Search

We report observations of deuterated acetylene (C$_2$HD) at 19.3 $\mu$m (519 cm$^{-1}$) with the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility in July 2017. Six individual lines from the Q-branch of the $\nu_4$ band were clearly detected with a S/N ratio up to 10. Spectral intervals around 8.0 $\mu$m (745 cm$^{-1}$) and 13.4 $\mu$m (1247 cm$^{-1}$) containing acetylene (C$_2$H$_2$) and methane (CH$_4$) lines respectively, were observed during the same run to constrain the disk-averaged C$_2$H$_2$ abundance profile and temperature profile. Cassini observations with the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) were used to improve the flux calibration and help to constrain the atmospheric model. The measured D/H ratio in acetylene, derived from the C$_2$HD/C$_2$H$_2$ abundance ratio, is (1.22$^{+0.27}_{-0.21})$ $\times$ 10$^{-4}$, consistent with that in methane obtained in previous studies. Possible sources of fractionation at different steps of the acetylene photochemistry are investigated.

The Rossiter-McLaughlin effect measures the misalignment between a planet's orbital plane and its host star's rotation plane. Around 10$\%$ of planets exhibit misalignments in the approximate range $80 - 125^\circ$, with their origin remaining a mystery. On the other hand, large misalignments may be common in eccentric circumbinary systems due to misaligned discs undergoing polar alignment. If the binary subsequently merges, a polar circumbinary disc -- along with any planets that form within it -- may remain inclined near 90$^{\circ}$ to the merged star's rotation. To test this hypothesis, we present $N$-body simulations of the evolution of a polar circumbinary debris disc comprised of test particles around an eccentric binary during a binary merger that is induced by tidal dissipation. After the merger, the disc particles remain on near-polar orbits. Interaction of the binary with the polar-aligned gas disc may be required to bring the binary to the small separations that trigger the merger by tides. Our findings imply that planets forming in discs that are polar-aligned to the orbit of a high-eccentricity binary may, following the merger of the binary, provide a possible origin for the population of near-polar planets around single stars., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures

Some electromagnetic outbursts from the nuclei of distant galaxies have been found to repeat on months-to-years timescales, and each of these sources can putatively arise from the accretion flares generated through the repeated tidal stripping of a star on a bound orbit about a supermassive black hole (SMBH), i.e., a repeating partial tidal disruption event (rpTDE). Here we test the rpTDE model through analytical estimates and hydrodynamical simulations of the interaction between a range of stars, which differ from one another in mass and age, and an SMBH. We show that higher-mass ($\gtrsim 1 M_{\odot}$), evolved stars can survive many ($\gtrsim 10-100$) encounters with an SMBH while simultaneously losing $few \times 0.01 M_{\odot}$, resulting in accretion flares that are approximately evenly spaced in time with nearly the same amplitude, quantitatively reproducing ASASSN-14ko. We also show that the energy imparted to the star via tides can lead to a change in its orbital period that is comparable to the observed decay in the recurrence time of ASASSN-14ko's flares, $\dot{P}\simeq-0.0026$. Contrarily, lower-mass and less-evolved stars lose progressively more mass and produce brighter accretion flares on subsequent encounters for the same pericenter distances, leading to the rapid destruction of the star and cessation of flares. Such systems cannot reproduce ASASSN-14ko-like transients, but are promising candidates for recreating events such as AT2020vdq, which displayed a second and much brighter outburst compared to the first. Our results imply that the lightcurves of repeating transients are tightly coupled with stellar type., Comment: 24 pages, 18 figures, 2 appendices, Accepted to ApJ on July 31, 2024

Accretion discs are fundamental to much of astronomy. They can occur around stars both young and old, around compact objects they provide a window into the extremes of physics, and around supermassive black holes in galaxy centres they generate spectacular luminosities that can outshine the entire galaxy. However, our understanding of the inner workings of accretion discs remains far from complete. Here we revisit a conundrum in the observations of some of the simplest accreting systems; the Cataclysmic Variables (CVs). The high-accretion-rate states of (non-magnetic) CVs can be divided into the short-lived outbursts ($\sim$ a week) typical of dwarf novae (DNe) and the long-lived (and sometimes perpetual) high states of nova-like (NL) CVs. Since both sorts of high-state occur in approximately steady-state accretion discs with similar properties and accretors, we would expect them to display similar spectral energy distributions. However, previous analyses based on UV spectra from the {\it International Ultraviolet Explorer} have shown that their spectral energy distributions are different. We perform a re-analysis of the data using up to date calibrations and distance (and thus dereddening) estimates to test whether this difference persists and whether it is statistically significant over the sample. We find that it does persist and it is statistically significant. We propose routes to investigating this discrepancy further and discuss the implications this has for other accreting systems, such as X-ray binaries, Active Galactic Nuclei and protoplanetary discs., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 12 pages, 8 figures

The subsurface ocean of Europa is a high priority target in the search for extraterrestrial life, but direct investigations are hindered by the presence of a thick, exterior ice shell. Here we present spectral line and continuum maps of Europa obtained over four epochs in May-June 2021 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), to search for molecular emission from atmospheric plumes, with the aim of investigating subsurface processes. Using a 3D physical model, we obtained upper limits for the plume abundances of HCN, H$_2$CO, SO$_2$ and CH$_3$OH. If active plume(s) were present, they contained very low abundances of these molecules. Assuming a total gas production rate of $10^{29}$ s$^{-1}$, our H$_2$CO abundance upper limit of $<0.016$\% is more than an order of magnitude less than measured in the Enceladus plume by the Cassini spacecraft, implying a possible chemical difference between the plume source materials for these two icy moons., Comment: Submitted to IAU Symposium 383 conference proceedings --- Astrochemistry VIII: From the First Galaxies to the Formation of Habitable Worlds

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are traditionally classified as either short GRBs with durations $\lesssim 2$ s that are powered by compact object mergers, or long GRBs with durations $\gtrsim 2$ s that powered by the deaths of massive stars. Recent results, however, have challenged this dichotomy and suggest that there exists a population of merger-driven long bursts. One such example, GRB 191019A, has a $t_{90} \approx 64$ s but many of its other properties -- including its host galaxy, afterglow luminosity and lack of associated supernova -- are more consistent with a short GRB. Here we propose an alternative interpretation: that GRB 191019A (which is located in the nucleus of its host) is an atypical jetted tidal disruption event (TDE). In particular, we suggest the short timescale and rapid decline, not expected for standard TDEs, are the result of an "ultra-deep" encounter, in which the star came well within the tidal radius of the black hole and promptly self-intersected, circularised, accreted, and launched a relativistic outflow. This model reproduces the timescale and luminosity through a prompt super-Eddington accretion phase and accounts for the lack of late optical emission. This would make GRB 191019A only the fifth jetted TDE and the first discovered ultra-deep TDE. The ultra-deep TDE model can be distinguished from merger-driven long GRBs via the soft X-ray flash that results from prompt self-intersection of the debris stream; the detection of this flash will be possible with wide-field and soft-X-ray satellites such as $\textit{Einstein Probe}$ or $\textit{SVOM}$., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures and 1 table. Accepted to ApJL

