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We undertake a comprehensive investigation into the distribution of in situ stars within Milky Way-like galaxies, leveraging TNG50 simulations and comparing their predictions with data from the H3 survey. Our analysis reveals that 28% of galaxies demonstrate reasonable agreement with H3, while only 12% exhibit excellent alignment in their profiles, regardless of the specific spatial cut employed to define in situ stars. To uncover the underlying factors contributing to deviations between TNG50 and H3 distributions, we scrutinise correlation coefficients among internal drivers (e.g. virial radius, star formation rate [SFR]) and merger-related parameters (such as the effective mass-ratio, mean distance, average redshift, total number of mergers, average spin-ratio, and maximum spin alignment between merging galaxies). Notably, we identify significant correlations between deviations from observational data and key parameters such as the median slope of virial radius, mean SFR values, and the rate of SFR change across different redshift scans. Furthermore, positive correlations emerge between deviations from observational data and parameters related to galaxy mergers. We validate these correlations using the Random Forest Regression method. Our findings underscore the invaluable insights provided by the H3 survey in unravelling the cosmic history of galaxies akin to the Milky Way, thereby advancing our understanding of galactic evolution and shedding light on the formation and evolution of Milky Way-like galaxies in cosmological simulations.
The abundance of dust within galaxies directly influences their evolution. Contemporary models attempt to match this abundance by simulating the processes of dust creation, growth, and destruction. While these models are accurate, they require refinement, especially at earlier epochs. This study aims to compare simulated and observed datasets and identify discrepancies between the two, providing a basis for future improvements. We utilise simulation data from the Simba cosmological simulation suite and observed data from the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA), a subset of the Cosmic Evolution Survey (G10-COSMOS), and the Hubble Space Telescope (3D-HST). We selected galaxies in the observed and simulated data in a stellar mass range of ($10^{8.59} \lt \text{M}_\odot \lt 10^{11.5}$) and at redshift bins centering around $z = 0.0$, $z = 0.1$, $z = 0.5$, $z = 1.0$, and $z = 1.5$ in a homogeneous dust mass range ($10^{6} \lt \text{M}_D [\text{ M}_\odot] \lt 10^{9}$). Our results show notable deviations between Simba and observed data for dust-poor and rich galaxies, with strong indications that differences in galaxy populations and Simba limitations are the underlying cause rather than the dust physics implemented in Simba itself.
The GLEAM 4-Jy (G4Jy) Sample is a thorough compilation of the ‘brightest’ radio sources in the southern sky (Declination $ \lt 30^{\circ}$), as measured at 151 MHz ($S_{\mathrm{151\,MHz}} \gt 4.0$ Jy) with the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), through the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky MWA (GLEAM) Survey. In addition to flux-density measurements, the G4Jy catalogue (https://github.com/svw26/G4Jy.) provides host-galaxy identifications (through careful visual-inspection) and four sets of spectral indices. Despite their brightness in the radio, many of these sources are poorly studied, with the vast majority lacking a spectroscopic redshift in published work. This is crucial for studying the intrinsic properties of the sources, and so we conduct a multi-semester observing campaign on the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), with optical spectroscopy enabling us to provide new redshifts to the astronomical community. Initial results show that not all of the host galaxies exhibit emission-line spectra in the optical ($\sim$4 500–7 500Å), which illustrates the importance of radio-frequency selection (rather than optical selection) for creating an unbiased sample of active galactic nuclei. By combining SALT redshifts with those from the 6-degree Field Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), we calculate radio luminosities and linear sizes for 299 G4Jy sources (which includes one newly-discovered giant radio-galaxy, G4Jy 604). Furthermore, with the highest redshift acquired (so far) being $z \sim 2.2$ from SDSS, we look forward to evolution studies of this complete sample, as well as breaking degeneracies in radio properties with respect to, for example, the galaxy environment.
This study characterises the radio luminosity functions (RLFs) for star forming galaxies (SFGs) and active galactic nuclei (AGN) using statistical redshift estimation in the absence of comprehensive spectroscopic data. Sensitive radio surveys over large areas detect many sources with faint optical and infrared counterparts, for which redshifts and spectra are unavailable. This challenges our attempt to understand the population of radio sources. Statistical tools are often used to model parameters (such as redshift) as an alternative to observational data. Using the data from GAMA G23 and EMU early science observations, we explore simple statistical techniques to estimate the redshifts in order to measure the RLFs of the G23 radio sources as a whole and for SFGs and AGN separately. Redshifts and AGN/SFG classifications are assigned statistically for those radio sources without spectroscopic data. The calculated RLFs are compared with existing studies, and the results suggest that the RLFs match remarkably well for low redshift galaxies with an optical counterpart. We use a more realistic high redshift distribution to model the redshifts of (most likely) high redshift radio sources and find that the LFs from our approach match well with measured LFs. We also look at strategies to compare the RLFs of radio sources without an optical counterpart to existing studies.
