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Filaments connecting halos are a long-standing prediction of cold dark matter theories. We present a novel detection of the cosmic web emission connecting two massive quasar-host galaxies at cosmic noon in the MUSE Ultra Deep Field (MUDF) using unprecedentedly deep observations that unlock a high-definition view of the filament morphology, a measure of the transition radius between the intergalactic and circumgalactic medium, and the characterization of the surface brightness profiles along the filament and in the transverse direction. Through systematic comparisons with simulations, we validate the filaments' typical density predicted in the current cold dark matter model. Our analysis of the MUDF field, an excellent laboratory for quantitatively studying filaments in emission, opens a new avenue to understanding the cosmic web that, being a fundamental prediction of cosmology, bears key information on the essence of dark matter., Comment: submitted, comments welcome!

This paper is focused on the segregation of FGK dwarf and giant stars through narrow-band photometric data using the Spanish Virtual Observatory (SVO) Filter Profile Service and associated photometric tools. We selected spectra from the MILES, STELIB, and ELODIE stellar libraries, and used SVO photometric tools to derive the synthetic photometry in 15 J-PAS narrow filters, which were especially selected to cover spectral features sensitive to gravity changes. Using machine-learning techniques as the Gaussian mixture model and the support vector machine, we defined several criteria based on J-PAS colours to discriminate between dwarf and giant stars. We selected five colour-colour diagrams that presented the most promising separation between both samples. Our results show an overall accuracy in the studied sample of $\sim$0.97 for FGK stars, although a dependence on the luminosity type and the stellar effective temperature was found. We also defined a colour-temperature relation for dwarf stars with effective temperatures between 4\,000 and 7\,000\,K, which allows one to estimate the stellar effective temperature from four J-PAS filters ($J0450$, $J0510$, $J0550$, and $J0620$). Additionally, we extended the study to M-type giant and dwarf stars, achieving a similar accuracy to that for FGK stars., Comment: 19 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

We study the impact of black hole nuclear activity on both the global and radial star formation rate (SFR) profiles in X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the field of miniJPAS, the precursor of the much wider J-PAS project. Our sample includes 32 AGN with z < 0.3 detected via the XMM-Newton and Chandra surveys. For comparison, we assembled a control sample of 71 star-forming (SF) galaxies with similar magnitudes, sizes, and redshifts. To derive the global properties of both the AGN and the control SF sample, we used CIGALE to fit the spectral energy distributions derived from the 56 narrowband and 4 broadband filters from miniJPAS. We find that AGN tend to reside in more massive galaxies than their SF counterparts. After matching samples based on stellar mass and comparing their SFRs and specific SFRs (sSFRs), no significant differences appear. This suggests that the presence of AGN does not strongly influence overall star formation. However, when we used miniJPAS as an integral field unit (IFU) to dissect galaxies along their position angle, a different picture emerges. We find that AGN tend to be more centrally concentrated in mass with respect to SF galaxies. Moreover, we find a suppression of the sSFR up to 1Re and then an enhancement beyond 1Re , strongly contrasting with the decreasing radial profile of sSFRs in SF galaxies. This could point to an inside-out quenching of AGN host galaxies. These findings suggest that the reason we do not see differences on a global scale is because star formation is suppressed in the central regions and enhanced in the outer regions of AGN host galaxies. While limited in terms of sample size, this work highlights the potential of the upcoming J-PAS as a wide-field low-resolution IFU for thousands of nearby galaxies and AGN., Comment: 21 pages, 20 figures, Accepted for Publication in A&A

A population of non-stellar black holes ($\gtrsim$100 M$_{\odot}$) has been long predicted to wander the Milky Way. We aim to characterize this population by using the L-Galaxies semi-analytical model applied on top of the high resolution Millennium-II merger trees. Our results predict $\sim$10 wandering black holes with masses $\sim$2 $\times$ 10$^{3}$ M$_{\odot}$ in a typical $z$ = 0 Milky Way galaxy, accounting for $\sim$2$\%$ of the total non-stellar black hole mass budget of the galaxy. We find that the locations of these wanderers correlate with their formation scenario. While the ones concentrated at $\lesssim$1 kpc from the galactic nucleus on the disk come from past galactic mergers, the ones formed as a consequence of ejections due to gravitational recoils or the disruption of satellite galaxies are typically located at $\gtrsim$100 kpc. Such small and large distances might explain the absence of strong observational evidence for wandering black holes in the Milky Way. Our results also indicate that $\sim$67$\%$ of the wandering population is conformed by the leftovers of black hole seeds that had little to no growth since their formation. We find that wandering black holes that are leftover seeds become wanderers at an earlier time with respect to grown seeds, and also come from more metal-poor galaxies. Finally, we show that the number of wandering black holes in a Milky Way-type galaxy depends on the seeding efficiency., Comment: Submitted to Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 13 pages, 9 figures

Environmental effects are believed to play an important yet poorly understood role in triggering accretion events onto the supermassive black holes (SMBHs) of galaxies (Active Galactic Nuclei; AGN). Massive clusters, which represent the densest structures in the Universe, provide an excellent laboratory to isolate environmental effects and study their impact on black hole growth. In this work, we critically review observational evidence for the preferential activation of SMBHs in the outskirts of galaxy clusters. We develop a semi-empirical model under the assumption that the incidence of AGN in galaxies is independent of environment. We demonstrate that the model is broadly consistent with recent observations on the AGN halo occupation at $z=0.2$, although it may overpredict satellite AGN in massive halos at that low redshift. We then use this model to interpret the projected radial distribution of X-ray sources around high redshift ($z\approx1$) massive ($>5 \times 10^{14} \, M_\odot$) clusters, which show excess counts outside their virial radius. Such an excess naturally arises in our model as a result of sample variance. Up to 20% of the simulated projected radial distributions show excess counts similar to the observations, which are however, because of background/foreground AGN and hence, not physically associated with the cluster. Our analysis emphasises the importance of projection effects and shows that current observations of $z\approx1$ clusters remain inconclusive on the activation of SMBHs during infall., Comment: Submitted to MNRAS, 15 pages, 12 Figures

We present the second NuSTAR and XMM-Newton extragalactic survey of the JWST North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) Time-Domain Field (TDF). The first NuSTAR NEP-TDF survey (Zhao et al. 2021) had 681 ks total exposure time executed in NuSTAR cycle 5, in 2019 and 2020. This second survey, acquired from 2020 to 2022 in cycle 6, adds 880 ks of NuSTAR exposure time. The overall NuSTAR NEP-TDF survey is the most sensitive NuSTAR extragalactic survey to date, and a total of 60 sources were detected above the 95% reliability threshold. We constrain the hard X-ray number counts, logN-log S, down to 1.7 x 10$^{-14}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ at 8-24 keV and detect an excess of hard X-ray sources at the faint end. About 47% of the NuSTAR-detected sources are heavily obscured (NH > 10$^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$), and 18+20% of the NuSTAR-detected sources are Compton-thick (N>10$^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$). These fractions are consistent with those measured in other NuSTAR surveys. Four sources presented >2$\sigma$ variability in the 3-year survey. In addition to NuSTAR, a total of 62 ks of XMM-Newton observations were taken during NuSTAR cycle 6. The XMM-Newton observations provide soft X-ray (0.5-10keV) coverage in the same field and enable more robust identification of the visible and infrared counterparts of the NuSTAR-detected sources. A total of 286 soft X-ray sources were detected, out of which 214 XMM-Newton sources have secure counterparts from multiwavelength catalogs., Comment: 37 pages, 27 figures, Accepted by ApJ