An accretion disk formed around a supermassive black hole (SMBH) after it disrupts a star is expected to be initially misaligned with respect to the black hole's equatorial plane. This misalignment induces relativistic torques (the Lense-Thirring effect) on the disk, causing the disk to precess at early times, while at late times the disk aligns with the black hole and precession terminates. Here, using high-cadence X-ray monitoring observations of a TDE, we report the discovery of strong, quasi-periodic X-ray flux and temperature modulations from a TDE. These X-ray modulations are separated by 17.0$^{+1.2}_{-2.4}$ days and persist for roughly 130 days during the early phase of the TDE. Lense-Thirring precession of the accretion flow can produce this X-ray variability, but other physical mechanisms, such as the radiation-pressure instability, cannot be ruled out. Assuming typical TDE parameters, i.e., a solar-like star with the resulting disk extending at-most to so-called circularization radius, and that the disk precesses as a rigid body, we constrain the disrupting black hole's dimensionless spin parameter to be 0.05<|a|<0.5., Comment: Accepted for publication in Nature

The temperature structure of Titan's upper atmosphere exhibits large variability resulting from numerous spatially and temporally irregular external energy sources, seasonal changes, and the influence of molecular species produced via photochemistry. In particular, Titan's relatively abundant HCN is thought to provide substantial cooling to the upper atmosphere through rotational emission, balancing UV/EUV heating and thermal conduction. Here, we present the analysis of ALMA observations of Titan from 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2017, corresponding to planetocentric solar longitudes of ~34-89$^{\circ}$, including vertical HCN and temperature profiles retrieved from the lower mesosphere through the thermosphere (~350-1200 km; $3\times10^{-2}$-$2\times10^{-8}$ mbar). Throughout the atmosphere, temperature profiles differ by 10 to 30 K between observations approximately one Earth year apart, particularly from 600-900 km. We find evidence for a large imbalance in Titan's upper atmospheric energy budget between 2014 and 2015, where the mesospheric thermal structure changes significantly and marks the transition between a mesopause located at ~600 km ($2\times10^{-4}$ mbar) and at ~800 km ($3\times10^{-6}$ mbar). The retrieved HCN abundances vary dramatically during the 2012 to 2017 time period as well, showing close to 2 orders of magnitude difference in abundance at 1000 km. However, the change in HCN abundance does not appear to fully account for the variation in mesospheric temperatures over the $L_S\sim$34-89$^{\circ}$ period. These measurements provide additional insight into the variability of Titan's mesospheric composition and thermal structure following its 2009 vernal equinox, and motivate continued investigation of the origins of such rapid changes in Titan's atmosphere throughout its seasonal cycle., Comment: Published in the Planetary Science Journal. 25 pages, 11 figures, 1 table

We study the effects of general relativity (GR) on the evolution and alignment of circumbinary disks around binaries on all scales. We implement relativistic apsidal precession of the binary into the hydrodynamics code {\sc phantom}. We find that the effects of GR can suppress the stable polar alignment of a circumbinary disk, depending on how the relativistic binary apsidal precession timescale compares to the disk nodal precession timescale. Studies of circumbinary disk evolution typically ignore the effects of GR which is an appropriate simplification for low mass or widely separated binary systems. In this case, polar alignment occurs providing that the disks initial misalignment is sufficiently large. However, systems with a very short relativistic precession timescale cannot polar align and instead move toward coplanar alignment. In the intermediate regime where the timescales are similar, the outcome depends upon the properties of the disk. Polar alignment is more likely in the wavelike disk regime (where the disk viscosity parameter is less than the aspect ratio, $\alpha

Observations, mainly of outbursts in dwarf novae, imply that the anomalous viscosity in highly ionized accretion discs is magnetic in origin, and requires that the plasma $\beta \sim 1$. Until now most simulations of the magnetic dynamo in accretion discs have used a local approximation (known as the shearing box). While these simulations demonstrate the possibility of a self-sustaining dynamo, the magnetic activity generated in these models saturates at $\beta \gg 1$. This long-standing discrepancy has previously been attributed to the local approximation itself. There have been recent attempts at simulating magnetic activity in global accretion discs with parameters relevant to the dwarf novae. These too find values of $\beta \gg 1$. We speculate that the tension between these models and the observations may be caused by numerical magnetic diffusivity. As a pedagogical example, we present exact time-dependent solutions for the evolution of weak magnetic fields in an incompressible fluid subject to linear shear and magnetic diffusivity. We find that the maximum factor by which the initial magnetic energy can be increased depends on the magnetic Reynolds number as ${\mathcal R}_{\rm m}^{2/3}$. We estimate that current global numerical simulations of dwarf nova discs have numerical magnetic Reynolds numbers around 6 orders of magnitude less than the physical value found in dwarf nova discs of ${\mathcal R}_{\rm m} \sim 10^{10}$. We suggest that, given the current limitations on computing power, expecting to be able to compute realistic dynamo action in observable accretion discs using numerical MHD is, for the time being, a step too far., Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in the Journal of Plasma Physics

With hydrodynamical simulations we examine the evolution of a highly misaligned circumbinary disc around a black hole binary including the effects of general relativity. We show that a disc mass of just a few percent of the binary mass can significantly increase the binary eccentricity through von-Zeipel--Kozai-Lidov (ZKL) like oscillations provided that the disc lifetime is longer than the ZKL oscillation timescale. The disc begins as a relatively narrow ring of material far from the binary and spreads radially. When the binary becomes highly eccentric, disc breaking forms an inner disc ring that quickly aligns to polar. The polar ring drives fast retrograde apsidal precession of the binary that weakens the ZKL effect. This allows the binary eccentricity to remain at a high level and may significantly shorten the black hole merger time. The mechanism requires the initial disc inclination relative to the binary to be closer to retrograde than to prograde., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The dominant mechanism for generating free-floating planets has so far remained elusive. One suggested mechanism is that planets are ejected from planetary systems due to planet-planet interactions. However, instability around a single star requires a very compactly spaced planetary system. We find that around binary star systems instability can occur even with widely separated planets that are on tilted orbits relative to the binary orbit due to combined effects of planet-binary and planet-planet interactions, especially if the binary is on an eccentric orbit. We investigate the orbital stability of planetary systems with various planet masses and architectures. We find that the stability of the system depends upon the mass of the highest mass planet. The order of the planets in the system does not significantly affect stability but, generally, the most massive planet remains stable and the lower mass planets are ejected. The minimum planet mass required to trigger the instability is about that of Neptune for a circular orbit binary and a super-Earth of about $10$ Earth masses for highly eccentric binaries. Hence, we suggest that planet formation around misaligned binaries can be an efficient formation mechanism for free-floating planets. While most observed free-floating planets are giant planets, we predict that there should be more low-mass free floating planets that are as yet unobserved than higher mass planets., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures

