arXiv subjects

A. Young

Publications and source records attributed to A. Young.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

The real-time data processing and acquisition system for Project 8 Phase II

In Phase II of the Project 8 neutrino mass experiment, electrons from the decays of tritium or ${}^{83\mathrm{m}}$Kr are detected via their $\approx$26 GHz cyclotron radiation while contained within a circular waveguide. The signal from a given electron is characterized as a brief chirp, lasting $\lesssim$10 ms and changing in frequency by $\lesssim$1 MHz/ms. To detect these signals, the Project 8 collaboration developed a data acquisition (DAQ) system tailored to the signal properties. The DAQ is responsible for simultaneously selecting up to three 100 MHz-wide frequency windows to study, detect, and trigger on likely signals from different electron kinetic energies, and for writing the relevant data to disk. We describe the Phase II DAQ system in detail and address how the system was used for data-taking operations.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

Development of a Test System for Data Links of the ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk) Upgrade Silicon Pixel Detector

This contribution introduces a novel test system developed to evaluate the signal transmission quality in high-speed data links for the 2026 Inner Tracker (ITk) upgrade of the ATLAS experiment. Using an FPGA-based data acquisition (DAQ) framework, the setup can run simultaneous Bit Error Rate (BER) tests for up to 64 channels and generate virtual eye diagrams, for qualifying the $\sim$26k electrical links at the ATLAS ITk data rate of 1.28Gb/s. The paper includes results from system calibration, yielding its contribution to the measured losses, and preliminary results from tests of prototype and pre-production assemblies of on-detector links of the three ATLAS ITk Pixel subsystems.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

A catalogue of dual-field interferometric binary calibrators

Dual-field interferometric observations with VLTI/GRAVITY sometimes require the use of a "binary calibrator", a binary star whose individual components remain unresolved by the interferometer, with a separation between 400 and 2000 mas for observations with the Units Telescopes (UTs), or 1200 to 3000 mas for the Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs). The separation vector also needs to be predictable to within 10 mas for proper pointing of the instrument. Up until now, no list of properly vetted calibrators was available for dual-field observations with VLTI/GRAVITY on the UTs. Our objective is to compile such a list, and make it available to the community. We identify a list of candidates from the Washington Double Star (WDS) catalogue, all with appropriate separations and brightness, scattered over the Southern sky. We observe them as part of a dedicated calibration programme, and determine whether these objects are true binaries (excluding higher multiplicities resolved interferometrically but unseen by imaging), and extract measurements of the separation vectors. We combine these new measurements with those available in the WDS to determine updated orbital parameters for all our vetted calibrators. We compile a list of 13 vetted binary calibrators for observations with VLTI/GRAVITY on the UTs, and provide orbital estimates and astrometric predictions for each of them. We show that our list guarantees that there are always at least two binary calibrators at airmass < 2 in the sky over the Paranal observatory, at any point in time. Any Principal Investigator wishing to use the dual-field mode of VLTI/GRAVITY with the UTs can now refer to this list to select an appropriate calibrator. We encourage the use of "whereistheplanet" to predict the astrometry of these calibrators, which seamlessly integrates with "p2Gravity" for VLTI/GRAVITY dual-field observing material preparation.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2023

First VLTI/GRAVITY Observations of HIP 65426 b: Evidence for a Low or Moderate Orbital Eccentricity

Giant exoplanets have been directly imaged over orders of magnitude of orbital separations, prompting theoretical and observational investigations of their formation pathways. In this paper, we present new VLTI/GRAVITY astrometric data of HIP 65426 b, a cold, giant exoplanet which is a particular challenge for most formation theories at a projected separation of 92 au from its primary. Leveraging GRAVITY's astrometric precision, we present an updated eccentricity posterior that disfavors large eccentricities. The eccentricity posterior is still prior-dependent, and we extensively interpret and discuss the limits of the posterior constraints presented here. We also perform updated spectral comparisons with self-consistent forward-modeled spectra, finding a best fit ExoREM model with solar metallicity and C/O=0.6. An important caveat is that it is difficult to estimate robust errors on these values, which are subject to interpolation errors as well as potentially missing model physics. Taken together, the orbital and atmospheric constraints paint a preliminary picture of formation inconsistent with scattering after disk dispersal. Further work is needed to validate this interpretation. Analysis code used to perform this work is available at https://github.com/sblunt/hip65426.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2023