Massive black holes (MBHs) are typically hosted in the centres of massive galaxies but they appear to become rarer in lower mass galaxies, where nuclear star clusters (NSCs) frequently appear instead. The transition region, where both an MBH and NSC can co-exist, has been poorly studied to date and only a few dozen galaxies are known to host them. One avenue for detecting new galaxies with both an MBH and NSC is to look for accretion signatures of MBHs. Here, we use new SRG/eROSITA all-sky survey eRASS:4 data to search for X-ray signatures of accreting MBHs in NSCs, while also investigating their combined occupation fraction. We find significant detections for 18 galaxies (~8.3%), including one ultra-luminous X-ray source; however, only three galaxies (NGC2903, 4212, and 4639) have X-ray luminosities that are higher than the expected value from X-ray binaries, indicative of the presence of an MBH. In addition, the X-ray luminosity of six galaxies (NGC2903, 3384, 4321, 4365, 4639, and 4701) differs from previous studies and could indicate the presence of a variable active galactic nucleus. The combined occupation fraction of accreting MBHs and NSCs becomes non-zero for galaxy masses above ~10^7.5 M_sun and this result is slightly elevated as compared to the literature data. Our data extend, for the first time, towards the dwarf elliptical galaxy regime and identify promising MBH candidates for higher resolution follow-up observations. At most galaxy masses (and with the exception of three cases), the X-ray constraints are consistent with the expected emission from binary systems or an Eddington fraction of at most 0.01%, assuming a black holes mass of 10^6.5 M_sun. This work confirms the known complexities in similar-type of studies, while providing the appealing alternative of using X-ray survey data of in-depth observations of individual targets with higher resolution instruments., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication by A&A. Abstract was abriged to meet arXiv requirements

We investigate the influence of the environment on the evolution of barred and unbarred disc galaxies with a mass $>10^{10}\Msun$ from z=1 down to z=0, employing the TNG50 magnetic-hydrodynamical simulation. We find that 49% of z=1 disc galaxies undergoes a morphological transformation, transitioning into either a lenticular or spheroidal, while the other 51% retains the massive disc. The morphological alteration is mostly influenced by the environment. Lenticular and spheroidal galaxies tend to exist in denser environments and have more frequent mergers compared to disc galaxies. We find that over half of the barred galaxies (60.2%) retain the bar structure and have experienced fewer mergers compared to those galaxies that lose their bars (5.6%). These latter ones start with weaker and shorter bars at z=1 influenced by tidal interactions and are frequently observed in more populated areas. Additionally, our study reveals that less than 20% of unbarred galaxies will never develop a bar and exhibit the quietest merger history. Unbarred galaxies that experience bar formation after z=1 exhibit more frequent instances of merging events. Furthermore, tidal interactions with a close companion may account for bar formation in at least one-third of the cases. Our findings highlight that stable bars are prevalent in disc galaxies. Bar evolution may nonetheless be affected by the environment. Interactions with nearby companions or tidal forces caused by mergers have the capacity to disrupt the disc. This perturbance may materialise as the dissolution of the bar, the formation of a bar, or, in its most severe form, the complete destruction of the disc, resulting in morphological transformation. Bars that are weak and short at z=1 and undergo major or minor mergers may eventually dissolve, whereas unbarred galaxies that enter crowded environments or experience a merger may develop a bar., Comment: 20 pages, 18 Figures, accepted for publication in A&A with language corrections and updates in some Figures

Extreme Emission Line Galaxies (EELGs) stand as remarkable objects due to their extremely metal poor environment and intense star formation. Considered as local analogues of high-redshift galaxies in the peak of their star-forming activity, they offer insights into conditions prevalent during the early Universe. Assessment of their stellar and gas properties is, therefore, of critical importance, which requires the assembly of a considerable sample, comprehending a broad redshift range. The Javalambre-Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (JPAS) plays a significant role in assembling such a sample, encompassing approximately 8000 deg2 and employing 54 narrow-band optical filters. The present work describes the development and subsequent application of the tools that will be employed in the forthcoming JPAS spectrophotometric data, allowing for the massive and automated characterization of EELGs that are expected to be identified. This fully automated pipeline (requiring only the object coordinates from users) constructs Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) by retrieving virtually all the available multi-wavelength photometric data archives, employs SED fitting tools and identifies optical emission lines. It was applied to the sample of extreme line emitters identified in the miniJPAS Survey, and its derived physical properties such as stellar mass and age, coupled with fundamental relations, mirror results obtained through spectral modeling of SDSS spectra. Thorough testing using galaxies with documented photometric measurements across different wavelengths confirmed the pipeline's accuracy, demonstrating its capability for automated analysis of sources with varying characteristics, spanning brightness, morphology, and redshifts. The modular nature of this pipeline facilitates any addition from the user., Comment: 15 pages, 9 Figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) experiments worldwide recently reported evidence of a nHz stochastic gravitational wave background (sGWB) compatible with the existence of slowly inspiralling massive black hole (MBH) binaries (MBHBs). The shape of the signal contains valuable information about the evolution of $z<1$ MBHs above $\rm 10^8 M_{\odot}$, suggesting a faster dynamical evolution of MBHBs towards the gravitational-wave-driven inspiral or a larger MBH growth than usually assumed. In this work, we investigate if the nHz sGWB could also provide constraints on the population of merging lower-mass MBHBs ($\rm {<} 10^7 \, M_{\odot}$) detectable by LISA. To this end, we use the $\texttt{L-Galaxies}$ semi-analytical model applied to the $\texttt{Millennium}$ suite of simulations. We generate a population of MBHs compatible simultaneously with current electromagnetic and nHz sGWB constraints by including the possibility that, in favourable environments, MBHs can accrete gas beyond the Eddington limit. The predictions of the model show that the global (integrated up to high-$z$) LISA detection rate is {\it not} significantly affected when compared to a fiducial model whose nHz sGWB signal is ${\sim}\,2$ times smaller. In both cases, the global rate yields ${\sim}\,12 \rm yr^{-1}$ and is dominated by systems of $\rm 10^{5-6} M_{\odot}$. The main differences are limited to low-$z$ ($z<3$), high-mass (${>}\rm 10^6\, M_{\odot}$) LISA MBHBs. The model compatible with the latest PTA results predicts up to ${\sim}\,1.6$ times more detections, with a rate of ${\sim}1\rm yr^{-1}$. We find that these LISA MBHB systems have 50\% probability of shining with bolometric luminosities $>10^{43}\rm erg/s$. Hence, in case PTA results are confirmed and given the current MBH modelling, our findings suggest there will be higher chances to perform multimessenger studies with LISA MBHB than previously expected., Comment: 16 pages; Submitted to A&A

The origin of obscuration in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) is still an open debate. In particular, it is unclear what drives the relative contributions to the line-of-sight column densities from galaxy-scale and torus-linked obscuration. The latter source is expected to play a significant role in Unification Models, while the former is thought to be relevant in both Unification and Evolutionary Models. In this work, we make use of a combination of cosmological semi-analytic models and semi-empirical prescriptions for the properties of galaxies and AGN, to study AGN obscuration. We consider a detailed object-by-object modelling of AGN evolution, including different AGN light curves (LCs), gas density profiles, and also AGN feedback-induced gas cavities. Irrespective of our assumptions on specific AGN LC or galaxy gas fractions, we find that, on the strict assumption of an exponential profile for the gas component, galaxy-scale obscuration alone can hardly reproduce the fraction of $\log (N_{\rm H}/$cm$^{-2}) \geq 24$ sources at least at $z\lesssim3$. This requires an additional torus component with a thickness that decreases with luminosity to match the data. The torus should be present in all evolutionary stages of a visible AGN to be effective, although galaxy-scale gas obscuration may be sufficient to reproduce the obscured fraction with $22<\log (N_{\rm H}/$cm$^{-2})<24$ (Compton-thin, CTN) if we assume extremely compact gas disc components. The claimed drop of CTN fractions with increasing luminosity does not appear to be a consequence of AGN feedback, but rather of gas reservoirs becoming more compact with decreasing stellar mass., Comment: MNRAS, accepted, 19 pages, 15 figures, 3 appendices

We present a list of quasar candidates including photometric redshift estimates from the miniJPAS Data Release constructed using SQUEzE. This work is based on machine-learning classification of photometric data of quasar candidates using SQUEzE. It has the advantage that its classification procedure can be explained to some extent, making it less of a `black box' when compared with other classifiers. Another key advantage is that using user-defined metrics means the user has more control over the classification. While SQUEzE was designed for spectroscopic data, here we adapt it for multi-band photometric data, i.e. we treat multiple narrow-band filters as very low-resolution spectra. We train our models using specialized mocks from Queiroz et al. (2022). We estimate our redshift precision using the normalized median absolute deviation, $\sigma_{\rm NMAD}$ applied to our test sample. Our test sample returns an $f_1$ score (effectively the purity and completeness) of 0.49 for quasars down to magnitude $r=24.3$ with $z\geq2.1$ and 0.24 for quasars with $z<2.1$. For high-z quasars, this goes up to 0.9 for $r<21.0$. We present two catalogues of quasar candidates including redshift estimates: 301 from point-like sources and 1049 when also including extended sources. We discuss the impact of including extended sources in our predictions (they are not included in the mocks), as well as the impact of changing the noise model of the mocks. We also give an explanation of SQUEzE reasoning. Our estimates for the redshift precision using the test sample indicate a $\sigma_{NMAD}=0.92\%$ for the entire sample, reduced to 0.81\% for $r<22.5$ and 0.74\% for $r<21.3$. Spectroscopic follow-up of the candidates is required in order to confirm the validity of our findings., Comment: Accepted in A&A 24 pages, 24 figures, 7 tables