A star completely destroyed in a tidal disruption event (TDE) ignites a luminous flare that is powered by the fallback of tidally stripped debris to a supermassive black hole (SMBH) of mass $M_{\bullet}$. We analyze two estimates for the peak fallback rate in a TDE, one being the "frozen-in" model, which predicts a strong dependence of the time to peak fallback rate, $t_{\rm peak}$, on both stellar mass and age, with $15\textrm{ days} \lesssim t_{\rm peak} \lesssim 10$ yr for main sequence stars with masses $0.2\le M_{\star}/M_{\odot} \le 5$ and $M_{\bullet} = 10^6M_{\odot}$. The second estimate, which postulates that the star is completely destroyed when tides dominate the maximum stellar self-gravity, predicts that $t_{\rm peak}$ is very weakly dependent on stellar type, with $t_{\rm peak} = \left(23.2\pm4.0\textrm{ days}\right)\left(M_{\bullet}/10^6M_{\odot}\right)^{1/2}$ for $0.2\le M_{\star}/M_{\odot} \le 5$, while $t_{\rm peak} = \left(29.8\pm3.6\textrm{ days}\right)\left(M_{\bullet}/10^6M_{\odot}\right)^{1/2}$ for a Kroupa initial mass function truncated at $1.5 M_{\odot}$. This second estimate also agrees closely with hydrodynamical simulations, while the frozen-in model is discrepant by orders of magnitude. We conclude that (1) the time to peak luminosity in complete TDEs is almost exclusively determined by SMBH mass, and (2) massive-star TDEs power the largest accretion luminosities. Consequently, (a) decades-long extra-galactic outbursts cannot be powered by complete TDEs, including massive-star disruptions, and (b) the most highly super-Eddington TDEs are powered by the complete disruption of massive stars, which -- if responsible for producing jetted TDEs -- would explain the rarity of jetted TDEs and their preference for young and star-forming host galaxies., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, ApJL accepted

We present the discovery of an unusual set of flares in the nova-like variable V704 And. Using data from AAVSO, ASAS-SN, and ZTF, of the nova-like variable V704 And, we have discovered a trio of brightening events that occurred during the high state. These events elevate the optical brightness of the source from $\sim13.5$ magnitude to $\sim12.5$ magnitude. The events last for roughly a month, and exhibit the unusual shape of a slow rise and faster decay. Just after the third event we obtained data from regular monitoring with Swift, although by this time the flares had ceased and the source returned to its pre-flare level of activity in the high-state. The Swift observations confirm that during the high-state the source is detectable in the X-rays, and provide simultaneous UV and optical fluxes. As the source is already in the high-state prior to the flares, and thus the disc is expected to already be in the high-viscosity state, we conclude that the driver of the variations must be changes in the mass transfer rate from the companion star and we discuss possible mechanisms for such short-timescale mass transfer variations to occur., Comment: 5 pages + appendix. Accepted for publication in A&A Letters

In recent years, searches of archival X-ray data have revealed galaxies exhibiting nuclear quasi-periodic eruptions with periods of several hours. These are reminiscent of the tidal disruption of a star by a supermassive black hole, and the repeated, partial stripping of a white dwarf in an eccentric orbit around a ~10^5 solar mass black hole provides an attractive model. A separate class of periodic nuclear transients, with significantly longer timescales, have recently been discovered optically, and may arise from the partial stripping of a main-sequence star by a ~10^7 solar mass black hole. No clear connection between these classes has been made. We present the discovery of an X-ray nuclear transient which shows quasi-periodic outbursts with a period of weeks. We discuss possible origins for the emission, and propose that this system bridges the two existing classes outlined above. This discovery was made possible by the rapid identification, dissemination and follow up of an X-ray transient found by the new live \swift-XRT transient detector, demonstrating the importance of low-latency, sensitive searches for X-ray transients., Comment: To be published in Nature Astronomy at 1600 BST on September 7th. This version for arXiv includes the main article, Methods and Supplementary Information combined into a single file

We investigate the orbital stability of a tilted circumbinary planetary system with three giant planets. The planets are spaced by a constant number ($\Delta$) of mutual Hill radii in the range $\Delta=3.4-12.0$ such that the period ratio of the inner pair is the same as the outer pair. A tilted circumbinary planetary system can be unstable even if the same system around a coplanar binary is stable. For an equal mass binary, we find that the stability of a three-planet system is qualitatively similar to that of a two-planet system, but the three-planet system is more unstable in mean motion resonance regions. For an unequal mass binary, there is significantly more instability in the three-planet system as the inner planets can undergo von-Zeipel-Kozai-Lidov oscillations. Generally in unstable systems, the inner planets are more likely to be ejected than the outer planets. The most likely unstable outcome for closely spaced systems, with $\Delta \lesssim 8$, is a single remaining stable planet. For more widely separated systems, $\Delta \gtrsim 8$, the most likely unstable outcome is two stable planets, only one being ejected. An observed circumbinary planet with significant eccentricity may suggest that it was formed from an unstable system. Consequently, a binary can host three tilted giant planets if the binary stars are close to equal mass and provided that the planets are well spaced and not close to a mean motion resonance., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures

Recent observations demonstrate that misalignments and other out-of-plane structures are common in protoplanetary discs. Many of these have been linked to a central host binary with an orbit that is inclined with respect to the disc. We present simulations of misaligned circumbinary discs with a range of parameters to gain a better understanding of the link between those parameters and the disc morphology in the wave-like regime of warp propagation that is appropriate to protoplanetary discs. The simulations confirm that disc tearing is possible in protoplanetary discs as long as the mass ratio, $\mu$, and disc-binary inclination angle, $i$, are not too small. For the simulations presented here this corresponds to $\mu > 0.1$ and $i \gtrsim 40^\circ$. For highly eccentric binaries, tearing can occur for discs with smaller misalignment. Existing theoretical predictions provide an estimate of the radial extent of the disc in which we can expect breaking to occur. However, there does not seem to be a simple relationship between the disc properties and the radius within the circumbinary disc at which the breaks appear, and furthermore the radius at which the disc breaks can change as a function of time in each case. We discuss the implications of our results for interpreting observations and suggest some considerations for modelling misaligned discs in the future., Comment: Accepted to MNRAS. 16 pages

