Ground-based gravitational-wave detectors operating in the sub-Hertz regime are expected to be strongly limited by environmental gravity-gradient fluctuations, commonly referred to as Newtonian Noise (NN). At the same time, this frequency band provides unique opportunities to probe terrestrial gravitational perturbations associated with seismic and atmospheric processes. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of using the proposed Cryogenic sub-Hz cROss torsion-bar detector with quantum NOn-demolition speed meter (CHRONOS) as a platform for studying gravity-gradient noise and detecting prompt gravitational signals from earthquakes. We model gravity-gradient contributions from Rayleigh-wave-induced seismic fields, atmospheric infrasound fluctuations, and transient mass redistribution during earthquakes, and project these onto the CHRONOS torsion-bar response. CHRONOS achieves a peak strain sensitivity of order ~1e-18 Hz^(-1/2) near ~2 Hz. Rayleigh-wave NN is found to be the dominant environmental contribution below approximately 0.5 Hz, while atmospheric NN remains several orders of magnitude smaller throughout the frequency range considered. We further assess the detectability of prompt gravitational signals from earthquakes. For a representative Mw = 5.2 event, sources within approximately 90 km may produce detectable signals. At 40 km distance, we obtain a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of approximately 3.62 integrated over the sub-Hz band, with a corresponding strain amplitude reaching the CHRONOS sensitivity curve around 0.2 to 0.6 Hz. The gravitational signal is expected to precede seismic P-wave arrival by several seconds, depending on the assumed propagation velocity. These results demonstrate the potential of CHRONOS to probe both gravity-gradient noise and transient geophysical gravity signals in the sub-Hertz regime.

A possible approach for preventing compact astrophysical objects from gravitational collapse into singularities is the idea of dark energy. Since it is the cause of our universe's accelerated expansion, it has the greatest impact on the cosmos. As a result, it appears that dark energy can interact with any compact astrophysical stellar object [Phys. Rev. D 103, 084042 (2021)]. In this study, our primary objective is to develop a simpler model of a charged strange star coupled with anisotropic dark energy admitting the Adler-Finch-Skea solution [J. Math. Phys. 15, 727 (1974); Class. Quantum Grav. 6, 467 (1989)] within Einstein gravity. To develop this model, the Karmarkar condition was employed to determine the radial metric component, while Adler's methodology was used to choose the time-metric component. For this purpose, we explored a particular strange star, Her X-1, with observed values of mass $(0.85 \pm 0.15)M_{\odot}$ and radius $= 8.1_{-0.41}^{+0.41}$ km. In this context, we proceeded to model dark energy using the equation of state (EoS), such that the density of dark energy is proportional to the density of isotropic perfect fluid matter. The unknown constants in the metric were determined by smooth matching using the Darmois-Israel criterion. We conduct an in-depth examination of the stability and force equilibrium of our suggested star framework, as well as several physical characteristics of the model such as the metric function, pressure, density, mass-radius relation, and dark energy parameters. Thus, the physical consistency and stability of the present model are investigated. Therefore, following a comprehensive theoretical investigation, we discovered that our proposed model is singularity free and meets all the stability requirements to be a stable and physically realistic stellar model.

Spontaneous CP violation (SCPV) provides an attractive solution to the strong CP problem. However, SCPV after inflation suffers from the formation of CP domain walls, requiring the maximal temperature of the Universe to lie below the CP-breaking scale. In the present work, we then propose a dynamical mechanism that removes this cosmological constraint without introducing permanent explicit CPV. We consider a new scalar field that acquires a large field value with a nontrivial phase in the early Universe and induces a transient bias among degenerate CP vacua through a higher-dimensional interaction with a CP-breaking scalar field. This bias triggers the decay of CP domain walls after they form. As the new scalar field evolves toward the origin, the bias disappears, leaving the low-energy CP structure intact. We derive the conditions for successful domain wall decay and identify the viable parameter space. Furthermore, we point out that the coherent oscillation of the new scalar field naturally survives as dark matter, linking the resolution of the CP domain wall problem to the origin of dark matter.

We report a comparison of frequency fluctuations in oven-controlled quartz bulk-acoustic-wave oscillators operated above ground and one kilometre underground in a low-muon-background environment. The experiment is motivated by the possibility that cosmic rays and other ionizing-radiation backgrounds produce rare, impulsive energy-deposition events that perturb high-Q mechanical resonators and appear as intermittent, non-Gaussian structure in oscillator frequency noise. Conventional power spectral density and Allan-deviation analyses show no statistically compelling separation between the two environments over the explored timescales. In contrast, multi-scale sample entropy and its modified form reveal a pronounced divergence, with the underground data exhibiting increased predictability over a broad range of effective integration times. This result identifies a change in the temporal structure of the oscillator fluctuations that is largely hidden from standard second-order frequency-stability metrics. We therefore propose multi-scale sample entropy as a new diagnostic for frequency control and timing, complementary to Allan deviation and spectral analysis, with particular sensitivity to intermittent structure, non-stationary contributions, and rare-event contamination. The observed entropy separation also provides evidence that the above-ground cosmic-ray environment influences oscillator frequency fluctuations, suggesting that radiation-linked disturbances may contribute to the stochastic behaviour of precision mechanical oscillators. These findings introduce an entropy-based methodology for oscillator metrology and provide a practical tool for future fundamental-physics experiments using cryogenic resonant sensors, where rare-event backgrounds and poorly understood low-frequency noise can limit sensitivity.

