Extragalactic Distance Research Articles

Stellar Pulsation and Evolution: A Combined Theoretical Renewal and Updated Models (SPECTRUM). I. Updating Radiative Opacities for Pulsation Models of Classical Cepheid and RR-Lyrae

Pulsating stars are universally recognized as precise distance indicators and tracers of stellar populations. Their variability, combined with well-defined relationships between pulsation properties and intrinsic evolutionary parameters such as luminosity, mass, and age, makes them essential for understanding galactic evolution and retrieving star formation histories. Therefore, accurate modeling of pulsating stars is crucial for using them as standard candles and stellar population tracers. This is the first paper in the “Stellar Pulsation and Evolution: a Combined Theoretical Renewal and Updated Models” project, which aims to present an update of Stellingwerf’s hydrodynamical pulsation code, by adopting the latest radiative opacity tables commonly used in stellar evolution community. We assess the impact of this update on pulsation properties, such as periods, instability strip topology, and light-curve shapes, as well as on period–Wesenheit and period–luminosity relations for Classical Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars, comparing the results with those derived using older opacity data. Our results indicate that the opacity update introduces only minor changes: instability strip boundary locations shift by no more than 100 K in effective temperature, and pulsation periods vary within 1σ compared to previous evaluations. Light curves exhibit slight differences in shape and amplitude. Consequently, the theoretical calibration of the Cepheid- or RRL-based extragalactic distance scale remains largely unaffected by the opacity changes. However, achieving consistency in opacity tables between stellar evolution and pulsation codes is a significant step toward a homogeneous and self-consistent stellar evolution and pulsation framework.

Comparison of the Physical Trace of Global Luminosity Emission at Multiwavelength and Star Formation Rates of Luminous Infrared Galaxies Using Extragalactic Distance Scale Techniques

This paper aims to study the rate of star formation (SFR) in luminous infrared galaxies at different wavelengths using distance measurement techniques (dl, dm) and to know which methods are the most accurate to determine the rate of star formation as we present through this research the results of the statistical analysis (descriptive statistics) for a sample of luminous infrared galaxies. The data used in this research were collected from the NASA Extragalactic Database (NED) and HYPERLEDA, then used to calculate the star formation rate and indicate the accuracy of the distance methods used (dl, dm). Two methods were tested on Hα, OII, FIR, radio continuum at 1.4 GHz, FUV, NUV, and total (FUV + FIR). The results showed that the dl measurement method has the most accuracy in calculating SFR as it depends on the redshift where the relationship between them is direct. while the other distance method (dm) depends on absolute blue magnitude (MB), it was somewhat less accurate, but the two methods are helpful for this type of calculation.

INTEGRAL search for magnetar giant flares from the Virgo Cluster and in nearby galaxies with high star formation rate

Abstract Giant flares from magnetars can reach, for a fraction of a second, luminosities greater than 1047 erg s−1 in the hard X-ray/soft γ-ray range. This makes them visible at distances of several megaparsecs. However, at extragalactic distances (farther than the Magellanic Clouds) they are difficult to distinguish from the short γ-ray bursts, which occur much more frequently. Since magnetars are young neutron stars, nearby galaxies with a high rate of star formation are optimal targets to search for magnetar giant flares (MGFs). Here we report the results of a search for MGFs in observations of the Virgo cluster and in a small sample of nearby galaxies obtained with the IBIS instrument on the INTEGRAL satellite. From the currently known MGF sample we find that their energy distribution is well described by a power law with slope γ=2 (with 90 per cent c.l. interval [1.7-2.2]). From the lack of detections in this extensive data set (besides 231115A in M82) we derive a 90 per cent c.l. upper limit on the rate of MGF with E > 3 × 1045 erg of ∼2 × 10−3 yr−1 per magnetar and a lower limit of R(E) > ∼4 × 10−4 yr−1 magnetar−1 for E < 1045 erg.

The model of the local Universe in the framework of the second-order perturbation theory

Abstract Recently, we constructed the specific solution to the second-order cosmological perturbation theory, around any Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker background filled with dust matter and a positive cosmological constant. In this paper, we use the Cosmicflows-4 sample of galaxies from the Extragalactic Distance Database to constrain this metric tensor. We obtain an approximation to the local matter distribution and geometry. We numerically solve for null geodesics for randomly distributed mock sources and compare this model with the Lemaître–Hubble constant inferred from the observations under the assumption of perfect isotropy and homogeneity. We conclude on effects of realistic inhomogeneities on the luminosity distance in the context of the Hubble tension and discuss limitations of our approach.