With $n$-body simulations we investigate the stability of tilted circumbinary planetary systems consisting of two nonzero mass planets. The planets are initially in circular orbits that are coplanar to each other, as would be expected if they form in a flat but tilted circumbinary gas disc and decouple from the disc within a time difference that is much less than the disc nodal precession period. We constrain the parameters of stable multiple planet circumbinary systems. Both planet-planet and planet-binary interactions can cause complex planet tilt oscillations which can destabilise the orbits of one or both planets. The system is considerably more unstable than the effects of these individual interactions would suggest, due to the interplay between these two interactions. The stability of the system is sensitive to the binary eccentricity, the orbital tilt and the semi-major axes of the two circumbinary planets. With an inner planet semi-major axis of $5\,a_{\rm b}$, where $a_{\rm b}$ is semi-major axis of the binary, the system is generally stable if the outer planet is located at $\gtrsim 8\,a_{\rm b}$, beyond the 2:1 mean motion resonance with the inner planet. For larger inner planet semi-major axis the system is less stable because the von-Zeipel--Kozai--Lidov mechanism plays a significant role, particularly for low binary-eccentricity cases. For the unstable cases, the most likely outcome is that one planet is ejected and the other remains bound on a highly eccentric orbit. Therefore we suggest that this instability is an efficient mechanism for producing free-floating planets., Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures

Stars that plunge into the center of a galaxy are tidally perturbed by a supermassive black hole (SMBH), with closer encounters resulting in larger perturbations. Exciting these tides comes at the expense of the star's orbital energy, which leads to the naive conclusion that a smaller pericenter (i.e., a closer encounter between the star and SMBH) always yields a more tightly bound star to the SMBH. However, once the pericenter distance is small enough that the star is partially disrupted, morphological asymmetries in the mass lost by the star can yield an \emph{increase} in the orbital energy of the surviving core, resulting in its ejection -- not capture -- by the SMBH. Using smoothed-particle hydrodynamics simulations, we show that the combination of these two effects -- tidal excitation and asymmetric mass loss -- result in a maximum amount of energy lost through tides of $\sim 2.5\%$ of the binding energy of the star, which is significantly smaller than the theoretical maximum of the total stellar binding energy. This result implies that stars that are repeatedly partially disrupted by SMBHs many ($\gtrsim 10$) times on short-period orbits ($\lesssim$ few years), as has been invoked to explain the periodic nuclear transient ASASSN-14ko and quasi-periodic eruptions, must be bound to the SMBH through a mechanism other than tidal capture, such as a dynamical exchange (i.e., Hills capture)., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The presence of phosphine (PH$_3$) in the atmosphere of Venus was reported by Greaves et al. (2021a), based on observations of the J=1-0 transition at 267 GHz using ground-based, millimeter-wave spectroscopy. This unexpected discovery presents a challenge for our understanding of Venus's atmosphere, and has led to a reappraisal of the possible sources and sinks of atmospheric phosphorous-bearing gases. Here we present results from a search for PH$_3$ on Venus using the GREAT instrument aboard the SOFIA aircraft, over three flights conducted in November 2021. Multiple PH$_3$ transitions were targeted at frequencies centered on 533 GHz and 1067 GHz, but no evidence for atmospheric PH$_3$ was detected. Through radiative transfer modeling, we derived a disk-averaged upper limit on the PH$_3$ abundance of 0.8 ppb in the altitude range 75-110 km, which is more stringent than previous ground-based studies., Comment: Accepted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters

We present simulated optical light curves of super-Eddington tidal disruption events (TDEs) using the zero-Bernoulli accretion (ZEBRA) flow model, which proposes that during the super-Eddington phase, the disc is quasi-spherical, radiation-pressure dominated, and accompanied by the production of strong jets. We construct light curves for both on- and off-axis (with respect to the jet) observers to account for the anisotropic nature of the jetted emission. We find that at optical wavelengths, emission from the accretion flow is orders of magnitude brighter than that produced by the jet, even with boosting from synchrotron self-Compton. Comparing to the observed jetted TDE Swift J2058.4+0516, we find that the ZEBRA model accurately captures the timescale for which accretion remains super-Eddington and reproduces the luminosity of the transient. However, we find the shape of the light curves deviate at early times and the radius and temperature of our modelled ZEBRA are $\sim2.7 - 4.1$ times smaller and $\sim1.4 - 2.3$ times larger, respectively, than observed. We suggest that this indicates the ZEBRA inflates more, and more rapidly, than currently predicted by the model, and we discuss possible extensions to the model to account for this. Such refinements, coupled with valuable new data from upcoming large scale surveys, could help to resolve the nature of super-Eddington TDEs and how they are powered., Comment: Accepted to MNRAS. 9 pages and 5 figures

A tidal disruption event (TDE) occurs when the gravitational field of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) destroys a star. For TDEs in which the star enters deep within the tidal radius, such that the ratio of the tidal radius to the pericenter distance $\beta$ satisfies $\beta \gg 1$, the star is tidally compressed and heated. It was predicted that the maximum density and temperature attained during deep TDEs scale as $\propto \beta^3$ and $\propto \beta^2$, respectively, and nuclear detonation triggered by $\beta \gtrsim 5$, but these predictions have been debated over the last four decades. We perform Newtonian smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations of deep TDEs between a Sun-like star and a $10^6 M_\odot$ SMBH for $2 \le \beta \le 10$. We find that neither the maximum density nor temperature follow the $\propto \beta^3$ and $\propto \beta^2$ scalings or, for that matter, any power-law dependence, and that the maximum-achieved density and temperature are reduced by $\sim$ an order of magnitude compared to past predictions. We also perform simulations in the Schwarzschild metric, and find that relativistic effects modestly increase the maximum density (by a factor of $\lesssim 1.5$) and induce a time lag relative to the Newtonian simulations, which is induced by time dilation. We also confirm that the time the star spends at high density and temperature is a very small fraction of its dynamical time. We therefore predict that the amount of nuclear burning achieved by radiative stars during deep TDEs is minimal., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, ApJ accepted

Isotopic ratios provide a powerful tool for understanding the origins of materials, including the volatile and refractory matter within solar system bodies. Recent high sensitivity observations of molecular isotopologues, in particular with ALMA, have brought us new information on isotopic ratios of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in star and planet forming regions as well as the solar system objects. Solar system exploration missions, such as Rosetta and Cassini, have given us further new insights. Meanwhile, the recent development of sophisticated models for isotope chemistry including detailed gas-phase and grain surface reaction network has made it possible to discuss how isotope fractionation in star and planet forming regions is imprinted into the icy mantles of dust grains, preserving a record of the initial isotopic state of solar system materials. This chapter reviews recent progress in observations of molecular isotopologues in extra-solar planet forming regions, prestellar/protostellar cores and protoplanetary disks, as well as objects in our solar system -- comets, meteorites, and planetary/satellite atmospheres -- and discusses their connection by means of isotope chemical models., Comment: To appear in Protostars and Planets VII, University of Arizona Press, eds. Shu-ichiro Inutsuka, Yuri Aikawa, Takayuki Muto, Kengo Tomida, and Motohide Tamura