A striking feature in the observed chemical composition of the majority of stars is the universality of the relative abundances of the heavy elements, although some outliers exist. We demonstrate that a nonequilibrium freeze-out approach provides a natural way of accounting for the typical abundance pattern and its variation. Here, we use a phenomenological method to characterize the coarse-grained distribution of heavy $r$-process elements in several astrophysical objects. The Lagrange parameters show only minor fluctuations when comparing different stars. Larger deviations are observed in stars with low metallicity. The variations in the Lagrange parameters for these stars are presented. The determination of the Lagrange parameters can be instrumental in identifying possible sources for the formation of heavy elements. In particular, density fluctuations are considered as a source for the production of heavy elements in the early Universe.

Extreme mass-ratio inspirals embedded in accretion disks provide a natural arena for studying the interplay between relativistic orbital dynamics and environmental effects. In this work, we develop a framework to investigate the secular evolution of compact objects repeatedly crossing an accretion disk around a supermassive black hole. The orbital motion is modeled through Kerr geodesics, while disk interactions are encoded through effective prescriptions for mass accretion and dynamical friction. We find that disk-induced dissipation generically drives a two-stage evolution characterized by rapid alignment of the orbital plane with the disk, followed by slower eccentricity damping. By systematically comparing the dynamics with a purely Keplerian treatment, we show that cumulative relativistic effects produce deviations even at large orbital separations, where the Keplerian approximation would naively be expected to remain accurate. These discrepancies grow through repeated disk crossings and become increasingly pronounced in more relativistic orbital configurations. We further investigate the impact of the accretion-disk model by comparing the Sirko-Goodman and Novikov-Thorne prescriptions. Relativistic disk structures predict systematically lower densities and larger scale heights, leading to weaker orbital dissipation and slower secular evolution. By contrast, the spin of the central black hole has only a minor effect on the overall circularization efficiency. Our results demonstrate the importance of consistently modeling both relativistic orbital dynamics and disk structure when studying compact objects embedded in AGN disks, and provide a framework for exploring their long-term evolution, as well as a possible connection to quasi-periodic eruptions.

We compute the one-loop weak corrections to the annihilation cross sections of fermionic Minimal Dark Matter multiplets. Infrared divergences cancel in the dominant $s$-wave combination relevant for the thermal relic abundance. Instead, infrared-enhanced corrections affect velocity-suppressed rates, through a Sudakov/Sommerfeld interplay. The corrections grow with the multiplet size and are at the $5\%$ level in the most motivated cases: the Higgsino-like doublet, the wino-like triplet, the stable quintuplet.

We discuss the early history of quasiperiodic ~27-day recurrent geomagnetic activity starting with Maunder (1904, 1905), Chree (1913) and Bartels (1932, 1934), and the Bartels term "M-regions". We show the iconic "interaction region (IR)" schematic of Belcher and Davis (1971) and the further development of Smith and Wolfe (1976) and the term "corotating interaction region (CIR)". We quote the Jian et al. (2006) definition of a "stream interaction region (SIR)". We disagree with Jian et al. (2006) on the use of the term (SIR) to indicate "transient and possibly localized stream interactions" with "poor recurrence" (Gosling et al., 2001). We feel that this description is too vague for use in scientific studies. We suggest, instead identifying the specific known interplanetary phenomena: interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) sheaths, ICMEs (loops, magnetic clouds, filaments), CIRs, high-speed streams (HSSs) and slow streams. All of these various interplanetary phenomena have different solar and interplanetary origins and different plasma and magnetic field properties. The different interplanetary phenomena have been shown to have different geomagnetic effectivenesses. In keeping with this theme of naming specific interplanetary phenomenon, we introduce the term "Super CIR (SCIR)", which describes a CIR associated with magnetic reconnection at the edge of a solar coronal hole with an embedded coronal jet. SCIRs are a new form of a "transient event" and can be identified by exceptionally strong internal magnetic fields and bounded by both forward and reverse shocks. The SCIR on 6-7 April 2000 caused an exceptionally strong SYM-H = -319 nT superstorm, a first detected/reported event of its kind.

