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Experimental Studies of Black Holes: Status & Prospects

More than a century ago, Albert Einstein presented his general theory of gravitation. One of the predictions of this theory is that not only particles and objects with mass, but also the quanta of light, photons, are tied to the curvature of space-time, and thus to gravity. There must be a critical mass density, above which photons cannot escape. These are black holes. It took fifty years before possible candidate objects were identified by observational astronomy. Another fifty years have passed, until we finally can present detailed and credible experimental evidence that black holes of 10 to 10^10 times the mass of the Sun exist in the Universe. Three very different experimental techniques have enabled these critical experimental breakthroughs. It has become possible to investigate the space-time structure in the vicinity of the event horizons of black holes. I will summarize these interferometric techniques, and discuss the spectacular recent improvements achieved with all three techniques. In conclusion, I will sketch where the path of exploration and inquiry may lead to in the next decades.

• Speaker: Reinhard Genzel (Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics)
• Thursday 02 May 2024, 16:00-17:00
• Venue: Hoyle Lecture Theatre, Institute of Astronomy (and online - details to be sent by e-mail).
• Series: The Kavli Lectures; organiser: Alison Wilson.

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Probing the epoch of galaxy assembly with MUSE

Abstract not available

• Speaker: Trevor Mendel (ANU)
• Friday 19 April 2024, 11:30-12:30
• Venue: Ryle seminar room + online.
• Series: Galaxies Discussion Group; organiser: Sandro Tacchella.

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arXiv:2404.06550v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present high spectral resolution observations of the hot Jupiter WASP-94 A b using the HARPS instrument on ESO's 3.6m telescope in La Silla, Chile. We probed for Na absorption in its atmosphere as well as constrained the previously reported misaligned retrograde orbit using the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. Additionally, we undertook a combined atmospheric retrieval analysis with previously published low-resolution data. We confirm the retrograde orbit as well as constrain the orbital misalignment with our measurement of a projected spin-orbit obliquity of $\lambda = 123.0 \pm 3.0 ^\circ$. We find a tentative detection of Na absorption in the atmosphere of WASP-94 A b, independent of the treatment of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect in our analysis (3.6$\sigma$ and 4.4$\sigma$). We combine our HARPS high resolution data with low resolution data from the literature and find that while the posterior distribution of the Na abundance results in a tighter constraint than using a single data set, the detection significance does not improve (3.2$\sigma$), which we attribute to degeneracies between the low and high resolution data.

arXiv:2404.06548v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present a new suite of late-end reionization simulations performed with ATON-HE, a revised version of the GPU-based radiative transfer code ATON that includes helium. The simulations are able to reproduce the Ly$\alpha$ flux distribution of the E-XQR-30 sample of QSO absorption spectra at $5 \lesssim z \lesssim 6.2$, and show that a large variety of reionization models are consistent with these data. We explore a range of variations in source models and in the early-stage evolution of reionization. Our fiducial reionization history has a midpoint of reionization at $z = 6.5$, but we also explore an `Early' reionization history with a midpoint at $z = 7.5$ and an `Extremely Early' reionization history with a midpoint at $z = 9.5$. Haloes massive enough to host observed Ly$\alpha$ emitters are highly biased. The fraction of such haloes embedded in ionized bubbles that are large enough to allow high Ly$\alpha$ transmission becomes close to unity much before the volume filling factor of ionized regions. For our fiducial reionization history this happens at $z = 8$, probably too late to be consistent with the detection by JWST of abundant Ly$\alpha$ emission out to $z = 11$. A reionization history in our `Early' model or perhaps even our `Extremely Early' model may be required, suggesting a Thomson scattering optical depth in tension with that reported by Planck, but consistent with recent suggestions of a significantly higher value.

We don’t know what alien life might look like, but if other civilisations can colonise multiple worlds, we might see planets that look unusually similar

arXiv:2404.05488v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: We present new results on PHL 5038AB, a widely separated binary system composed of a white dwarf and a brown dwarf, refining the white and brown dwarf parameters and determining the binary separation to be $66^{+12}_{-24}$~AU. New spectra of the white dwarf show calcium absorption lines suggesting the hydrogen-rich atmosphere is weakly polluted, inferring the presence of planetesimals in the system, which we determine are in an S-type orbit around the white dwarf in orbits closer than 17-32 AU. We do not detect any infrared excess that would indicate the presence of a disc, suggesting all dust present has either been totally accreted or is optically thin. In this system, we suggest the metal pollution in the white dwarf atmosphere can be directly attributed to the presence of the brown dwarf companion disrupting the orbits of planetesimals within the system.