Periodic nuclear transients have been detected with increasing frequency, with one such system -- ASASSN-14ko -- exhibiting highly regular outbursts on a timescale of $114 \pm 1$ days. It has been postulated that the outbursts from this source are generated by the repeated partial disruption of a star, but how the star was placed onto such a tightly bound orbit about the supermassive black hole remains unclear. Here we use analytic arguments and three-body integrations to demonstrate that the Hills mechanism, where a binary system is destroyed by the tides of the black hole, can lead to the capture of a star on a $\sim 114$ day orbit and with a pericenter distance that is comparable to the tidal radius of one of the stars within the binary. Thus, Hills capture can produce stars on tightly bound orbits that undergo repeated partial disruption, leading to a viable mechanism for generating not only the outbursts detected from ASASSN-14ko, but for periodic nuclear transients in general. We also show that the rate of change of the period of the captured star due to gravitational-wave emission is likely too small to produce the observed value for ASASSN-14ko, indicating that in this system there must be additional effects that contribute to the decay of the orbit. In general, however, gravitational-wave emission can be important for limiting the lifetimes of these systems, and could produce observable period decay rates in future events., Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, and 1 table. Resubmitted to ApJL following first referee report

Upon entering the tidal sphere of a supermassive black hole, a star is ripped apart by tides and transformed into a stream of debris. The ultimate fate of that debris, and the properties of the bright flare that is produced and observed, depends on a number of parameters, including the energy of the center of mass of the original star. Here we present the results of a set of smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations in which a $1~M_\odot $, $\gamma = 5/3$ polytrope is disrupted by a $10^6 ~M_\odot$ supermassive black hole. Each simulation has a pericenter distance of $r_{\rm p} = r_{\rm t}$ (i.e., $\beta \equiv r_{\rm t}/r_{\rm p} = 1$ with $r_{\rm t}$ the tidal radius), and we vary the eccentricity $e$ of the stellar orbit from $e = 0.8$ up to $e = 1.20$ and study the nature of the fallback of debris onto the black hole and the long-term fate of the unbound material. For simulations with eccentricities $e \lesssim 0.98$, the fallback curve has a distinct, three-peak structure that is induced by self-gravity. For simulations with eccentricities $e \gtrsim 1.06$, the core of the disrupted star reforms following its initial disruption. Our results have implications for, e.g., tidal disruption events produced by supermassive black hole binaries., Comment: ApJ Accepted

Compact binaries such as double neutron stars or a neutron star paired with a black-hole, are strong sources of gravitational waves during coalescence and also the likely progenitors of various electromagnetic phenomena, notably short-duration gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs), and kilonovae. In this work, we generate populations of synthetic binaries and place them in galaxies from the large-scale hydrodynamical galaxy evolution simulation EAGLE. With our zELDA code, binaries are seeded in proportion to star formation rate, and we follow their evolution to merger using both the BPASS and COSMIC binary stellar evolution codes. We track their dynamical evolution within their host galaxy potential, to estimate the galactocentric distance at the time of the merger. Finally, we apply observational selection criteria to allow comparison of this model population with the legacy sample of SGRBs. We find a reasonable agreement with the redshift distribution (peaking at $0.526$)., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 21 Pages (6 Tables, 14 Figures), 14 Pages Appendix (4 Tables, 16 Figures)

Accretion discs around black holes can become warped by Lense-Thirring precession if the disc is tilted with respect to the black hole spin vector. When the disc viscosity is sufficiently large that warp propagation is diffusive, the inner disc can align with the black hole spin. However, if the viscosity is small, such that the warp propagates as a wave, then steady-state solutions to the linearised fluid equations exhibit an oscillatory radial profile of the disc tilt angle close to the black hole. Here we show, for the first time, that these solutions are in good agreement with three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations, in which the viscosity is isotropic and measured to be small compared to the disc angular semi-thickness, and in the case that the disc tilt -- and thus the warp amplitude -- remains small. We show using both the linearised fluid equations and hydrodynamical simulations that the inner disc tilt can be more than several times larger than the original disc tilt, and we provide physical reasoning for this effect. We explore the transition in disc behaviour as the misalignment angle is increased, finding increased dissipation associated with regions of strong warping. For large enough misalignments the disc becomes unstable to disc tearing and breaks into discrete planes. For the simulations we present here, we show that the total (physical and numerical) viscosity at the time the disc breaks is small enough that the disc tearing occurs in the wave-like regime, substantiating that disc tearing is possible in this region of parameter space. Our simulations demonstrate that high spatial resolution, and thus low numerical viscosity, is required to accurately model the warp dynamics in this regime. Finally, we discuss the observational implications of our results., Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

Similar to Earth, Saturn's largest moon, Titan, possesses a system of high-altitude zonal winds (or jets) that encircle the globe. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in August 2016, Lellouch et al. (2019) discovered an equatorial jet at much higher altitudes than previously known, with a surprisingly fast speed of up to ~340 m/s, but the origin of such high velocities is not yet understood. We obtained spectrally and spatially resolved ALMA observations in May 2017 to map Titan's 3D global wind field and compare our results with a reanalysis of the August 2016 data. Doppler wind velocity maps were derived in the altitude range ~300-1000 km (from the upper stratosphere to the thermosphere). At the highest, thermospheric altitudes, a 47% reduction in the equatorial zonal wind speed was measured over the 9-month period (corresponding to L_s = 82-90 degrees on Titan). This is interpreted as due to a dramatic slowing and loss of confinement (broadening) of the recently-discovered thermospheric equatorial jet, as a result of dynamical instability. These unexpectedly-rapid changes in the upper-atmospheric dynamics are consistent with strong variability of the jet's primary driving mechanism.

Synchrotron-emitting, nonthermal filaments (NTFs) have been observed near the Galactic center for nearly four decades, yet their physical origin remains unclear. Here we investigate the possibility that NTFs are produced by the destruction of molecular clouds by the gravitational potential of the Galactic center. We show that this model predicts the formation of a filamentary structure with length on the order of tens to hundreds of pc, a highly ordered magnetic field along the axis of the filament, and conditions conducive to magnetic reconnection that result in particle acceleration. This model therefore yields the observed magnetic properties of NTFs and a population of relativistic electrons, without the need to appeal to a dipolar, $\sim$ mG, Galactic magnetic field. As the clouds can be both completely or partially disrupted, this model provides a means of establishing the connection between filamentary structures and molecular clouds that is observed in some, but not all, cases., Comment: Figure added, includes referee suggestions