The IIT Madras nano-satellite aims to investigate the science of energetic particle precipitation from the inner Van Allen radiation belt into the upper ionosphere as a potential precursor to earthquakes. Precursors in the form of low frequency electromagnetic waves can appear several hours before an earthquake. These waves, captured near the ionosphere magnetosphere transition region, propagate along geomagnetic field lines as Alfven waves and interact resonantly with trapped energetic particles in the radiation belt, causing their precipitation. Such precipitation can be observed by satellites as energetic particle bursts occurring a few hours prior to the earthquake. A numerical study of Alfven wave energetic proton interactions in the inner Van Allen belt is presented here to investigate the energetic proton precipitation and make predictions to support the scientific objective of the IITM satellite mission. A kinetic model of the energetic trapped proton population in the inner belt is developed, yielding a steady-state distribution that reproduces the observed density profile. The Finite Difference Time Domain method is employed to simulate both narrowband seismic event specific emissions and broadband background noise representing magnetohydrodynamic Alfven wave activity in the inner radiation belt. The studies of interactions of narrow-band Alfven wave packets with the energetic protons in the belt reveals that a sharp cyclotron resonance condition arises at a low Alfven frequency 10 Hz, causing substantial precipitation of high energy protons 125 MeV from their stable mirror orbits. This precipitation can be clearly distinguished from background noisy interactions. Based on these results, we predict the optimal satellite orbital altitude for detecting such energetic proton bursts.

A network of cosmic strings is one of the few well-motivated cosmological sources of vector and tensor metric perturbations on the largest observable scales. Such perturbations imprint a characteristic curl component in the deflection angle of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons that, unlike the scalar lensing potential, vanishes for adiabatic density fluctuations at linear order. We exploit the curl-mode lensing reconstruction released as part of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release~6 (DR6), based on five seasons of temperature and polarization data covering $9400~\mathrm{deg}^2$ of sky, to set new constraints on the dimensionless string tension $Gμ$ and the inter-commutation (reconnection) probability $P$. Modelling the string-induced curl power spectrum within the velocity-dependent one-scale framework, we obtain a $2σ$ upper bound on the combination $GμP^{-1}\le 3.5\times 10^{-5}$ in the small-$P$ regime, and $Gμ\le 5.0\times 10^{-5}$ at $2σ$ assuming the canonical Nambu-Goto value $P=1$. Combining the ACT DR6 curl bandpowers with the Planck 2013 curl-mode reconstruction, which extends down to $L_{\rm min}=2$, tightens these bounds to $GμP^{-1}\le 3.2\times 10^{-5}$ and $Gμ\le 4.3\times 10^{-5}$ ($2σ$). These represent the tightest constraints on cosmic strings derived from the curl-mode CMB lensing power spectrum to date. Using the ACT data alone, compared to the ACT 2008-season analysis, the ACT DR6 constraint on $GμP^{-1}$ is nearly an order of magnitude tighter.

In solar flares, flare ribbons map chromospheric footpoints where flare energy deposition occurs. These locations are associated with field aligned energy transport from the corona that results from energy liberated during magnetic reconnection. Recent chromospheric observations in the H$α$ and H$β$ bands have revealed fine-scale downflow structures above flare ribbons, referred to as riblets. In this study, we identify similar downflow structures in the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength using high-resolution observations from Solar Orbiter/EUI. These fine-scale downflows appear as downward-propagating, bright, and thread-like structures. They exhibit typical velocities of $\sim100~\mathrm{km\ s^{-1}}$, lifetimes of $\sim15$~s, and lengths of $\sim1.6$~Mm. Based on their morphological and dynamical properties, we interpret these observed downflows as the EUV counterparts of the riblets that have previously been reported from chromospheric observations. This study presents EUV imaging of $\sim 10^6$~K downflows above flare ribbons. We interpret these downflows as a result of (1) the energisation and subsequent compression of pre-existing chromospheric fibrils due to particle beams or (2) adiabatic or shock-driven compression induced by the downward-propagating plasma from the corona. These fine-scale EUV riblets provide a new diagnostic tool for probing the dynamics of magnetic reconnection as well as energy transport and deposition during solar flares.

This dissertation studies the electromagnetic signatures of accreting supermassive black holes using general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations and covariant radiative-transfer calculations. It develops a unified numerical framework for modeling black-hole accretion, jet launching, flaring activity, and multi-band variability in Kerr, non-Kerr, and binary black-hole spacetimes. For isolated Kerr black holes, I investigate how magnetic-field geometry affects accretion dynamics and transient emission. Multi-loop magnetic configurations naturally produce reconnection events and flux-rope structures that can power near-infrared flares from Sagittarius A*, while the evolving optical depth of expanding plasma explains delayed millimeter emission. I also show that in tilted magnetically arrested disks, magnetic torques can drive retrograde disk and jet precession. The dissertation then applies the same framework to more complex spacetimes. Simulations of accretion onto regular loop-quantum black holes show that quantum-gravity corrections can modify photon-ring size, polarization structure, and jet power, leading to observational constraints from Event Horizon Telescope data. Finally, simulations of supermassive binary black holes in time-dependent spacetimes reveal how gravitational self-lensing, shock activity, and spin-orbit coupling shape multi-wavelength light curves and jet precession. Together, these results connect relativistic plasma dynamics with current and future observations of black-hole systems.

