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We investigate the impact of fuzzy dark matter (FDM) on supermassive black holes (SMBHs) characterized by a spherical charge distribution. This work introduces a new class of spherically symmetric, self-gravitational relativistic charged models for FDM haloes, using the Einasto density model. This study enables the dark matter (DM) to appear as the matter ingredient, which constructs the black hole and extends the non-commutative mini black hole stellar solutions. By considering the charged anisotropic energy-momentum tensor with an equation of state (EoS) $p_{r}=-\rho$, we explore various black hole solutions for different values of the Einasto index and mass parameter. Our approach suggests that the central density of the resulting black hole model mimics the usual de Sitter core. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility of constructing a charged self-gravitational droplet by replacing the above-mentioned EoS with a non-local one. However, under these circumstances, the radial pressure is observed to be negative. Ultimately, we consider various possibilities of constructing DM black holes, featuring intermediate masses that could evolve into galaxies. Consequently, some of these theoretical models have the potential to replace the usual black hole solutions of the galactic core. Simultaneously, these models are physically beneficial for being comprised of the fundamental matter component of the cosmos. Due to the outcomes of this paper, we would be able to study the connection between BH and DM by formulating stable stellar structures featuring fuzzy mass distributions derived from the Einasto distribution of DM halos., Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures

We explore a comprehensive analysis of the formalism governing the gravitational field equations in degenerate higher-order scalar-tensor theories. The propagation of these theories in the vacuum has a maximum of three degrees of freedom and is at most quadratic in the second derivative of the scalar field. We investigate the gravitational field equation for spherically symmetric anisotropic matter content along with its non-conserved equations. Our analysis focuses on the evaluation of structure scalars to assess their behavior under Einstein's modification. We present a realistic mass contribution that sheds light on both geometric mass and total energy budget evaluations for celestial objects. Ultimately, we discuss two viable models restricted as minimal complexity and conformal flatness to enhance the scientific contribution of the present manuscript., Comment: 18 pages, version accepted for publication in International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics

The accelerated expansion of the universe has been widely confirmed, posing challenges to the standard $\Lambda$CDM model, particularly the cosmological coincidence problem. This has motivated the exploration of modified gravity theories, including non-metricity gravity, which explains cosmic acceleration without dark energy. In this work, we incorporate a quintessence scalar field into the non-metricity framework to model both inflation and late-time acceleration. Employing the Gaussian process method with a square exponential kernel, we reconstruct the scalar field potential, $V(\phi)$, from observational Hubble data sets coming from cosmic chronometers (CC) as well as from the method of radial baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in a model-independent approach. This approach allows us to obtain a suitable quintessence scalar field model that aligns with the observational Hubble data under the framework of power-law non-metricity gravity. Additionally, we compare our reconstructed potential with power-law scalar field potentials, revealing that these models show better agreement with the observational data, providing new insights into the dynamics of the universe. In contrast, we find that the early dark energy has minimal effect on the present-time accelerated expansion of the universe., Comment: Accepted Version in Physics Letters B (PLB)

Young supernova remnants (SNRs) are believed to be the origin of energetic cosmic rays (CRs) below the "knee" of their spectrum at $\sim3$ petaelectronvolt (PeV, $10^{15}$ eV). Nevertheless, the precise location, duration, and operation of CR acceleration in young SNRs are open questions. Here, we report on multi-epoch X-ray observations of Cassiopeia A (Cas A), a 350-year-old SNR, in the 15-50 keV band that probes the most energetic CR electrons. The observed X-ray flux decrease $(15\pm1\%)$, contrary to the expected $>$90\% decrease based on previous radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray observations, provides unambiguous evidence for CR electron acceleration operating in Cas A. A temporal model for the radio and X-ray data accounting for electron cooling and continuous injection finds that the freshly injected electron spectrum is significantly harder (exponential cutoff power law index $q=2.15$), and its cutoff energy is much higher ($E_{cut}=36$ TeV) than the relic electron spectrum ($q=2.44\pm0.03$, $E_{cut}=4\pm1$ TeV). Both electron spectra are naturally explained by the recently developed modified nonlinear diffusive shock acceleration (mNLDSA) mechanism. The CR protons producing the observed gamma rays are likely accelerated at the same location by the same mechanism as those for the injected electron. The Cas A observations and spectral modeling represent the first time radio, X-ray, gamma ray and CR spectra have been self-consistently tied to a specific acceleration mechanism -- mNLDSA -- in a young SNR., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 14 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables

Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) are used to observe very high-energy photons from the ground. Gamma rays are indirectly detected through the Cherenkov light emitted by the air showers they induce. The new generation of experiments, in particular the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO), sets ambitious goals for discoveries of new gamma-ray sources and precise measurements of the already discovered ones. To achieve these goals, both hardware and data analysis must employ cutting-edge techniques. This also applies to the LST-1, the first IACT built for the CTAO, which is currently taking data on the Canary island of La Palma. This paper introduces a new event reconstruction technique for IACT data, aiming to improve the image reconstruction quality and the discrimination between the signal and the background from misidentified hadrons and electrons. The technique models the development of the extensive air shower signal, recorded as a waveform per pixel, seen by CTAO telescopes' cameras. Model parameters are subsequently passed to random forest regressors and classifiers to extract information on the primary particle. The new reconstruction was applied to simulated data and to data from observations of the Crab Nebula performed by the LST-1. The event reconstruction method presented here shows promising performance improvements. The angular and energy resolution, and the sensitivity, are improved by 10 to 20% over most of the energy range. At low energy, improvements reach up to 22%, 47%, and 50%, respectively. A future extension of the method to stereoscopic analysis for telescope arrays will be the next important step., Comment: Accepted in A&A

In this work, we analyze the formation of compact, anisotropic stellar configurations by following the scheme of decoupling the gravitational-field sectors within the principles of complete geometric deformation. In pursuit of this aim, we use viable stellar constraints, including density-like constraints and the zero-complexity factor scheme proposed in the context of stellar configurations. We begin with employing an appropriate metric ansatz as the initial metric potential (seed solution). Imposing the zero-complexity factor constraint allows us to fully capture the gravitational behavior of compact stellar distribution featuring anisotropic pressure. Then, the process of completely deforming the gravitational field source leads to the formation of the desired, highly dense stellar configuration. The novelty of our approach is in the implementation of zero-complexity and density-like techniques to derive the deformation functions. By solving the resulting governing equations, we obtain two solutions, which are consistent with the physical viability tests. These tests show that pressure anisotropy within the confined object greatly affects its stability. It is concluded that the direction of energy transfer between the seed-gravitational field region and the unknown generic-field generator is described by the deformation parameter., Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures

The interaction of an ensemble of two-level atoms and a quantized electromagnetic field, described by the Dicke Hamiltonian, is an extensively studied problem in quantum optics. However, experimental efforts to explore similar physics in condensed matter typically employ bosonic matter modes (e.g., phonons, magnons, and plasmons) that are describable as simple harmonic oscillators, i.e., an infinite ladder of equally spaced energy levels. Here, we examine ultrastrong coupling between a coherent light mode and an ensemble of paramagnetic spins, a finite-multilevel system, in Gd$_3$Ga$_5$O$_{12}$. The electron paramagnetic resonance of Gd$^{3+}$ ions is tuned by a magnetic field into resonance with a Fabry--P\'erot cavity mode, resulting in the formation of spin--photon hybrid states, or Zeeman polaritons. We observe that the light--matter coupling strength, measured through the vacuum Rabi splitting, decreases with increasing temperature, which can be explained by the temperature-dependent population difference between the lower and higher-energy states, a trait of a finite-level system. This finding demonstrates that a spin--boson system is more compatible with the Dicke model and has advantages over boson--boson systems for pursuing experimental realizations of phenomena predicted for ultrastrongly coupled light--matter hybrids.

GRAMS (Gamma-Ray and AntiMatter Survey) is a next-generation balloon/satellite experiment utilizing a LArTPC (Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber), to simultaneously target astrophysical observations of cosmic MeV gamma-rays and conduct an indirect dark matter search using antimatter. While LArTPCs are widely used in particle physics experiments, they have never been operated at balloon altitudes. An engineering balloon flight with a small-scale LArTPC (eGRAMS) was conducted on July 27th, 2023, to establish a system for safely operating a LArTPC at balloon altitudes and to obtain cosmic-ray data from the LArTPC. The flight was launched from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Taiki Aerospace Research Field in Hokkaido, Japan. The total flight duration was 3 hours and 12 minutes, including a level flight of 44 minutes at a maximum altitude of 28.9 km. The flight system was landed on the sea and successfully recovered. The LArTPC was successfully operated throughout the flight, and about 0.5 million events of the cosmic-ray data including muons, protons, and Compton scattering gamma-ray candidates, were collected. This pioneering flight demonstrates the feasibility of operating a LArTPC in high-altitude environments, paving the way for future GRAMS missions and advancing our capabilities in MeV gamma-ray astronomy and dark matter research.

A solitonic model of the early universe is introduced by employing the Double-Sine-Gordon (DSG) potential. The model predicts the appropriate number of e-foldings ($N_e$) required for favored inflation and is an advantage for the model in addressing the flatness, horizon, and magnetic monopole problems. Compatibility of the model with observations, including the Planck $2018$ data \cite{Akrami et al. (2020)} and the Planck $2018$ data+BK$18$+BAO \cite{Ade et al. (2021)} paves the way to estimate the model's free parameters. The results generate acceptable and proper values for the spectral index ($n_s$) and the tensor-to-scalar ratio ($r$) in agreement with the Planck $2018$ data \cite{Akrami et al. (2020)} and the Planck $2018$ data+BK$18$+BAO \cite{Ade et al. (2021)}. Correspondingly, a consistent description of the reheating era is obtained, yielding positive reheating number of e-foldings ($N_{\mathrm{reh}}$) and reheating final temperature ($T_{\mathrm{reh}}$) from $10^{-2}$ GeV to $10^{16}$ GeV. Overall, the model seems viable at the inflationary and reheating eras.