The Northern Cross Fast Radio Burst project

Context. Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are energetic, millisecond-duration radio pulses observed at extragalactic distances and whose origins are still a subject of heated debate. A fraction of the FRB population have shown repeating bursts, however it’s still unclear whether these represent a distinct class of sources. Aims. We investigated the bursting behaviour of FRB 20220912A, one of the most active repeating FRBs known thus far. In particular, we focused on its burst energy distribution, linked to the source energetics, and its emission spectrum, with the latter directly related to the underlying emission mechanism. Methods. We monitored FRB 20220912A at 408 MHz with the Northern Cross radio telescope and at 1.4 GHz using the 32-m Medicina Grueff radio telescope. Additionally, we conducted 1.2 GHz observations taken with the upgraded Giant Meter Wave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) searching for a persistent radio source coincident with FRB 20220912A, and included high energy observations in the 0.3–10 keV, 0.4–100 MeV and 0.03–30 GeV energy range. Results. We report 16 new bursts from FRB 20220912A at 408 MHz during the period between October 16th 2022 and December 31st 2023. Their cumulative spectral energy distribution follows a power law with slope αE = −1.3 ± 0.2 and we measured a repetition rate of 0.19 ± 0.03 hr−1 for bursts having a fluence of ℱ ≥ 17 Jy ms. Furthermore, we report no detections at 1.4 GHz for ℱ ≥ 20 Jy ms. These non-detections imply an upper limit of β < −2.3, with β being the 408 MHz – 1.4 GHz spectral index of FRB 20220912A. This is inconsistent with positive β values found for the only two known cases in which an FRB has been detected in separate spectral bands. We find that FRB 20220912A shows a decline of four orders of magnitude in its bursting activity at 1.4 GHz over a timescale of one year, while remaining active at 408 MHz. The cumulative spectral energy distribution (SED) shows a flattening for spectral energy Eν ≥ 1031 erg Hz−1, a feature seen thus far in only two hyperactive repeaters. In particular, we highlight a strong similarity between FRB 20220912A and FRB 20201124A, with respect to both the energy and repetition rate ranges. We also find a radio continuum source with 240 ± 36 μJy flux density at 1.2 GHz, centered on the FRB 20220912A coordinates. Finally, we place an upper limit on the γ to radio burst efficiency η to be η < 1.5 × 109 at 99.7% confidence level, in the 0.4–30 MeV energy range. Conclusions. The strong similarity between the cumulative energy distributions of FRB 20220912A and FRB 20201124A indicate that bursts from these sources are generated via similar emission mechanisms. Our upper limit on β suggests that the spectrum of FRB 20220912A is intrinsically narrow-band. The radio continuum source detected at 1.2 GHz is likely due to a star formation environment surrounding the FRB, given the absence of a source compact on millisecond scales brighter than 48 μJy beam−1. Finally, the upper limit on the ratio between the γ and radio burst fluence disfavours a giant flare origin for the radio bursts unlike observed for the Galactic magnetar SGR 1806-20.

Cepheid Metallicity in the Leavitt Law (C- MetaLL) survey. VI. Radial abundance gradients of 29 chemical species in the Milky Way disc

Classical Cepheids (DCEPs) are crucial for calibrating the extragalactic distance ladder, ultimately enabling the determination of the Hubble constant through the period-luminosity ($PL$) and period-Wesenheit ($PW$) relations that they exhibit. Hence, it is vital to understand how the $PL$ and $PW$ relations depend on metallicity. This is the purpose of the C-MetaLL survey, within which this work is situated. The DCEPs are also very important tracers of the young populations placed along the Galactic disc. We aim to enlarge the sample of DCEPs with accurate abundances from high-resolution spectroscopy. In particular, our goal is to extend the range of measured metallicities towards the metal-poor regime to better cover the parameter space. To this end, we observed objects in a wide range of Galactocentric radii, allowing us to study in detail the abundance gradients present in the Galactic disc. We present the results of the analysis of 331 spectra obtained for 180 individual DCEPs with a variety of high-resolution spectrographs. For each target, we derived accurate atmospheric parameters, radial velocities, and abundances for up to 29 different species. The iron abundances range between 0.5 and $-$1 dex with a rather homogeneous distribution in metallicity. The sample presented in this paper was complemented with that already published in the context of the C-MetaLL survey, resulting in a total of 292 pulsators whose spectra have been analysed in a homogeneous way. These data were used to study the abundance gradients of the Galactic disc in a range of Galactocentric radii ($R_ GC $) spanning the range of 5-20 kpc. For most of the elements, we have found a clear negative gradient, with a slope of $-0.064 0.003$ dex $ for Fe/H case. Through a qualitative fit with the Galactic spiral arms, we show how our farthest targets ( $R_ GC $ >10 kpc) trace both the Outer and Outer Scutum-Centaurus arms. The homogeneity of the sample will be of pivotal importance for the study of the metallicity dependence of the DCEP $PL$ relations.