We present a new method for the automated classification of eclipsing binaries, into contact, detached, and semi-detached types using Kepler data. Phase-folded light curves are generated and chi-square vs. box size plots are constructed by comparing flux values to the median flux, revealing distinct class patterns. These patterns were first modelled using a polynomial damped sinusoidal function, whose period served as classification feature, achieving an overall accuracy of 86.5 percent. To capture more features and enhance accuracy, we trained a convolutional neural network, which improved the total accuracy to 90 percent, including 47 percent for the challenging semi-detached systems. However, several binaries displayed irregular chi-square signatures. To mitigate this, we incorporated simulated light curves generated with the PHOEBE modelling code, achieving 99 per cent accuracy in distinguishing contact and detached binaries. The resulting chi-square morphologies show a strong correlation with orbital period, and a subset of systems exhibit quarterly variability in their light curves and chi-square trends. We designate these as Temporally Varying systems. By measuring the normalized spread of the chi-square period across quarters, we define a statistical threshold that separates these systems from stable binaries. We reported four Temporally Varying systems not previously noted in the literature with magnetic activity that requires further investigation. Furthermore, cooler stars, namely late-F, G, K, and M types, display systematically higher variability than hotter stars. Cross-matching with catalogues of magnetically active stars indicates that stellar flares and starspots are the most likely causes of this enhanced variability.

We present spatially resolved parsec-scale measurements of nuclear conditions (gas density and kinetic temperature) relevant for black hole accretion rate predictions in the Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 1068. We inject these parameters into the prescription for a Bondi-like accretion model, then compare the resulting accretion rate prediction to the empirical accretion rate derived from hard X-ray observations. Cosmological simulations have spatial resolution ranging from $\sim$10 pc to $\sim$kpc scales, and so for reasonable comparison we test these accretion rate predictions in pixel-sized radial steps out to 500 pc. Compared to warm H$_2$ gas, CO gas is the dominant mass carrier close to the SMBH. We find that the Bondi accretion rate ($\dot{\mathrm{M}}_{\mathrm{Bondi}}$) of cold molecular gas alone (measured using CO) overestimates the true accretion rate by up to 14 dex in a small aperture (r$\lesssim$5 pc) around the black hole, and by at least 8 dex inside large apertures (r$\lesssim$500 pc). These results are the first in a series of direct tests of accretion rate prescriptions, and they suggest that using a Bondi accretion formalism to model supermassive black hole accretion in Seyfert 2 galaxies may lead to overestimated accretion rates in simulations.

Dense gas is the direct fuel for star formation, but measuring it has long been difficult at z>2, especially in typical star-forming main-sequence galaxies. In this work, we report the first detection of HNC (J = 5--4) and CN (N = 4--3) emission in a massive main-sequence galaxy, BX610, at z=2.21. The velocity integrated emission of HNC(5--4)+CN(4--3) is concentrated in the galactic centre, coincident with the region of ongoing intense star formation. Based on line decomposition, we measure a line flux ratio HNC(5--4)/CN(4--3) of $1.05\pm0.23$, similar to that of starburst galaxies at comparable redshifts but lower than that of quasar/AGN host galaxies. The comparatively fainter HNC(5--4) disfavours the presence of a strongly buried AGN in BX610, consistent with optical line diagnostics. The radiative transfer analysis favours the presence of dense gas with a density of $(2-4)\times10^{6}\,\text{cm}^{-3}$ and a kinetic temperature of 50-80 K. The derived abundance ratio between N(HNC) and N(CN) favours dense gas clouds near photodissociation regions, as commonly seen in typical starburst environments. The inferred dense-gas line luminosity closely follows the scaling relation between far-IR and dense-gas line luminosities established for local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). Our observations support the view that star formation in cosmic noon galaxies is primarily controlled by the availability of dense gas, which could be enhanced in central galactic regions with efficient cold gas inflows as observed in BX610 along the inner spiral arms and a possible stellar bar.

