1904.07237
Next generation cosmography with strong lensing and stellar dynamics
Yildirim, Suyu, Halkola
We present a joint strong lensing and stellar dynamical framework for future time-delay cosmography purposes. Based on a pixelated source reconstruction and the axisymmetric Jeans equations, we are capable of constraining cosmological distances and hence the current expansion rate of the Universe ($H_0$) to the few percent level per lens, when high signal-to-noise integral field unit (IFU) observations from the next generation of telescopes become available. For illustrating the power of this method, we mock up IFU stellar kinematic data of the prominent lens system RXJ1131-1231, given the specifications of the James Webb Space Telescope. Our analysis shows that the time-delay distance ($D_{\Delta t}$) can be constrained with 2.3% uncertainty at best, if future IFU stellar kinematics are included in the fit and if the set of candidate model parameterisations contains the true lens potential. These constraints would translate to a 2.4% precision measurement on $H_0$ from the single lens RXJ1131-1231, assuming flat $\Lambda$CDM cosmology, and can be expected to yield an $H_0$ measure with 1.4% uncertainty, when only three such distance measurements are combined. In addition, the angular diameter distance ($D_\mathrm{d}$) to RXJ1131-1231 can be constrained with 1.8% precision, providing two distance measurements from a single lens system, which is extremely powerful to further constrain the matter density ($\Omega_\mathrm{m}$). The measurement accuracy of $D_\mathrm{d}$, however, is highly sensitive to any systematics in the measurement of the stellar kinematics. For both distance measurements, we strongly advise to probe a large set of physically motivated lens potentials in the future, to minimise the systematic errors associated with the lens mass parameterisation.
Next generation cosmography with strong lensing and stellar dynamics
Yildirim, Suyu, Halkola
We present a joint strong lensing and stellar dynamical framework for future time-delay cosmography purposes. Based on a pixelated source reconstruction and the axisymmetric Jeans equations, we are capable of constraining cosmological distances and hence the current expansion rate of the Universe ($H_0$) to the few percent level per lens, when high signal-to-noise integral field unit (IFU) observations from the next generation of telescopes become available. For illustrating the power of this method, we mock up IFU stellar kinematic data of the prominent lens system RXJ1131-1231, given the specifications of the James Webb Space Telescope. Our analysis shows that the time-delay distance ($D_{\Delta t}$) can be constrained with 2.3% uncertainty at best, if future IFU stellar kinematics are included in the fit and if the set of candidate model parameterisations contains the true lens potential. These constraints would translate to a 2.4% precision measurement on $H_0$ from the single lens RXJ1131-1231, assuming flat $\Lambda$CDM cosmology, and can be expected to yield an $H_0$ measure with 1.4% uncertainty, when only three such distance measurements are combined. In addition, the angular diameter distance ($D_\mathrm{d}$) to RXJ1131-1231 can be constrained with 1.8% precision, providing two distance measurements from a single lens system, which is extremely powerful to further constrain the matter density ($\Omega_\mathrm{m}$). The measurement accuracy of $D_\mathrm{d}$, however, is highly sensitive to any systematics in the measurement of the stellar kinematics. For both distance measurements, we strongly advise to probe a large set of physically motivated lens potentials in the future, to minimise the systematic errors associated with the lens mass parameterisation.
1904.07239
Generalised model-independent characterization of strong gravitational lenses VI: the origin of the formalism intrinsic degeneracies and their influence on $H_0$
Wagner
We give a physical interpretation of the formalism intrinsic degeneracies of the gravitational lensing formalism that we derived on a mathematical basis in part IV of this series. We find that all degeneracies occur due to the partition of the mass density along the line of sight. Usually, it is partitioned into a background (cosmic) density and a foreground deflecting object. The latter can be further partitioned into a main deflecting object and perturbers. Weak deflecting objects along the line of sight are also added, either to the deflecting object or as a correction of the angular diameter distances, perturbing the cosmological background density. A priori, this is an arbitrary choice of reference frame and partition. They can be redefined without changing the lensing observables which are sensitive to the integrated deflecting mass density along the entire line of sight. Reformulating the time delay equation such that this interpretation of the degeneracies becomes easily visible, we note that the source can be eliminated from this formulation, which simplifies reconstructions of the deflecting mass distribution or the inference of the Hubble constant, $H_0$. Subsequently, we list necessary conditions to break the formalism intrinsic degeneracies and discuss ways to break them by model choices or including non-lensing observables like velocity dispersions along the line of sight with their advantages and disadvantages. We conclude with a systematic summary of all formalism intrinsic degeneracies and possibilities to break them.