We present the Lyman-$a$ (Lya) Luminosity Function (LF) at $2.0543.5. This work serves as a proof-of-concept for the results that can be obtained with the upcoming data releases of the J-PAS survey., Comment: 25 pages, 15 figures, Accepted for publication in A&A

The gravitational wave (GW) antenna LISA will detect the signal from coalescing massive black hole binaries (MBHBs) of $\rm 10^4\,{-}\,10^7\, M_{\odot}$, providing clues on their formation and growth along cosmic history. Some of these events will be localized with a precision of several to less than a deg$^2$, enabling the possible identification of their host galaxy. This work explores the properties of the host galaxies of LISA MBHBs below $z\,{\lesssim}\,3$. We generate a simulated lightcone by using the semi-analytical model $\mathrm{\texttt{L-Galaxies}}$ applied on the merger trees of the high-resolution N-body cosmological simulation $\mathrm{\texttt{Millennium-II}}$. The model shows that LISA MBHBs are expected to be found in optically dim ($r\,{>}\,20$), star-forming ($\rm sSFR\,{>}\,10^{-10}\, \rm yr^{-1}$), gas-rich ($f_{\rm gas}\,{>}\,0.6$) and disc-dominated ($\rm B/T\,{<}\,0.7$) \textit{low-mass galaxies} of stellar masses $10^8\,{-}\,10^9 M_{\odot}$. However, these properties are indistinguishable from those of galaxies harboring single massive black holes with comparable mass, making difficult the selection of LISA hosts among the whole population of low-mass galaxies. Motivated by this, we explore the possibility of using merger signatures to select LISA hosts. We find that 40-80% of the galaxies housing LISA MBHBs display merger features related to the interaction which brought the secondary MBH to the galaxy. Despite this, around 60% of dwarf galaxies placed in the surroundings of the LISA hosts will show such kind of features as well, challenging the unequivocal detection of LISA hosts through the search of merger signatures. Consequently, the detection of an electromagnetic transient associated with the MBHB merger will be vital to pinpoint the star-forming dwarf galaxy where these binary systems evolve and coalesce., Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, Submitted to A&A

This paper is part of large effort within the J-PAS collaboration that aims to classify point-like sources in miniJPAS, which were observed in 60 optical bands over $\sim$ 1 deg$^2$ in the AEGIS field. We developed two algorithms based on artificial neural networks (ANN) to classify objects into four categories: stars, galaxies, quasars at low redshift ($z < 2.1)$, and quasars at high redshift ($z \geq 2.1$). As inputs, we used miniJPAS fluxes for one of the classifiers (ANN$_1$) and colours for the other (ANN$_2$). The ANNs were trained and tested using mock data in the first place. We studied the effect of augmenting the training set by creating hybrid objects, which combines fluxes from stars, galaxies, and quasars. Nevertheless, the augmentation processing did not improve the score of the ANN. We also evaluated the performance of the classifiers in a small subset of the SDSS DR12Q superset observed by miniJPAS. In the mock test set, the f1-score for quasars at high redshift with the ANN$_1$ (ANN$_2$) are $0.99$ ($0.99$), $0.93$ ($0.92$), and $0.63$ ($0.57$) for $17 < r \leq 20$, $20 < r \leq 22.5$, and $22.5 < r \leq 23.6$, respectively, where $r$ is the J-PAS rSDSS band. In the case of low-redshift quasars, galaxies, and stars, we reached $0.97$ ($0.97$), $0.82$ ($0.79$), and $0.61$ ($0.58$); $0.94$ ($0.94$), $0.90$ ($0.89$), and $0.81$ ($0.80$); and $1.0$ ($1.0$), $0.96$ ($0.94$), and $0.70$ ($0.52$) in the same r bins. In the SDSS DR12Q superset miniJPAS sample, the weighted f1-score reaches 0.87 (0.88) for objects that are mostly within $20 < r \leq 22.5$. Finally, we estimate the number of point-like sources that are quasars, galaxies, and stars in miniJPAS.

Astrophysical surveys rely heavily on the classification of sources as stars, galaxies or quasars from multi-band photometry. Surveys in narrow-band filters allow for greater discriminatory power, but the variety of different types and redshifts of the objects present a challenge to standard template-based methods. In this work, which is part of larger effort that aims at building a catalogue of quasars from the miniJPAS survey, we present a Machine Learning-based method that employs Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to classify point-like sources including the information in the measurement errors. We validate our methods using data from the miniJPAS survey, a proof-of-concept project of the J-PAS collaboration covering $\sim$ 1 deg$^2$ of the northern sky using the 56 narrow-band filters of the J-PAS survey. Due to the scarcity of real data, we trained our algorithms using mocks that were purpose-built to reproduce the distributions of different types of objects that we expect to find in the miniJPAS survey, as well as the properties of the real observations in terms of signal and noise. We compare the performance of the CNNs with other well-established Machine Learning classification methods based on decision trees, finding that the CNNs improve the classification when the measurement errors are provided as inputs. The predicted distribution of objects in miniJPAS is consistent with the putative luminosity functions of stars, quasars and unresolved galaxies. Our results are a proof-of-concept for the idea that the J-PAS survey will be able to detect unprecedented numbers of quasars with high confidence., Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures, published by MNRAS

WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini' integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366$-$959\,nm at $R\sim5000$, or two shorter ranges at $R\sim20\,000$. After summarising the design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting magnitude for $\sim$3 million stars and detailed abundances for $\sim1.5$ million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey $\sim0.4$ million Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey $\sim400$ neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in $z<0.5$ cluster galaxies; (vi) survey stellar populations and kinematics in $\sim25\,000$ field galaxies at $0.3\lesssim z \lesssim 0.7$; (vii) study the cosmic evolution of accretion and star formation using $>1$ million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources; (viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at $z>2$. Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE Simulator., Comment: 41 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication by MNRAS; updated version including information on individual grants in a revised Acknowledgements section, corrections to the affiliation list, and an updated references list

We combine archival HST and new JWST imaging data, covering the ultraviolet to mid-infrared regime, to morphologically analyze the nuclear star cluster (NSC) of NGC 628, a grand-design spiral galaxy. The cluster is located in a 200 pc x 400 pc cavity, lacking both dust and gas. We find roughly constant values for the effective radius (r_eff ~ 5 pc) and ellipticity ({\epsilon} ~ 0.05), while the S\'ersic index (n) and position angle (PA) drop from n ~ 3 to ~ 2 and PA ~ 130{\deg} to 90{\deg}, respectively. In the mid-infrared, r_eff ~ 12pc, {\epsilon} ~ 0.4, and n ~ 1-1.5, with the same PA ~ 90{\deg}. The NSC has a stellar mass of log10 (M_nsc / M_Sun) = 7.06 +- 0.31, as derived through B-V, confirmed when using multi-wavelength data, and in agreement with the literature value. Fitting the spectral energy distribution, excluding the mid-infrared data, yields a main stellar population's age of (8 +- 3) Gyr with a metallicity of Z = 0.012 +- 0.006. There is no indication of any significant star formation over the last few Gyr. Whether gas and dust were dynamically kept out or evacuated from the central cavity remains unclear. The best-fit suggests an excess of flux in the mid-infrared bands, with further indications that the center of the mid-infrared structure is displaced with respect to the optical center of the NSC. We discuss five potential scenarios, none of them fully explaining both the observed photometry and structure., Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables. Accepted for publication by ApJL