PSR J1913+1102 is a highly asymmetric double neutron star system and an excellent laboratory for testing scalar-tensor gravity theories, as well as a potential progenitor analogue of GW170817 that will merge in 470 Myr. We present an updated timing analysis combining 13 years of historical Arecibo observations and new FAST measurements, using two approaches to model dispersion-measure variations. The new timing solution provides precise measurements of four post-Keplerian parameters and improves the system mass estimates. Assuming general relativity and modelling the DM variation with a Gaussian process, we obtain a three-fold improvement in the total mass, m_{tot}=2.88948(20) M_\odot, and nearly four-fold improvements in the pulsar and companion masses, m_p=1.599(8) M_\odot and m_c=1.290(8) M_\odot, giving the mass ratio, q=0.807(8). We also measure an improved proper motion, μ=7.71(25) mas yr^{-1}, enabling a more accurate correction of the observed orbital-period derivative. Combined with the improved orbital-decay measurement, this yields an intrinsic orbital-period derivative \dot{P}_b^{intr}=-4.60(6)\times10^{-13} s s^{-1}, five times more precise than the previous value and fully consistent with the general-relativistic prediction for gravitational-wave damping. The improved masses and precise \dot{P}*b^{intr} place stringent constraints on dipolar gravitational-wave emission and the spontaneous-scalarisation window around 1.6 M*\odot. The refined proper motion and mass measurements also provide tighter constraints on the final helium-star mass immediately prior to its core collapse and formation of the second NS in a supernova, as well as on the magnitude and direction of the associated natal kick of the DNS system.

JWST images in the MIRI filters are characterized by prominent interstellar bubbles, most of which are expected to be created by mechanical energy injected into the interstellar medium by dying massive stars. In this work, we use resolved stellar populations (RSPs) in JWST/NIRCam images of NGC 628 from the JWST-FEAST dataset to determine the demography of stellar populations within these bubbles by comparing them with PARSEC+COLIBRI isochrones using a Bayesian framework. Our analysis reveals the presence of multiple stellar populations younger than 100 Myr within the bubbles, suggesting secondary star formation following the first generation of stars that formed the bubble. We find a clear preference for the most recently formed stars to lie closer to the bubble shell. In contrast, relatively older stars are distributed throughout the bubble interior, consistent with a scenario in which stars formed in dense shells are left behind as the shell expands. We also examine PHANGS-HST cluster candidates within large bubbles and find no convincing progenitor clusters responsible for the initial trigger, indicating that low-mass clusters or OB associations may be sufficient to drive the initial expansion. However, the cluster may dissolve as it co-evolves with the bubble, producing the dispersed stellar distributions observed in larger bubbles. We establish a fundamental plane relation for stellar feedback-driven bubbles that involves the stellar population mass, age, bubble size, gas density, and feedback efficiency, highlighting the ability of JWST/NIRCam CMDs to characterize stellar populations driving interstellar bubble expansion in nearby galaxies

Reliable identification of low-coronal CME origins remains a key limitation in space weather forecasting with coronagraphs not directly resolving low-coronal signatures. We present a re-engineered multi-thermal implementation of the ALMANAC algorithm, designed to detect eruptive signatures in EUV observations. The framework extends the method to a multi-wavelength system, improving robustness against projection effects, instrumental artifacts, and wavelength-dependent ambiguities via complementary temperature responses. A spatiotemporal clustering scheme merges detections across channels, reducing event bifurcation and improving coherence while maintaining NRT performance through parallel computing. Benchmarking against 20 halo CMEs from CDAW shows improved interpretability and operational usability, with clearer separation of eruptions and more consistent onset localisation relative to coronagraph estimates. The main benefits arise from improved event discrimination, reduced fragmentation, and more interpretable source region identification. ALMANAC shows sensitivity to precursor low-coronal activity not always captured in white-light catalogues, highlighting its advantages for early warning detection. When coupled with the ARTop framework, it enables co-analysis of coronal intensity variability and photospheric magnetic evolution. In this context, kurtosis time-series from multi-wavelength EUV data exhibit recurrent pre-eruptive spikes that frequently align with enhancements in magnetic winding and helicity injection. Across multiple regions, these signatures often precede solar activity, including potential discrimination of X-class flares, while remaining suppressed during magnetically quiet intervals. Overall, integrating coronal diagnostics with photospheric topology offers a pathway toward improved eruption forecasting and space weather prediction.

Over the past several decades, observations have shown that minor ions have a higher temperature and flow faster than protons in the solar wind. Theories based on turbulence have been developed that can explain many of these observed phenomena. We present our first step in developing a global multi-ion solar wind model with turbulence by including ion temperatures but not yet including differential streaming. The extent of this model is from the lower transition region (50,000 K temperature) to the corona and inner heliosphere. It uses low-frequency, reflection-driven incompressible turbulence to address coronal heating and solar wind acceleration. The energy partitioning of the turbulence dissipation to the electrons and various ions is based on stochastic heating and linear Landau and transit-time damping. In order to test the validity of our approach we have carried out a three-dimensional simulation of the solar corona and the solar wind using an idealized dipole magnetic field configuration, calculated the Oxygen temperature across the entire domain, and compared it to measurements obtained from the UltraViolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite and with the Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) on board Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE). The comparison shows that even with the simplified magnetic field configuration the multi-ion model predictions reproduce the heavy-ion preferential heating phenomena in both remote-sensing and in-situ observations.