Exploring the Maximum Magnitude versus Rate of Decline Relation for Novae in M31

The results of a two-decade-long R-band photometric survey of novae in M31 are presented. From these data, R-band light curves have been determined for 180 novae with data sufficient for estimating the peak brightness and subsequent rate of decline. The data show a weak correlation of peak brightness with fade rate consistent with the well-known maximum magnitude versus rate of decline (MMRD) relation. As generally appreciated for Galactic novae, the large scatter in the MMRD relation precludes its use in determining distances to individual novae. The novae at maximum light are distributed with standard deviation σ = 0.89 mag about a mean R-band absolute magnitude given by 〈M R 〉 = −7.57 ± 0.07. The overall M31 luminosity distribution is in excellent agreement with that found for Galactic novae suggesting that the nova populations in M31 and the Galaxy are quite similar. The notion that all novae can be characterized by a standard luminosity 15 days after maximum light (M 15) is also explored. Surprisingly, the distribution of M 15 values is characterized by a standard deviation only slightly smaller than that for novae at maximum light and thus offers little promise for precise extragalactic distance determinations. A dozen faint and fast novae that are likely to be previously unidentified recurrent novae have been identified from their position in the MMRD plot and in the M 15 distribution.

Toward Precision Cosmology with Improved Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function Distances Using VLT-MUSE. II. A Test Sample from Archival Data

Thanks to the MUSE integral field spectrograph on board the Very Large Telescope (VLT), extragalactic distance measurements with the [O iii] λ5007 planetary nebula luminosity function (PNLF) are now possible out to ∼40 Mpc. Here we analyze the VLT/MUSE data for 20 galaxies from the ESO public archive to identify the systems’ planetary nebulae (PNe) and determine their PNLF distances. Three of the galaxies do not contain enough PNe for a robust measure of the PNLF, and the results for one other system are compromised of the galaxy’s internal extinction. However, we obtain robust PNLF distances for the remaining 16 galaxies, two of which are isolated and beyond 30 Mpc in a relatively unperturbed Hubble flow. From these data, we derive a Hubble constant of 74.2 ± 7.2 (stat) ±3.7 (sys) km s−1 Mpc−1, a value that is very similar to that found from other quality indicators (e.g., Cepheids, the tip of the red giant branch, and surface brightness fluctuations). At present, the uncertainty is dominated by the small number of suitable galaxies in the ESO archive and their less-than-ideal observing conditions and calibrations. Based on our experience with these systems, we identify the observational requirements necessary for the PNLF to yield a competitive value for H 0 that is independent of the Type Ia supernova distance scale.

The VMC survey. L. Type II Cepheids in the Magellanic Clouds: Period–luminosity relations in the near-infrared bands

