Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

I. B. Vavilova

Publications and source records attributed to I. B. Vavilova.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The 2MIG isolated AGNs -- 4. Linking hot-dust reverberation to spectroscopically predicted BLR scales in IC~5287 and Mrk~845

We investigate the relation between directly measured hot-dust reverberation scales and spectroscopically predicted broad-line region (BLR) scales in the isolated Seyfert galaxies IC~5287 and Mrk~845 (MCG+09-25-022), combining ZTF optical light curves, WISE/NEOWISE monitoring, and archival SDSS spectroscopy. Both nuclei show BWB optical variability, RWB MIR behaviour, and delayed MIR responses consistent with circumnuclear dust reprocessing. For IC~5287, interpolated cross-correlation function analysis with flux-randomisation/random-subset-selection uncertainties yields a rest-frame W1 delay of $106_{-39}^{+24}$~d, corresponding to $0.089_{-0.033}^{+0.020}$~pc. The median W2 response occurs at a longer delay, but the lag distributions overlap substantially. The SDSS decomposition reveals strong host dilution and BLR reddening, $E(B-V)_{\rm BLR}=0.612_{-0.066}^{+0.067}$~mag. Applying the same colour excess to the AGN continuum as an illustrative scenario increases the predicted H$β$ BLR lag from approximately 4.8 to 11.7~d and reduces the dust-to-predicted-BLR radius ratios from approximately 20--25 to 8--10. For Mrk~845, transfer-function modelling gives a rest-frame W1 delay of $157_{-8}^{+19}$~d, corresponding to $0.132_{-0.007}^{+0.016}$~pc. Its W2 response occurs at a longer delay, with $P(τ_{\rm W2}>τ_{\rm W1})=0.963$, supporting wavelength-dependent hot-dust structure. The SDSS spectrum shows more moderate BLR reddening, $E(B-V)_{\rm BLR}=0.197_{-0.039}^{+0.046}$~mag. The comparatively large dust-to-predicted-BLR radius ratios in both galaxies therefore primarily reflect the spectroscopically predicted BLR scales. These results emphasise the need to distinguish directly measured dust reverberation radii from BLR radii inferred from single-epoch spectroscopy when interpreting the BLR--dust hierarchy.

astro-ph.GA↗

Revealing a multi-zone circumnuclear dust response in UGC~11487 through phase-resolved WISE W1--W2 diagnostics

Mid-infrared (MIR) flares provide a direct probe of dust reprocessing in obscured tidal disruption event (TDE) candidates when the primary optical or ultraviolet flare is weak, missed, or strongly attenuated. We present a phase-resolved analysis of the WISE/NEOWISE W1-W2 evolution of the MIR-selected TDE candidate UGC 11487/WTP14adeqka over 2014-2024. We combine timing, colour, and flux diagnostics with phenomenological modelling, hydrodynamically motivated clumpy dust-echo calculations, and an aperture-matched ultraviolet-to-radio spectral energy distribution of the host. The decade-long flare shows a delayed and broader W2 response, colour hysteresis, and cooling from approximately 900 K to 500-600 K. Positive-fluence centroids yield a preferred delay of $224 +/- 45$ d, corresponding to $0.188 +/- 0.038$ pc. The effective infrared luminosity peaks at approximately $3 x 10^{43}$ erg s$^{-1}$, and the integrated infrared energy is $(2.9-3.8) x 10^{51}$ erg. A single self-similar MIR response is strongly disfavoured, with Delta BIC = 281.7, while the preferred compact description is a two-component phenomenological model. Representative hydro-clumpy calculations reproduce the empirical diagnostics in a structured, multi-zone dust-response scenario. The host is a moderately star-forming isolated barred disc without a dominant persistent active galactic nucleus component. These results support an obscured TDE-like accretion transient reprocessed by structured circumnuclear dust and show that phase-resolved WISE diagnostics can recover characteristic sub-parsec response scales in obscured accretion-powered nuclear transients.

astro-ph.GA↗

Milky Way Near Twins (MWNeTs). I. A Hierarchical Framework for Identifying the Evolutionary Counterparts of the Milky Way

The search for Milky Way (MW) analogues has traditionally relied on similarity in a limited set of present-day global properties, including morphology. However, galaxies with similar current properties may have experienced different assembly histories, secular evolution, nuclear activity, and environmental histories. We introduce Milky Way Near Twins (MWNeTs) as galaxies that resemble the Milky Way in present-day properties and exhibit observational signatures consistent with broadly similar evolutionary pathways. We reformulate the search for the closest extragalactic counterparts of the MW by shifting from parameter-based similarity toward evolutionary similarity. We propose a hierarchical methodology consisting of five stages: isolation and cosmic-web context, morphological and structural constraints, nuclear activity and supermassive black hole properties, global spectrophotometric and dynamical constraints, and advanced evolutionary diagnostics. The first four stages identify galaxies consistent with the present-day environmental, structural, nuclear, spectrophotometric, and dynamical state of the MW, while the fifth stage tests this similarity using independent signatures of comparable evolutionary histories. We introduce the concept of evolutionary memory, in which complementary diagnostics preserve information about physical processes operating on different timescales and probing different layers of galaxy formation and evolution. These diagnostics include the integrated spectral energy distribution, rotation-curve morphology, chemo-dynamical signatures, globular-cluster systems, merger history, circumgalactic-medium properties, and multiwavelength fossil tracers. Together, the MWNeT framework establishes an observational bridge between Galactic and extragalactic astronomy and supports future searches for the closest evolutionary counterparts of the Milky Way.