VLTI/GRAVITY Observations and Characterization of the Brown Dwarf Companion HD 72946 B

Tension remains between the observed and modeled properties of substellar objects, but objects in binary orbits, with known dynamical masses can provide a way forward. HD 72946 B is a recently imaged brown dwarf companion to the nearby, solar type star. We achieve $\sim100~\mu\mathrm{as}$ relative astrometry of HD 72946 B in the K-band using VLTI/GRAVITY, unprecedented for a benchmark brown dwarf. We fit an ensemble of measurements of the orbit using orbitize! and derive a strong dynamical mass constraint $\mathrm{M_B}=69.5\pm0.5~\mathrm{M_{Jup}}$ assuming a strong prior on the host star mass $\mathrm{M_A}=0.97\pm0.01~\mathrm{M_\odot}$ from an updated stellar analysis. We fit the spectrum of the companion to a grid of self-consistent BT-Settl-CIFIST model atmospheres, and perform atmospheric retrievals using petitRADTRANS. A dynamical mass prior only marginally influences the sampled distribution on effective temperature, but has a large influence on the surface gravity and radius, as expected. The dynamical mass alone does not strongly influence retrieved pressure-temperature or cloud parameters within our current retrieval setup. Independent of cloud prescription and prior assumptions, we find agreement within $\pm2\,\sigma$ between the C/O ratio of the host ($0.52\pm0.05)$ and brown dwarf ($0.43$ to $0.63$), as expected from a molecular cloud collapse formation scenario, but our retrieved metallicities are implausibly high ($0.6-0.8$) in light of an excellent agreement of the data with the solar abundance model grid. Future work on our retrieval framework will seek to resolve this tension. Additional study of low surface-gravity objects is necessary to assess the influence of a dynamical mass prior on atmospheric analysis.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

z-GAL -- A NOEMA spectroscopic redshift survey of bright Herschel galaxies: [I] Overview

(Abridged) Using the IRAM NOEMA interferometer, we measures the redshifts of 126 bright galaxies detected in the Herschel H-ATLAS, HeLMS, and HerS surveys. We report reliable spectroscopic redshifts for a total of 124 of the Herschel-selected galaxies. The redshifts are estimated from scans of the 3 and 2-mm bands (and, in one case, the 1-mm band) and are based on the detection of at least two emission lines. Together with the Pilot Programme (Neri et al. 2020), including spectroscopic redshifts of 11 sources, our survey has derived precise redshifts for 135 bright Herschel-selected galaxies, making it the largest sample of high-z galaxies with robust redshifts to date. Most emission lines detected are from 12CO (mainly from J=2-1 to 5-4), with some sources seen in [CI] and H2O emission lines. The spectroscopic redshifts are in the range 0.8<z<6.55 with a median value of z=2.56 +/- 0.10. The line widths of the sources are large, with a mean value for the full width at half maximum Delta(V) of 590 +/- 25 km/s and with 35% of the sources having widths of 700 km/s < Delta(V) < 1800 km/s. Most of the sources are unresolved or barely resolved on scales of 2 to 3 arcsec (or linear sizes of 15-25 kpc, unlensed). Some fields reveal double or multiple sources and, in some cases, sources at different redshifts. Taking these sources into account, there are, in total, 165 individual sources with robust spectroscopic redshifts, including lensed galaxies, binary systems, and over-densities. We present an overview of the z-GAL survey and provide the observed properties of the emission lines, the derived spectroscopic redshifts, and an atlas of the entire sample. The data presented here will serve as a foundation for the other z-GAL papers in this series reporting on the dust emission, the molecular and atomic gas properties, and a detailed analysis of the nature of the sources.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

z-GAL -- A NOEMA spectroscopic redshift survey of bright Herschel galaxies: [II] Dust properties