The high redshift ‘little red dots’ (LRDs) detected with the James Webb Space Telescope are considered to be the cores of emerging galaxies that host active galactic nuclei (AGN). For the first time, we compare LRDs with local compact stellar systems and an array of galaxy-morphology-dependent stellar mass-black hole mass scaling relations in the $M_\mathrm{ bh}$–$M_{\star}$ diagrams. When considering the 2023–2024 masses for LRDs, they are not equivalent to nuclear star clusters (NSCs), with the latter having higher $M_\mathrm{ bh}/M_{\star}$ ratios. However, the least massive LRDs exhibit similar $M_\mathrm{ bh}$ and $M_\mathrm{ \star,gal}$ values as ultracompact dwarf (UCD) galaxies, believed to be the cores of stripped/threshed galaxies. We show that the LRDs span the $M_\mathrm{ bh}$–$M_\mathrm{ \star,gal}$ diagram from UCD galaxies to primaeval lenticular galaxies. In contrast, local spiral galaxies and the subset of major-merger-built early-type galaxies define $M_\mathrm{ bh}$–$M_{\star,gal}$ relations that are offset to higher stellar masses. Based on the emerging 2025 masses for LRDs, they may yet have similarities with NSCs, UCD galaxies, and green peas. Irrespective of this developing situation, we additionally observe that low-redshift galaxies with AGN align with the quasi-quadratic or steeper black hole scaling relations defined by local disc galaxies with directly measured black hole masses. This highlights the benefits of considering a galaxy’s morphology – which reflects its accretion and merger history – to understand the coevolution of galaxies and their black holes. Future studies of spatially resolved galaxies with secure masses at intermediate-to-high redshift hold the promise of detecting the emergence and evolution of the galaxy-morphology-dependent $M_\mathrm{ bh}$–$M_{\star}$ relations.
We examine the optical counterparts of the 1 829 neutral hydrogen (H i) detections in three pilot fields in the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind surveY (WALLABY) using data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Surveys DR10. We find that 17% (315) of the detections are optically low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs; mean g-band surface brightness within 1 $ R_e$ of $\gt 23$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$) and 3% (55) are optically ‘dark’. We find that the gas-rich WALLABY LSBGs have low star formation efficiencies, and have stellar masses spanning five orders of magnitude, which highlights the diversity of properties across our sample. 75% of the LSBGs and all of the dark H i sources had not been catalogued prior to WALLABY. We examine the optically dark sample of the WALLABY pilot survey to verify the fidelity of the catalogue and investigate the implications for the full survey for identifying dark H i sources. We assess the H i detections without optical counterparts and identify 38 which pass further reliability tests. Of these, we find that 13 show signatures of tidal interactions. The remaining 25 detections have no obvious tidal origin, so are candidates for isolated galaxies with high H i masses, but low stellar masses and star-formation rates. Deeper H i and optical follow-up observations are required to verify the true nature of these dark sources.
We present the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) survey conducted with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). EMU aims to deliver the touchstone radio atlas of the southern hemisphere. We introduce EMU and review its science drivers and key science goals, updated and tailored to the current ASKAP five-year survey plan. The development of the survey strategy and planned sky coverage is presented, along with the operational aspects of the survey and associated data analysis, together with a selection of diagnostics demonstrating the imaging quality and data characteristics. We give a general description of the value-added data pipeline and data products before concluding with a discussion of links to other surveys and projects and an outline of EMU’s legacy value.
