) are investigated using Planck 2018 Cosmic Microwave Background data. TorC is a case of Poincar\'e gauge theory -- a formulation of gravity motivated by the gauge field theories underlying fundamental forces in the standard model of particle physics. Unlike general relativity, TorC incorporates intrinsic torsion degrees of freedom while maintaining second-order field equations. At specific parameter values, it reduces to the $\Lambda$CDM model, providing a natural extension to standard cosmology. The base model of TorC introduces two parameters beyond those in $\Lambda$CDM: the initial value of the torsion scalar field and its time derivative -- one can absorb the latter by allowing the dark energy density to float. To constrain these parameters, `PolyChord` nested sampling algorithm is employed, interfaced via `Cobaya` with a modified version of `CAMB`. Our results indicate that TorC allows for a larger inferred Hubble constant, offering a potential resolution to the Hubble tension. Tension analysis using the $R$-statistic shows that TorC alleviates the statistical tension between the Planck 2018 and SH0Es 2020 datasets, though this improvement is not sufficient to decisively favour TorC over $\Lambda$CDM in a Bayesian model comparison. This study highlights TorC as a compelling theory of gravity, demonstrating its potential to address cosmological tensions and motivating further investigations of extended theories of gravity within a cosmological context. As current and upcoming surveys -- including Euclid, Roman Space Telescope, Vera C. Rubin Observatory, LISA, and Simons Observatory -- deliver data on gravity across all scales, they will offer critical tests of gravity models like TorC, making the present a pivotal moment for exploring extended theories of gravity.

Tracking on-the-fly massive black hole binary evolution and coalescence in galaxy simulations: RAMCOAL

Galaxy Evolution and AGN - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 10:45
arXiv:2410.07856v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: The detection of gravitational waves (GWs) from massive black hole binary (MBHB) coalescence motivates the development of a sub-grid model. We present RAMCOAL, integrated into the RAMSES code, which simulates the orbital evolution of MBHBs, accounting for stellar and gaseous dynamical friction (DF), stellar scattering, circumbinary disk interactions, and GW emission at scales below the simulation resolution. Unlike post-processing approaches, RAMCOAL tracks the real-time evolution of MBHBs within hydrodynamical simulations of galaxies using local quantities to model dynamics and accretion. This enables more accurate predictions of both GW signals and the properties of merging black holes. We validate RAMCOAL across isolated and merging galaxy setups at resolutions of 10, 50, and 100 pc, with and without black hole accretion and feedback. In addition, we test the model in seven galaxy merger scenarios at 100 pc resolution. These tests demonstrate that RAMCOAL is largely resolution-independent and successfully captures the effects of DF from stars, dark matter, and gas, loss-cone scattering, viscous drag from circumbinary disks, and GW emission -- all within a realistic galactic environment, even at low resolutions. With RAMCOAL, we can better estimate MBHB coalescence rates and the GW background, while providing insights into the electromagnetic counterparts of GW sources. This approach bridges the gap between electromagnetic observations and GW detection, offering a more comprehensive understanding of MBHB evolution in cosmological simulations.

Tracking on-the-fly massive black hole binary evolution and coalescence in galaxy simulations: RAMCOAL

Recent IoA Publications - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 10:45
arXiv:2410.07856v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: The detection of gravitational waves (GWs) from massive black hole binary (MBHB) coalescence motivates the development of a sub-grid model. We present RAMCOAL, integrated into the RAMSES code, which simulates the orbital evolution of MBHBs, accounting for stellar and gaseous dynamical friction (DF), stellar scattering, circumbinary disk interactions, and GW emission at scales below the simulation resolution. Unlike post-processing approaches, RAMCOAL tracks the real-time evolution of MBHBs within hydrodynamical simulations of galaxies using local quantities to model dynamics and accretion. This enables more accurate predictions of both GW signals and the properties of merging black holes. We validate RAMCOAL across isolated and merging galaxy setups at resolutions of 10, 50, and 100 pc, with and without black hole accretion and feedback. In addition, we test the model in seven galaxy merger scenarios at 100 pc resolution. These tests demonstrate that RAMCOAL is largely resolution-independent and successfully captures the effects of DF from stars, dark matter, and gas, loss-cone scattering, viscous drag from circumbinary disks, and GW emission -- all within a realistic galactic environment, even at low resolutions. With RAMCOAL, we can better estimate MBHB coalescence rates and the GW background, while providing insights into the electromagnetic counterparts of GW sources. This approach bridges the gap between electromagnetic observations and GW detection, offering a more comprehensive understanding of MBHB evolution in cosmological simulations.