Titan harbors a dense, organic-rich atmosphere primarily composed of N$_2$ and CH$_4$, with lesser amounts of hydrocarbons and nitrogen-bearing species. As a result of high sensitivity observations by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Band 6 ($\sim$230-272 GHz), we obtained the first spectroscopic detection of CH$_3$C$_3$N (methylcyanoacetylene or cyanopropyne) in Titan's atmosphere through the observation of seven transitions in the $J = 64\rightarrow63$ and $J = 62\rightarrow61$ rotational bands. The presence of CH$_3$C$_3$N on Titan was suggested by the Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer detection of its protonated form: C$_4$H$_3$NH$^+$, but the atmospheric abundance of the associated (deprotonated) neutral product is not well constrained due to the lack of appropriate laboratory reaction data. Here, we derive the column density of CH$_3$C$_3$N to be (3.8-5.7)$\times10^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$ based on radiative transfer models sensitive to altitudes above 400 km Titan's middle atmosphere. When compared with laboratory and photochemical model results, the detection of methylcyanoacetylene provides important constraints for the determination of the associated production pathways (such as those involving CN, CCN, and hydrocarbons), and reaction rate coefficients. These results also further demonstrate the importance of ALMA and (sub)millimeter spectroscopy for future investigations of Titan's organic inventory and atmospheric chemistry, as CH$_3$C$_3$N marks the heaviest polar molecule detected spectroscopically in Titan's atmosphere to date., Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Accepted in ApJ Letters

The destruction of a star by the tides of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) powers a bright accretion flare, and the theoretical modeling of such tidal disruption events (TDEs) can provide a direct means of inferring SMBH properties from observations. Previously it has been shown that TDEs with $\beta = r_{\rm t}/r_{\rm p} = 1$, where $r_{\rm t}$ is the tidal disruption radius and $r_{\rm p}$ is the pericenter distance of the star, form an in-plane caustic, or ``pancake,'' where the tidally disrupted debris is compressed into a one-dimensional line within the orbital plane of the star. Here we show that this result applies generally to all TDEs for which the star is fully disrupted, i.e., that satisfy $\beta \gtrsim 1$. We show that the location of this caustic is always outside of the tidal disruption radius of the star and the compression of the gas near the caustic is at most mildly supersonic, which results in an adiabatic increase in the gas density above the tidal density of the black hole. As such, this in-plane pancake revitalizes the influence of self-gravity even for large $\beta$, in agreement with recent simulations. This finding suggests that for all TDEs in which the star is fully disrupted, self-gravity is revived post-pericenter, keeps the stream of debris narrowly confined in its transverse directions, and renders the debris prone to gravitational instability., Comment: ApJL Accepted

We present analytical and numerical solutions for accretion discs subject to a non-zero central torque. We express this in terms of a single parameter, $f$, which is the ratio of outward viscous flux of angular momentum from the inner boundary to the inward advected flux of angular momentum there. The standard "accretion" disc, where the central boundary condition is zero-torque, is represented by $f=0$. A "decretion" disc, where the radial velocity at the inner boundary is zero, is represented by $f\rightarrow\infty$. For $f > 0$ a torque is applied to the disc at the inner boundary, which feeds both angular momentum and energy into the disc. This can arise, for example, in the case of a circumbinary disc where resonances transfer energy and angular momentum from the binary to the disc orbits, or where the disc is around a rotating magnetic star which can allow the disc orbits to be accelerated outwards at the magnetospheric radius. We present steady-state solutions to the disc structure as a function of $f$, and for arbitrary kinematic viscosity $\nu$. For time-dependent discs, we solve the equations using a Green's function approach for the specific case of $\nu \propto R$ and provide an example numerical solution to the equations for the case of $\nu \propto R^{3/2}$. We find that for values of $f\lesssim 0.1$ the disc solutions closely resemble "accretion" discs. For values of $f \gtrsim 10$ the solutions initially resemble "decretion" discs, but at sufficiently late times exhibit the properties of "accretion" discs. We discuss the application of this theory to different astrophysical systems, and in particular the values of the $f$ parameter that are expected in different cases., Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in New Astronomy

Short gamma-ray bursts (sGRBs) are generally thought to result from the merger of two neutron stars or the merger of a neutron star with a black hole. It is becoming standard practise to model these mergers with hydrodynamical simulations that employ equations of state that are derived, for example, for determining the behaviour of matter in core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe), and which therefore make use of the assumption that the matter is hot and in nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE). In this Letter we draw attention to the fact that the hydrodynamical timescale (roughly the gravitational timescale of the neutron star) may be several orders of magnitude shorter than the timescale on which such equilibrium can be re-established in the tidal debris ejected during a sGRB, and that on the initial decompression timescales the unshocked tidal ejecta may remain sufficiently cool that the employed equations of state are not appropriate for modelling the dynamics of this part of the flow. On timescales short compared with the timescale on which NSE can be (re)established, the equation of state can remain relatively stiff and thus the stream of tidal debris can remain narrow and vulnerable to gravitational instability, as has recently been suggested. These findings suggest that estimates of the type and abundances of heavy elements formed in short gamma-ray bursts need to be revisited. We suggest that the most direct method of testing the physical and dynamical properties of tidal ejecta in sGRBs will come from modelling of their light curves, which provides the cleanest source of information on the system dynamics., Comment: 8 pages. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters

A tidal disruption event (TDE) occurs when a star plunges through a supermassive black hole's tidal radius, at which point the star's self-gravity is overwhelmed by the tidal gravity of the black hole. In a partial TDE, where the star does not reach the full disruption radius, only a fraction of the star's mass is tidally stripped while the rest remains intact in the form of a surviving core. Analytical arguments have recently suggested that the temporal scaling of the fallback rate of debris to the black hole asymptotes to $t^{-9/4}$ for partial disruptions, effectively independently of the mass of the intact core. We present hydrodynamical simulations that verify the existence of this predicted, $t^{-9/4}$ scaling. We also define a break timescale -- the time at which the fallback rate transitions from a $t^{-5/3}$ scaling to the characteristic $t^{-9/4}$ scaling -- and measure this break timescale as a function of the impact parameter and the surviving core mass. These results deepen our understanding of the properties and breadth of possible fallback curves expected from TDEs and will therefore facilitate more accurate interpretation of data from wide-field surveys., Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, 13th June 2020. 11 pages, 8 figures

White dwarfs are routinely observed to have polluted atmospheres, and sometimes significant infrared excesses, that indicate ongoing accretion of circumstellar dust and rocky debris. Typically this debris is assumed to be in the form of a (circular) disc, and to originate from asteroids that passed close enough to the white dwarf to be pulled apart by tides. However, theoretical considerations suggest that the circularisation of the debris, which initially occupies highly eccentric orbits, is very slow. We therefore hypothesise that the observations may be readily explained by the debris remaining on highly eccentric orbits, and we explore the properties of such debris. For the generic case of an asteroid originating at several au from the white dwarf, we find that all of the tidal debris is always bound to the white dwarf and that the orbital energy distribution of the debris is narrow enough that it executes similar elliptical orbits with only a narrow spread. Assuming that the tidal field of the white dwarf is sufficient to minimise the effects of self-gravity and collisions within the debris, we estimate the time over which the debris spreads into a single elliptical ring, and we generate toy spectra and lightcurves from the initial disruption to late times when the debris distribution is essentially time steady. Finally we speculate on the connection between these simple considerations and the observed properties of these systems, and on additional physical processes that may change this simple picture., Comment: 31 pages, 5 figures, submitted to New Astronomy