Characterizing the coldest directly imaged companions through direct spectroscopy has only recently become possible with the James Webb Space Telescope. We present moderate-resolution (R $\sim$ 2,700) spectroscopic observations of the directly imaged planetary-mass companion (PMC), GJ 504 b, using the $JWST$/NIRSpec. As the coldest imaged PMC of the pre-JWST era GJ 504 b is too faint for ground-based spectroscopy, with only photometric observations possible. Leveraging advanced post-processing techniques with a forward modeling framework, we detect the companion at high signal-to-noise (S/N$>$300). We also present the first successful PSF subtraction with angular differential imaging (ADI) in the NIRSpec point cloud, detecting GJ 504 b at S/N$>10$ and reaching contrast limits $<10^{-4}$. The extracted 2.9--5.3 $μm$ spectra show strong signatures of several molecular species, including H$_2$O, $^{12}$C$^{16}$O, CH$_4$, CO$_2$, NH$_3$, H$_2$S, $^{13}$C$^{16}$O, and $^{12}$C$^{18}$O. Atmospheric modeling of the spectra using \texttt{petitRADTRANS}, yields an effective temperature = 564$\pm$4 K, surface gravity $\log{g}$ = 4.87$^{+0.13}_{-0.12}$, metallicity [M/H] = 0.67$^{+0.13}_{-0.12}$, C/O ratio = 0.64$^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$, interstellar $^{12}$C/$^{13}$C and $^{16}$O/$^{18}$O isotopologue ratios, and strong evidence of disequilibrium chemistry and salt clouds. The retrieved parameters indicate a mass 25.2$^{+8.4}_{-6.0}$ $M_\mathrm{Jup}$, which is in agreement with the mass range (19--27 $M_\mathrm{Jup}$) obtained from ATMO evolutionary models, implying an age of 2.5--4.0 Gyr. Lastly, we compare the abundances of GJ 504 b to its primary, obtaining a stellar abundance of sulfur (S), super-stellar carbon (C), and possibly, oxygen (O). The observed metal enrichment tentatively supports planet-like formation, but does not entirely exclude stellar abundances for GJ 504 b.

Ensuring thermal stability of robotic fiber positioners is essential for reliable operation in the real environments of Stage-5 telescopes, where temperature variations can influence mechanical behavior and impact fiber-target accuracy. We present the results of thermal qualification tests conducted on 6.2-mm-pitch robotic positioner modules developed for high-density fiber positioning in next-generation astronomical systems. The positioners were characterized at discrete temperatures spanning negative 20 deg C to positive 30 deg C, representative of expected operational conditions. At each temperature point, key performance metrics, positioning repeatability, hard-stop repeatability, backlash, and non-linearity, were measured and compared to nominal performance. Across the full temperature range, the positioners maintained stable behavior with no measurable degradation in any metric and no evidence of mechanical or electrical damage. These results confirm that the 6.2-mm-pitch architecture provides the necessary thermal resilience for deployment in Stage-5 telescope instrumentation.

In $Λ$CDM cosmology, galaxies and clusters form within dark matter halos and merge in the hierarchical assembly paradigm to form massive systems. Using the released optical survey data, we searched for groups composed solely of dwarf galaxies, each with a stellar mass $M_*<10^{9.5}~M_{\odot}$. We identified 14 dwarf galaxy groups with at least 5 dwarf galaxies, all located within a projected radius of 200 kpc and with a line-of-sight velocity of $\pm$300 km~s$^{-1}$. We checked photometric and imaging data and found that these 14 dwarf galaxy groups are solitary, with no neighboring massive galaxies with $M_*>10^{10}~M_{\odot}$ within 500 kpc and within $\pm$1200 km s$^{-1}$. The stellar mass fractions of dwarf galaxy groups with $M_{\rm dyn}>10^{12}~M_{\odot}$ are much lower than predicted by the canonical stellar mass and halo mass relation. These dwarf galaxies are gravitationally bound within halos with a dynamical mass of around $M_{\rm dyn} \sim 10^{12}~M_{\odot}$ and a virial radius of less than 400 kpc. These dwarf galaxy groups, therefore, indicate primordial halos that host only a few newly formed dwarf galaxies.

The Wide-field Spectroscopic Telescope (WST) is a proposed 12-meter segmented facility optimized for seeing- and Ground Layer Adaptive Optics-limited observations in the visible and designed to operate both a high-multiplex multi-object spectrograph and a panoramic integral field spectrograph (IFS). The WST IFS concept builds on instruments such as MUSE at the VLT (Very Large Telescope), using field splitters and image slicers to reformat a large field into pseudo-slits feeding spectrographs with two optimized spectral channels. This paper presents the integrated design approach adopted for the IFS, focusing on a trade study of spectrograph architectures. We explore design choices such as pixel pitch, detector format, and camera optical design against throughput, image quality, error budgets, volume, cost. The study adds one ecological metric: the carbon footprint of building each spectrograph, to inform design sustainability. The study also explores the potential of curved detectors. Early results suggest that many simpler spectrographs outperform fewer complex units technically and economically.