Type II Cepheids (T2Cs) are the less frequently used counterparts of classical or type I Cepheids (CCs) which provide the primary calibration of the distance ladder for measuring the Hubble constant in the local Universe. In the era of the `Hubble tension', T2C variables together with the RR Lyrae stars and the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) can potentially provide non-CC-dependent calibration of the cosmic distance ladder. Our goal is to provide an absolute calibration of the period--luminosity, period--luminosity--colour, and period--Wesenheit relations (PL, PLC, and PW, respectively) of T2Cs in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which traditionally serves as a crucial first anchor of the extragalactic distance ladder. We exploited time-series photometry in the near-infrared (NIR) $Y,\,J,$ and $K_s$ bands for a sample of approximately $320$ T2Cs in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). These observations were acquired during 2009--2018 in the context of the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds system (VMC), an ESO public survey. We supplemented the NIR photometry from the VMC survey with well-sampled optical light curves and accurate pulsation periods from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) IV survey and the $Gaia$ mission. We used the best-quality NIR light curves to generate custom templates for modelling sparsely sampled light curves in $YJK_s$ bands. The best-fitting $YJK_s$ template light curves were used to derive accurate and precise intensity-averaged mean magnitudes and pulsation amplitudes of 277 and 62 T2Cs in the LMC and SMC, respectively. We used optical and NIR mean magnitudes for different T2C subclasses (BLHer, WVir, and RVTau) to derive PL/PLC/PW relations in multiple bands, which were calibrated with the geometric distance to the LMC as derived from eclipsing binaries and with the $Gaia$ parallaxes. We used our new empirical calibrations of PL and PW relations to obtain distances to 22 T2C-host Galactic globular clusters, which were found to be systematically smaller by $ $0.1 mag and 0.03--0.06 mag than in the literature when the zero points are calibrated with the distance of the LMC or $Gaia$ parallaxes, respectively. Better agreement is found between our distances and those based on RR Lyrae stars in globular clusters, providing strong support for using these population II stars together with the TRGB for future distance scale studies.

A theoretical framework for BL Her stars. II. New period-luminosity relations in Gaia passbands

In the era of the Hubble tension, it is crucial to obtain a precise calibration of the period-luminosity ($PL$) relations of classical pulsators. Type II Cepheids (T2Cs; often exhibiting negligible or weak metallicity dependence on $PL$ relations) used in combination with RR Lyraes and the tip of the red giant branch may prove useful as an alternative to classical Cepheids for the determination of extragalactic distances. We present new theoretical $PL$ and period-Wesenheit ($PW$) relations for a fine grid of convective BL Her (the shortest period T2Cs) models computed using mesa-rsp in the $Gaia$ passbands and we compare our results with the empirical relations from $Gaia$ DR3. Our goal is to study the effect of metallicity and convection parameters on the theoretical $PL$ and $PW$ relations. We used the state-of-the-art 1D non-linear radial stellar pulsation tool mesa-rsp to compute models of BL Her stars over a wide range of input parameters:\ metallicity ($-2.0\; dex Fe/H dex $), stellar mass ($0.5M_ odot -0.8M_ odot $), stellar luminosity ($50L_ odot -300L_ odot $), and effective temperature (across the full extent of the instability strip; in steps of 50K). We used the Fourier decomposition technique to analyse the light curves obtained from mesa-rsp and $Gaia$ DR3 and then compared the theoretical and empirical $PL$ and $PW$ relations in the $Gaia$ passbands. The BL Her stars in the All Sky region exhibit statistically different $PL$ slopes compared to the theoretical $PL$ slopes computed using the four sets of convection parameters. We find the empirical $PL$ and $PW$ slopes from BL Her stars in the Magellanic Clouds to be statistically consistent with theoretical relations computed using the different convection parameter sets in the $Gaia$ passbands. There is a negligible effect coming from the metallicity on the $PL$ relations in the individual $Gaia$ passbands. However, there is a small but significant negative coefficient of metallicity in the $PWZ$ relations for the BL Her models using the four sets of convection parameters. This could be attributed to the increased sensitivity of bolometric corrections to metallicities at wavelengths shorter than the $V$ band. Our BL Her models also suggest a dependence of the mass-luminosity relation on metallicity. We found the observed Fourier parameter space to be covered well by our models. Higher mass models ($> 0.6\ odot $) may be needed to reliably model the observed light curves of BL Her stars in the All-Sky region. We also found the theoretical light curve structures (especially the Fourier amplitude parameters) to be affected by the choice of convection parameters.

A link between repeating and non-repeating fast radio bursts through their energy distributions

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are extremely energetic, millisecond-duration radio flashes that reach Earth from extragalactic distances. Broadly speaking, FRBs can be classified as repeating or (apparently) non-repeating. It is still unclear, however, whether the two types share a common physical origin and differ only in their activity rate. Here we report on an observing campaign that targeted one hyperactive repeating source, FRB 20201124A, for more than 2,000 h using four 25–32 m class radio telescopes. We detected 46 high-energy bursts, many more than one would expect given previous observations of lower-energy bursts using larger radio telescopes. We find a high-energy burst distribution that resembles that of the non-repeating FRB population, suggesting that apparently non-repeating FRB sources may simply be the rarest bursts from repeating sources. Also, we discuss how FRB 20201124A contributes strongly to the all-sky FRB rate and how similar sources would be observable even at very high redshift.