The stars of the Milky Way carry the chemical history of our Galaxy in their atmospheres as they journey through its vast expanse. Like barcodes, we can extract the chemical fingerprints of stars from high-resolution spectroscopy. The fourth data release (DR4) of the Galactic Archaeology with HERMES (GALAH) Survey, based on a decade of observations, provides the chemical abundances of up to 32 elements for 917 588 stars that also have exquisite astrometric data from the Gaia satellite. For the first time, these elements include life-essential nitrogen to complement carbon, and oxygen as well as more measurements of rare-earth elements critical to modern-life electronics, offering unparalleled insights into the chemical composition of the Milky Way. For this release, we use neural networks to simultaneously fit stellar parameters and abundances across the whole wavelength range, leveraging synthetic grids computed with Spectroscopy Made Easy. These grids account for atomic line formation in non-local thermodynamic equilibrium for 14 elements. In a two-iteration process, we first fit stellar labels to all 1 085 520 spectra, then co-add repeated observations and refine these labels using astrometric data from Gaia and 2MASS photometry, improving the accuracy and precision of stellar parameters and abundances. Our validation thoroughly assesses the reliability of spectroscopic measurements and highlights key caveats. GALAH DR4 represents yet another milestone in Galactic archaeology, combining detailed chemical compositions from multiple nucleosynthetic channels with kinematic information and age estimates. The resulting dataset, covering nearly a million stars, opens new avenues for understanding not only the chemical and dynamical history of the Milky Way but also the broader questions of the origin of elements and the evolution of planets, stars, and galaxies.
Bow shocks generated by pulsars moving through weakly ionized interstellar medium (ISM) produce emission dominated by non-equilibrium atomic transitions. These bow shocks are primarily observed as H$\alpha$ nebulae. We developed a package, named Shu, that calculates non-LTE intensity maps in more than 150 spectral lines, taking into account geometrical properties of the pulsars’ motion and lines of sight. We argue here that atomic (C i, N i, O i) and ionic (S ii, N ii, O iii, Ne iv) transitions can be used as complementary and sensitive probes of ISM. We perform self-consistent 2D relativistic hydrodynamic calculations of the bow shock structure and generate non-LTE emissivity maps, combining global dynamics of relativistic flows, and detailed calculations of the non-equilibrium ionization states. We find that though typically $\text{H}_\alpha$ emission is dominant, spectral fluxes in [O iii], [S ii] and [N ii] may become comparable for relatively slowly moving pulsars. Overall, morphology of non-LTE emission, especially of the ionic species, is a sensitive probe of the density structures of the ISM.
Petabytes of archival high time resolution observations have been captured with the Murchison Widefield Array. The search for Fast Radio Bursts within these using established software has been limited by its inability to scale on supercomputing infrastructure, necessary to meet the associated computational and memory requirements. Hence, past searches used a coarse integration time, in the scale of seconds, or analysed an insufficient number of hours of observations. This paper introduces BLINK, a novel radio interferometry imaging software for low-frequency FRB searches to be run on modern supercomputers. It is implemented as a suite of software libraries executing all computations on GPU, supporting both AMD and NVIDIA hardware vendors. These libraries are designed to interface with each other and to define the BLINK imaging pipeline as a single executable program. Expensive I/O operations between imaging stages are not necessary because the stages now share the same memory space and data representation. BLINK is the first imaging pipeline implementation able to fully run on GPUs as a single process, further supporting AMD hardware and enabling Australian researchers to take advantage of Pawsey’s Setonix supercomputer. In the millisecond-scale time resolution imaging test case illustrated in this paper, representative of what is required for FRB searches, the BLINK imaging pipeline achieves a 3 687x speedup compared to a traditional MWA imaging pipeline employing WSClean.
The outer solar system is theoretically predicted to harbour an undiscovered planet, often referred to as Planet Nine. Simulations suggest that its gravitational influence could explain the unusual clustering of minor bodies in the Kuiper Belt. However, no observational evidence for Planet Nine has been found so far, as its predicted orbit lies far beyond Neptune, where it reflects only a faint amount of Sunlight. This work aims to find Planet Nine candidates by taking advantage of two far-infrared all-sky surveys, which are IRAS and AKARI. The epochs of these two surveys were separated by 23 years, which is large enough to detect Planet Nine’s $\sim3'$/year orbital motion. We use a dedicated AKARI Far-Infrared point source list for the purpose of our Planet Nine search — AKARI-FIS Monthly Unconfirmed Source List (AKARI-MUSL), which includes sources detected repeatedly only in hours timescale, but not after months. AKARI-MUSL is more advantageous than the AKARI Bright Source Catalogue (AKARI-BSC) for detecting moving and faint objects like Planet Nine with a twice-deeper flux detection limit. We search for objects that moved slowly between IRAS and AKARI detections given in the catalogues. First, we estimated the expected flux and orbital motion of Planet Nine by assuming its mass, distance, and effective temperature to ensure it can be detected by IRAS and AKARI, then applied the positional and flux selection criteria to narrow down the number of sources from the catalogues. Next, we produced all possible candidate pairs including one IRAS source and one AKARI source whose angular separations were limited between 42′ and $69.6'$, corresponding to the heliocentric distance range of 500 – 700 AU and the mass range of 7 – 17M$_{\oplus}$. There are 13 candidate pairs obtained after the selection criteria. After image inspection, we found one good candidate, of which the IRAS source is absent from the same coordinate in the AKARI image after 23 years and vice versa. However, AKARI and IRAS detections are not enough to determine the full orbit of this candidate. This issue leads to the need for follow-up observations, which will determine the Keplerian motion of our Planet Nine candidate.
