Point and Compact Hα Sources in the Interior of M33

We present here a simple model for the star formation history of galaxies that is successful in describing both the star formation rate density over cosmic time, as well as the distribution of specific star formation rates of galaxies at the current epoch, and the evolution of this quantity in galaxy populations to a redshift of z=1. We show first that the cosmic star formation rate density is remarkably well described by a simple log-normal in time. We next postulate that this functional form for the ensemble is also a reasonable description for the star formation histories of individual galaxies. Using the measured specific star formation rates for galaxies at z~0 from Paper III in this series, we then construct a realisation of a universe populated by such galaxies in which the parameters of the log-normal star formation history of each galaxy are adjusted to match the specific star formation rates at z~0 as well as fitting, in ensemble, the cosmic star formation rate density from z=0 to z=8. This model predicts, with striking fidelity, the distribution of specific star formation rates in mass-limited galaxy samples to z=1; this match is not achieved by other models with a different functional form for the star formation histories of individual galaxies, but with the same number of degrees of freedom, suggesting that the log-normal form is well matched to the likely actual histories of individual galaxies. We also impose the specific star formation rate versus mass distributions at higher redshifts from Paper III as constraints on the model, and show that, as previously suggested, some galaxies in the field, particularly low mass galaxies, are quite young at intermediate redshifts. As emphasized in Paper III, starbursts are insufficient ...[abridged]

The vast majority of extragalactic compact continuum radio sources are associated with star formation or jets from (super)massive black holes and, as such, are more likely to be found in association with starburst galaxies or early-type galaxies. Two new populations of radio sources were recently identified: (a) compact and persistent sources (PRSs) associated with fast radio bursts (FRBs) in dwarf galaxies and (b) compact sources in dwarf galaxies that could belong to the long-sought population of intermediate-mass black holes. Despite the interesting aspects of these newly found sources, the current sample size is small, limiting scrutiny of the underlying population. Here, we present a search for compact radio sources coincident with dwarf galaxies. We search the LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey (LoTSS), the most sensitive low-frequency (144 MHz central frequency) large-area survey for optically thin synchrotron emission to date. Exploiting the high spatial resolution (6″) and low astrometric uncertainty (∼0.″2) of the LoTSS, we match its compact sources to the compiled sample of dwarf galaxies in the Census of the Local Universe, an Hα survey with the Palomar Observatory 48 inch Samuel Oschin Telescope. We identify 29 over-luminous compact radio sources, evaluate the probability of chance alignment within the sample, investigate the potential nature of these sources, and evaluate their volumetric density and volumetric rate. While optical line-ratio diagnostics on the nebular lines from the host galaxies support a star-formation origin rather than an AGN origin, future high-angular-resolution radio data are necessary to ascertain the origin of the radio sources. We discuss planned strategies to differentiate between candidate FRB hosts and intermediate-mass black holes.

We present a new numerical model (SMART) for deriving the star formation history and chemical evolution from the color-magnitude diagrams of resolved stars in galaxies. Our model differs from previous models in that it generates simulated color-magnitude diagrams with the metal enrichment law calculated from the galactic chemical evolution model. Hence, our model is free from the problem of age-metallicity degeneracy and provides us with information on the chemical enrichment history as well as the star formation history of galaxies. We have tested our model on artificial galaxies having different star formation histories and on the Local Group dwarf irregular galaxy IC 1613. Our model successfully reproduces the star formation history and chemical evolution of the artificial galaxies. The star formation and metal enrichment histories of IC 1613 derived in this study are consistent with those in previous studies. We also present the elemental abundance ratios for IC 1613 predicted by our model. Our model is expected to be useful for understanding not only the star formation history but also the chemical evolution of nearby galaxies.