Recollimation shocks are a frequent outcome in overpressured relativistic jets and are crucial for interpreting stationary features in Active Galactic Nuclei. The precise influence of magnetic fields on jet stability, energy dissipation, and variability remains debated, particularly as different field configurations can significantly alter shock properties and the onset of fluid instabilities. We perform a study of 2D axisymmetric RMHD jets to quantify how the ambient density contrast ($ν$), pressure ratio ($P$), magnetization ($σ$), and magnetic pitch parameter ($α$) govern the formation and strength of the first recollimation shock. We also assess how these parameters create the local geometric conditions favorable for the centrifugal instability (CFI), utilizing linear theory as a diagnostic. We find that the jet's global geometry is affected by the magnetic pressure. The recollimation distance decreases monotonically with increasing magnetization $σ$, as increased magnetic forces immediately limit jet expansion. Remarkably, in the magnetically dominated regime, the ratio of the magnetized recollimation distance ($z_{\rm MHD}$) to its purely hydrodynamic counterpart ($z_{\rm HD}$) converges onto a power-law scaling, $z_{MHD}/z_{HD} \propto (B_0^2/P_{ext})^{-1/3}$, where $B_0$ the initial magnetic field and $P_{ext}$ the external pressure. Jets with high density contrast relative to the ambient medium or high internal pressure further enhance field compression. Furthermore, synthetic synchrotron maps show that a dominant toroidal field yields highly boosted, localized emission knots, whereas a strong poloidal field creates a diffuse profile and shifts the recollimation zone downstream. Regions susceptible to CFI are determined primarily by the local $σ_{\text{tor}}/Γ^2$ profile and streamline curvature created during recollimation.

Molecules detected in circumstellar envelopes around asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are generally well explained in terms of formation under chemical equilibrium in the stellar atmosphere or photochemistry in the outer expanding layers. However, several molecules are detected in the inner circumstellar regions with abundances orders of magnitude above the predictions of chemical equilibrium. Anomalously abundant molecules comprise H2O, NH3, SiH4, and PH3 in C-rich envelopes and HCN, CS, and NH3 in O-rich sources. These molecules are formed by some yet unknown nonequilibrium processes. Aims: We aim to shed light on the nonequilibrium process that enhances the abundance of anomalously abundant molecules in the inner regions of circumstellar envelopes. Here, we focus on HCN in O-rich stars to constrain its formation radius. Method: We observed the O-rich AGB stars RCrt and IKTau with ALMA at high angular resolution (HPBW=~0.05") in the J=4-3 line of HCN in both the ground and the ν_2=1 vibrational states. The radial distribution of the emission was modeled using a large velocity gradient radiative transfer code in which we considered an abundance profile with a central hole. Results: The models with a hole in the abundance distribution of HCN reproduce the specific shape of the radial emission distribution around the two studied O-rich stars. The best models locate the formation radius of HCN at 4-6 Rstar in RCrt and 3-5 Rstar in IKTau. Conclusion: The formation radius of HCN inferred from observations is consistent with models that invoke shocked-induced chemistry but also with models where photochemistry acts as the solely disequilibrium process. High angular resolution observations of more O-rich stars and tailored shocked-induced and/or photochemical models are needed to unambiguously unveil the underlying mechanism behind anomalously abundant molecules in AGB envelopes.

Efficient light transmission in the blue-visible regime remains a major limitation for fiber-fed astronomical spectrographs, where low photon flux and the intrinsic attenuation of conventional silica fibers reduce survey sensitivity and depth. Inhibited-coupling hollow-core fibers (IC-HCFs) with reduced surface roughness offer a promising alternative, providing guidance predominantly in air and enabling significantly lower loss across the visible spectrum. In this study, we present a comparative evaluation of IC-HCFs against standard multi-mode fibers used in current astronomical instrumentation. We assess the throughput loss that occurs due to bending, twisting, or pinching of the optical fibers when moved using one of the robotic fiber-positioner prototypes designed for next-generation telescopes. These measurements quantify the performance gains offered by IC-HCFs for blue-sensitive spectroscopy and assess their suitability for integration into future survey facilities.