1904.07248
Machine learning in Astronomy: a practical overview
Baron
Astronomy is experiencing a rapid growth in data size and complexity. This change fosters the development of data-driven science as a useful companion to the common model-driven data analysis paradigm, where astronomers develop automatic tools to mine datasets and extract novel information from them. In recent years, machine learning algorithms have become increasingly popular among astronomers, and are now used for a wide variety of tasks. In light of these developments, and the promise and challenges associated with them, the IAC Winter School 2018 focused on big data in Astronomy, with a particular emphasis on machine learning and deep learning techniques. This document summarizes the topics of supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms presented during the school, and provides practical information on the application of such tools to astronomical datasets. In this document I cover basic topics in supervised machine learning, including selection and preprocessing of the input dataset, evaluation methods, and three popular supervised learning algorithms, Support Vector Machines, Random Forests, and shallow Artificial Neural Networks. My main focus is on unsupervised machine learning algorithms, that are used to perform cluster analysis, dimensionality reduction, visualization, and outlier detection. Unsupervised learning algorithms are of particular importance to scientific research, since they can be used to extract new knowledge from existing datasets, and can facilitate new discoveries.
1904.07254
Linking gas and galaxies at high redshift: MUSE surveys the environments of six damped Lyman alpha galaxies at z~3
Mackenzie, et al
We present results from a survey of galaxies in the fields of six z>3 Damped Lyman alpha systems (DLAs) using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We report a high detection rate of up to ~80% of galaxies within 1000 km/s from DLAs and with impact parameters between 25 and 280 kpc. In particular, we discovered 5 high-confidence Lyman alpha emitters associated with three DLAs, plus up to 9 additional detections across five of the six fields. The majority of the detections are at relatively large impact parameters (>50 kpc) with two detections being plausible host galaxies. Among our detections, we report four galaxies associated with the most metal-poor DLA in our sample (Z/Z_sun = -2.33), which trace an overdense structure resembling a filament. By comparing our detections with predictions from the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) cosmological simulations and a semi-analytic model designed to reproduce the observed bias of DLAs at z>2, we conclude that our observations are consistent with a scenario in which a significant fraction of DLAs trace the neutral regions within halos with a characteristic mass of 10^11-10^12 M_sun, in agreement with the inference made from the large-scale clustering of DLAs. We finally show how larger surveys targeting ~25 absorbers have the potential of constraining the characteristic masses of halos hosting high-redshift DLAs with sufficient accuracy to discriminate between different models.
1904.07323
Causation of late quaternary rapid-increase radiocarbon anomalies
Brakenridge
Brief (less than 100 years) rapid-increase anomalies in the Earth's atmospheric radiocarbon production have previously been attributed to either gamma photon radiation from supernovae or to cosmic ray particle radiation from exceptionally large solar flares. Analysis of distances and ages of nearby supernovae remnants, the probable gamma emissions, the predicted Earth incident radiation, and the terrestrial radiocarbon record indicates that supernova causation may be the case. Supernovae include Type Ia white dwarf explosions, Type Ib, c, and II core collapse events, and some types of gamma burst objects. All generate significant pulses of atmospheric radiocarbon depending on distances. Surveys of supernova remnants offer a nearly complete accounting for the past 50,000 years. There are 18 events less than or at 1.4 kilo-parsec distance, and brief radiocarbon anomalies with appropriate sizes occurred for each of the closest events. In calendar years before 1950, these are: Vela, 22 per mil del 14C at 12,760; S165, 20 per mil at 7431; Vela Junior, 13 per mil at 2765; HB9, 9 per mil at 5372; Boomerang, 11 per mil at 10,255; and Cygnus Loop (per mil change not calculated) at 14,722. Although uncertainties remain large, the agreements of prediction to observation support a possible causal connection.