In this manuscript, we investigate the possibility of constructing anisotropic dark matter compact stars motivated by the Einasto density profile. This work develops analytical solutions for an anisotropic fluid sphere within the framework of the well-known Adler-Finch-Skea metric. This toy model incorporates an anisotropic fluid distribution that includes a dark matter component. We use the minimal geometric deformation scheme within the framework of gravitational decoupling to incorporate anisotropy into the pressure profile of the stellar system. In this context, we model the temporal constituent of the $\Theta$-field sector to characterize the contribution of dark matter within the gravitational matter source. We present an alternative approach to studying anisotropic self-gravitating structures. This approach incorporates additional field sources arising from gravitational decoupling, which act as the dark component. We explicitly verify whether the proposed model satisfies all the requirements for describing realistic compact structures in detail. We conclude that the modeling of the Einasto density model with the Adler-Finch-Skea metric gives rise to the formation of well-behaved and viable astrophysical results that can be employed to model the dark matter stellar configurations., Comment: 25 pages, 13 figures, version accepted for publication in Physics of the Dark Universe

In our investigation, we pioneer the development of geometrically deformed strange stars within the framework of teleparallel gravity theory through gravitational decoupling via the complete geometric deformation (CGD) technique. The significant finding is the precise solution for deformed strange star (SS) models achieved through the vanishing complexity factor scenario. Further, we introduce the concept of space-time deformation caused by dark matter (DM) content in DM haloes, leading to perturbations in the metric potentials $g_{tt}$ and $g_{rr}$ components. Mathematically, this DM-induced deformation is achieved through the CGD method, where the decoupling parameter $\alpha$ governs the extent of DM influence. To validate our findings, we compare our model predictions with observational constraints, including GW190814 (with a mass range of $2.5-2.67 M_{\odot}$) and neutron stars (NSTRs) such as EXO 1785-248 [mass=$1.3_{-0.2}^{+0.2}~M_{\odot}$], 4U 1608-52 [mass=$1.74_{-0.14}^{+0.14}~M_{\odot}$], and PSR J0952-0607 [mass=$2.35_{-0.17}^{+0.17}~M_{\odot}$]. Our investigation delves into the stability of the model by considering causality conditions, Herrera's Cracking Method, the adiabatic index, and the Harrison-Zeldovich-Novikov criterion. We demonstrate that the developed model mimics a wide range of recently observed pulsars. To emphasize its compatibility, we highlight the predicted mass and radius in tabular form by varying both the parameters $\alpha$ and $\zeta_1$. Notably, our findings are consistent with the observation of gravitational waves from the first binary merger event. Furthermore, we compare our results with those obtained for a slow-rotating configuration. In addition to this, we discuss the moment of inertia using the Bejger-Haensel approach in this formulation., Comment: EPJ C accepted version

The maximum energy of electrons in supernova remnant (SNR) shocks is typically limited by radiative losses, where the synchrotron cooling time equals the acceleration time. The low speed of shocks in a dense medium increases the acceleration time, leading to lower maximum electron energies and fainter X-ray emissions. However, in Kepler's SNR, an enhanced electron acceleration, which proceeds close to the Bohm limit, occurs in the north of its shell, where the shock is slowed by a dense circumstellar medium (CSM). To investigate whether this scenario still holds at smaller scales, we analyzed the temporal evolution of the X-ray synchrotron flux in filamentary structures, using the two deepest Chandra/ACIS X-ray observations, performed in 2006 and 2014. We examined spectra from different filaments, we measured their proper motion and calculated the acceleration to synchrotron time-scale ratios. The interaction with the turbulent and dense northern CSM induces competing effects on electron acceleration: on one hand, turbulence reduces the electron mean free path enhancing the acceleration efficiency, on the other hand, lower shock velocities increase the acceleration time-scale. In most filaments, these effects compensate each other, but in one region the acceleration time-scale exceeds the synchrotron time-scale, resulting in a significant decrease in nonthermal X-ray emission from 2006 to 2014, indicating fading synchrotron emission. Our findings provide a coherent understanding of the different regimes of electron acceleration observed in Kepler's SNR through various diagnostics., Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2308.13435