arXiv:2401.09570v3 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Accreting main-sequence stars expand significantly when the mass accretion timescale is much shorter than their thermal timescales. This occurs during mass transfer from an evolved giant star onto a main-sequence companion in a binary system, and is an important phase in the formation of compact binaries including X-ray binaries, cataclysmic variables, and gravitational-wave sources. In this study, we compute 1D stellar models of main-sequence accretors with different initial masses and accretion rates. The calculations are used to derive semi-analytical approximations to the maximum expansion radius. We assume that mass transfer remains fully conservative as long as the inflated accretor fits within its Roche lobe, leading stars to behave like hamsters, stuffing excess material behind their expanding cheeks. We suggest a physically motivated prescription for the mass growth of such "hamstars", which can be used to determine mass-transfer efficiency in rapid binary population synthesis models. With this prescription, we estimate that progenitors of high-mass X-ray binaries and gravitational-wave sources may have experienced highly non-conservative mass transfer. In contrast, for low-mass accretors, the accretion timescale can exceed the thermal timescale by a larger factor without causing significant radial expansion.

arXiv:2404.06098v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Extracting precise cosmology from weak lensing surveys requires modelling the non-linear matter power spectrum, which is suppressed at small scales due to baryonic feedback processes. However, hydrodynamical galaxy formation simulations make widely varying predictions for the amplitude and extent of this effect. We use measurements of Dark Energy Survey Year 3 weak lensing (WL) and Atacama Cosmology Telescope DR5 kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) to jointly constrain cosmological and astrophysical baryonic feedback parameters using a flexible analytical model, `baryonification'. First, using WL only, we compare the $S_8$ constraints using baryonification to a simulation-calibrated halo model, a simulation-based emulator model and the approach of discarding WL measurements on small angular scales. We find that model flexibility can shift the value of $S_8$ and degrade the uncertainty. The kSZ provides additional constraints on the astrophysical parameters and shifts $S_8$ to $S_8=0.823^{+0.019}_{-0.020}$, a higher value than attained using the WL-only analysis. We measure the suppression of the non-linear matter power spectrum using WL + kSZ and constrain a mean feedback scenario that is more extreme than the predictions from most hydrodynamical simulations. We constrain the baryon fractions and the gas mass fractions and find them to be generally lower than inferred from X-ray observations and simulation predictions. We conclude that the WL + kSZ measurements provide a new and complementary benchmark for building a coherent picture of the impact of gas around galaxies across observations.

Nature, Published online: 10 April 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-01054-z

Astronomers and enthusiasts share with Nature what dazzled them most during the moments when the Moon blocked the Sun.

A new way of interpreting the elusive mathematics of quantum mechanics could fundamentally change our understanding of reality

The expansion rate of the universe, measured by the Hubble constant, has been one of the most controversial numbers in cosmology for years, and we seem at last to be close to nailing it down

Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

• Speaker: Sinan Deger (KICC)
• Friday 31 May 2024, 11:30-12:30
• Venue: Ryle seminar room + online.
• Series: Galaxies Discussion Group; organiser: Sandro Tacchella.

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arXiv:2404.05488v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present new results on PHL 5038AB, a widely separated binary system composed of a white dwarf and a brown dwarf, refining the white and brown dwarf parameters and determining the binary separation to be $66^{+12}_{-24}$~AU. New spectra of the white dwarf show calcium absorption lines suggesting the hydrogen-rich atmosphere is weakly polluted, inferring the presence of planetesimals in the system, which we determine are in an S-type orbit around the white dwarf in orbits closer than 17-32 AU. We do not detect any infrared excess that would indicate the presence of a disc, suggesting all dust present has either been totally accreted or is optically thin. In this system, we suggest the metal pollution in the white dwarf atmosphere can be directly attributed to the presence of the brown dwarf companion disrupting the orbits of planetesimals within the system.

arXiv:2404.04508v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Most debris discs consist of a gas-poor, cold dust belt located tens to hundreds of astronomical units away from the host star. Many cold dust belts exhibit distinct structures attributed to the dynamic interaction of planetary systems. Moreover, in a few systems, additional warm components can be found closer to the central star, resembling the asteroid belt or zodiacal dust in our Solar System. In this work, we investigate the structure of the disc surrounding the nearby F2V star HD 105211, which has a warm excess and a potential asymmetry in the cold belt. We applied the CASA pipeline to obtain the ALMA 1.3 mm continuum images. Then we constructed the SED and performed MCMC simulations to fit a model to the ALMA visibility data. To characterise the disc asymmetry, we analysed the ALMA images of two individual observation blocks and compared them to the previous Herschel images. Our modelling reveals that the disc is a narrow ring (23.6+-4.6 au) with low eccentricity positioned at a distance of 133.7+-1.6 au from the central star, which differs from the broad disc (100+-20 au) starting at an inner edge of 87+-2.5 au, inferred from the Herschel images. We found that both observation blocks show excess emission at the stellar position, while OB1 shows an offset between the star and the phase centre, and OB2 shows brightness clumps. We used a two-temperature model to fit the infrared SED and used the ALMA detection to constrain the warm component to a nearly pure blackbody model. The relatively low ratio of actual radius to blackbody radius of the HD105211 debris disc indicates that this system is depleted in small grains, which could indicate that it is dynamically cold. The excess emission from the stellar position suggests that there should be a warm mm-sized dust component close to the star, for which we suggest two possible origins: in situ asteroid belt or comet delivery.