First JWST Observations of JAGB Stars in the SN Ia Host Galaxies: NGC 7250, NGC 4536, NGC 3972

The J-region Asymptotic Giant Branch (JAGB) method is a standard candle that leverages the constant luminosities of color-selected, carbon-rich AGB stars, measured in the near-infrared at 1.2 μm. The Chicago-Carnegie Hubble Program has obtained JWST imaging of the SN Ia host galaxies NGC 7250, NGC 4536, and NGC 3972. With these observations, the JAGB method can be studied for the first time using JWST. Lee et al. demonstrated the JAGB magnitude is optimally measured in the outer disks of galaxies, because in the inner regions the JAGB magnitude can vary significantly due to a confluence of reddening, blending, and crowding effects. However, determining where the “outer disk” lies can be subjective. Therefore, we introduce a novel method for systematically selecting the outer disk. In a given galaxy, the JAGB magnitude is first separately measured in concentric regions, and the “outer disk” is then defined as the first radial bin where the JAGB magnitude stabilizes to a few hundredths of a magnitude. After successfully employing this method in our JWST galaxy sample, we find the JAGB stars are well segregated from other stellar populations in color–magnitude space, and have observed dispersions about their individual F115W modes of σ N7250 = 0.32 mag, σ N4536 = 0.34 mag, and σ N3972 = 0.35 mag. These measured dispersions are similar to the scatter measured for the JAGB stars in the LMC using 2MASS data (σ = 0.33 mag). In conclusion, the JAGB stars as observed with JWST clearly demonstrate their considerable power both as high-precision extragalactic distance indicators and as SN Ia supernova calibrators.

Cepheid Metallicity in the Leavitt Law (C- MetaLL) survey

Context. Classical Cepheids (DCEPs) play a fundamental role in the calibration of the extragalactic distance ladder, which eventually leads to the determination of the Hubble constant (H0) thanks to the period–luminosity (PL) and period–Wesenheit (PW) relations exhibited by these pulsating variables. Therefore, it is of great importance to establish the dependence of PL and PW relations on metallicity. Aims. We aim to quantify the metallicity dependence of the PL and PW relations of the Galactic DCEPs for a variety of photometric bands, ranging from optical to near-infrared. Methods. We gathered a literature sample of 910 DCEPs with available [Fe/H] values from high-resolution spectroscopy or metallicities from the Gaia Radial Velocity Spectrometer. For all these stars, we collected photometry in the GBP, GRP, G, I, V, J, H, and KS bands and astrometry from Gaia Data Release 3 (DR3). We used these data to investigate the metal dependence of both the intercepts and slopes of a variety of PL and PW relations at multiple wavelengths. Results. We find a large negative metallicity effect on the intercept (γ coefficient) of all the PL and PW relations investigated in this work, while present data still do not allow us to draw firm conclusions regarding the metal dependence of the slope (δ coefficient). The typical values of γ are around −0.4 : −0.5 mag dex−1, which is larger than most of the recent determinations present in the literature. We carried out several tests, which confirm the robustness of our results. As in our previous works, we find that the inclusion of a global zero point offset of Gaia parallaxes provides smaller values of γ (in an absolute sense). However, the assumption of the geometric distance of the Large Magellanic Cloud seems to indicate that larger values of γ (in an absolute sense) would be preferred.

Geometry of the LMC based on multiphase analysis of multiwavelength Cepheid light curves using OGLE-IV and Gaia DR3 data

ABSTRACT The period–luminosity (PL) relation of Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) plays a pivotal role in extragalactic distance measurement and the determination of the Hubble constant (H0). In this work, we probe the geometry of the LMC through a detailed study of multiphase PL relations of these Cepheids, leveraging data from the OGLE-IV and Gaia DR3 data bases. We analyse the light curves of a combined sample of ∼3300 fundamental (FU) and first overtone (FO) mode classical Cepheids. We obtain multiphase data with 50 phase points over a complete pulsation cycle from the OGLE (V, I) and Gaia (G, GBP, GRP) photometric bands. We determine the distance modulus and reddening values of individual Cepheids by fitting a simultaneous reddening law to the apparent distance modulus values. We calculate the LMC viewing angle parameters: the inclination angle (i) and position angle of line of nodes (θlon) by fitting a plane of the form z = f(x, y) to the three-dimensional distribution of Cepheids in Cartesian coordinates $(x, y, z)$. The values of LMC viewing angles from multiphase PL relations are found to be: i = 22.°87 ± 0.°43 (stat.) ± 0.°53 (syst.), θlon = 154.°76 ± 1.°16 (stat.) ± 1.°01 (syst.), respectively. The use of multiphase PL relations in multiple bands results in lower uncertainties for the LMC viewing angle parameters as compared to those derived from the mean-light PL relations. This shows that the use of multiphase PL relations with multiwavelength photometry significantly improves the precision of these measurements, allowing better constraints on the morphology and the structure of the LMC.