Star formation rate (SFR) is a fundamental parameter for describing galaxies and inferring their evolutionary course. HII regions yield the best measure of instantaneous SFR in galaxies, although the derived SFR can have large uncertainties depending on tracers and assumptions. We present an SFR calibration for the entire molecular gas disk of the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, based on our new high-sensitivity ALMA 100GHz continuum data at 55pc (=0."8) resolution in combination with the HST Pa{\alpha} line data. In this calibration, we account for the spatial variations of dust extinction, electron temperature of HII regions, AGN contamination, and diffuse ionized gas (DIG) based on publicly available multi-wavelength data. Especially, given the extended nature and the possible non-negligible contribution to the total SFR, a careful consideration of DIG is essential. With a cross-calibration between two corrected ionized gas tracers (free-free continuum&Pa{\alpha}), the total SFR of the NGC 1068 disk is estimated to be 3.2\pm0.5 Msol/yr, one-third of the SFR without accounting for DIG (9.1\pm1.4 Msol/yr). We confirmed high SFR around the southern bar-end and the corotation radius, which is consistent with the previous SFR measurements. In addition, our total SFR exceeds the total SFR based on 8{\mu}m dust emission by a factor of 1.5. We attribute this discrepancy to the differences in the young stars at different stages of evolution traced by each tracer and their respective timescales. This study provides an example to address the various uncertainties in conventional SFR measurements and their potential to lead to significant SFR miscalculations., Comment: 25 pages, 19 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ

We investigate spherically symmetric classes of anisotropic solutions within the realm of a schematic gravitational decoupling scheme, primarily decoupling through minimal geometric deformation, applied to non-rotating, ultra-compact, self-gravitational fluid distributions. In this respect, we employ the minimal complexity factor scheme to generate physically realistic models for anisotropic matter distributions, using a well-behaved model. The zero-complexity factor condition enables us to determine the deformation function for solving the decoupled system. We explore all the structure-defining scalar variables, such as density inhomogeneity, strong energy condition, density homogeneity, and the complexity factor (an alloy of density inhomogeneity and pressure anisotropy) for the decoupling constant ranging between $0$ and $1$. We observe that the anisotropy vanishes when the coupling constant is set to unity. This finding holds significance as it implies that, in the context of a zero-complexity factor approach, an anisotropic matter distribution becomes perfect without requiring any isotropy requirements. This work effectively explored the impact of complexity on the composition of self-gravitational stellar distributions. This effective approach enables the development of new, physically realistic isotropic stellar models for anisotropic matter distributions. Additionally, our findings indicate that the complexity factor in static, spherically symmetric self-gravitational objects can significantly affect the nature of the matter distribution within these systems. It is concluded that the minimally deformed Durgapal-IV model features an increasing pressure profile, and the local anisotropy of pressure vanishes throughout the model under complexity-free conditions., Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures, version accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravity

X-ray polarization is a powerful tool for unveiling the anisotropic characteristics of high-energy celestial objects. We present a novel imaging reconstruction method designed for hard X-ray polarimeters employing a Si CMOS sensor and coded apertures, which function as a photoelectron tracker and imaging optics, respectively. Faced with challenges posed by substantial artifacts and background noise in the coded aperture imaging associated with the conventional balanced correlation method, we adopt the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm as the foundation of our imaging reconstruction method. The newly developed imaging reconstruction method is validated with imaging polarimetry and a series of X-ray beam experiments. The method demonstrates the capability to accurately reproduce an extended source comprising multiple segments with distinct polarization degrees. Comparative analysis exhibits a significant enhancement in imaging reconstruction accuracy compared to the balanced correlation method, with the background noise levels reduced to 17%. The outcomes of this study enhance the feasibility of Cube-Sat imaging polarimetry missions in the hard X-ray band, as the combination of Si CMOS sensors and coded apertures is a promising approach for realizing it., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in NIM-A

The objective of this research is to explore compact celestial objects while considering the framework of an extended gravitational theory known as $\mathcal{R}+f(\mathcal{G})$ gravity. The notations $\mathcal{R}$ and $\mathcal{G}$ denote the Ricci scalar and the Gauss-Bonnet invariant, respectively. Radio pulsars, which are neutron stars with masses greater than 1.8 times that of the Sun ($M_\odot$), provide exceptional opportunities for delving into fundamental physics in extraordinary environments unparalleled in the observable universe and surpassing the capabilities of experiments conducted on Earth. Through the utilization of both the linear and quadratic expressions of the function { $f(\mathcal{G}) = \alpha_1 \mathcal{G}^2$, where $\alpha_1$ (with dimensional units of [${\textit length}^6$]) are incorporated}, we have achieved an accurate analytical solution for anisotropic perfect-fluid spheres in a state of hydrostatic equilibrium. By integrating the dimensional parameters $\alpha_1$ and the compactness factor, defined as ${\mathcal C=\frac{2GM}{Rc^2}}$, we showcase our capacity to encompass and depict all physical characteristics within the stellar structure. We illustrate that the model is capable of producing a stable arrangement encompassing its physical and geometric properties. We illustrate that by utilizing the quadratic form of $\mathcal{G}$ in the $\mathcal{R}+f(\mathcal{G})$ framework, the ansatz of Krori-Barua establishes connection between pressure in the radial direction ($p_r$) using semi-analytical methods, pressure in the tangential direction ($p_t$), and density ($\rho$)., Comment: 19 pages 9 Figures