Bubbles in a box: Eliminating edge nucleation in cold-atom simulators of vacuum decay

Cosmology and Fundamental physics - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 10:15
arXiv:2504.02829v3 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: The decay of metastable 'false vacuum' states via bubble nucleation plays a crucial role in many cosmological scenarios. Cold-atom analog experiments will soon provide the first empirical probes of this process, with potentially far-reaching implications for early-Universe cosmology and high-energy physics. However, an inevitable difference between these analog systems and the early Universe is that the former have a boundary. We show, using a combination of Euclidean calculations and real-time lattice simulations, that these boundaries generically cause rapid bubble nucleation on the edge of the experiment, obscuring the bulk nucleation that is relevant for cosmology. We demonstrate that implementing a high-density 'trench' region at the boundary completely eliminates this problem, and recovers the desired cosmological behavior. Our findings are relevant for ongoing efforts to probe vacuum decay in the laboratory, providing a practical solution to a key experimental obstacle.

Bubbles in a box: Eliminating edge nucleation in cold-atom simulators of vacuum decay

Recent IoA Publications - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 10:15
arXiv:2504.02829v3 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: The decay of metastable 'false vacuum' states via bubble nucleation plays a crucial role in many cosmological scenarios. Cold-atom analog experiments will soon provide the first empirical probes of this process, with potentially far-reaching implications for early-Universe cosmology and high-energy physics. However, an inevitable difference between these analog systems and the early Universe is that the former have a boundary. We show, using a combination of Euclidean calculations and real-time lattice simulations, that these boundaries generically cause rapid bubble nucleation on the edge of the experiment, obscuring the bulk nucleation that is relevant for cosmology. We demonstrate that implementing a high-density 'trench' region at the boundary completely eliminates this problem, and recovers the desired cosmological behavior. Our findings are relevant for ongoing efforts to probe vacuum decay in the laboratory, providing a practical solution to a key experimental obstacle.

Changes in Mars’s habitability could have been driven by carbonate formation and transient oases

Astronomy News - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 09:55

Nature, Published online: 30 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02284-5

Mars has had periods of potential habitability, seen in its geological record of surface water and shallow groundwater. Models that incorporate feedback between carbon sequestration, atmospheric pressure and temperature — backed by discoveries of carbonates by NASA’s Curiosity rover — suggest that this intermittent habitability could have arisen through self-regulating feedback loops on the planet’s surface.

Lava planets’ atmospheres give away what lies beneath

Astronomy News - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 09:55

Nature, Published online: 30 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02328-w

Modelling suggests that data collected by JWST will be able to distinguish between planets that are molten to the core and those that are not.

NASA’s Webb Traces Details of Complex Planetary Nebula

Astronomy News - Thu, 31/07/2025 - 09:55
Explore Webb 5 Min Read NASA’s Webb Traces Details of Complex Planetary Nebula NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s view of planetary nebula NGC 6072 in the near-infrared shows a complex scene of multiple outflows expanding out at different angles from a dying star at the center of the scene. In this image, the red areas represent cool molecular gas, for example, molecular hydrogen. Full image below. Credits:
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Since their discovery in the late 1700s, astronomers have learned that planetary nebulae, or the expanding shell of glowing gas expelled by a low-intermediate mass star late in its life, can come in all shapes and sizes. Most planetary nebula present as circular, elliptical, or bi-polar, but some stray from the norm, as seen in new high-resolution images of planetary nebulae by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

Webb’s newest look at planetary nebula NGC 6072 in the near- and mid-infrared shows what may appear as a very messy scene resembling splattered paint. However, the unusual, asymmetrical appearance hints at more complicated mechanisms underway, as the star central to the scene approaches the very final stages of its life and expels shells of material, losing up to 80 percent of its mass. Astronomers are using Webb to study planetary nebulae to learn more about the full life cycle of stars and how they impact their surrounding environments.

Image A: NGC 6072 (NIRCam Image) NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s view of planetary nebula NGC 6072 in the near-infrared shows a complex scene of multiple outflows expanding out at different angles from a dying star at the center of the scene. In this image, the red areas represent cool molecular gas, for example, molecular hydrogen. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

First, taking a look at the image from Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera), it’s readily apparent that this nebula is multi-polar. This means there are several different elliptical outflows jetting out either way from the center, one from 11 o’clock to 5 o’clock, another from 1 o’clock to 7 o’clock, and possibly a third from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock. The outflows may compress material as they go, resulting in a disk seen perpendicular to it.

Astronomers say this is evidence that there are likely at least two stars at the center of this scene. Specifically, a companion star is interacting with an aging star that had already begun to shed some of its outer layers of gas and dust.