This paper explores the role of small-scale environment ($<1$ Mpc) in modulating accretion events onto supermassive black holes by studying the incidence of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in massive clusters of galaxies. A flexible, data-driven semi-empirical model is developed based on a minimal set of parameters and under the zero order assumption that the incidence of AGN in galaxies is independent of environment. This is used to predict how the fraction of X-ray selected AGN among galaxies in massive dark matter halos ($\gtrsim 3\times 10^{14}\,M_{\odot}$) evolves with redshift and reveal tensions with observations. At high redshift, $z\sim1.2$, the model underpredicts AGN fractions, particularly at high X-ray luminosities, $L_X(\rm 2-10\,keV) \gtrsim 10^{44}\, erg \, s^{-1}$. At low redshift, $z\sim0.2$, the model estimates fractions of moderate luminosity AGN ($L_X(\rm 2-10\,keV) \gtrsim 10^{43}\, erg \, s^{-1}$) that are a factor of $2-3$ higher than the observations. These findings reject the zero order assumption on which the semi-empirical model hinges and point to a strong and redshift-dependent influence of the small-scale environment on the growth of black holes. Cluster of galaxies appear to promote AGN activity relative to the model expectation at $z\sim1.2$ and suppress it close to the present day. These trends could be explained by the increasing gas content of galaxies toward higher redshift combined with an efficient triggering of AGN at earlier times in galaxies that fall onto clusters., Comment: Accepted in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

The relative roles of mergers and star formation in regulating galaxy growth are still a matter of intense debate. We here present our DECODE, a new Discrete statistical sEmi-empiriCal mODEl specifically designed to predict rapidly and efficiently, in a full cosmological context, galaxy assembly and merger histories for any given input stellar mass-halo mass (SMHM) relation. DECODE generates object-by-object dark matter merger trees (hence discrete) from accurate subhalo mass and infall redshift probability functions (hence statistical) for all subhaloes, including those residing within other subhaloes, with virtually no resolution limits on mass or volume. Merger trees are then converted into galaxy assembly histories via an input, redshift dependent SMHM relation, which is highly sensitive to the significant systematics in the galaxy stellar mass function and on its evolution with cosmic time. DECODE can accurately reproduce the predicted mean galaxy merger rates and assembly histories of hydrodynamic simulations and semi-analytic models, when adopting in input their SMHM relations. In the present work we use DECODE to prove that only SMHM relations implied by stellar mass functions characterized by large abundances of massive galaxies and significant redshift evolution, at least at $M_\star \gtrsim 10^{11} \, M_\odot$, can simultaneously reproduce the local abundances of satellite galaxies, the galaxy (major merger) pairs since $z \sim 3$, and the growth of Brightest Cluster Galaxies. The same models can also reproduce the local fraction of elliptical galaxies, on the assumption that these are strictly formed by major mergers, but not the full bulge-to-disc ratio distributions, which require additional processes., Comment: MNRAS, accepted, 29 pages, 25 figures

LISA will extend the search for gravitational waves (GWs) at $0.1\,{-}\,100$ mHz where loud signals from coalescing binary black holes of $ 10^4 \,{-}\,10^7\,\rm M_{\odot}$ are expected. Depending on their mass and luminosity distance, the uncertainty in the LISA sky-localization decreases from hundreds of deg$^2$ during the inspiral phase to fractions of a deg$^2$ after the merger. By using the semi-analytical model L-Galaxies applied to the Millennium-I merger trees, we generate a simulated Universe to identify the hosts of $z\,{\leq}\,3$ coalescing binaries with total mass of $3\,{\times}\,10^{5}$, $3\,{\times}\,10^6$ and $3\,{\times}\,10^7\rm M_{\odot}$, and varying mass ratio. We find that, even at the time of merger, the number of galaxies around the LISA sources is too large (${\gtrsim}\,10^2$) to allow direct host identification. However, if an X-ray counterpart is associated to the GW sources at $z\,{<}\,1$, all LISA fields at merger are populated by ${\lesssim}\,10$ AGNs emitting above ${\sim}\, 10^{-17} \, \rm erg\,cm^{-2}\,s^{-1}$. For sources at higher redshifts, the poorer sky-localization causes this number to increase up to ${\sim}\, 10^3$. Archival data from eRosita will allow discarding ${\sim}\, 10\%$ of these AGNs, being too shallow to detect the dim X-ray luminosity of the GW sources. Inspiralling binaries in an active phase with masses ${\lesssim}\,10^6\rm M_{\odot}$ at $z\,{\leq}\,0.3$ can be detected, as early as $10$ hours before the merger, by future X-ray observatories in less than a few minutes. For these systems, ${\lesssim}\,10$ AGNs are within the LISA sky-localization area. Finally, the LISA-Taiji network would guarantee the identification of an X-ray counterpart $10$ hours before merger for all binaries at $z\,{\lesssim}\,1$., Comment: 25 pages, 14 Figures, To be submitted to MNRAS

The Ly$\alpha$ emission is an important tracer of neutral gas in a circum-galactic medium (CGM) around high-z QSOs. The origin of Lya emission around QSOs is still under debate which has significant implications for galaxy formation and evolution. In this paper, we study Ly$\alpha$ nebulae around two high redshift QSOs, SDSS J141935.58+525710.7 at $z=3.218$ (hereafter QSO1) and SDSS J141813.40+525240.4 at $z=3.287$ (hereafter QSO2), from the miniJPAS survey within the AEGIS field. Using the contiguous narrow-band (NB) images from the miniJPAS survey and SDSS spectra, we analyzed their morphology, nature, and origin. We report the serendipitous detection of double-core Ly\al\ morphology around two QSOs which is rarely seen among other QSOs. The separations of the two Ly\al~cores are 11.07 $\pm$ 2.26 kpcs (1.47 $\pm$ 0.3$^{\prime\prime}$) and 9.73 $\pm$ 1.55 kpcs (1.31 $\pm$ 0.21$^{\prime\prime}$) with Ly$\alpha$~line luminosities of $\sim$ 3.35 $\times 10^{44}$ erg s $^{-1} $ and $\sim$ 6.99 $\times$ 10$^{44}$ erg s $^{-1}$ for QSO1 and QSO2, respectively. The miniJPAS NB images show evidence of extended Ly$\alpha$ and CIV morphology for both QSOs and extended HeII morphology for QSO1. These two QSOs may be potential candidates for the new enormous Lyman alpha nebula (ELAN) found from the miniJPAS survey due to their extended morphology in the shallow depth and relatively high Ly$\alpha$ luminosities. We suggest that galactic outflows are the major powering mechanism for the double-core Ly$\alpha$ morphology. Considering the relatively shallow exposures of miniJPAS, the objects found here could be the tip of the iceberg of a promising number of such objects that will be uncovered in the upcoming full J-PAS survey and deep IFU observations with 8-10m telescopes will be essential for constraining the underlying physical mechanism that is responsible for the double-cored morphology., Comment: Five figures and two tables (Accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics)

We present MORDOR (MORphological DecOmposeR, a new algorithm for structural decomposition of simulated galaxies based on stellar kinematics. The code measures the properties of up to five structural components (a thin/cold and a thick/warm disc, a classical and a secular bulge, and a spherical stellar halo), and determines the properties of a stellar bar (if present). A comparison with other algorithms presented in the literature yields overall good agreement, with MORDOR displaying a higher flexibility in correctly decomposing systems and identifying bars in crowded environments (e.g. with ongoing fly-bys, often observable in cosmological simulations). We use MORDOR to analyse galaxies in the TNG50 simulation and find the following: ($i$) the thick disc component undergoes the strongest evolution in the binding energy-circularity plane, as expected when disc galaxies decrease their turbulent-rotational support with cosmic time; ($ii$) smaller galaxies (with stellar mass, $10^{9} \lesssim M_{*} / {\rm M_{\odot}} \leq 5 \times 10^{9}$) undergo a major growth in their disc components after $z\sim 1$, whereas ($iii$) the most massive galaxies ($5 \times 10^{10} < M_{*} / {\rm M_{\odot}} \leq 5\times10^{11}$) evolve toward more spheroidal dominated objects down to $z=0$ due to frequent gravitational interactions with satellites; ($iv$) the fraction of barred galaxies grows rapidly at high redshift and stabilizes below $z\sim 2$, except for the most massive galaxies that show a decrease in the bar occupation fraction at low redshift; ($v$) galaxies with $M_{*} \sim 10^{11}~{\rm M_{\odot}}$ exhibit the highest relative occurrence of bars at $z=0$, in agreement with observational studies. We publicly release MORDOR and the morphological catalogue of TNG50 galaxies., Comment: 20 pages, 20 figures. Submitted to MNRAS. MORDOR is available at https://github.com/thanatom/mordor. The catalogue is available at www.tng-project.org/zana22