Context: There are currently three pulsars firmly detected by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs), two of them reaching TeV energies, challenging models of very-high-energy (VHE) emission in pulsars. More precise observations are needed to better characterize pulsar emission at these energies. The LST-1 is the prototype of the Large-Sized Telescope, that will be part of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). Its improved performance over previous IACTs makes it well suited for studying pulsars. Aims: To study the Crab pulsar emission with the LST-1, improving and complementing the results from other telescopes. These observations can also be used to characterize the potential of the LST-1 to study other pulsars and detect new ones. Methods: We analyzed a total of $\sim$103 hours of gamma-ray observations of the Crab pulsar conducted with the LST-1 in the period from September 2020 to January 2023. The observations were carried out at zenith angles less than 50 degrees. A new analysis of the Fermi-LAT data was also performed, including $\sim$14 years of observations. Results: The Crab pulsar phaseogram, long-term light-curve, and phase-resolved spectra are reconstructed with the LST-1 from 20 GeV to 450 GeV for P1 and up to 700 GeV for P2. The pulsed emission is detected with a significance of 15.2$\sigma$. The two characteristic emission peaks of the Crab pulsar are clearly detected (>10$\sigma$), as well as the so-called bridge emission (5.7$\sigma$). We find that both peaks are well described by power laws, with spectral indices of $\sim$3.44 and $\sim$3.03 respectively. The joint analysis of Fermi-LAT and LST-1 data shows a good agreement between both instruments in the overlapping energy range. The detailed results obtained in the first observations of the Crab pulsar with LST-1 show the potential that CTAO will have to study this type of sources., Comment: Accepted by A&A

We conduct X-ray reverberation mapping and spectral analysis of the radio galaxy Centaurus A to uncover its central structure. We compare the light curve of the hard X-ray continuum from Swift Burst Alert Telescope observations with that of the Fe K$\alpha$ fluorescence line, derived from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Suzaku, XMM-Newton, and Swift X-ray Telescope observations. The analysis of the light curves suggests that a top-hat transfer function, commonly employed in reverberation mapping studies, is improbable. Instead, the relation between these light curves can be described by a transfer function featuring two components: one with a lag of $0.19_{- 0.02}^{+ 0.10}~\mathrm{pc}/c$, and another originating at $r > 1.7~\mathrm{pc}$ that produces an almost constant light curve. Further, we analyze the four-epoch NuSTAR and six-epoch Suzaku spectra, considering the time lag of the reflection component relative to the primary continuum. This spectral analysis supports that the reflecting material is Compton-thin, with $N_{\mathrm{H}} = 3.14_{-0.74}^{+0.44} \times 10^{23}~ \mathrm{cm}^{-2}$. These results suggest that the Fe K$\alpha$ emission may originate from Compton-thin circumnuclear material located at sub-parsec scale, likely a dust torus, and materials at a greater distance., Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in PASJ

Thawing quintessence scalar field models with the various potential forms to explain the late-time cosmic acceleration are compared to the {\Lambda}CDM model in detail by analyzing cosmological parameters with a set of observational data including H(z), BAO, CMB, SNIa, BBN, and f(z){\sigma}8 at the background and the perturbation levels. At low redshifts for the thawing quintessence scalar field models, the growth rate of the cosmic structure is significant. By utilizing a standard Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) procedure based on the recent expansion and the growth observational data with the statistical values of the Akaike and the Bayesian information criteria, we discuss the consistency of the thawing quintessence scalar field models with the set of different potentials with the observational data. The main consequence of this work is that despite the various considered potential forms that are very popular in the literature, we should be looking for consistent potential forms with observational data. Keywords: Thawing Dark Energy, Large Scale Structure, Markov Chain Monte Carlo Method, Observational Constraints, Matter Perturbations., Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, 6 tables

Supernova (SN) 1987A is widely regarded as an excellent candidate for leveraging the capabilities of the freshly launched XRISM satellite. Recent researches indicate that the X-ray emission from SN 1987A will increasingly originate from its ejecta in the years to come. In a previous study, we thoroughly examined the proficiency of XRISM-Resolve in identifying signatures of shocked ejecta in SN 1987A, synthesizing the XRISM-Resolve spectrum based on a state-of-the-art magneto-hydrodynamic simulation. However, following the satellite's launch, a technical issue arose with the XRISM instrument's gate valve, which failed to open, thereby affecting observations with the Resolve spectrometer. Here, we update our analysis, reevaluating our diagnostic approach under the assumption that the gate valve remains closed. We find that, even with the reduced instrumental capabilities, it will be possible to pinpoint the ejecta contribution through the study of the line profiles in the XRISM-Resolve spectrum of SN 1987A., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. Updates of the results described in Sapienza et al. 2024 (http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad16e3). Submitted for publication in Research Notes of the AAS