1904.07471
The lowest detected stellar Fe abundance: the halo star SMSS J160540.18-14323.1
Nordlander, et al
We report the discovery of SMSS J160540.18-144323.1, a new ultra-metal poor halo star discovered with the SkyMapper telescope. We measure [Fe/H] = -6.2 +- 0.2 (1D LTE), the lowest ever detected abundance of iron in a star. The star is strongly carbon-enhanced, [C/Fe] = 3.9 +- 0.2, while other abundances are compatible with an alpha-enhanced solar-like pattern with [Ca/Fe] = 0.4 +- 0.2, [Mg/Fe] = 0.6 +- 0.2, [Ti/Fe] = 0.8 +- 0.2, and no significant s- or r-process enrichment, [Sr/Fe] < 0.2 and [Ba/Fe] < 1.0 (3{\sigma} limits). Population III stars exploding as fallback supernovae may explain both the strong carbon enhancement and the apparent lack of enhancement of odd-Z and neutron-capture element abundances. Grids of supernova models computed for metal-free progenitor stars yield good matches for stars of about 10 solar mass imparting a low kinetic energy on the supernova ejecta, while models for stars more massive than roughly 20 solar mass are incompatible with the observed abundance pattern.
1904.07524
The mass-richness relation of optically-selected clusters from weak gravitational lensingand abundance with Subaru HSC first-year data
Murata, et al
Constraining the relation between the richness $N$ and the halo mass $M$ over a wide redshift range for optically-selected clusters is a key ingredient for cluster-related science in optical surveys, including the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey. We measure stacked weak lensing profiles around 1747 HSC CAMIRA clusters over a redshift range of $0.1\leq z_{\rm cl}\leq 1.0$ with $N\geq 15$ using the HSC first-year shear catalog covering $\sim$$140$ ${\rm deg^2}$. The exquisite depth and image quality of the HSC survey allow us to measure lensing signals around the high-redshift clusters at $0.7\leq z_{\rm cl}\leq 1.0$ with a signal-to-noise ratio of 19 in the comoving radius range $0.5\lesssim R\lesssim 15 h^{-1}{\rm Mpc}$. We constrain richness-mass relations $P(\ln N|M,z)$ of the HSC CAMIRA clusters assuming a log-normal distribution without informative priors on model parameters, by jointly fitting to the lensing profiles and abundance measurements under both Planck and WMAP cosmological models. We show that our model gives acceptable $p$-values when we add redshift dependent terms which are proportional to $\ln (1+z)$ and $[\ln (1+z)]^{2}$ into the mean and scatter relations of $P(\ln N|M,z)$. Such terms presumably originate from the variation of photometric redshift errors as a function of the redshift. We show that the constraints on the mean relation $\langle M|N \rangle$ are consistent between the Planck and WMAP models, whereas the scatter values $\sigma_{\ln M|N}$ for the Planck model are systematically larger than those for the WMAP model. We also show that the scatter values for the Planck model increase toward lower richness values, whereas those for the WMAP model are consistent with constant values as a function of richness. This result highlights the importance of the scatter in the mass-richness relation for cluster cosmology.