We propose a novel method for reconstructing the full posterior distribution of the star formation histories (SFHs) of galaxies from broad-band photometry. Our method combines the simulation-based inference (SBI) framework using a neural network trained with SFHs and photometry from the HORIZON-AGN hydrodynamical cosmological simulation. We applied our technique for reconstructing SFHs in the COSMOS Treasury field using only COSMOS2020 photometry in the redshift range 0<z<3. The method is able to accurately estimate the SFH and quantify the Bayesian uncertainty on simulated data, with an unbiased posterior mean, σerr≤0.16 dex for all formation times and properly calibrated posterior intervals. Our SFHs broadly agree with literature measurements derived by different methods using combined photometric and spectroscopic datasets. The SFHs of galaxies as a function of location in the near-UV−r versus r−J colour-colour diagram agree in general with expectations. They vary smoothly from star-forming to passive and quiescent galaxies that are properly localised in the red part of the diagram. We extracted summary statistics to quantify the shape of the SFH, the number of peaks, and the formation redshift. The slopes of the SFHs of passive galaxies show only a weak trend with stellar mass at z<1.35 but a significant scatter, indicating that factors other than mass might drive the suppression of star-formation. Nevertheless, star-forming galaxies show a clearly mass-dependent SFH, with lower-mass galaxies undergoing more vigorous recent star-formation. Overall, the SFH slopes in COSMOS vary over a wider range than in HORIZON-AGN. Low-mass galaxies have more peaks in their mass assembly histories than high-mass galaxies, and the trend is clearer in COSMOS than in HORIZON-AGN. At a given mass, we find many different formation redshifts, but the mass dependence on the formation redshifts is weak for passive galaxies. Most passive galaxies with a stellar mass log M*/M⊙>9 had a first event of mass assembly around z∼3 (2.2<z<5.8), regardless of their mass. This work represents a pilot study for the future analysis of the Euclid Deep fields that will reach similar depths in a similar set of photometric bands, but with an area that is larger by more than an order of magnitude. This opens the possibility of deriving SFHs for millions of galaxies in a robust manner.

Context.It has been established that Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are connected to Supernovae (SNe) explosions of type Ib/c. Aims.We intend to test whether the hypothesis of type Ib/c SNe from different massive progenitors can reproduce the local GRB rate as well as the GRB rate as a function of redshift. We aim to predict the GRB rate at very high redshift under different assumptions about galaxy formation and star formation histories in galaxies. Methods.We assume different star formation histories in galaxies of different morphological types: ellipticals, spirals and irregulars, which have already been tested in self-consistent galaxy models reproducing both chemical and photometrical properties of galaxies. We explore different hypotheses concerning the progenitors of type Ib/c SNe: i) single massive stars ($M> 25~M_{\odot}$, Wolf-Rayet stars), ii) massive close binaries (12–20 $M_{\odot}$), and iii) both Wolf-Rayet stars and massive binaries. We conclude that the mixed scenario (iii) is preferable to reproduce the local type Ib/c SN rates in galaxies and we adopt this scenario for comparison with the GRB rates. Results.We find an excellent agreement between the observed GRB local rate and the predicted type Ib/c SN rate in irregular galaxies, when a range for single Wolf-Rayet stars of 40–100 $M_{\odot}$ is adopted. We also predict the cosmic type Ib/c SN rate by taking into account all the galaxy types in a unitary volume of the Universe and we compare it with the observed cosmic GRB rate as a function of redshift. By assuming the formation of spheroids at high redshift, we predict a cosmic type Ib/c SN rate, which is always higher than the GRB rate, suggesting that only a small fraction (0.1–1%) of type Ib/c SNe become GRBs. In particular, we find a ratio between the cosmic GRB rate and the cosmic type Ib/c rate in the range $10^{\,-2}$–$10^{\,-3}$, in agreement with previous estimates. Finally, due to the high rate of star formation in spheroids at high redshift, which is our preferred scenario for galaxy formation, we predict more GRBs at high redshift than in the hierarchical scenario for galaxy formation, a prediction which remains to be proven by future observations.

Underground explosions can produce infrasound in the atmosphere, and the wavefield characteristics are often governed by the ground surface motions. Finite-difference methods are popular for infrasound simulation as their generality and robustness allow for complex atmospheric structures and surface topography. A simple point-source approximation is often used because infrasound wavelengths tend to be large relative to the source dimensions. However, this assumption may not be able to capture the complexity of explosion-induced ground motions if the surface area is not compact, and appropriate source models must be incorporated into the finite-difference simulations for accurate infrasound prediction. In this study, we develop a point source representation of the complex ground motions for infrasound sources. Instead of a single point source, we use a series of point sources distributed over the source area. These distributed point sources can be equivalent to air volume changes produced by the ground motions in the atmosphere. We apply the distributed point-source method to a series of buried chemical explosions conducted during the Source Physics Experiment Phase I. Epicentral ground-motion measurements during the experiments provide a way to calculate accurate distributed point sources. We validate and evaluate the accuracy of distributed point source approach for infrasound simulations by direct comparison with acoustic observations in the field experiment.

In observations of diffuse emissions like, e.g., the Lyα heliospheric glow, contributions to the observed signal from point sources (e.g., stars) are considered to be a contamination. There are relatively few bright point sources that are usually properly resolved and can be subtracted or masked. We present results of an analysis of the distribution of point sources using UV sky-survey maps from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/Solar Wind ANisotropy (SWAN) instrument and spectrophotometry data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite. The estimated distribution suggests that the number of these sources increases with decreasing intensity. Below a certain threshold, these sources cannot be resolved against the diffuse signal from the backscatter glow, that results in a certain physical background from unresolved point sources. Detection, understanding, and subtraction of the point-source background has implications for proper characterization of diffuse emissions and accurate comparison with models. Stars are also often used as standard candles for in-flight calibration of satellite UV observations, thus proper understanding of signal contributions from the point sources is important for the calibration process. We present a general approach to quantify the background radiation level from unresolved point sources in UV sky-survey maps. In the proposed method, a distribution of point sources as a function of their intensity is properly integrated to compute the background signal level. These general considerations are applied to estimate the unresolved-point-source background in the SOHO/SWAN observations that on average amounts to 28.9 R. We also discuss the background radiation anisotropies and general questions related to modeling the point-source contributions to diffuse UV-emission observations.