We introduce a new approach to quantifying dust in galaxies by combining information from the Balmer decrement (BD) and the dust mass ($M_d$). While there is no explicit correlation between these two properties, they jointly probe different aspects of the dust present in galaxies. We explore two new parameters that link BD with $M_d$ by using star formation rate (SFR) sensitive luminosities at several wavelengths (ultraviolet, H$\alpha$, and far-infrared). This analysis shows that combining the BD and $M_d$ in these ways provides new metrics that are sensitive to the degree of optically thick dust affecting the short wavelength emission. We show how these new ‘dust geometry’ parameters vary as a function of galaxy mass, SFR, and specific SFR. We demonstrate that they are sensitive probes of the dust geometry in galaxies, and that they support the ‘maximal foreground screen’ model for dust in starburst galaxies.
The potential of a galaxy to host habitable planets is one of the most important questions in astrobiology. It is tightly connected to the evolution of galaxy-scale properties and the underlying cosmological processes. Using the improved cosmological simulation IllustrisTNG, we revisit the claim that a population of small, metal-rich, star-forming galaxies (‘Cloudlet’), forms a local peak on the mass-metallicity relation, reflecting an enhanced galactic habitability potential. We refine the earlier analysis by applying updated filtering criteria to identify a more refined sample, further selecting objects based on their history. This process resulted in a confirmed sample of 97 dwarf galaxies, alongside 519 additional structures of uncertain origin, potentially comprising both numerical artefacts and unrecognised physical systems. Under these stricter conditions, the proposed bimodality in galactic habitability is strongly diminished. However, the astrobiological potential of metal-rich dwarfs, most of which are compact remnants of more massive galaxies that underwent tidal stripping, is a thrilling area of exploration. Although dense stellar environments are traditionally seen as inhospitable, recent studies highlight the role of dynamic environments in enhancing the distribution of biological material. Furthermore, the potential habitability of tidal structures formed in the aftermath of galactic interactions is a fascinating possibility. Our findings suggest that non-traditional structures support conditions favourable for life, opening up exciting new avenues for astrobiological research. This research underscores the need for a holistic approach to studying habitability that moves beyond planetary and stellar-focused frameworks to incorporate the broader galactic environment. Understanding the interactions between galaxies, their evolution, and the influence of their surroundings is essential to developing a more comprehensive model of how and where life might emerge and persist across the Universe.
An unusual orbital element clustering of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) has been observed. The most promising dynamic solution is the presence of a giant planet in the outer Solar system, Planet Nine. However, due to its extreme distance, intensive searches in optical have not been successful. We aim to find Planet Nine in the far-infrared, where it has the peak of the black body radiation, using the most sensitive all-sky far-infrared survey to date, AKARI. In contrast to optical searches, where the energy of reflected sunlight decreases by $d^{4}$, thermal radiation in the infrared decreases with the square of the heliocentric distance $d^{2}$. We search for moving objects in the AKARI Single Scan Detection List. We select sources from a promising region suggested by an N-body simulation from Millholland and Laughlin 2017: $30^{\circ}\lt$ R.A. $\lt50^{\circ}$ and $-20^{\circ}\lt$ Dec. $\lt20^{\circ}$. Known sources are excluded by cross-matching AKARI sources with 9 optical and infrared catalogues. Furthermore, we select sources with small background strength to avoid sources in the cirrus. Since Planet Nine is stationary in a timescale of hours but moves on a monthly scale, our primary strategy is to select slowly moving objects that are stationary in 24 h but not in six months, using multiple single scans by AKARI. The selected slowly moving AKARI sources are scrutinised for potential contamination from cosmic rays. Our analysis reveals two possible Planet Nine candidates whose positions and flux are within the theoretical prediction ranges. These candidates warrant further investigation through follow-up observations to confirm the existence and properties of Planet Nine.