We study the genesis and evolution of super-massive black hole (SMBH) seeds through different formation channels, from PopIII remnants to massive seeds, modeled within the L-Galaxies semi-analytic code. We run the model on the Millennium-II simulation (MR-II) merger trees, as their halo-mass resolution (M_{vir,res}~10^7 Msun h^-1) allows to study in a cosmological volume (L_{box=100 Mpc h^-1) the evolution of atomic-cooling halos (T_{vir}>10^4 K) where intermediate-mass and heavy seeds are expected to form. We track the formation of these seeds according to spatial variations of the chemical and radiative feedback of star formation. Not being able to resolve the first mini-halos (T_{vir}~10^3 K), we inherit evolved PopIII remnants in a sub-grid fashion, using the results of the GQd model. We also include the formation of heavy seeds in gas-rich massive mergers, who are very rare in the MR-II volume. The descendants of light seeds numerically prevail among our SMBHs population at all masses and z. Heavier seeds form in dense environments where close neighbors provide the required UV illumination. Overall, our model produces a z=0 SMBHs population whose statistical properties meet current constraints. We find that the BH occupation fraction highly depends on the seeding efficiency and that the scaling relation between BH and stellar mass, in the dwarf-mass regime, is flatter than in the high-mass range. Finally, a fraction of BHs hosted in local dwarf galaxies never grow since they form at z>6., Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures, accepted in MNRAS

We make use of z = 0 samples of strongly barred and unbarred disc galaxies from the TNG100 and TNG50 cosmological hydrodynamical simulations to assess the performance of the simple disc instability criterion proposed by Efstathiou, Lake & Negroponte (1982) (ELN-criterion). We find that strongly barred galaxies generally assemble earlier, are more star-dominated in their central regions, and have more massive and more compact discs than unbarred galaxies. The ELN-criterion successfully identifies ~75% and ~80% of the strongly barred and the unbarred galaxies, respectively. Strongly barred galaxies that the criterion fails to identify tend to have more extended discs, higher spin values and bars that assembled later than is typical for the bulk of the barred population. The bars in many of these cases appear to be produced by an interaction with a close neighbour (i.e. to be externally triggered) rather than to result from secular growth in the disc. On the other hand, we find that unbarred galaxies misclassified as barred by the ELN-criterion typically have stellar discs similar to those of barred galaxies, although more extended in the vertical direction and less star-dominated in their central regions, possibly reflecting later formation times. In addition, the bulge component of these galaxies is significantly more prominent at early times than in the strongly barred sample. Thus, the ELN-criterion robustly identifies secular bar instabilities in most simulated disc galaxies, but additional environmental criteria are needed to account for interaction-induced bar formation., Comment: 15 pages, 12 Figures, Accepted by MNRAS

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be a transformative experiment for gravitational wave astronomy, and, as such, it will offer unique opportunities to address many key astrophysical questions in a completely novel way. The synergy with ground-based and space-born instruments in the electromagnetic domain, by enabling multi-messenger observations, will add further to the discovery potential of LISA. The next decade is crucial to prepare the astrophysical community for LISA's first observations. This review outlines the extensive landscape of astrophysical theory, numerical simulations, and astronomical observations that are instrumental for modeling and interpreting the upcoming LISA datastream. To this aim, the current knowledge in three main source classes for LISA is reviewed; ultracompact stellar-mass binaries, massive black hole binaries, and extreme or intermediate mass ratio inspirals. The relevant astrophysical processes and the established modeling techniques are summarized. Likewise, open issues and gaps in our understanding of these sources are highlighted, along with an indication of how LISA could help making progress in the different areas. New research avenues that LISA itself, or its joint exploitation with upcoming studies in the electromagnetic domain, will enable, are also illustrated. Improvements in modeling and analysis approaches, such as the combination of numerical simulations and modern data science techniques, are discussed. This review is intended to be a starting point for using LISA as a new discovery tool for understanding our Universe.

In this series of papers, we employ several machine learning (ML) methods to classify the point-like sources from the miniJPAS catalogue, and identify quasar candidates. Since no representative sample of spectroscopically confirmed sources exists at present to train these ML algorithms, we rely on mock catalogues. In this first paper we develop a pipeline to compute synthetic photometry of quasars, galaxies and stars using spectra of objects targeted as quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. To match the same depths and signal-to-noise ratio distributions in all bands expected for miniJPAS point sources in the range $17.5\leq r<24$, we augment our sample of available spectra by shifting the original $r$-band magnitude distributions towards the faint end, ensure that the relative incidence rates of the different objects are distributed according to their respective luminosity functions, and perform a thorough modeling of the noise distribution in each filter, by sampling the flux variance either from Gaussian realizations with given widths, or from combinations of Gaussian functions. Finally, we also add in the mocks the patterns of non-detections which are present in all real observations. Although the mock catalogues presented in this work are a first step towards simulated data sets that match the properties of the miniJPAS observations, these mocks can be adapted to serve the purposes of other photometric surveys., Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures, submitted to MNRAS

Precise measurements of black hole masses are essential to understanding the coevolution of these sources and their host galaxies. We develop a novel approach for computing black hole virial masses using measurements of continuum luminosities and emission line widths from partially overlapping, narrow-band observations of quasars; we refer to this technique as single-epoch photometry. This novel method relies on forward-modelling quasar observations for estimating emission line widths, which enables unbiased measurements even for lines coarsely resolved by narrow-band data. We assess the performance of this technique using quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) observed by the miniJPAS survey, a proof-of-concept project of the Javalambre Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) collaboration covering $\simeq1\,\mathrm{deg}^2$ of the northern sky using the 56 J-PAS narrow-band filters. We find remarkable agreement between black hole masses from single-epoch SDSS spectra and single-epoch miniJPAS photometry, with no systematic difference between these and a scatter ranging from 0.4 to 0.07 dex for masses from $\log(M_\mathrm{BH})\simeq8$ to 9.75, respectively. Reverberation mapping studies show that single-epoch masses present approximately 0.4 dex precision, letting us conclude that our novel technique delivers black hole masses with only mildly lower precision than single-epoch spectroscopy. The J-PAS survey will soon start observing thousands of square degrees without any source preselection other than the photometric depth in the detection band, and thus single-epoch photometry has the potential to provide details on the physical properties of quasar populations that do not satisfy the preselection criteria of previous spectroscopic surveys., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted by A&A

We use the magnetic-hydrodynamical simulation TNG50 to study the evolution of barred massive disc galaxies. Massive spiral galaxies are already present as early as $z=4$, and bar formation takes place already at those early times. The bars grow longer and stronger as the host galaxies evolve, with the bar sizes increasing at a pace similar to that of the disc scale lengths. The bar fraction mildly evolves with redshift for galaxies with $M_{*}\geq10^{10}M\odot$, being greater than $\sim40\%$ at $0.5

We present zELDA(redshift Estimator for Line profiles of Distant Lyman-Alpha emitters), an open source code to fit Lyman-Alpha (Lya) line profiles. The main motivation is to provide the community with an easy to use and fast tool to analyze Lya line profiles uniformly to improve the understating of Lya emitting galaxies. zELDA is based on line profiles of the commonly used 'shell-model' pre-computed with the full Monte Carlo radiative transfer code LyaRT. Via interpolation between these spectra and the addition of noise, we assemble a suite of realistic Lya spectra which we use to train a deep neural network. We show that the neural network can predict the model parameters to high accuracy (e.g.,.0.34 dex HI column density for R=12000) and thus allows for a significant speedup over existing fitting methods. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the potential of zELDA by fitting 97 observed Lya line profiles from the LASD data base. Comparing the fitted value with the measured systemic redshift of these sources, we find that Lya determines their rest frame Lya wavelength with a remarkable good accuracy of 0.3A (75 km/s). Comparing the predicted outflow properties and the observed Lya luminosity and equivalent width, we find several possible trends. For example, we find an anticorrelation between the Lya luminosity and the outflow neutral hydrogen column density, which might be explained by the radiative transfer process within galaxies, Comment: 34 pages, 23 figures. zELDA's tutorial and installation guide: https://lya-zelda.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