Recent observations suggest that galactic line emission at 511 keV results from the superposition of contributions from a variable, compact source and an interstellar distribution of positrons resulting from the decay of radionuclei produced by thermonuclear burning supernovae. The compact point source could have turned on as recently as 1977 and has not been seen since 1979. Photon‐photon pair production in the vicinity of a relatively small black hole (<103 M⊙) could be the source of the annihilating positrons in the point source. It is not known whether this compact object lies exactly at the Galactic Center.

We use the APOSTLE and Auriga cosmological simulations to study the star formation histories (SFHs) of field and satellite dwarf galaxies. Despite sizeable galaxy-to-galaxy scatter, the SFHs of APOSTLE and Auriga dwarfs exhibit robust average trends with galaxy stellar mass: faint field dwarfs ($10^5<M_{\rm star}/M_\odot<10^{6.5}$) have, on average, steadily declining SFHs, whereas brighter dwarfs ($10^{7.5}<M_{\rm star}/M_\odot<10^{9}$) show the opposite trend. Intermediate-mass dwarfs have roughly constant SFHs. Satellites exhibit similar average trends, but with substantially suppressed star formation in the most recent $\sim 5$ Gyr, likely as a result of gas loss due to tidal and ram-pressure stripping after entering the haloes of their primaries. These simple mass and environmental trends are in good agreement with the derived SFHs of Local Group (LG) dwarfs whose photometry reaches the oldest main sequence turnoff. SFHs of galaxies with less deep data show deviations from these trends, but this may be explained, at least in part, by the large galaxy-to-galaxy scatter, the limited sample size, and the large uncertainties of the inferred SFHs. Confirming the predicted mass and environmental trends will require deeper photometric data than currently available, especially for isolated dwarfs.

We analyze the star formation history (SFH) of galaxies as a function of present-day environment, galaxy stellar mass and morphology. The SFH is derived by means of a non-parametric spectrophotometric model applied to individual galaxies at z ~ 0.04- 0.1 in the WINGS clusters and the PM2GC field. The field reconstructed evolution of the star formation rate density (SFRD) follows the values observed at each redshift (Madau & Dickinson 2014), except at z > 2 where our estimate is ~ 1.7x higher than the high-z observed value. The slope of the SFRD decline with time gets progressively steeper going from low mass to high mass haloes. The decrease of the SFRD since z = 2 is due to 1) quenching - 50% of the SFRD in the field and 75% in clusters at z > 2 originated in galaxies that are passive today - and 2) the fact that the average SFR of today's star-forming galaxies has decreased with time. We quantify the contribution to the SFRD(z) of galaxies of today's different masses and morphologies. The current morphology correlates with the current star formation activity but is irrelevant for the past stellar history. The average SFH depends on galaxy mass, but galaxies of a given mass have different histories depending on their environment. We conclude that the variation of the SFRD(z) with environment is not driven by different distributions of galaxy masses and morphologies in clusters and field, and must be due to an accelerated formation in high mass haloes compared to low mass ones even for galaxies that will end up having the same galaxy mass today.

Recent (≤ 0.5 Gyr) star formation histories have a large impact on the observable properties of galaxies. Using HST/ACS observations, we have used the blue helium burning (BHeB) stars to construct spatially resolved star formation histories of M81 group dwarf galaxies with a time resolution of roughly 30 Myr over the last 500 Myr. We have designed a sample of ten galaxies spanning ranges of 6 magnitudes in luminosity, 1000 in current star formation rate, and 0.5 dex in metallicity. The ACS observations allow us to directly observe the strength and spatial relationships of all of the recent star formation in these galaxies. These observations are complemented by high-quality ancillary data (e.g., Spitzer, UV/optical/H-alpha/NIR, VLA HI). Our resolved star formation maps will be compared with star formation rates inferred from H-alpha, UV, and IR observations – allowing an independent calibration of these techniques. Given the ranges in metallicity, these observations will provide calibrations of stellar evolution tracks for young, low metallicity stars. These observations will also enable us to construct prescriptions of how star formation and feedback depend on metallicity, size, gas content, and current star formation rates in galaxies. Finally, I note that the new observations becoming available as a part of the ANGST (ACS Nearby Galaxies Survey Treasury Program) will allow a large number of dwarf galaxies to be analyzed in this way.