On 8 April, a total solar eclipse passed over Mexico, the US and Canada – here are some of the most stunning images

arXiv:2404.03776v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: With four companions at separations from 16 to 71 au, HR 8799 is a unique target for direct imaging, presenting an opportunity for the comparative study of exoplanets with a shared formation history. Combining new VLTI/GRAVITY observations obtained within the ExoGRAVITY program with archival data, we perform a systematic atmospheric characterisation of all four planets. We explore different levels of model flexibility to understand the temperature structure, chemistry and clouds of each planet using both petitRADTRANS atmospheric retrievals and fits to self-consistent radiative-convective equilibrium models. Using Bayesian Model Averaging to combine multiple retrievals, we find that the HR 8799 planets are highly enriched in metals, with [M/H] $\gtrsim$1, and have stellar to super-stellar C/O ratios. The C/O ratio increases with increasing separation from $0.55^{+0.12}_{-0.10}$ for d to $0.78^{+0.03}_{-0.04}$ for b, with the exception of the innermost planet which has a C/O ratio of $0.87\pm0.03$. By retrieving a quench pressure and using a disequilibrium chemistry model we derive vertical mixing strengths compatible with predictions for high-metallicity, self-luminous atmospheres. Bayesian evidence comparisons strongly favour the presence of HCN in HR 8799 c and e, as well as CH$_{4}$ in HR 8799 c, with detections at $>5\sigma$ confidence. All of the planets are cloudy, with no evidence for patchiness. The clouds of c, d and e are best fit by silicate clouds lying above a deep iron cloud layer, while the clouds of the cooler HR 8799 b are more likely composed of Na$_{2}$S. With well defined atmospheric properties, future exploration of this system is well positioned to unveil further detail in these planets, extending our understanding of the composition, structure, and formation history of these siblings.

Hierarchical star cluster assembly boosts intermediate-mass black hole formation

Observations and high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations indicate that massive star clusters assemble hierarchically from sub-clusters with a universal power-law cluster mass function. We study the consequences of such assembly for the formation of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) and massive black hole (MBH) seeds at low metallicities (1% of the solar value) with our updated direct N-body code BIFROST in simulations up to N = 2.35 million stars. The GPU -accelerated code BIFROST is based on the hierarchical fourth-order forward integrator. Few-body systems are treated using secular and regularized techniques including post-Newtonian equations of motion up to order PN3 .5 and gravitational-wave recoil kicks for merging BHs. Stellar evolution is provided by the fast population synthesis code SEVN . IMBHs with masses up to 2200 solar masses form rapidly mainly via the collapse of very massive stars (VMSs) assembled through repeated collisions of massive stars followed by growth through tidal disruption events (TDEs) and BH mergers. Later the IMB Hs form subsystems resulting in gravitational-wave BH-BH, IMBH -BH and IMBH -IMBH mergers with a 1000 solar mass gravitational-wave detection being the observable prediction. Our simulations indicate that the hierarchical formation of massive star clusters in metal poor environments naturally results in formation of potential seeds for supermassive black holes.

• Speaker: Antti Rantala (MPA)
• Wednesday 22 May 2024, 11:30-12:30
• Venue: Martin Ryle Meeting Room, KICC + Online.
• Series: Kavli Institute for Cosmology Seminars; organiser: Alison Wilson.

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One total solar eclipse changed physics forever – and even to this day these celestial phenomena are astonishing viewers and teaching us crucial lessons about the universe

Stephen Hawking and Jacob Bekenstein calculated the entropy of a black hole in the 1970s, but it took physicists until now to figure out the quantum effects that make the formula work

Inside Astronomically Realistic Black Holes

I will use a real-time general relativistic Black Hole Flight Similator to show what really happens inside astronomically realistic black holes. The inner horizon of a rotating black hole is the most violent place in the Universe, easily reaching and surpassing energy densities attained in the Big Bang. What does Nature do at this extraordinary place?

• Speaker: Prof. Andrew Hamilton (University of Colorado Boulder)
• Thursday 16 May 2024, 16:00-17:00
• Venue: Hoyle Lecture Theatre, Institute of Astronomy.
• Series: Institute of Astronomy Colloquia; organiser: eb694.

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