We estimate the amplitude of the nano-Hz stochastic gravitational wave background (GWB) resulting from an unresolved population of inspiralling massive black hole binaries (MBHBs). To this aim, we use the L-Galaxies semi-analytical model applied on top of the Millennium merger trees. The dynamical evolution of MBHBs includes dynamical friction, stellar and gas binary hardening, and gravitational wave feedback. At the frequencies proved by the \textit{Pulsar Timing Array} experiments, our model predicts an amplitude of ${\sim}1.2\,{\times}\,10^{-15}$ at ${\sim}\,3\,{\times}\,10^{-8}\, \rm Hz$ in agreement with current estimations. The contribution to the background comes primarily from equal mass binaries with chirp masses above $\rm 10^{8}\, M_{\odot}$. We then consider the recently detected common red noise in NANOGrav, PPTA, and EPTA data, working under the hypothesis that it is indeed a stochastic GWB coming from MBHBs. By boosting the massive black hole growth via gas accretion, we show that our model can produce a signal with an amplitude $A\approx 2-3 {\times}\,10^{-15}$. There are, however, difficulties in predicting this background level without mismatching key observational constraints such as the quasar bolometric luminosity functions or the local black hole mass function. This highlights how current and forthcoming gravitational wave observations can, for the first time, confront galaxy and black hole evolution models., Comment: 17 pages, 11 Figures, Accepted by MNRAS

We consider a cosmological model where dark matter and dark energy feature a coupling that only affects their momentum transfer in the corresponding Euler equations. We perform a fit to cosmological observables and confirm previous findings within these scenarios that favour the presence of a coupling at more than $3\sigma$. This improvement is driven by the Sunyaev-Zeldovich data. We subsequently perform a forecast for future J-PAS data and find that clustering measurements will permit to clearly discern the presence of an interaction within a few percent level with the uncoupled case at more than $10\sigma$ when the complete survey, covering $8500$ sq. deg., is considered. We found that the inclusion of weak lensing measurements will not help to further constrain the coupling parameter. For completeness, we compare to forecasts for DESI and Euclid, which provide similar discriminating power., Comment: 34 pages, 17 figures, added some clarifications and discussions, matches published version

The presence of large dark matter cores in dwarf galaxies has long been puzzling and many are now known to be surrounded by an extensive halo of stars. Distinctive core-halo structure is characteristic of dark matter as a Bose Einstein condensate, $\psi$DM, with a dense, soliton core predicted in every galaxy, representing the ground state, surrounded by a large, tenuous halo of excited density waves. A marked density transition is predicted between the core and the halo set by the de Broglie wavelength, as the soliton core is a prominent standing wave that is denser by over an order of magnitude than the surrounding halo. Here we identify this predicted behavior in the stellar profiles of the well known "isolated" dwarfs that lie outside the Milky Way, each with a clear density transition at $\simeq 1.0~{\rm kpc}$, implying a very light boson, $m_{\psi} \simeq 10^{-22}$eV. The classical dwarf galaxies orbiting within the Milky Way also show this predicted core-halo structure but with larger density transitions of over two orders of magnitude, that we show implies tidal stripping of dwarf galaxies by the Milky way, as the tenuous halo is more easily stripped than the stable soliton core. We conclude that dark matter as a light boson explains the observed family of classical dwarf profiles with tidal stripping included, in contrast to the standard heavy particle interpretation where low mass galaxies should be concentrated and core-less, quite unlike the core-halo structure observed., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, Revised with dynamics included

We present the photometric determination of the bright-end (L_Lya>10^43.5 erg/s) of the Lya luminosity function (LF) within four redshifts windows in the interval 2.210^43.3 erg/s) Lya-emitting candidates. We test our selection with two spectroscopic follow-up programs at the GTC telescope, confirming ~89% of the targets as line-emitting sources, with ~64% being genuine z~2.2 QSOs. We extend the 2.22 AGN/QSOs (likely dominant in our samples) are described by a structurally different LF than z>2 star-forming LAEs, namely with L^*_QSOs ~ 100 L^*_LAEs and Phi^*_QSOs ~ 10^-3 Phi^*_LAEs. Finally, our method identifies very efficiently as high-z line-emitters sources without previous spectroscopic confirmation, currently classified as stars (~2000 objects in each redshift bin, on average). Assuming a large predominance of Lya-emitting AGN/QSOs in our samples, this supports the scenario by which these are the most abundant class of z>2 Lya emitters at L_Lya>10^43.3 erg/s., Comment: 27 pages (6 in appendix), 21 figures (5 in appendix), submitted to A&A

We explore how to mitigate the clustering distortions in Lyman-$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs) samples caused by the miss-identification of the Lyman-$\alpha$ (Ly$\alpha$) wavelength in their Ly$\alpha$ line profiles. We use the Ly$\alpha$ line profiles from our previous LAE theoretical model that includes radiative transfer in the interstellar and intergalactic mediums. We introduce a novel approach to measure the systemic redshift of LAEs from their Ly$\alpha$ line using neural networks. In detail, we assume that, for a fraction of the whole LAE population their systemic redshift is determined precisely through other spectral features. We then use this subset to train a neural network that predicts the Ly$\alpha$ wavelength given a Ly$\alpha$ line profile. We test two different training sets: i) the LAEs are selected homogeneously and ii) only the brightest LAEs are selected. In comparison with previous approaches in the literature, our methodology improves significantly both accuracy and precision in determining the Ly$\alpha$ wavelength. In fact, after applying our algorithm in ideal Ly$\alpha$ line profiles, we recover the clustering unperturbed down to 1cMpc/h. Then, we test the performance of our methodology in realistic Ly$\alpha$ line profiles by downgrading their quality. The machine learning techniques work well even if the Ly$\alpha$ line profile quality is decreased considerably. We conclude that LAE surveys such as HETDEX would benefit from determining with high accuracy the systemic redshift of a subpopulation and applying our methodology to estimate the systemic redshift of the rest of the galaxy sample., Comment: 24 Pages, 16 figures, a lot of fun

We study the mass assembly and spin evolution of supermassive black holes (BHs) across cosmic time as well as the impact of gravitational recoil on the population of nuclear and wandering black holes (wBHs) by using the semi-analytical model LGalaxies run on top of Millennium merger trees. We track spin changes that BHs experience during both coalescence events and gas accretion phases. For the latter, we assume that spin changes are coupled with the bulge assembly. This assumption leads to predictions for the median spin values of z=0 BHs that depend on whether they are hosted by pseudobulges, classical bulges or ellipticals, being a ~ 0.9, 0.7 and 0.4, respectively. The outcomes of the model display a good consistency with z<4 quasar luminosity functions and the z=0 BH mass function, spin values and black hole-bulge mass correlation. Regarding the wBHs, we assume that they can originate from both the disruption of satellite galaxies (orphan wBH) and ejections due to gravitational recoils (ejected wBH). The model points to a number density of wBHs that increases with decreasing redshift, although this population is always ~2 dex smaller than the one of nuclear black holes. At all redshifts, wBHs are typically hosted in M_{halo}>10^{13} M_{\odot} and M_{stellar}>10^{10} M_{\odot}, being orphan wBHs the dominant type. Besides, independently of redshift and halo mass, \textit{ejected} wBHs inhabit the central regions (<0.3R_{200}) of the host DM halo, while orphan wBHs linger at larger scales (>0.5R_{200}). Finally, we find that gravitational recoils cause a progressive depletion of nuclear BHs with decreasing redshift and stellar mass. Moreover, ejection events lead to changes in the predicted local black hole-bulge relation, in particular for BHs in pseudobulges, for which the relation is flattened at M_{bulge}>10^{10.2} M{\odot} and the scatter increase up to ~3dex., Comment: 30 pages, 17 figures, accepted by MNRAS