(Abridged) We present the dust properties of 125 bright Herschel galaxies selected from the z-GAL survey. The large instantaneous bandwidth of NOEMA provides an exquisite sampling of the underlying dust continuum emission at 2 and 3 mm in the observed frame, with flux densities in at least four side bands for each source. Together with the available Herschel 250, 350, and 500 micron and SCUBA-2 850 micron flux densities, the spectral energy distribution of each source can be analyzed from the far-infrared to the millimeter, with a fine sampling of the Rayleigh-Jeans tail. This wealth of data provides a solid basis to derive robust dust properties, in particular the dust emissivity index, beta, and the dust temperature, T(dust). In order to demonstrate our ability to constrain the dust properties, we used a flux-generated mock catalog and analyzed the results under the assumption of an optically thin and optically thick modified black body emission. For the z-GAL sources, we report a range of dust emissivities with beta ~ 1.5 - 3 estimated up to high precision with relative uncertainties that vary in the range 7% - 15%, and an average of 2.2 +/- 0.3. We find dust temperatures varying from 20 to 50 K with an average of T(dust) ~ 30 K for the optically thin case and ~38 K in the optically thick case. For all the sources, we estimate the dust masses and apparent infrared luminosities (based on the optically thin approach). An inverse correlation is found between T(dust) and beta, which is similar to what is seen in the local Universe. Finally, we report an increasing trend in the dust temperature as a function of redshift at a rate of 6.5 +/- 0.5 K/z for this 500 micron-selected sample. Based on this study, future prospects are outlined to further explore the evolution of dust temperature across cosmic time.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy of Electrons from Tritium Beta Decay and $^{83\rm m}$Kr Internal Conversion

Project 8 has developed a novel technique, Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES), for direct neutrino mass measurements. A CRES-based experiment on the beta spectrum of tritium has been carried out in a small-volume apparatus. We provide a detailed account of the experiment, focusing on systematic effects and analysis techniques. In a Bayesian (frequentist) analysis, we measure the tritium endpoint as $18553^{+18}_{-19}$ ($18548^{+19}_{-19}$) eV and set upper limits of 155 (152) eV (90% C.L.) on the neutrino mass. No background events are observed beyond the endpoint in 82 days of running. We also demonstrate an energy resolution of $1.66\pm0.19$ eV in a resolution-optimized magnetic trap configuration by measuring $^{83\rm m}$Kr 17.8-keV internal-conversion electrons. These measurements establish CRES as a low-background, high-resolution technique with the potential to advance neutrino mass sensitivity.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2023

Accelerations of stars in central 2-7 arcsec from Sgr A*

This work presents the results from extending the long-term monitoring program of stellar motions within the Galactic Center to include stars with separations of 2 - 7 arcseconds from the compact radio source, Sgr A*. In comparison to the well studied inner 2 arcsec, a longer baseline in time is required to study these stars. With 17 years of data, a sufficient number of positions along the orbits of these outer stars can now be measured. This was achieved by designing a source finder to track the positions of ~ 2000 stars in NACO/VLT adaptive-optics-assisted images of the Galactic Center from 2002 to 2019. Of the studied stars, 54 exhibit significant accelerations toward Sgr A*, most of which have separations of between 2 and 3 arcseconds from the black hole. A further 20 of these stars have measurable radial velocities from SINFONI/VLT stellar spectra, which allows for the calculation of the orbital elements for these stars, thus increasing the number of known orbits in the Galactic Center by ~ 40 %. With orbits, we can consider which structural features within the Galactic Center nuclear star cluster these stars belong to. Most of the stars have orbital solutions that are consistent with the known clockwise rotating disk feature. Further, by employing Monte Carlo sampling for stars without radial velocity measurements, we show that many stars have a subset of possible orbits that are consistent with one of the known disk features within the Galactic Center.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Tritium Beta Spectrum and Neutrino Mass Limit from Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy

The absolute scale of the neutrino mass plays a critical role in physics at every scale, from the particle to the cosmological. Measurements of the tritium endpoint spectrum have provided the most precise direct limit on the neutrino mass scale. In this Letter, we present advances by Project 8 to the Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES) technique culminating in the first frequency-based neutrino mass limit. With only a cm$^3$-scale physical detection volume, a limit of $m_\beta{<}$155 eV ($152$ eV) is extracted from the background-free measurement of the continuous tritium beta spectrum in a Bayesian (frequentist) analysis. Using $^{83{\rm m}}$Kr calibration data, an improved resolution of 1.66${\pm}$0.19 eV (FWHM) is measured, the detector response model is validated, and the efficiency is characterized over the multi-keV tritium analysis window. These measurements establish the potential of CRES for a high-sensitivity next-generation direct neutrino mass experiment featuring low background and high resolution.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2021

Deep Images of the Galactic Center with GRAVITY

Stellar orbits at the Galactic Center provide a very clean probe of the gravitational potential of the supermassive black hole. They can be studied with unique precision, beyond the confusion limit of a single telescope, with the near-infrared interferometer GRAVITY. Imaging is essential to search the field for faint, unknown stars on short orbits which potentially could constrain the black hole spin. Furthermore, it provides the starting point for astrometric fitting to derive highly accurate stellar positions. Here, we present $\mathrm{G^R}$, a new imaging tool specifically designed for Galactic Center observations with GRAVITY. The algorithm is based on a Bayesian interpretation of the imaging problem, formulated in the framework of information field theory and building upon existing works in radio-interferometric imaging. Its application to GRAVITY observations from 2021 yields the deepest images to date of the Galactic Center on scales of a few milliarcseconds. The images reveal the complicated source structure within the central $100\,\mathrm{mas}$ around Sgr A*, where we detected the stars S29 and S55 and confirm S62 on its trajectory, slowly approaching Sgr A*. Furthermore, we were able to detect S38, S42, S60, and S63 in a series of exposures for which we offset the fiber from Sgr A*. We provide an update on the orbits of all aforementioned stars. In addition to these known sources, the images also reveal a faint star moving to the west at a high angular velocity. We cannot find any coincidence with any known source and, thus, we refer to the new star as S300. From the flux ratio with S29, we estimate its K-band magnitude as $m_\mathrm{K}\left(\mathrm{S300}\right)\simeq 19.0 - 19.3$. Images obtained with CLEAN confirm the detection.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

The mass distribution in the Galactic Centre from interferometric astrometry of multiple stellar orbits

The stars orbiting the compact radio source Sgr A* in the Galactic Centre are precision probes of the gravitational field around the closest massive black hole. In addition to adaptive optics assisted astrometry (with NACO / VLT) and spectroscopy (with SINFONI / VLT, NIRC2 / Keck and GNIRS / Gemini) over three decades, since 2016/2017 we have obtained 30-100 mu-as astrometry with the four-telescope interferometric beam combiner GRAVITY / VLTI reaching a sensitivity of mK = 20 when combining data from one night. We present the simultaneous detection of several stars within the diffraction limit of a single telescope, illustrating the power of interferometry. The new data for the stars S2, S29, S38 and S55 yield significant accelerations between March and July 2021, as these stars pass the pericenters of their orbits between 2018 and 2023. This allows for a high-precision determination of the gravitational potential around Sgr A*. Our data are in excellent agreement with general relativity orbits around a single central point mass, M = 4.30 x 10^6 M_sun with a precision of about +-0.25%. We improve the significance of our detection of the Schwarzschild precession in the S2 orbit to 7 sigma. Assuming plausible density profiles, an extended mass component inside S2's apocentre (= 0.23" or 2.4 x 10^4 R_S) must be 3000 M_sun (1 sigma), or 0.1% of M. Adding the enclosed mass determinations from 13 stars orbiting Sgr A* at larger radii, the innermost radius at which the excess mass beyond Sgr A* tentatively is seen is r = 2.5" >= 10x the apocentre of S2. This is in full harmony with the stellar mass distribution (including stellar-mass black holes) obtained from the spatially resolved luminosity function.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

Flaremodel: An open-source Python package for one-zone numerical modelling of synchrotron sources