Short gamma-ray bursts are thought to result from the mergers of two neutron stars or a neutron star and stellar mass black hole. The final stages of the merger are generally accompanied by the production of one or more tidal "tails" of ejecta, which fall back onto the remnant-disc system at late times. Using the results of a linear stability analysis, we show that if the material comprising these tails is modeled as adiabatic and the effective adiabatic index satisfies $\gamma \ge 5/3$, then the tails are gravitationally unstable and collapse to form small-scale knots. We analytically estimate the properties of these knots, including their spacing along the tidal tail and the total number produced, and their effect on the mass return rate to the merger remnant. We perform hydrodynamical simulations of the disruption of a polytropic (with the polytropic and adiabatic indices $\gamma$ equal), $\gamma =2$ neutron star by a black hole, and find agreement between the predictions of the linear stability analysis and the distribution of knots that collapse out of the instability. The return of these knots to the black hole induces variability in the fallback rate, which can manifest as variability in the lightcurve of the GRB and -- depending on how rapidly the instability operates -- the prompt emission. The late-time variability induced by the return of these knots is also consistent with the extended emission observed in some GRBs., Comment: Small corrections, additional references included to reflect ApJL published version

In order to provide an explanation for the unexpected radial brightness distribution of the steady accretion discs seen in nova-like variables, Nixon & Pringle (2019) proposed that the accretion energy is redistributed outwards by means of strong, magnetically driven, surface flows. In this paper we note that the "powerful, rotating disc winds" observed in the soft states of black hole X-ray binaries, and also in the disc around a magnetized neutron star in Her X-1, have the properties of the outflows postulated by Nixon & Pringle to exist in the nova-like variable accretion discs around white dwarfs. The relevant properties are that the flows are not winds, but are, instead, bound flows (traveling at less than the escape velocity) and that the mass fluxes in the flows are a substantial fraction of the accretion rate in the disc., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Filamentary structures, or long and narrow streams of material, arise in many areas of astronomy. Here we investigate the stability of such filaments by performing an eigenmode analysis of adiabatic and polytropic fluid cylinders, which are the cylindrical analog of spherical polytropes. We show that these cylinders are gravitationally unstable to perturbations along the axis of the cylinder below a critical wavenumber $k_{\rm crit} \simeq few$, where $k_{\rm crit}$ is measured relative to the radius of the cylinder. Below this critical wavenumber perturbations grow as $\propto e^{\sigma_{\rm u}\tau}$, where $\tau$ is time relative to the sound crossing time across the diameter of the cylinder, and we derive the growth rate $\sigma_{\rm u}$ as a function of wavenumber. We find that there is a maximum growth rate $\sigma_{\rm max} \sim 1$ that occurs at a specific wavenumber $k_{\rm max} \sim 1$, and we derive the growth rate $\sigma_{\rm max}$ and the wavenumbers $k_{\rm max}$ and $k_{\rm crit}$ for a range of adiabatic indices. To the extent that filamentary structures can be approximated as adiabatic and fluid-like, our results imply that these filaments are unstable without the need to appeal to magnetic fields or external media. Further, the objects that condense out of the instability of such filaments are separated by a preferred length scale, form over a preferred timescale, and possess a preferred mass scale., Comment: ApJS Accepted

We present the results of a multi-wavelength follow up campaign for the luminous nuclear transient Gaia16aax, which was first identified in January 2016. The transient is spatially consistent with the nucleus of an active galaxy at z=0.25, hosting a black hole of mass $\rm \sim6\times10^8M_\odot$. The nucleus brightened by more than 1 magnitude in the Gaia G-band over a timescale of less than one year, before fading back to its pre-outburst state over the following three years. The optical spectra of the source show broad Balmer lines similar to the ones present in a pre-outburst spectrum. During the outburst, the $\rm H\alpha$ and $\rm H\beta$ emission lines develop a secondary peak. We also report on the discovery of two transients with similar light curve evolution and spectra: Gaia16aka and Gaia16ajq. We consider possible scenarios to explain the observed outbursts. We exclude that the transient event could be caused by a microlensing event, variable dust absorption or a tidal encounter between a neutron star and a stellar mass black hole in the accretion disk. We consider variability in the accretion flow in the inner part of the disk, or a tidal disruption event of a star $\geq 1 M_{\odot}$ by a rapidly spinning supermassive black hole as the most plausible scenarios. We note that the similarity between the light curves of the three Gaia transients may be a function of the Gaia alerts selection criteria., Comment: 21 pages, 17 figure - accepted for publication in MNRAS main journal

Mergers are fundamental to the standard paradigm of galaxy evolution, and provide a natural formation mechanism for supermassive black hole binaries. The formation process of such a binary can have a direct impact on the rate at which stars are tidally disrupted by one or the other black hole, and the luminous signature of the tidal disruption itself can have distinct imprints of a binary companion. In this chapter we review our current understanding of the influence of black hole binarity on the properties of tidal disruption events. We discuss the rates of tidal disruption by supermassive black hole binaries, the impact of a second black hole on the fallback of debris and the formation of an accretion flow, and the prospects for detection of tidal disruption events by supermassive black hole binaries., Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures. Accepted chapter for Springer Space Science Reviews book on tidal disruption events

We investigate the impact of time-resolved `gradual' stellar feedback processes in high redshift dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Here `gradual' feedback refers to individual stellar feedback events which deposit energy over a period of time. We conduct high resolution hydrodynamical simulations of dwarf spheroidal galaxies with halo masses of 10$^7$ M$_{\odot}$ - 10$^8$ M$_{\odot}$, based on z = 6 progenitors of the Milky Way's dwarf spheroidal galaxies. We also include a novel feedback prescription for individual massive stars, which includes stellar winds and a HMXB (High Mass X-ray Binary) phase, on top of supernovae. We find the mass of gas unbound across a 1 Gyr starburst is uniformly lowered if gradual feedback mechanisms are included across the range of metallicities, halo concentration parameters and galaxy masses studied here. Furthermore, we find including gradual feedback in the smallest galaxies delays the unbinding of the majority of the gas and facilitates the production of `chimneys' in the dense shell surrounding the feedback generated hot, pressurised `superbubble'. These `chimneys' vent hot gas from the galaxy interior, lowering the temperature of the central 10 kpc of the gaseous halo. Additionally, we find radiative cooling has little effect on the energetics of simulations that include a short, violent starburst compared with those that have a longer, less concentrated starburst. Finally, we investigate the relative impact of HMXB feedback and stellar winds on our results, finding the ubiquity of stellar winds throughout each starburst makes them a defining factor in the final state of the interstellar medium., Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS, 18 pages, 35 figures in main body of text (bibliography and appendices extra)