We analyse the properties of strongly barred disc galaxies using the TNG100 simulation, a cosmological hydrodynamical realisation of the IllustrisTNG suite. We identify 270 disc galaxies at $z=0$ in the stellar mass range $M_{*}=10^{10.4-11}M_{\odot}$, of which 40 per cent are barred. Of the detected bars, more than half are strong. We find that the fraction of barred galaxies increases with stellar mass, in agreement with observational results. Strongly barred galaxies exhibit, overall, lower gas-to-stellar mass ratios compared to unbarred galaxies. The majority of barred galaxies are quenched (sSFR $\sim10^{-11.7} $yr$^{-1}$), whereas unbarred galaxies continue to be active (sSFR $\sim10^{-10.3}$yr$^{-1}$) on the main sequence of star-forming galaxies. We explore the evolution of strongly barred and unbarred galaxies to investigate their formation and quenching histories. We find that strong bars form between $0.5< z< 1.5$, with more massive galaxies hosting older bars. Strong bars form in galaxies with an early-established prominent disc component, undergoing periods of enhanced star formation and black hole accretion, possibly assisted by cosmological inflows. Unbarred galaxies, on the other hand, assemble most of their mass and disc component at late times. The nuclear region of strongly barred galaxies quenches shortly after bar formation, while unbarred galaxies remain active across time. Our findings are indicative of bar quenching, possibly assisted by nuclear feedback processes. We conclude that the cosmological environment, together with small scale feedback processes, determine the chances of a galaxy to form a bar and to rapidly quench its central region., Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, and 1 table. Accepted in MNRAS. Corrected pdf compilation

We present a synthetic galaxy lightcone specially designed for narrow-band optical photometric surveys. To reduce time-discreteness effects, unlike previous works, we directly include the lightcone construction in the \texttt{L-Galaxies} semi-analytic model applied to the subhalo merger trees of the {\tt Millennium} simulation. Additionally, we add a model for the nebular emission in star-forming regions, which is crucial for correctly predicting the narrow/medium-band photometry of galaxies. Explicitly, we consider, individually for each galaxy, the contribution of 9 different lines: $\rm Ly{\alpha}$ (1216\AA), \Hb (4861\AA), \Ha (6563\AA), {\oii} (3727\AA, 3729\AA), {\oiii} (4959\AA, 5007\AA), $\rm [\ion{Ne}{III}]$ (3870\AA), {\oi} (6300\AA), $\rm [\ion{N}{II}]$ (6548\AA, 6583\AA), and $\rm [\ion{S}{II}]$ (6717\AA, 6731\AA). We validate our lightcone by comparing galaxy number counts, angular clustering, and \Ha, \Hb, {\oii} and {\oiiiFd} luminosity functions to a compilation of observations. As an application of our mock lightcones, we generate catalogues tailored for J-PLUS, a large optical galaxy survey featuring 5 broad and 7 medium band filters. We study the ability of the survey to correctly identify, with a simple \textit{three filter method}, a population of emission-line galaxies at various redshifts. We show that the $4000\AA$ break in the spectral energy distribution of galaxies can be misidentified as line emission. However, all significant excess (larger than 0.4 magnitudes) can be correctly and unambiguously attributed to emission line galaxies. Our catalogues are publicly released to facilitate their use in interpreting narrow-band surveys and for quantifying the impact of line emission in broad band photometry., Comment: Published in A&A; Mock catalogue available at https://www.j-plus.es/ancillarydata/mock\_galaxy\_lightcone

In the near future galaxy surveys will target Lyman alpha emitting galaxies (LAEs) to unveil the nature of the dark energy. It has been suggested that the observability of LAEs is coupled to the large scale properties of the intergalactic medium. Such coupling could introduce distortions into the observed clustering of LAEs, adding a new potential difficulty to the interpretation of upcoming surveys. We present a model of LAEs that incorporates Lyman-alpha radiative transfer processes in the interstellar and intergalactic medium. The model is implemented in the GALFORM semi-analytic model of galaxy of formation and evolution. We find that the radiative transfer inside galaxies produces selection effects over galaxy properties. In particular, observed LAEs tend to have low metallicities and intermediate star formation rates. At low redshift we find no evidence of a correlation between the spatial distribution of LAEs and the intergalactic medium properties. However, at high redshift the LAEs are linked to the line of sight velocity and density gradient of the intergalactic medium. The strength of the coupling depends on the outflow properties of the galaxies and redshift. This effect modifies the clustering of LAEs on large scales, adding non linear features. In particular, our model predicts modifications to the shape and position of the baryon acoustic oscillation peak. This work highlights the importance of including radiative transfer physics in the cosmological analysis of LAEs., Comment: 25 pages, 18 figures , a lot of love

We study the cosmological build-up of pseudobulges using the LGalaxies semi-analytical model for galaxy formation with a new approach for following separately the assembly of classical bulges and pseudobulges. Classical bulges are assumed to be the result of violent processes (i.e., mergers and starbursts), while the formation of pseudobulges is connected to the secular growth of disks. We apply the model to both the Millennium and the Millennium II simulations, in order to study our results across a wide range of stellar masses ($10^{7} - 10^{11.5} M_{\odot}$). We find that $z=0$ pseudobulges mainly reside in galaxies of $ \rm M_{stellar} \sim 10^{10} - 10^{10.5} M_{\odot}$ ($\rm M_{halo} \sim 10^{11.5}-10^{12} M_{\odot}$) and we recover structural properties of these objects (e.g., sizes and bulge-to-total ratios) that are in good agreement with observational results. Tracing their formation history, we find that pseudobulges assembled in galaxies with a very quiet merger history, as opposed to the host galaxies of classical bulges. Regarding the bulge structure, we find that $\sim$ 30\% of the galaxies with a predominant pseudobulge feature a composite structure, hosting both a pseudo and a classical bulge component. The classical component typically constitutes $\sim$10\% of the total bulge galaxy mass. When looking at the properties of the host galaxies, we find that $z = 0$ pseudobulges are hosted by main sequence galaxies, characterized by a stellar population which is generally younger compared to the one of the hosts of classical bulges., Comment: Submitted to MNRAS

We present FLaREON (Fast Lyman-Alpha Radiative Escape from Outflowing Neutral gas), a public python package that delivers fast and accurate Lyman alpha escape fractions and line profiles over a wide range of outflow geometries and properties. The code incorporates different algorithms, such as interpolation and machine learning to predict Lyman alpha line properties from a pre-computed grid of outflow configurations based on the outputs of a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. Here we describe the algorithm, discuss its performance and illustrate some of its many applications. Most notably, FLaREON can be used to infer the physical properties of the outflowing medium from an observed Lyman alpha line profile, including the escape fraction, or it can be run over millions of objects in a galaxy formation model to simulate the escape of Lyman alpha photons in a cosmological volume., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures

Bars are a key factor in the long-term evolution of spiral galaxies, in their unique role in redistributing angular momentum and transporting gas and stars on large scales. The Eris-suite simulations are cosmological zoom-in, N-body, smoothed-particle hydrodynamic simulations built to follow the formation and evolution of a Milky Way-sized galaxy across the build-up of the large scale structure. Here we analyse and describe the outcome of two particular simulations taken from the Eris suite - ErisBH and Eris2k - which mainly differ in the prescriptions employed for gas cooling, star formation, and feedback from supernovae and black holes. Our study shows that the enhanced effective feedback in Eris2k, due to the collective effect of the different micro-physics implementations, results in a galaxy which is less massive than its ErisBH counterpart till z~1. However, when the stellar content is large enough so that global dynamical instabilities can be triggered, the galaxy in Eris2k develops a stronger and more extended bar with respect to ErisBH. We demonstrate that he structural properties and time evolution of the two bars are very different. Our results highlight the importance of accurate sub-grid prescriptions in cosmological zoom-in simulations of the process of galaxy formation and evolution, and the possible use of a statistical sample of barred galaxies to assess the strength of the stellar feedback., Comment: 16 pages, 14 Figure; accepted for publication in MNRAS; added references and figures, more details, results unchanged

Lyman-{\alpha} emitters (LAEs) are a promising target to probe the large scale structure of the Universe at high redshifts, $z\gtrsim 2$. However, their detection is sensitive to radiative transfer effects that depend on local astrophysical conditions. Thus, modeling the bulk properties of this galaxy population remains challenging for theoretical models. Here we develop a physically-motivated scheme to predict LAEs in cosmological simulations. The escape of Ly{\alpha} photons is computed using a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code which outputs a Ly{\alpha} escape fraction. To speed-up the process of assigning escape fractions to individual galaxies, we employ fitting formulae that approximate the full Monte Carlo results within an accuracy of 10% for a broad range of column densities, gas metallicities and gas bulk velocities. We apply our methodology to the semi-analytical model GALFORM on a large N-body simulation. The Ly{\alpha} photons escape through an outflowing neutral gas medium, implemented assuming different geometries. This results in different predictions for the typical column density and outflow velocities of the LAE population. To understand the impact of radiative transfer on our predictions, we contrast our models against a simple abundance matching assignment. Our full models populate LAEs in less massive haloes than what is obtained with abundance matching. Overall, radiative transfer effects result in better agreement when confronting the properties of LAEs against observational measurements. This suggest that incorporating the effects of Ly{\alpha} radiative transfer in the analysis of this galaxy population, including their clustering, can be important for obtaining an unbiased interpretation of future datasets., Comment: 25 pages, 18 figures. Submitted to MNRAS. Comments are welcome