The central region of the planetary nebula glows from the hot stellar core, seen as a light blue hue in near-infrared light. The dark orange material, which is made up of gas and dust, follows pockets or open areas that appear dark blue. This clumpiness could be created when dense molecular clouds formed while being shielded from hot radiation from the central star. There could also be a time element at play. Over thousands of years, inner fast winds could be ploughing through the halo cast off from the main star when it first started to lose mass.

Image B: NGC 6072 (MIRI Image) The mid-infrared view of planetary nebula NGC 6072 from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope show expanding circular shells around the outflows from the dying central star. In this image, the blue represents cool molecular gas seen in red in the image from Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) due to color mapping. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

The longer wavelengths captured by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) are highlighting dust, revealing the star researchers suspect could be central to this scene. It appears as a small pinkish-whitish dot in this image.

Webb’s look in the mid-infrared wavelengths also reveals concentric rings expanding from the central region, the most obvious circling just past the edges of the lobes.

This may be additional evidence of a secondary star at the center of the scene hidden from our view. The secondary star, as it circles repeatedly around the original star, could have carved out rings of material in a bullseye pattern as the main star was expelling mass during an earlier stage of its life.

The rings may also hint at some kind of pulsation that resulted in gas or dust being expelled uniformly in all directions separated by say, thousands of years.

The red areas in NIRCam and blue areas in MIRI both trace cool molecular gas (likely molecular hydrogen) while central regions trace hot ionized gas.

As the star at the center of a planetary nebula cools and fades, the nebula will gradually dissipate into the interstellar medium — contributing enriched material that helps form new stars and planetary systems, now containing those heavier elements.

Webb’s imaging of NGC 6072 opens the door to studying how the planetary nebulae with more complex shapes contribute to this process.

The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).

To learn more about Webb, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/webb

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Media Contacts

Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.gov
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Hannah Braunhbraun@stsci.edu
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.

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Ultraviolet photon production rates of the first stars: Impact on the He II $\lambda$ 1640 \AA{} emission line from primordial star clusters and the 21-cm signal from cosmic dawn

Recent IoA Publications - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:49
arXiv:2507.21764v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The first stars, the chemically pristine Population III, likely played an important role in heating the intergalactic medium during the epoch of cosmic dawn. The very high effective temperatures ($\sim 10^5$ K) predicted for the most massive Population III stars could also give rise to tell-tale signatures in the emission-line spectra of early star clusters or small galaxies dominated by such stars. Important quantities in modelling their observational signatures include their photon production rates at ultraviolet energies at which photons are able to ionize hydrogen and helium, dissociate molecular hydrogen and cause Lyman-$\alpha$ heating. Here, we model the spectral energy distributions of Population III stars to explore how these key quantities are affected by the initial mass and rotation of Population III stars given a wide range of models for the evolution of these stars. Our results indicate that rotating Population III stars that evolve to effective temperatures $\sim 2\times 10^5$ K could potentially give rise to a very strong HeII 1640 emission line in the spectra from primordial star clusters, without requiring stellar masses of $\gtrsim 100\ \mathrm{M}_\odot$ indicated by previous models for non-rotating Population III stars. At the same time, the observable impact on 21-cm signatures from cosmic dawn and epoch of reionization from our set of rotating stars that evolve to $\sim 2\times 10^5$ K are modest, and produce potentially detectable features in the global 21-cm signal and 21-cm power spectrum for high Population III star formation efficiencies only.

Ultraviolet photon production rates of the first stars: Impact on the He II $\lambda$ 1640 \AA{} emission line from primordial star clusters and the 21-cm signal from cosmic dawn

Cosmology and Fundamental physics - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:49
arXiv:2507.21764v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The first stars, the chemically pristine Population III, likely played an important role in heating the intergalactic medium during the epoch of cosmic dawn. The very high effective temperatures ($\sim 10^5$ K) predicted for the most massive Population III stars could also give rise to tell-tale signatures in the emission-line spectra of early star clusters or small galaxies dominated by such stars. Important quantities in modelling their observational signatures include their photon production rates at ultraviolet energies at which photons are able to ionize hydrogen and helium, dissociate molecular hydrogen and cause Lyman-$\alpha$ heating. Here, we model the spectral energy distributions of Population III stars to explore how these key quantities are affected by the initial mass and rotation of Population III stars given a wide range of models for the evolution of these stars. Our results indicate that rotating Population III stars that evolve to effective temperatures $\sim 2\times 10^5$ K could potentially give rise to a very strong HeII 1640 emission line in the spectra from primordial star clusters, without requiring stellar masses of $\gtrsim 100\ \mathrm{M}_\odot$ indicated by previous models for non-rotating Population III stars. At the same time, the observable impact on 21-cm signatures from cosmic dawn and epoch of reionization from our set of rotating stars that evolve to $\sim 2\times 10^5$ K are modest, and produce potentially detectable features in the global 21-cm signal and 21-cm power spectrum for high Population III star formation efficiencies only.