We measured the harmonic-space power spectrum of Galaxy clustering auto-correlation from the Evolutionary Map of the Universe Pilot Survey 1 data (EMU PS1) and its cross-correlation with the lensing convergence map of cosmic microwave background (CMB) from Planck Public Release 4 at the linear scale range from $\ell=2$ to 500. We applied two flux density cuts at $0.18$ and $0.4$ mJy on the radio galaxies observed at 944MHz and considered two source detection algorithms. We found the auto-correlation measurements from the two algorithms at the 0.18 mJy cut to deviate for $\ell\gtrsim250$ due to the different criteria assumed on the source detection and decided to ignore data above this scale. We report a cross-correlation detection of EMU PS1 with CMB lensing at $\sim$5.5$\sigma$, irrespective of flux density cut. In our theoretical modelling we considered the SKADS and T-RECS redshift distribution simulation models that yield consistent results, a linear and a non-linear matter power spectrum, and two linear galaxy bias models. That is a constant redshift-independent galaxy bias $b(z)=b_g$ and a constant amplitude galaxy bias $b(z)=b_g/D(z)$. By fixing a cosmology model and considering a non-linear matter power spectrum with SKADS, we measured a constant galaxy bias at $0.18$ mJy ($0.4$ mJy) with $b_g=2.32^{+0.41}_{-0.33}$ ($2.18^{+0.17}_{-0.25}$) and a constant amplitude bias with $b_g=1.72^{+0.31}_{-0.21}$ ($1.78^{+0.22}_{-0.15}$). When $\sigma_8$ is a free parameter for the same models at $0.18$ mJy ($0.4$ mJy) with the constant model we found $\sigma_8=0.68^{+0.16}_{-0.14}$ ($0.82\pm0.10$), while with the constant amplitude model we measured $\sigma_8=0.61^{+0.18}_{-0.20}$ ($0.78^{+0.11}_{-0.09}$), respectively. Our results agree at $1\sigma$ with the measurements from Planck CMB and the weak lensing surveys and also show the potential of cosmology studies with future radio continuum survey data.
Before a binary system enters into a common envelope (CE) phase, accretion from the primary star onto the companion star through Roche Lobe overflow (RLOF) will lead to the formation of an accretion disk, which may generate jets. Accretion before and during the CE may alter the outcome of the interaction. Previous studies have considered different aspects of this physical mechanism. Here we study the properties of an accretion disk formed via 3D hydrodynamic simulations of the RLOF mass transfer between a 7 M$_{\odot}$, red supergiant star and a 1.4 M$_{\odot}$, neutron star companion. We simulate only the volume around the companion for improved resolution. We use a 1D implicit mesa simulation of the evolution of the system during 30 000 yr between the on-set of the RLOF and the CE to guide the binary parameters and the mass-transfer rate, while we simulate only 21 yr of the last part of the RLOF in 3D using an ideal gas quasi-isothermal equation of state. We expect that a pre-CE disk under these parameters will have a mass of $\sim 5\times 10^{-3}$ M$_{\odot}$ and a radius of $\sim40\ R_\odot$ with a scale height of $\sim 5\ R$$_{\odot}$. The temperature profile of the disk is shallower than that predicted by the formalism of Shakura and Sunyaev, but more reasonable cooling physics would need to be included. We stress test these results with respect to a number of physical and numerical parameters, as well as simulation choices, and we expect them to be reasonable within a factor of a few for the mass and 15% for the radius. We also contextualise our results within those presented in the literature, in particular with respect to the dimensionality of simulations and the adiabatic index. We discuss the measured accretion rate in the context of the Shakura and Sunyaev formalism and debate the viscous mechanisms at play, finishing with a list of prospects for future work.