We are developing an imaging polarimeter by combining a fine-pixel CMOS image sensor with a coded aperture mask as part of the cipher project, aiming to achieve X-ray polarimetry in the energy range of $10$$\unicode{x2013}$$30~\mathrm{keV}$. A successful proof-of-concept experiment was conducted using a fine-pixel CMOS sensor with a $2.5~\mathrm{\mu m}$ pixel size. In this study, we conducted beam experiments to assess the modulation factor (MF) of the CMOS sensor with a $1.5~\mathrm{\mu m}$ pixel size manufactured by Canon and to determine if there was any improvement in the MF. The measured MF was $8.32\% \pm 0.34\%$ at $10~\mathrm{keV}$ and $16.10\% \pm 0.68\%$ at $22~\mathrm{keV}$, exceeding those of the $2.5~\mathrm{\mu m}$ sensor in the $6$$\unicode{x2013}$$22~\mathrm{keV}$ range. We also evaluated the quantum efficiency of the sensor, inferring a detection layer thickness of $2.67 \pm 0.48~{\rm \mu m}$. To develop a more sensitive polarimeter, a sensor with a thicker detection layer, smaller pixel size, and reduced thermal diffusion effect is desirable., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in NIM-A

Heating of charged particles via collisionless shocks, while ubiquitous in the universe, is an intriguing yet puzzling plasma phenomenon. One outstanding question is how electrons and ions approach an equilibrium after they were heated to different immediate-postshock temperatures. In order to fill the significant lack of observational information of the downstream temperature-relaxation process, we observe a thermal-dominant X-ray filament in the northwest of SN~1006 with Chandra. We divide this region into four layers with a thickness of 15$^{\prime\prime}$ or 0.16 pc each, and fit each spectrum by a non-equilibrium ionization collisional plasma model. The electron temperature was found to increase toward downstream from 0.52-0.62 keV to 0.82-0.95 keV on a length scale of 60 arcsec (or 0.64 pc). This electron temperature is lower than thermal relaxation processes via Coulomb scattering, requiring some other effects such as plasma mixture due to turbulence and/or projection effects, etc, which we hope will be resolved with future X-ray calorimeter missions such as XRISM and Athena., Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, PASJ, in press

Fuzzy dark matter wormhole solutions coupled with anisotropic matter distribution are explored in 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet and $f(R)$ gravity, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar. We derive the shape function for fuzzy wormholes and explore their possible stability. We study the embedding diagrams of the active gravitational mass associated with fuzzy dark matter wormholes by taking a certain shape function. Aiming to highlight the role of Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet and $f(R)$ gravity in the modeling of less complex fuzzy wormhole structures, we evaluate the complexity factor, the conservation equation, and null energy conditions. Our study reinforces more importance of uniformly distributed pressure effects throughout the less complex region than to the emergence of energy density homogeneity in the stability of fuzzy wormholes. It is shown that the active gravitational mass of the fuzzy wormhole structures varies inversely with the radial distance thereby suggesting the breaching of energy conditions at some arena of Einasto index. Furthermore, it is revealed that stable fuzzy dark matter wormhole structures exist in nature in the surroundings of cold dark matter halos and galactic bulges. The important physics understood from our analysis is that in both four-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet and $f(R)$ gravity, feasible geometries of fuzzy dark matter wormholes exist naturally in the environments of different galactic haloes., Comment: 25 pages, 16 figures

XRPIX is the monolithic X-ray SOI (silicon-on-insulator) pixel detector, which has a time resolution better than 10 $\rm{\mu}$s as well as a high detection efficiency for X-rays above 10 keV. XRPIX is planned to be installed on future X-ray satellites. To mount on satellites, it is essential that the ADC (analog-to-digital converter) be implemented on the detector because such peripheral circuits must be as compact as possible to achieve a large imaging area in the limited space in satellites. Thus, we developed a new XRPIX device with the on-chip ADC, and evaluated its performances. As the results, the integral non-linearity was evaluated to be 6 LSB (least significant bit), equivalent to 36 eV. The differential non-linearity was less than 0.7 LSB, and input noise from the on-chip ADC was 5~$\rm{e^{-}}$. Also, we evaluated end-to-end performance including the sensor part as well as the on-chip ADC. As the results, energy resolution at 5.9 keV was 294 $\rm{\pm}$ 4 eV in full-width at half maximum for the best pixel., Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, NIMA, accepted

Strongly magnetized, rapidly rotating massive white dwarfs (WDs) emerge as potential outcomes of double degenerate mergers. These WDs can act as sources of non-thermal emission and cosmic rays, gethering attention as WD pulsars. In this context, we studied the X-ray emissions from ZTF J190132.9+145808.7 (hereafter ZTF J1901+14), a notable massive isolated WD in the Galaxy, using the Chandra X-ray observatory. Our results showed 3.5sigma level evidence of X-ray signals, although it is marginal. Under the assumption of a photon index of 2, we derived its intrinsic flux to be 2.3 (0.9--4.7) $\times 10^{-15}$~erg~cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ and luminosity 4.6 (2.0--9.5) $\times 10^{26}$~erg~s$^{-1}$ for a 0.5--7 keV band in the 90% confidence range, given its distance of 41 pc. We derived an X-ray efficiency (eta) concerning the spin-down luminosity to be 0.012 (0.0022--0.074), a value comparable to that of ordnary neutron star pulsars. The inferred X-ray luminosity may be compatible with curvature radiation from sub-TeV electrons accelerated within open magnetic fields in the magnetosphere of ZTF J1901+14. Conducting more extensive X-ray observations is crucial to confirm whether ZTF J1901+14-like isolated WDs are also significant sources of X-rays and sub-TeV electron cosmic rays, similar to other WD pulsars in accreting systems., Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, PASJ, in press