Ultraviolet photon production rates of the first stars: Impact on the He II $\lambda$ 1640 \AA{} emission line from primordial star clusters and the 21-cm signal from cosmic dawn

Stars and stellar evolution - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:49
arXiv:2507.21764v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The first stars, the chemically pristine Population III, likely played an important role in heating the intergalactic medium during the epoch of cosmic dawn. The very high effective temperatures ($\sim 10^5$ K) predicted for the most massive Population III stars could also give rise to tell-tale signatures in the emission-line spectra of early star clusters or small galaxies dominated by such stars. Important quantities in modelling their observational signatures include their photon production rates at ultraviolet energies at which photons are able to ionize hydrogen and helium, dissociate molecular hydrogen and cause Lyman-$\alpha$ heating. Here, we model the spectral energy distributions of Population III stars to explore how these key quantities are affected by the initial mass and rotation of Population III stars given a wide range of models for the evolution of these stars. Our results indicate that rotating Population III stars that evolve to effective temperatures $\sim 2\times 10^5$ K could potentially give rise to a very strong HeII 1640 emission line in the spectra from primordial star clusters, without requiring stellar masses of $\gtrsim 100\ \mathrm{M}_\odot$ indicated by previous models for non-rotating Population III stars. At the same time, the observable impact on 21-cm signatures from cosmic dawn and epoch of reionization from our set of rotating stars that evolve to $\sim 2\times 10^5$ K are modest, and produce potentially detectable features in the global 21-cm signal and 21-cm power spectrum for high Population III star formation efficiencies only.

An automated method for finding the most distant quasars

Cosmology and Fundamental physics - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:48
arXiv:2408.12770v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Upcoming surveys such as Euclid, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) and the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope (Roman) will detect hundreds of high-redshift (z > 7) quasars, but distinguishing them from the billions of other sources in these catalogues represents a significant data analysis challenge. We address this problem by extending existing selection methods by using both i) Bayesian model comparison on measured fluxes and ii) a likelihood-based goodness-of-fit test on images, which are then combined using the F_beta statistic (where beta is a parameter which can be tuned to prioritise completeness). The result is an automated, reproduceable and objective high-redshift quasar selection pipeline. We test this on both simulations and real data from the cross-matched Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) catalogues. On this cross-matched dataset we achieve an area under the curve (AUC) score of up to 0.81 and an F_3 score of up to 0.79; or, if the completeness is fixed to be 0.9, then we can obtain an efficiency of 0.15. This is sufficient to be applied to the Euclid, LSST and Roman data when available.

An automated method for finding the most distant quasars

Instrumentation and Surveys - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:48
arXiv:2408.12770v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Upcoming surveys such as Euclid, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) and the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope (Roman) will detect hundreds of high-redshift (z > 7) quasars, but distinguishing them from the billions of other sources in these catalogues represents a significant data analysis challenge. We address this problem by extending existing selection methods by using both i) Bayesian model comparison on measured fluxes and ii) a likelihood-based goodness-of-fit test on images, which are then combined using the F_beta statistic (where beta is a parameter which can be tuned to prioritise completeness). The result is an automated, reproduceable and objective high-redshift quasar selection pipeline. We test this on both simulations and real data from the cross-matched Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) catalogues. On this cross-matched dataset we achieve an area under the curve (AUC) score of up to 0.81 and an F_3 score of up to 0.79; or, if the completeness is fixed to be 0.9, then we can obtain an efficiency of 0.15. This is sufficient to be applied to the Euclid, LSST and Roman data when available.

An automated method for finding the most distant quasars

Recent IoA Publications - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:48
arXiv:2408.12770v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Upcoming surveys such as Euclid, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) and the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope (Roman) will detect hundreds of high-redshift (z > 7) quasars, but distinguishing them from the billions of other sources in these catalogues represents a significant data analysis challenge. We address this problem by extending existing selection methods by using both i) Bayesian model comparison on measured fluxes and ii) a likelihood-based goodness-of-fit test on images, which are then combined using the F_beta statistic (where beta is a parameter which can be tuned to prioritise completeness). The result is an automated, reproduceable and objective high-redshift quasar selection pipeline. We test this on both simulations and real data from the cross-matched Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) catalogues. On this cross-matched dataset we achieve an area under the curve (AUC) score of up to 0.81 and an F_3 score of up to 0.79; or, if the completeness is fixed to be 0.9, then we can obtain an efficiency of 0.15. This is sufficient to be applied to the Euclid, LSST and Roman data when available.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR6 Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Selected Galaxy Clusters Catalog