A 0.5-3-keV X-ray map of the Perseus cluster of galaxies is presented. The map shows a region of strong emission centered near NGC 1275 plus a highly elongated emission region which lies along the line of bright galaxies that dominates the core of the cluster. The data are compared with various models that include point and diffuse sources. One model which adequately represents the data is the superposition of a point source at NGC 1275 and an isothermal ellipsoid resulting from the bremsstrahlung emission of cluster gas. The ellipsoid has a major core radius of 20.5 arcmin and a minor core radius of 5.5 arcmin, consistent with the values obtained from galaxy counts. All acceptable models provide evidence for a compact source (less than 3 arcmin FWHM) at NGC 1275 containing about 25% of the total emission. Since the diffuse X-ray and radio components have radically different morphologies, it is unlikely that the emissions arise from a common source, as proposed in inverse-Compton models.

We observed supernova 1987A (SN 1987A) with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in 1999 September and again with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the HST in 2003 November. Our spectral observations cover ultraviolet (UV) and optical wavelengths from 1140 to 10266 A, and our imaging observations cover UV and optical wavelengths from 2900 to 9650 A. No point source is observed in the remnant. We obtain a limiting flux of Fopt<=1.6×10-14 ergs s-1 cm-2 in the wavelength range 2900-9650 A for any continuum emitter at the center of the supernova remnant (SNR). This corresponds to an intrinsic luminosity of Lopt<=5×1033 ergs s-1. It is likely that the SNR contains opaque dust that absorbs UV and optical emission, resulting in an attenuation of ~35% due to dust absorption in the SNR. Correcting for this level of dust absorption would increase our upper limit on the luminosity of a continuum source by a factor of 1.54. Taking into account dust absorption in the remnant, we find a limit of Lopt<=8×1033 ergs s-1. We compare this upper bound with empirical evidence from point sources in other supernova remnants and with theoretical models for possible compact sources. We show that any survivor of a possible binary system must be no more luminous than an F6 main-sequence star. Bright young pulsars such as Kes 75 or the Crab pulsar are excluded by optical and X-ray limits on SN 1987A. Other nonplerionic X-ray point sources have luminosities similar to the limits on a point source in SN 1987A; RCW 103 and Cas A are slightly brighter than the limits on SN 1987A, while Pup A is slightly fainter. Of the young pulsars known to be associated with SNRs, those with ages <=5000 yr are all too bright in X-rays to be compatible with the limits on SN 1987A. Examining theoretical models for accretion onto a compact object, we find that spherical accretion onto a neutron star is firmly ruled out and that spherical accretion onto a black hole is possible only if there is a larger amount of dust absorption in the remnant than predicted. In the case of thin-disk accretion, our flux limit requires a small disk, no larger than 1010 cm, with an accretion rate no more than 0.3 times the Eddington accretion rate. Possible ways to hide a surviving compact object include the removal of all surrounding material at early times by a photon-driven wind, a small accretion disk, or very high levels of dust absorption in the remnant. It will not be easy to improve substantially on our optical-UV limit for a point source in SN 1987A, although we can hope that a better understanding of the thermal infrared emission will provide a more complete picture of the possible energy sources at the center of SN 1987A.

We report the discovery, by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, of X-ray emission from the bipolar planetary nebula Menzel 3. In Chandra CCD imaging, Mz 3 displays hot (3-6x10^6 K) gas within its twin, coaxial bubbles of optical nebulosity, as well as a compact X-ray source at the position of its central star(s). The brightest diffuse X-ray emission lies along the polar axis of the optical nebula, suggesting a jet-like configuration. The observed combination of an X-ray-emitting point source and possible X-ray jet(s) is consistent with models in which accretion disks and, potentially, magnetic fields shape bipolar planetary nebulae via the generation of fast, collimated outflows.

This study involves developing a physically based, spatially-distributed water quality model to simulate spatial and temporal distributions of point and nonpoint sources in the Saginaw Bay Basin, Michigan. Databases of point sources including combined sewer overflows (CSOs) were acquired from the governmental agencies to map the occurrences and magnitude of the CSOs. Multiple databases of meteorology, land use, topography, hydrography, soils, and agricultural statistics were used to estimate nonpoint source loading potential in the study watersheds. Results indicate that point sources from municipalities, industrial sectors and business entities contribute approximately 25% of the total phosphorous load to Saginaw Bay. While total amount of nutrients (N and P) from animal manure and fertilizer applications and atmospheric deposition declined in the Saginaw Bay Basin, fertilizer applications in non-farmland increased significantly.