Astrophysical Distance Scale. VII. A Self-consistent, Multiwavelength Calibration of the Slopes and Relative Zero Points for the Run of Luminosity with the Color of Stars Defining the Tip of the Red Giant Branch

Given the recent successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, determining robust calibrations of the slopes and absolute magnitudes of the near- to mid-infrared tip of the red-giant branch (TRGB) will be essential to measuring precise extragalactic distances via this method. Using ground-based data of the Large Magellanic Cloud from the Magellanic Clouds Photometric Survey along with near-infrared (NIR) data from 2MASS and mid-infrared (MIR) data collected as a part of the SAGE survey using the Spitzer Space Telescope, we present slopes and zero-points for the TRGB in the optical (VI), NIR (JHK), and MIR ([3.6] and [4.5]) bandpasses. These calibrations utilize stars +0.3 ± 0.1 mag below the tip, providing a substantial statistical improvement over previous calibrations which only used the sample of stars narrowly encompassing the tip.

Progress in direct measurements of the Hubble constant

One of the most exciting and pressing issues in cosmology today is the discrepancy between some measurements of the local Hubble constant and other values of the expansion rate inferred from the observed temperature and polarization fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. Resolving these differences holds the potential for the discovery of new physics beyond the standard model of cosmology: Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM), a successful model that has been in place for more than 20 years. Given both the fundamental significance of this outstanding discrepancy, and the many-decades-long effort to increase the accuracy of the extragalactic distance scale, it is critical to demonstrate that the local measurements are convincingly free from residual systematic errors. We review the progress over the past quarter century in measurements of the local value of the Hubble constant, and discuss remaining challenges. Particularly exciting are new data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), for which we present an overview of our program and first results. We focus in particular on Cepheids and the Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB) stars, as well as a relatively new method, the JAGB (J-Region Asymptotic Giant Branch) method, all methods that currently exhibit the demonstrably smallest statistical and systematic uncertainties. JWST is delivering high-resolution near-infrared imaging data to both test for and to address directly several of the systematic uncertainties that have historically limited the accuracy of extragalactic distance scale measurements (e.g., the dimming effects of interstellar dust, chemical composition differences in the atmospheres of stars, and the crowding and blending of Cepheids contaminated by nearby previously unresolved stars). For the first galaxy in our program, NGC 7250, the high-resolution JWST images demonstrate that many of the Cepheids observed with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) are significantly crowded by nearby neighbors. Avoiding the more significantly crowded variables, the scatter in the JWST near-infrared (NIR) Cepheid PL relation is decreased by a factor of two compared to those from HST, illustrating the power of JWST for improvements to local measurements of H 0. Ultimately, these data will either confirm the standard model, or provide robust evidence for the inclusion of additional new physics.

A luminous fast radio burst that probes the Universe at redshift 1.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration pulses of radio emission originating from extragalactic distances. Radio dispersion is imparted on each burst by intervening plasma, mostly located in the intergalactic medium. In this work, we observe the burst FRB20220610A and localize it to a morphologically complex host galaxy system at redshift 1.016 ± 0.002. The burst redshift and dispersion measure are consistent with passage through a substantial column of plasma in the intergalactic medium and extend the relationship between those quantities measured at lower redshift. The burst shows evidence for passage through additional turbulent magnetized plasma, potentially associated with the host galaxy. We use the burst energy of 2 × 1042 erg to revise the empirical maximum energy of an FRB.