It has been proposed that close interactions with satellite galaxies can significantly perturb the morphology of the main galaxy. However, the dynamics of an already formed bar following the interaction with the external environment has not been studied in detail in a fully cosmological context. In this work, analysing the cosmological zoom-in simulation Eris2k, we study the effects that a very unequal-mass flyby crossing the stellar disc has on the stability of the pre-existing bar. We characterize the evolution of the bar strength and length showing that the perturbation exerted by the flyby shuffles the orbits of stars for less than one Gyr. After this time, the bar shows a remarkable resilience, reforming with properties comparable to those it had before the interaction. Our work shows that close unequal-mass encounters, the most frequent interactions occurring during the evolution of cosmic structures, have (i) an overall minor impact on the global evolution of the bar in the long term, still (ii) the effect is destructive and (iii) a very weak interaction is sufficient to dismantle a strong bar leading to its "apparent death". As a consequence, due to the non-negligible duration of the bar-less period, a fraction of observed spiral galaxies classified as non-barred could be prone to bar formation., Comment: 6 pages, 3 Figure; Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We look into the abundance of Dual AGN in the largest hydrodynamical simulation from the EAGLE project. We define a Dual AGN as two active black holes (BHs) with a separation below 30 kpc. We find that only 1 per cent of AGN with $\LhX\geq 10^{42}\ergs$ are part of a Dual AGN system at $z=0.8-1$. During the evolution of a typical binary BH system, the rapid variability of the hard X-ray luminosity on Myr time-scales severely limits the detectability of Dual AGN. To quantify this effect, we calculate a probability of detection, $t_{\rm on}/t_{\rm 30}$, where $t_{\rm 30}$ is the time in which the two black holes are separated at distances below 30 kpc and $t_{\rm on}$, the time that both AGN are visible (e.g. when both AGN have $\LhX\geq 10^{42}\ergs$) in this period. We find that the average fraction of visible Dual systems is 3 per cent. The visible Dual AGN distribution as a function of BH separation presents a pronounced peak at $\sim 20$ kpc that can be understood as a result of the rapid orbital decay of the host galaxies after their first encounter. We also find that $75$ per cent of the host galaxies have recently undergone or are undergoing a merger with stellar mass ratio $\geq 0.1$. Finally, we find that the fraction of visible Dual AGN increases with redshift as found in observations., Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted to MNRAS. It includes a new section of discussion with a new figure

In this paper we review a new scenario for the formation of massive black hole seeds that relies on multi-scale gas inflows initiated by the merger of massive gas-rich galaxies at $z > 6$, where gas has already achieved solar composition. Hydrodynamical simulations undertaken to explore our scenario show that supermassive, gravitationally bound gaseous disks, weighing a billion solar masses and of a few pc in size, form in the nuclei of merger remnants in less than $10^5$ yr. These could later produce a supermassive protostar or supermassive star at their center via various mechanisms. Moreover, we present a new analytical model, based on angular momentum transport in mass-loaded gravitoturbulent disks. This naturally predicts that a nuclear disk accreting at rates exceeding $1000 M_{\odot}$/yr, as seen in the simulations, is stable against fragmentation irrespective of its metallicity. This is at variance with conventional direct collapse scenarios, which require the suppression of gas cooling in metal-free protogalaxies for gas collapse to take place. Such high accretion rates reflect the high free-fall velocities in massive halos appearing at $z < 10$, and occur naturally as a result of the efficient angular momentum loss provided by mergers. We discuss the implications of our scenario on the observed population of high-z quasars and on its evolution to lower redshifts using a semi-analytical galaxy formation model. Finally, we consider the intriguing possibility that the secondary gas inflows in the unstable disks might drive gas to collapse into a supermassive black hole directly via the General Relativistic radial instability. Such {\it dark collapse} route could generate gravitational wave emission detectable via the future Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). [Abridged], Comment: Invited Review submitted to Reports of Progress in Physics, version revised after referee reports. Comments are welcome

We use the semi-analytical model of galaxy formation GALFORM to characterise an indirect signature of AGN feedback in the environment of radio galaxies at high redshifts. The predicted environment of radio galaxies is denser than that of radio-quiet galaxies with the same stellar mass. This is consistent with observational results from the CARLA survey. Our model shows that the differences in environment are due to radio galaxies being hosted by dark matter haloes that are ~1.5 dex more massive than those hosting radio-quiet galaxies with the same stellar mass. By running a control-simulation in which AGN feedback is switched-off, we identify AGN feedback as the primary mechanism affecting the build-up of the stellar component of radio galaxies, thus explaining the different environment in radio galaxies and their radio-quiet counterparts. The difference in host halo mass between radio loud and radio quiet galaxies translates into different galaxies populating each environment. We predict a higher fraction of passive galaxies around radio loud galaxies compared to their radio-quiet counterparts. Furthermore, such a high fraction of passive galaxies shapes the predicted infrared luminosity function in the environment of radio galaxies in a way that is consistent with observational findings. Our results suggest that the impact of AGN feedback at high redshifts and environmental mechanisms affecting galaxies in high halo masses can be revealed by studying the environment of radio galaxies, thus providing new constraints on galaxy formation physics at high redshifts., Comment: 12 pages, 7 Figures, submitted to MNRAS

We present ELDAR, a new method that exploits the potential of medium- and narrow-band filter surveys to securely identify active galactic nuclei (AGN) and determine their redshifts. Our methodology improves on traditional approaches by looking for AGN emission lines expected to be identified against the continuum, thanks to the width of the filters. To assess its performance, we apply ELDAR to the data of the ALHAMBRA survey, which covered an effective area of $2.38\,{\rm deg}^2$ with 20 contiguous medium-band optical filters down to F814W$\simeq 24.5$. Using two different configurations of ELDAR in which we require the detection of at least 2 and 3 emission lines, respectively, we extract two catalogues of type-I AGN. The first is composed of 585 sources ($79\,\%$ of them spectroscopically-unknown) down to F814W$=22.5$ at $z_{\rm phot}>1$, which corresponds to a surface density of $209\,{\rm deg}^{-2}$. In the second, the 494 selected sources ($83\,\%$ of them spectroscopically-unknown) reach F814W$=23$ at $z_{\rm phot}>1.5$, for a corresponding number density of $176\,{\rm deg}^{-2}$. Then, using samples of spectroscopically-known AGN in the ALHAMBRA fields, for the two catalogues we estimate a completeness of $73\,\%$ and $67\,\%$, and a redshift precision of $1.01\,\%$ and $0.86\,\%$ (with outliers fractions of $8.1\,\%$ and $5.8\,\%$). At $z>2$, where our selection performs best, we reach $85\,\%$ and $77\,\%$ completeness and we find no contamination from galaxies., Comment: 23 pages, 18 figures, submitted to MNRAS

The emergence of a large-scale stellar bar is one of the most striking features in disc galaxies. By means of state-of-the-art cosmological zoom-in simulations, we study the formation and evolution of bars in Milky Way-like galaxies in a fully cosmological context, including the physics of gas dissipation, star formation, and supernova feedback. Our goal is to characterise the actual trigger of the non-axisymmetric perturbation that leads to the strong bar observable in the simulations at z=0, discriminating between an internal/secular versus an external/tidal origin. To this aim, we run a suite of cosmological zoom-in simulations altering the original history of galaxy-satellite interactions at a time when the main galaxy, though already bar-unstable, does not feature any non-axisymmetric structure yet. We find that the main effect of a late minor merger and of a close fly-by is to delay the time of bar formation and those two dynamical events are not directly responsible for the development of the bar and do not alter significantly its global properties (e.g. its final extension). We conclude that, once the disc has grown to a mass large enough to sustain global non-axisymmetric modes, then bar formation is inevitable., Comment: 15 pages, 6 Figure; Accepted for publication in MNRAS - Full-resolution images are available at http://www.dfm.uninsubria.it/fh/FHpages/Research.html