Synchrotron processes, the radiative processes associated with the interaction of energetic charged particles with magnetic field, are of interest in many areas in astronomy, from the interstellar medium to extreme environments near compact objects. Consequently, observations of synchrotron sources carry information on the physical properties of the sources themselves and those of their close vicinity. In recent years, novel observations of such sources with multi-wavelength collaborations reveal complex features and peculiarities, especially near black holes. Exploring the nature of these sources in more detail necessitates numerical tools complementary to analytical one-zone modelling efforts. In this paper, we introduce an open-source Python package tailored to this purpose, flaremodel. The core of the code consists of low-level utility functions to describe physical processes relevant to synchrotron sources, which are written in C for performance and parallelised with OpenMP for scalability. The Python interface provides access to these functions and built-in source models are provided as a guidance. At the same time, the modular design of the code and the generic nature of these functions enable users to build a variety of source models applicable to many astrophysical synchrotron sources. We describe our methodology and the structure of our code along with selected examples demonstrating capabilities and options for future modelling efforts.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

The mass of Beta Pictoris c from Beta Pictoris b orbital motion

We aim to demonstrate that the presence and mass of an exoplanet can now be effectively derived from the astrometry of another exoplanet. We combined previous astrometry of $β$ Pictoris b with a new set of observations from the GRAVITY interferometer. The orbital motion of $β$ Pictoris b is fit using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations in Jacobi coordinates. The inner planet, $β$ Pictoris c, was also reobserved at a separation of 96\,mas, confirming the previous orbital estimations. From the astrometry of planet b only, we can (i) detect the presence of $β$ Pictoris c and (ii) constrain its mass to $10.04^{+4.53}_{-3.10}\,M_{\rm Jup}$. If one adds the astrometry of $β$ Pictoris c, the mass is narrowed down to $9.15^{+1.08}_{-1.06}\,M_{\rm Jup}$. The inclusion of radial velocity measurements does not affect the orbital parameters significantly, but it does slightly decrease the mass estimate to $8.89^{+0.75}_{-0.75}\,M_{\rm Jup}$. With a semimajor axis of $2.68\pm0.02$\,au, a period of $1221\pm15$ days, and an eccentricity of $0.32\pm0.02$, the orbital parameters of $β$ Pictoris c are now constrained as precisely as those of $β$ Pictoris b. The orbital configuration is compatible with a high-order mean-motion resonance (7:1). The impact of the resonance on the planets' dynamics would then be negligible with respect to the secular perturbations, which might have played an important role in the eccentricity excitation of the outer planet.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2021

Constraining particle acceleration in Sgr A* with simultaneous GRAVITY, Spitzer, NuSTAR and Chandra observations

We report the time-resolved spectral analysis of a bright near-infrared and moderate X-ray flare of Sgr A*. We obtained light curves in the $M$-, $K$-, and $H$-bands in the mid- and near-infrared and in the $2-8~\mathrm{keV}$ and $2-70~\mathrm{keV}$ bands in the X-ray. The observed spectral slope in the near-infrared band is $νL_ν\propto ν^{0.5\pm0.2}$; the spectral slope observed in the X-ray band is $νL_ν\propto ν^{-0.7\pm0.5}$. We tested synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) scenarios. The observed near-infrared brightness and X-ray faintness, together with the observed spectral slopes, pose challenges for all models explored. We rule out a scenario in which the near-infrared emission is synchrotron emission and the X-ray emission is SSC. A one-zone model in which both the near-infrared and X-ray luminosity are produced by SSC and a model in which the luminosity stems from a cooled synchrotron spectrum can explain the flare. In order to describe the mean SED, both models require specific values of the maximum Lorentz factor $γ_{max}$, which however differ by roughly two orders of magnitude: the SSC model suggests that electrons are accelerated to $γ_{max}\sim 500$, while cooled synchrotron model requires acceleration up to $γ_{max}\sim5\times 10^{4}$. The SSC scenario requires electron densities of $10^{10}~\mathrm{cm^{-3}}$ much larger than typical ambient densities in the accretion flow, and thus require in an extraordinary accretion event. In contrast, assuming a source size of $1R_s$, the cooled synchrotron scenario can be realized with densities and magnetic fields comparable with the ambient accretion flow. For both models, the temporal evolution is regulated through the maximum acceleration factor $γ_{max}$, implying that sustained particle acceleration is required to explain at least a part of the temporal evolution of the flare.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