Synthetic Population of Binary Cepheids. II. The Effect of Companion Light on the Extragalactic Distance Scale

Because of their period–luminosity relation (PLR), classical Cepheids play a key role in the calibration of the extragalactic distance scale and the determination of the Hubble–Lemaître constant H 0. Recent findings show that the majority of classical Cepheids should be in binary or multiple systems, which might undermine their accuracy, as the extra—and unaccounted for—light from the companions of Cepheids causes a shift in the PLR. We quantify this shift using synthetic populations of binary Cepheids that we developed for this purpose, as described in Paper I of this series. We find that while all PLRs are shifted toward brighter values due to the excess light from the companions, the bias in the relative distance modulus between two galaxies hosting binary Cepheids can be either positive or negative, depending on the percentage of binary Cepheids in them. If the binarity percentage in the two galaxies is similar, the effect of binarity is canceled. Otherwise, it introduces a shift in the distance modulus of the order of millimagnitudes in the near-infrared passbands and Wesenheit indices, and tens of millimagnitudes in the visual domain; its exact value depends on the variant of the synthetic population (a unique combination of metallicity, star formation history, shape and location of the instability strip, and initial parameter distributions). Such shifts in the distance moduli to Type Ia supernova host galaxies introduce an additional statistical error on H 0, which however does not prevent measuring H 0 with a precision of 1%.

GaiaData Release 3

Context.Cepheids are pulsating stars that play a crucial role in several astrophysical contexts. Among the different types, the Classical Cepheids are fundamental tools for the calibration of the extragalactic distance ladder. They are also powerful stellar population tracers in the context of Galactic studies. TheGaiaThird Data Release (DR3) publishes improved data on Cepheids collected during the initial 34 months of operations.Aims.We present theGaiaDR3 catalogue of Cepheids of all types, obtained through the analysis carried out with the Specific Object Study (SOS) Cep&RRL pipeline.Methods.We discuss the procedures adopted to clean the Cepheid sample from spurious objects, to validate the results, and to re-classify sources with an incorrect outcome from the SOS Cep&RRL pipeline.Results.TheGaiaDR3 includes multi-band time-series photometry and characterisation by the SOS Cep&RRL pipeline for a sample of 15 006 Cepheids of all types. The sample includes 4663, 4616, 321, and 185 pulsators, distributed in the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud, Messier 31, and Messier 33, respectively, as well as 5221 objects in the remaining All Sky subregion which includes stars in the Milky Way field and clusters and in a number of small satellites of our Galaxy. Among this sample, 327 objects were known as variable stars in the literature but with a different classification, while, to the best of our knowledge, 474 stars have not been reported as variable before now and therefore they likely are new Cepheids discovered byGaia.

A possible dwarf galaxy satellite-of-satellite problem in ΛCDM

Dark matter clusters on all scales, and it is therefore expected that even substructure should host its own substructure. Using the Extragalactic Distance Database, we searched for dwarf-galaxy satellites of dwarf galaxies, that is, satellite-of-satellite galaxies, corresponding to these substructures of substructure. From investigation of Hubble Space Telescope data for 117 dwarf galaxies, we report the discovery of a previously unknown dwarf galaxy around the ultra-diffuse M96 companion M96-DF6 at 10.2 Mpc in the Leo-I group. We confirm its dwarf-galaxy nature as a stellar overdensity. Modeling its structural parameters with a growth-curve analysis, we find that it is an ultrafaint dwarf galaxy with a luminosity of 1.5 × 105 L⊙, which is 135 times fainter than its host. Based on its close projection to M96-DF6, it is unlikely that their association occurs simply by chance. We compare the luminosity ratio of this and three other known satellite-of-satellite systems with results from two different cosmological sets of ΛCDM simulations. For the observed stellar mass range of the central dwarf galaxies, the simulated dwarfs have a higher luminosity ratio between the central dwarf and its first satellite (≈10 000) than observed (≈100), excluding the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud (LMC/SMC) system. No simulated dwarf analog at these observed stellar masses has the observed luminosity ratio. This cannot be due to missing resolution, because it is the brightest subhalos that are missing. This may indicate that there is a satellite-of-satellite (SoS) problem for ΛCDM in the stellar-mass range between 106 and 108 M⊙, the regime of the classical dwarf galaxies. However, simulated dwarf models at both a lower (< 106 M⊙) and higher (> 108 M⊙) stellar mass have comparable luminosity ratios. For the higher-stellar-mass systems, the LMC/SMC system is reproduced by simulations; for the lower stellar masses, no observed satellite-of-satellite system has been observed to date. More observations and simulations of satellite-of-satellite systems are needed to assess whether the luminosity ratio is at odds with ΛCDM.