In a standard, steady, thin accretion disc, the radial distribution of the dissipation of the accretion energy is determined simply by energy considerations. Here we draw attention to the fact that while the (quasi-)steady discs in dwarf novae in outburst are in agreement with the expected emission distribution, the steady discs in the nova-like variables are not. We note that essentially the only difference between these two sets of discs is the time for which they have been in the high viscosity, high accretion rate state. In such discs, the major process by which angular momentum is transported outwards is MHD turbulence. We speculate that such turbulence gives rise to corona-like structures (here called magnetically controlled zones, or MCZs) which are also able to provide non-negligible angular momentum transport, the magnitude of which depends on the spatial scale $L$ of the magnetic field structures in such zones. For short-lived, high accretion rate discs (such as those in dwarf novae) we expect $L \sim H$ and the MCZ to have little effect. But, with time (such as in the nova-like variables) an inverse cascade in the MHD turbulence enables $L$, and the net effect of the MCZ, to grow. We present a simple toy model which demonstrates that such ideas can provide an explanation for the difference between the dwarf novae and the nova-like variable discs., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

The tidal disruption of stars by supermassive black holes (SMBHs) can be used to probe the SMBH mass function, the properties of individual stars, and stellar dynamics in galactic nuclei. Upcoming missions will detect thousands of TDEs, and accurate theoretical modeling is required to interpret the data with precision. Here we analyze the influence of more realistic stellar structure on the outcome of TDEs; in particular, we compare the fallback rates -- being the rate at which tidally-disrupted debris returns to the black hole -- from progenitors generated with the stellar evolution code {\sc mesa} to $\gamma = 4/3$ and $\gamma = 5/3$ polytropes. We find that {\sc mesa}-generated density profiles yield qualitatively-different fallback rates as compared to polytropic approximations, and that only the fallback curves from low-mass ($1M_{\odot}$ or less), zero-age main-sequence stars are well fit by either a $\gamma = 4/3$ or $5/3$ polytrope. Stellar age has a strong affect on the shape of the fallback curve, and can produce characteristic timescales (e.g., the time to the peak of the fallback rate) that greatly differ from the polytropic values. We use these differences to assess the degree to which the inferred black hole mass from the observed lightcurve can deviate from the true value, and find that the discrepancy can be at the order of magnitude level. Accurate stellar structure also leads to a substantial variation in the critical impact parameter at which the star is fully disrupted, and can increase the susceptibility of the debris stream to fragmentation under its own self-gravity. These results suggest that detailed modeling is required to accurately interpret observed lightcurves of TDEs., Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables. Updated version following referee report. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

The Cassini mission performed 127 targeted flybys of Titan during its 13-year mission to Saturn, culminating in the Grand Finale between April-September 2017. Here we demonstrate the use of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to continue Cassini's legacy for chemical and climatological studies of Titan's atmosphere. Whole-hemisphere, interferometric spectral maps of HCN, HNC, HC3N, CH3CN, C2H3CN, C2H5CN and C3H8 were obtained using ALMA in May 2017 at moderate (~0.2'', or 1300 km) spatial resolution, revealing the effects of seasonally-variable chemistry and dynamics on the distribution of each species. The ALMA sub-mm observations of HCN and HC3N are consistent with Cassini infrared data on these species, obtained in the same month. Chemical/dynamical lifetimes of a few years are inferred for C2H3CN and C2H5CN, in reasonably close agreement with the latest chemical models incorporating sticking of C2H5CN to stratospheric aerosol particles. ALMA radial limb flux profiles provide column density information as a function of altitude, revealing maximum abundances in the thermosphere (above 600 km) for HCN, HNC, HC3N and C2H5CN. This constitutes the first detailed measurement of the spatial distribution of HNC, which is found to be confined predominantly to altitudes above 730 $\pm$ 60 km. The HNC emission map shows an east-west hemispheric asymmetry of (13$\pm$3)%. These results are consistent with very rapid production (and loss) of HNC in Titan's uppermost atmosphere, making this molecule an effective probe of short-timescale (diurnal) ionospheric processes., Comment: AJ; submitted March 2019; accepted for publication June 2019

The tidal disruption of a star by a supermassive black hole, and the subsequent accretion of the disrupted debris by that black hole, offers a direct means to study the inner regions of otherwise-quiescent galaxies. These tidal disruption events (TDEs) are being discovered at an ever-increasing rate. We present a model for the evolution of the tidally-disrupted debris from a partial TDE, in which a stellar core survives the initial tidal encounter and continues to exert a gravitational influence on the expanding stream of tidally-stripped debris. We use this model to show that the asymptotic fallback rate of material to the black hole in a partial TDE scales as $\propto t^{-2.26\pm0.01}$, and is effectively independent of the mass of the core that survives the encounter; we also estimate the rate at which TDEs approach this asymptotic scaling as a function of the core mass. These findings suggest that the late-time accretion rate onto a black hole from a TDE either declines as $t^{-5/3}$ if the star is completely disrupted or $t^{-9/4}$ if a core is left behind. We emphasize that previous investigations have not recovered this result due to the assumption of a Keplerian energy-period relationship for the debris orbits, which is no longer valid when a surviving core generates a time-dependent, gravitational potential. This dichotomy of fallback rates has important implications for the characteristic signatures of TDEs in the current era of wide-field surveys., Comment: ApJL Accepted

The manner in which warps in accretion disks evolve depends on the magnitude of the viscosity. For small viscosity $(\alpha < H/R)$ the warp evolves in a wave-like manner; for large viscosity $H/R<\alpha \ll 1$ it evolves diffusively. Here $\alpha$ is the viscosity parameter and $H/R$ the disk aspect ratio. Currently there is no simple set of equations which describes the evolution in both regimes. In this paper we describe a possible solution to this problem and introduce a set of one-dimensional equations that describe the evolution of a warped disk that are applicable in both high and low viscosity regimes for arbitrary tilts, but small warps., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We use well-established observational evidence to draw conclusions about the fundamental nature of the viscosity in accretion discs. To do this, we first summarise the observational evidence for the value of the dimensionless accretion disc viscosity parameter $\alpha$, defined by Shakura & Sunyaev (1973, 1976). We find that, for fully ionized discs, the value of $\alpha$ is readily amenable to reliable estimation and that the observations are consistent with the hypothesis that $\alpha \sim 0.2 - 0.3$. In contrast in discs that are not fully ionized, estimates of the value of $\alpha$ are generally less direct and the values obtained are generally $ < 0.01$ and often $ \ll 0.01$. We conclude that this gives us crucial information about the nature of viscosity in accretion discs. First, in fully ionized discs the strength of the turbulence is always limited by being at most trans-sonic. This implies that it is necessary that credible models of the turbulence reflect this fact. Second, the smaller values of $\alpha$ found for less ionized, and therefore less strongly conducting, discs imply that magnetism plays a dominant role. This provides important observational support for the concept of magneto-rotational instability (MRI) driven hydromagnetic turbulence., Comment: Accepted for publication in New Astronomy