An Event Horizon Imager (EHI) Mission Concept Utilizing Medium Earth Orbit Sub-mm Interferometry

Submillimeter interferometry has the potential to image supermassive black holes on event horizon scales, providing tests of the theory of general relativity and increasing our understanding of black hole accretion processes. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) performs these observations from the ground, and its main imaging targets are Sagittarius A* in the Galactic Center and the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy. However, the EHT is fundamentally limited in its performance by atmospheric effects and sparse terrestrial $(u,v)$-coverage (Fourier sampling of the image). The scientific interest in quantitative studies of the horizon size and shape of these black holes has motivated studies into using space interferometry which is free of these limitations. Angular resolution considerations and interstellar scattering effects push the desired observing frequency to bands above 500 GHz. This paper presents the requirements for meeting these science goals, describes the concept of interferometry from Polar or Equatorial Medium Earth Orbits (PECMEO) which we dub the Event Horizon Imager (EHI), and utilizes suitable space technology heritage. In this concept, two or three satellites orbit at slightly different orbital radii, resulting in a dense and uniform spiral-shaped $(u,v)$-coverage over time. The local oscillator signals are shared via an inter-satellite link, and the data streams are correlated on-board before final processing on the ground. Inter-satellite metrology and satellite positioning are extensively employed to facilitate the knowledge of the instrument position vector, and its time derivative. The European space heritage usable for both the front ends and the antenna technology of such an instrument is investigated. Current and future sensors for the required inter-satellite metrology are listed. Intended performance estimates and simulation results are given.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2021

Improved GRAVITY astrometric accuracy from modeling of optical aberrations

The GRAVITY instrument on the ESO VLTI pioneers the field of high-precision near-infrared interferometry by providing astrometry at the $10 - 100\,μ$as level. Measurements at such high precision crucially depend on the control of systematic effects. Here, we investigate how aberrations introduced by small optical imperfections along the path from the telescope to the detector affect the astrometry. We develop an analytical model that describes the impact of such aberrations on the measurement of complex visibilities. Our formalism accounts for pupil-plane and focal-plane aberrations, as well as for the interplay between static and turbulent aberrations, and successfully reproduces calibration measurements of a binary star. The Galactic Center observations with GRAVITY in 2017 and 2018, when both Sgr A* and the star S2 were targeted in a single fiber pointing, are affected by these aberrations at a level of less than 0.5 mas. Removal of these effects brings the measurement in harmony with the dual beam observations of 2019 and 2020, which are not affected by these aberrations. This also resolves the small systematic discrepancies between the derived distance $R_0$ to the Galactic Center reported previously.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

The Nab Experiment: A Precision Measurement of Unpolarized Neutron Beta Decay

Neutron beta decay is one of the most fundamental processes in nuclear physics and provides sensitive means to uncover the details of the weak interaction. Neutron beta decay can evaluate the ratio of axial-vector to vector coupling constants in the standard model, $λ= g_A / g_V$, through multiple decay correlations. The Nab experiment will carry out measurements of the electron-neutrino correlation parameter $a$ with a precision of $δa / a = 10^{-3}$ and the Fierz interference term $b$ to $δb = 3\times10^{-3}$ in unpolarized free neutron beta decay. These results, along with a more precise measurement of the neutron lifetime, aim to deliver an independent determination of the ratio $λ$ with a precision of $δλ/ λ= 0.03\%$ that will allow an evaluation of $V_{ud}$ and sensitively test CKM unitarity, independent of nuclear models. Nab utilizes a novel, long asymmetric spectrometer that guides the decay electron and proton to two large area silicon detectors in order to precisely determine the electron energy and an estimation of the proton momentum from the proton time of flight. The Nab spectrometer is being commissioned at the Fundamental Neutron Physics Beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Lab. We present an overview of the Nab experiment and recent updates on the spectrometer, analysis, and systematic effects.

nucl-ex↗