The scatter in global atomic hydrogen (Hi) scaling relations is partly attributed to differences in how Hi and stellar properties are measured, with Hi reservoirs typically extending beyond the inner regions of galaxies where star formation occurs. Using pilot observations from the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind Survey (WALLABY), we present the first measurements of Hi mass enclosed within the stellar-dominated regions of galaxies for a statistical sample of 995 local gas-rich systems, investigating the factors driving its variation. We examine how global Hi scaling relations change when measurements are restricted to $R_{\text{25}}$ and $R_{\text{24}}$ – the isophotal radii at 25 and 24 mag arcsec$^{-2}$ in the i-band – and explore how the fraction of Hi mass and Hi surface density within these radii correlate with other galaxy properties. On average, 68% of the total Hi mass is enclosed within $R_{\text{25}}$ and 54% within $R_{\text{24}}$, though significant variation exists between galaxies, ranging from $\sim$20% to 100%. The fraction of Hi mass within $R_{\text{25}}$ shows a mild correlation with stellar properties, with galaxies of higher stellar mass, greater stellar surface density, or redder colours enclosing a larger fraction of their Hi reservoirs. These correlations do not significantly strengthen when considering $R_{\text{24}}$. Conversely, global Hi surface densities show no significant correlation with stellar mass or stellar surface density, but trends start emerging when these are measured within the inner regions of galaxies. The strongest correlation is observed with optical colour, with bluer galaxies having higher average Hi surface densities within $R_{\text{25}}$. This trend of the average Hi surface density with optical colour strengthens when we restrict from $R_{\text{25}}$ to $R_{\text{24}}$, suggesting a closer connection between inner Hi reservoirs and star formation. This study underscores the value of (at least marginally) resolved Hi surveys of statistical samples for advancing our understanding of the gas-star formation cycle in galaxies.
Post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) binaries are surrounded by dusty circumbinary disks and exhibit unexpected orbital properties resulting from poorly understood binary interaction processes. Re-accreted gas from the circumbinary disk alters the photospheric chemistry of the post-AGB star, producing a characteristic underabundance of refractory elements that correlates with condensation temperature – a phenomenon known as chemical depletion. This work investigates how re-accretion from a disk drives chemical depletion, and the impact accreted matter has on post-AGB evolution. We used the MESA code to evolve 0.55 and 0.60 M$_{\odot}$ post-AGB stars with the accretion of refractory element-depleted gas from a circumbinary disk. Our study adopts observationally-constrained initial accretion rates and disk masses to reproduce the chemical depletion patterns of six well-studied post-AGB binary stars: EP Lyr, HP Lyr, IRAS 17038-4815, IRAS 09144-4933, HD 131356, and SX Cen. We find high accretion rates ($\gt 10^{-7}$ M$_{\odot}\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$) and large disk masses ($\gtrsim10^{-2}$ M$_{\odot}$) necessary to reproduce observed depletion, particularly in higher-mass, hotter post-AGB stars ($T_{\textrm{eff}}\gtrsim$ 6 000 K). A slower evolution (lower core mass) is required to reproduce cooler ($T_{\textrm{eff}}\lesssim$ 5 000 K) depleted post-AGB stars. Rapid accretion significantly impacts post-AGB evolution, stalling stars at cooler effective temperatures and extending post-AGB lifetimes by factors of around 3 to 10. Despite this, extended post-AGB timescales remain within or below the planetary nebula visibility timescale, suggesting accretion cannot account for the observed lack of ionised PNe in post-AGB binaries. Our findings constrain accretion-flow parameters and advance our understanding of disk-binary interactions in post-AGB systems.
New far ultraviolet imaging of the galaxy NGC 205 is presented, which shows the emission is significantly offset ($\sim5^{\prime\prime}$ NW) from the optical and infrared centers of the galaxy. Spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling is applied to investigate the spatial dependence of the star formation history (SFH) of NGC 205, using data from far ultraviolet to far infrared. The SED model includes young and old stellar populations, gas emission, dust emission and dust absorption. The old stellar population has a total mass of $1.1\times10^8$ M$_{\odot}$ whereas the young population has a much smaller total mass of 3 200 M$_{\odot}$. The best forms of SFH for old and young stars are found to be exponentially declining bursts with start times $t_0$ yr ago and e-folding times $\tau$ yr. The old stellar population has uniform $t_0$ = 9.5 Gyr, with $\tau$ decreasing with radius from 1 Gyr to 500 Myr. The young stellar population has $t_0$ = 900 Myr and $\tau$ = 800 Myr, both uniform across NGC 205. The young and old stellar mass surface densities are exponential in radius with scale lengths of 40 and 110 pc, respectively. The dust heating has a $\sim$ 40% contribution from young stars and $\sim$ 60% from old stars.
We consider solutions that can be obtained via dimensional reduction. We first consider the domain wall, both the perturbative nonrelativistic solution and the exact relativistic solution, first directly in four dimensions, and then show how it can be described via dimensional reduction. Then we consider the cosmic string solution, first directly in four dimensions, and then via dimensional reduction, and finally deriving it at weak field. Finally, we consider the BTZ black hole solution in 2+1 dimensions, deriving it directly, and then show how the BTZ solution and AdS space are continuously related.