Recent IoA Publications - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:40
arXiv:2507.21459v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present the results of a search for galaxy clusters in the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release 6 (DR6) microwave sky maps covering 16293 square degrees in three frequency bands, using data obtained over the lifetime of the project (2008-2022). We report redshifts and mass estimates for 9977 clusters detected via their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect with signal-to-noise greater than 4 at a 2.4 arcminute filter scale. The catalog includes 1166 clusters at redshifts greater than 1, and 121 clusters at redshifts greater than 1.5. Using a relation between cluster SZ signal and mass that is consistent with recent weak-lensing measurements, we estimate that clusters detected with signal-to-noise greater than 5 form a sample which is 90% complete for clusters with masses greater than $5 \times 10^{14}$ MSun (measured within a spherical volume with mean density 500 times the critical density). El Gordo, a cluster found in an initial ACT survey of 755 square degrees, remains the most extreme cluster in mass and redshift; we find no cluster with a mass and redshift combination high enough to falsify the standard LCDM cosmology with Gaussian initial perturbations. We make public a variety of data products, including the full cluster candidate list, noise maps, and sky masks, along with our software for cluster detection and instructions for reproducing our cluster catalogs from the public ACT maps.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR6 Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Selected Galaxy Clusters Catalog

Cosmology and Fundamental physics - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 11:40
arXiv:2507.21459v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present the results of a search for galaxy clusters in the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release 6 (DR6) microwave sky maps covering 16293 square degrees in three frequency bands, using data obtained over the lifetime of the project (2008-2022). We report redshifts and mass estimates for 9977 clusters detected via their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect with signal-to-noise greater than 4 at a 2.4 arcminute filter scale. The catalog includes 1166 clusters at redshifts greater than 1, and 121 clusters at redshifts greater than 1.5. Using a relation between cluster SZ signal and mass that is consistent with recent weak-lensing measurements, we estimate that clusters detected with signal-to-noise greater than 5 form a sample which is 90% complete for clusters with masses greater than $5 \times 10^{14}$ MSun (measured within a spherical volume with mean density 500 times the critical density). El Gordo, a cluster found in an initial ACT survey of 755 square degrees, remains the most extreme cluster in mass and redshift; we find no cluster with a mass and redshift combination high enough to falsify the standard LCDM cosmology with Gaussian initial perturbations. We make public a variety of data products, including the full cluster candidate list, noise maps, and sky masks, along with our software for cluster detection and instructions for reproducing our cluster catalogs from the public ACT maps.

UK gets first female Astronomer Royal in 350 years

Astronomy News - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 09:51

Prof Michele Dougherty is the first woman to be appointed to the influential post.

Is gravity a new type of force that arises from cosmic entropy?

Astronomy News - Wed, 30/07/2025 - 09:50

Decades ago, a renegade physicist suggested that gravity isn't so much a force as just a byproduct of the universe's tendency to get more disordered. Now this idea might finally be testable

JWST Observations of SN 2023ixf II: The Panchromatic Evolution Between 250 and 720 Days After the Explosion

Recent IoA Publications - Tue, 29/07/2025 - 15:32
arXiv:2507.19727v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present the nebular phase spectroscopic and photometric observations of the nearby hydrogen-rich core-collapse supernova (CC-SN) 2023ixf, obtained through our JWST programs. These observations, combined with ground-based optical and near-infrared spectra, cover +252.67 - 719.96 d, creating a comprehensive, panchromatic time-series dataset spanning 0.32 - 30$\mu$m. In this second paper of the series, we focus on identifying key spectral emission features and tracking their evolution through the nebular phase. The JWST data reveal hydrogen emission from the Balmer to Humphreys series, as well as prominent forbidden lines from Ne, Ar, Fe, Co, and Ni. NIRSpec observations display strong emission from the first overtone and fundamental bands of carbon monoxide, which weaken with time as the ejecta cools and dust emission dominates. The spectral energy distribution shows a clear infrared excess emerging by +252.67 d peaking around 10.0$\mu$m, with a secondary bump at 18.0$\mu$m developing by +719.96 d. We suggest that this evolution could arises from multiple warm dust components. In upcoming papers in this series, we will present detailed modeling of the molecular and dust properties. Overall, this dataset significantly advances our understanding of the mid-infrared properties of CC-SNe, providing an unprecedented view of their late-time line, molecule, and dust emission.