1904.07718
OGLE-2017-BLG-1186: first application of astroseismology and Gaussian processes to microlensing
Li, et al
We present the analysis of the event OGLE-2017-BLG-1186 from the 2017 $Spitzer$ microlensing campaign. This event is remarkable because its source is photometrically variable. We perform an asteroseismic analysis of the source star and find that it is an oscillating red giant with average timescale of $\sim 9$ days. The asteroseismic analysis also provides us source properties including the source angular size ($\sim 27~\mu{\rm as}$) and distance ($\sim 11.5$ kpc), which are essential for inferring the properties of the lens. When fitting the light curve, we test the feasibility of Gaussian Processes (GPs) in handling the correlated noise caused by the variable source. We find, in this event, that the GP model cannot provide better constraints on the parameters of interest because of the worse estimation of blending fluxes compared to the traditional $\chi^2$ minimization method. We note that this event is the first microlensing system for which asteroseismology and GPs have been used to account for the variable source. With both finite-source effect and microlens parallax measured, we find that the lens is likely a $\sim 0.045~M_{\odot}$ brown dwarf at distance $\sim 9.0$ kpc, or a $\sim 0.073 M_{\odot}$ ultracool dwarf at distance $\sim 9.8$ kpc. Combining the estimated lens properties with a Bayesian analysis using a Galactic model, we find a $\sim 35\%$ probability for the lens to be a bulge object and $\sim 65\%$ to be a background disk object.
1904.07727
Using cosmogenic Lithium, Beryllium and Boron to determine the surface ages of icy objects n the outer solar system
Hedman
1904.07747
Ly$\alpha$ view around a z=2.84 hyper luminous QSO at a node of the cosmic web
Kikuta, et al
We report on the results of deep and wide-field (1.1 deg$^2$) narrow-band observations with Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) of a field around a hyperluminous QSO (HLQSO), HS1549+1919, residing in a protocluster at $z=2.84$, to map the large-scale structure of Ly$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs). One HSC pointing enables us to detect 3490 LAEs and 76 extended Ly$\alpha$ blobs (LABs), probing diverse environments from voids to protoclusters. The HLQSO is found to be near the center of the protocluster, which corresponds to the intersection of $\sim$100 cMpc-scale structures of LAEs. LABs are basically distributed along the large-scale structure, with larger ones particularly clustered around the HLQSO, confirming a previously noted tendency of LABs to prefer denser environments. Moreover, the shapes of LABs near the HLQSO appear to be aligned with the large-scale structure. Finally, a deep Ly$\alpha$ image reveals a diffuse Ly$\alpha$ nebula along a filamentary structure with no luminous UV/sub-mm counterpart. We suggest that the diffuse nebula is due to a cold filament with high clumping factor illuminated by the QSO, with a required high clumpiness provided by unresolved residing halos of mass $\leq 10^{9-10}M_\odot$.
1904.07749
Resolving the interstellar medium in the nuclear region of two z=5.78 quasar host galaxies with ALMA
Wang, et al
We present ALMA observations of the [CII] 158 micron fine structure line and dust continuum emission from two quasars, SDSSJ104433.04-012502.2 and SDSSJ012958.51-003539.7, at z=5.78. The ALMA observations at 0.2" resolution map the dust and gas on kpc scales. The spatially resolved emission show a similar trend of increasing [CII]-FIR ratios with decreasing FIR surface brightnesses toward larger radii as was found in the infrared luminous galaxies with intense star formation. We confirm the velocity gradients of [CII] emission found previously in SDSS J0129-0035. No evidence of order motion is detected in SDSS J1044-0125. The velocity maps and PV-diagrams also suggest turbulent gas clumps in both objects. We tentatively detect a [CII] peak offset 4.9 kpc to the East of SDSS J1044-0125. This may be associated with an infalling companion, or node of gas outflows. All these results suggest significant dynamical evolution of the ISM in the nuclear region of these young quasar-starburst systems. We fit the velocity map of the [CII] emission from SDSS J0129-0035 with a rotating disk model. The result suggests a face-on system with an inclination angle of 16+/-20 degree and constrains the lower limit of the host galaxy dynamical mass to be 2.6x10^10 Msun within the [CII] emitting region. It is likely that SDSS J0129-0035, as well as other young quasars with super massive black hole masses on order of 10^7 Msun to 10^8 Msun, falls close to the black hole and host galaxy mass relation defined by local galaxies.
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