We present phantom (Profile and Halo Analysis for Numerous Theoretical dark Matter Observables), a public MATLAB toolbox and Octave package for calculations that connect the linear density field to dark matter halo observables. The package combines a flexible cosmology module with linear power spectrum, variance, and correlation function solvers, and a halo module that covers mass functions, linear bias, density profiles, and concentration-mass relations for cold, warm, and fuzzy dark matter scenarios. All core routines are validated against the Python package colossus, hmf, and halomod, yielding sub-percent agreement for shared models across distances, power spectra, variance, correlation functions, halo mass functions, and density profiles. Phantom is organised around a cosmology structure that stores background expansion, growth, and linear power-spectrum handles; this object is constructed once and passed through the call graph, so that halo statistics and halo structure calculations remain consistent by design. From this single entry point, users can obtain field statistics (power spectrum, variance, correlation function), halo statistics (mass functions, linear bias), and halo observables (enclosed mass, circular velocity, projected density, and lensing convergence) on arbitrary user-defined grids. The toolbox targets users whose analysis pipelines are written in MATLAB or Octave, where a validated native implementation of these models has been absent. The code is released under the MIT licence at phantom(https://github.com/matc-thaher/PHANTOM).

Following the first observational study of the two-dimensional spatial distribution of stellar specific angular momentum (sAM) in late-type galaxies, we quantify the morpho-kinematic diversity of galaxy simulations using the newly proposed j-types classification. We analyse the stellar sAM surface density (sAMSD) of $\sim$8000 TNG50 stellar discs spanning $0 \leq z \leq 3.5$ and $9.5 \leq \log(M_\star/\mathrm{M}_\odot) \leq 11.2$, selected from the TNG50 MW/M31 parent sample. We characterize their j-substructures using four morpho-kinematic metrics derived from comparisons with the Freeman sAMSD distribution and the Fourier decomposition of the galaxies in the sAMSD space. A Gaussian mixture model with four fully covariant components assigns each galaxy a probability of belonging to one of four j-types. We find that TNG50 discs exhibit a morpho-kinematic diversity consistent with observations, redistributing stellar angular momentum through four dominant j-substructures that evolve with redshift as follows: j-irregulars ($\bar{z}=0.91$), j-spirals ($\bar{z}=0.76$), j-rings ($\bar{z}=0.62$), and j-bars ($\bar{z}=0.39$). The gas fraction and stellar rotational support ($V/σ$) drive this evolution: gas-rich galaxies preferentially host j-irregulars and j-spirals, whereas gas-poor systems favour j-rings and j-bars. At fixed gas fraction, higher $V/σ$ favours j-spirals and j-rings, respectively. We conclude that there is a canonical pathway for the redistribution of angular momentum within galactic discs undergoing secular evolution in TNG50, accessible only through their morpho-kinematic description. The sAMSD analysis links variations in stellar dynamics to their consequences for mass redistribution, enabling the reconstruction of comprehensive galactic evolutionary histories.

Magnetic fields are widely believed to play an important role in molecular-cloud evolution and star formation. However, the extent to which newly formed stars retain a dynamical relationship with the magnetic environments in which they formed remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the relationship between the proper motions of young stellar objects (YSOs) and local magnetic-field orientations in seven nearby molecular-cloud regions. Proper motions were obtained from Gaia Data Release 3, while magnetic-field orientations were derived from Planck 353 GHz dust-polarization measurements. For each YSO, we computed the angular separation $Δθ$ between the projected proper-motion vector and the local magnetic-field orientation in Galactic coordinates. A total of 2,037 YSOs were analyzed across Chamaeleon I, Perseus, Ophiuchus, Orion South, Orion North, Taurus, and Lupus. Significant departures from random orientation distributions are detected in every cloud. However, the preferred alignment varies strongly among regions. Chamaeleon I, Perseus, Ophiuchus, and Orion South exhibit preferential alignment between stellar motions and magnetic fields, whereas Orion North, Taurus, and Lupus exhibit preferentially perpendicular orientations. The median angular separation spans a continuous range from $15.0^\circ$ in Chamaeleon I to $67.6^\circ$ in Lupus. These results demonstrate that the relationship between YSO motions and magnetic fields is not universal but depends strongly on the local star-forming environment. The findings suggest that young stellar populations retain measurable kinematic signatures of their natal magnetic environments and provide a new observational framework for investigating the role of magnetic fields in star formation.

In the JWST and DESI era, the JWST high-redshift galaxy observations and DESI baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements severely challenge the standard $Λ$CDM model, while the $H_0$ tension becomes increasingly prominent. In this work, we investigate the capability of the early dark energy (EDE) model to alleviate the $H_0$ tension utilizing cosmic microwave background data from Planck, ACT, and SPT, BAO data from DESI, and ultraviolet luminosity function observations from the JWST. Within the canonical axion EDE framework, the CMB+DESI+JWST data significantly increase the $H_0$ value to $71.58\pm1.05\,\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}\,Mpc^{-1}}$, alleviating the $H_0$ tension to the $1.0σ$ level. Simultaneously, this model improves the fit to the JWST data and exhibits statistical performance significantly better than the $Λ$CDM model, with $Δχ^2_{\mathrm{tot}} = -18.26$ and $Δ\mathrm{DIC} = -11.89$. Our results highlight the complementary advantages of JWST high-redshift galaxy data alongside early- and late-time observations in testing EDE and alleviating the $H_0$ tension.