This paper presents the proof-of-concept of the first automatic voice assistant ever built in Wolof language, the main vehicular language spoken in Senegal. This voicebot is the result of a collaborative research project between Orange Innovation in France, Orange Senegal (aka Sonatel) and ADNCorp, a small IT company based in Dakar, Senegal. The purpose of the voicebot is to provide information to Orange customers about the Sargal loyalty program of Orange Senegal by using the most natural mean to communicate: speech. The voicebot receives in input the customer's oral request that is then processed by a SLU system to reply to the customer's request using audio recordings. The first results of this proof-of-concept are encouraging as we achieved 22\% of WER for the ASR task and 78\% of F1-score on the NLU task., Comment: in French language

We explore the change in the sign of the Hubble parameter in the early universe and its stability in higher-order torsion gravity. Our study explores the various scenarios involving the sub-relativistic universe, radiation universe, ultra-relativistic universe, dust universe, and stiff fluid universe. Different analytical methods, including power-law, exponential scalar factor, and hybrid scale factor methods, are employed to examine the behavior of the universe about the equation of state (EoS) parameters. This study is based on the previous ones by presenting a more comprehensive analysis of the bouncing scenarios within the higher-order torsion gravity framework. It makes significant progress in reconstructing gravitational Lagrangians, which are tailored to specific parameter values, allowing for a thorough examination of the energy conditions necessary for successful bouncing models. These derived Lagrangians provide analytical solutions for a range of bouncing models, including symmetric bounce, super-bounce, oscillatory bounce, matter bounce, and exponential bouncing settings. The presence of exotic matter is responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe, as it exhibits substantial negative pressure. A thorough analysis of torsion-based gravity theories and the specific investigations into bouncing scenarios set it apart from previous works exploring alternative gravity theories and their cosmological consequences. These contributions lie in the comprehensive exploration of bouncing models and the detailed examination of the energy conditions in higher-order torsion gravity., Comment: 21 pages, 22 figures, Submitted for publication

Based on the 13.7~yr Fermi-LAT data, Yeung et al. (2023) claimed detection of two $\gamma$-ray sources (Src-NE and Src-NW) associated with the supernova remnant (SNR) G298.6$-$0.0, and interpreted it as an old GeV SNR interacting with molecular clouds (MCs). In this follow-up study, we refine the flux measurements below 2~GeV with Fermi-LAT event types of better angular reconstruction. Then, we report our cosmic-ray phenomenology in a hadronic scenario, considering both the shell and MC regions of SNR G298.6$-$0.0. We confirm that both the $\gamma$-ray spectra of Src-NE and Src-NW exhibit spectral breaks at $1.50_{-0.50}^{+0.60}$~GeV and $0.68_{-0.11}^{+0.32}$~GeV, respectively. Src-NW has a harder broadband photon index than Src-NE, suggesting an appreciable difference between the physical separations of their respective emission sites from SNR G298.6$-$0.0. The cosmic-ray spectrum responsible for Src-NE starts with a minimum energy $E_\mathrm{CR,min}=1.38_{-0.16}^{+0.47}$~GeV, and has a proton index $\Gamma_\mathrm{CR}=2.57_{-0.21}^{+0.18}$ below the exponential cutoff energy $E_\mathrm{CR,max}=240_{-150}^{+240}$~GeV. Accordingly, we argue that Src-NE is dominated by the SNR shell, while only a minor portion of lower-energy emission is contributed by the MCs interacting with the SNR. The cosmic-ray population for Src-NW starts at a higher energy such that the $E_\mathrm{CR,min}$ ratio of Src-NW to Src-NE is $\gtrsim$2. The high $E_\mathrm{CR,min}$, as well as the high cosmic-ray energy density required ($\sim$26~eV~cm$^{-3}$), supports the interpretation that Src-NW is predominantly the $\gamma$-ray emission from the farther MCs being bombarded by protons that had earlier escaped from SNR G298.6$-$0.0. By comparing the high-energy features of G298.6$-$0.0 with those of analogical SNRs, especially SNR W28 and SNR W44, we further constrain the age of SNR G298.6$-$0.0 to be 10--30~kyr., Comment: Accepted by Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan (PASJ) on 20-March-2024

We explore an autonomous system analysis of dark energy models with interactions between dark energy and cold dark matter in a general systematic approach to cosmological fluids. We investigate two types of models such as local and non-local ones. In particular, a local form of interaction is directly proportional to only the energy density, while a non-local interaction is directly proportional to the energy density as well as the Hubble parameter. As a consequence, it is explicitly demonstrated that in both cases there exist the stability points in terms of cosmological parameters. This work aims at obtaining acceleration and stability using interaction models without modifying the matter or geometric component of the Universe., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures

We conduct a thorough examination of cosmological parameters within the context of $f(R)$ gravity coupled with neutrinos, leveraging a diverse array of observational datasets, including Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), Cosmic Chronometers (CC), Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), and Pantheon supernova data. Our analysis unveils compelling constraints on pivotal parameters such as the sum of neutrino masses ($\sum m_{\nu}$), the interaction strength parameter ($\Gamma$), sound speed ($c_s$), Jean's wavenumbers ($k_J$), redshift of non-relativistic matter ($z_{\rm nr}$), and the redshift of the Deceleration-Acceleration phase transition ($z_{\rm DA}$). The incorporation of neutrinos within the $f(R)$ gravity framework emerges as a key factor significantly influencing cosmic evolution, intricately shaping the formation of large-scale structures and the dynamics of cosmic expansion. Additionally, a detailed analysis of bulk flow direction and amplitude across various redshifts provides valuable insights into the nature of large-scale structures. A notable aspect of our model is the nuanced integration of $f(R)$ gravity theory with neutrinos, representing a distinctive approach to unraveling cosmological phenomena. This framework, unlike previous models, explicitly considers the impact of neutrinos on gravitational interactions, the formation of large-scale structures, and the overarching dynamics of cosmic expansion within the $f(R)$ gravity paradigm. Furthermore, our study addresses the Hubble tension problem by comparing $H_0$ measurements within our model, offering a potential avenue for reconciling discrepancies. Our findings not only align with existing research but also contribute novel perspectives to our understanding of dark energy, gravitational interactions, and the intricate challenges posed by the Hubble tension., Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures

Topological arguments are currently being used as a novel scheme to discern the properties of black holes while ignoring their detailed structure and specific field equations. Among various avenues of black hole physics, where this novel approach is being utilized, the phase transition in black hole thermodynamics lies at the forefront. There are several types of phase transition in black holes; such as the van der Waals type phase transition, Davies-type phase transition, extremal phase transition, and Hawking-Page (HP) transition. So far, the topological interpretation, where the critical point has been identified with the non-zero topological charge, has been obtained only for the van der Waals type phase transition and HP transition in different spacetimes. To complete the picture, here we provide the same interpretation for two other phase transitions: Davies-type phase transition and extremal phase transition. The entire analysis is general and is valid for any spacetime where these types of phase transitions are observed. More importantly, our analysis suggests that amid the apparent differences in these phase transitions, they share the same topological characteristics, \textit{i.e.} non-zero topological charge arising from different thermodynamic potentials in different types of phase transition., Comment: 19 pages, Two figures, To appear in PLB

We study the bounce cosmology to construct a singularity-free $f(\mathcal{R})$ model using the reconstruction technique. The formulation of the $f(\mathcal{R})$ model is based on the Raychaudhari equation, a key element employed in reconstructed models to eliminate singularities. We explore the feasibility of obtaining stable gravitational Lagrangians, adhering to the conditions $f_{\mathcal{R}}>0$ and $f_{\mathcal{R}\mathcal{R}}>0$. Consequently, both models demonstrate stability, effectively avoiding the Dolgov-Kawasaki instability. Our assessment extends to testing the reconstructed model using energy conditions and the effective equation-of-state (EoS). Our findings indicate that the reconstructed super-bounce model facilitates the examination of a singularity-free accelerating universe for both phantom and non-phantom phases. However, in the case of the reconstructed oscillatory bounce model, two scenarios are considered with $\omega=-1/3$ and $\omega=-2/3$. While the model proves suitable for studying a singular-free accelerating universe in the $\omega=-1/3$ case, it fails to demonstrate such behavior under energy conditions for the $\omega=-2/3$ scenario. The reconstructed models accommodate early-time bouncing behavior and late-, Comment: EPJC published version

While various methods have been proposed to disentangle the progenitor system for Type Ia supernovae, their origin is still unclear. Circumstellar environment is a key to distinguishing between the double-degenerate (DD) and single-degenerate (SD) scenarios since a dense wind cavity is expected only in the case of the SD system. We perform spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy of Tycho's supernova remnant (SNR) with XMM-Newton and reveal the three-dimensional velocity structure of the expanding shock-heated ejecta measured from Doppler-broadened lines of intermediate-mass elements. Obtained velocity profiles are fairly consistent with those expected from a uniformly expanding ejecta model near the center, whereas we discover a rapid deceleration ($\sim4000$ km s$^{-1}$ to $\sim1000$ km s$^{-1}$) near the edge of the remnant in almost every direction. The result strongly supports the presence of a dense wall entirely surrounding the remnant, which is confirmed also by our hydrodynamical simulation. We thus conclude that Tycho's SNR is likely of the SD origin. Our new method will be useful for understanding progenitor systems of Type Ia SNRs in the era of high-angular/energy resolution X-ray astronomy with microcalorimeters., Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