astro-ph.GA↗

The 2MIG isolated AGNs -- 2. X-ray general properties and peculiarities

We have analysed a sample of 2MIG isolated galaxies hosting AGNs (isolated AGNs) to assess whether their nuclear activity differs from that in denser environments. The isolation criteria rule out interactions with other galaxies of similar evolutionary stage at least $\sim 3$~Gyr. We systematised the available \textit{Swift}, \textit{NuSTAR}, \textit{XMM-Newton}, \textit{Chandra}, and \textit{INTEGRAL} X-ray data for isolated AGNs at $z<0.05$, determining their general X-ray properties and peculiarities, spectral models, and supermassive black hole (SMBH) masses. We investigated the best spectral models for 20 isolated AGNs, including 9 sources fitted for the first time in this work. Our results indicate that an isolation of galaxies in the nearby Universe does not significantly affect nuclear activity. This conclusion is supported by the diversity of accretion types and the absence of any preference for a particular basic or composite spectral model. We note an interesting case for ESO~499$-$041, where the data-to-model ratio shows significant changes above 5~keV. These deviations from the continuum may tentatively indicate the presence of a relativistic iron line in the \textit{Chandra} spectrum of ESO~499$-$041 compared to the \textit{Swift} spectrum. We derived SMBH masses for 24/32 isolated AGNs applying the $M_{\rm BH}$--$σ_\star$ relation and used available estimates for 8/32. A general distribution is that 27/32 isolated AGNs host SMBHs with $M_{\mathrm{SMBH}} \lesssim 10^{8}\,M_\odot$. For the first time, we found evidence of the linear correlation between L$_{2-10, keV}$ and $\log M_{\mathrm{SMBH}}$ that is not observed in other AGNs samples. This trend may be affected by the limited sample size and requires further confirmation with larger datasets.

astro-ph.HE↗

The 2MIG isolated AGNs. 3. Optical--IR variability and dust reverberation in the NLSy1 galaxies Mrk~42 and Mrk~493

This work presents the first dedicated optical--mid-infrared time-domain variability and dust-reverberation analysis of the isolated NLSy1 galaxies Mrk 42 and Mrk 493. We combine ZTF optical light curves, WISE mid-infrared monitoring, archival Swift and SDSS data, and high-cadence IAC80 optical observations. Using colour--magnitude relations, flux--flux analysis, and interpolated cross-correlation functions, we trace variable optical continuum and delayed dust response. Both galaxies show positive optical--MIR lags consistent with dust reverberation. For Mrk 493, we measure an observed-frame g--W1 lag of $τ_{\rm obs}=79.4\pm2.2$ d, corresponding to $R_{\rm dust}(W1)\simeq0.0648$ pc. For Mrk 42, the corresponding lag is $τ_{\rm obs}=39.1\pm2.6$ d, giving $R_{\rm dust}(W1)\simeq0.0320$ pc. These lags provide optical--MIR dust-reverberation radii and BLR--dust scale comparisons for both objects; the resulting $R_{\rm dust}/R_{\rm BLR}$ ratios are $\simeq6.8$ for Mrk 493 and $\sim6$--7 for Mrk 42. For Mrk 42, we derive the first host-subtracted AGN continuum luminosity at 5100 Å from SDSS spectral decomposition, giving a self-consistent BLR--dust comparison on an AGN-only luminosity basis. Both galaxies have similar radial hierarchies but different colour behaviour: Mrk 493 shows significant optical and MIR bluer-when-brighter trends, whereas Mrk 42 shows strong optical but weak MIR colour variability. We also identify and analyse a major optical flare in Mrk 42 with four internal maxima spaced by 45--47 d. We interpret this signal as quasi-periodic substructure within a broader accretion-driven flare, rather than as a strictly coherent periodic process. These results indicate that, even in dynamically isolated environments, the variability of low-mass, high-accretion-rate AGNs is governed mainly by the intrinsic state of the accretion flow and its coupling to circumnuclear dust.

astro-ph.GA↗

NGC 3521 as the Milky Way near twin: spectral energy distribution from UV to radio decameter ranges

Milky Way analogues (MWAs) are usually selected from structural and kinematic properties, but robust SED-based similarity criteria are limited by heterogeneous photometry and incomplete wavelength coverage. We present a homogeneous, aperture-photometry SED of the Milky Way near-twin NGC~3521 from the ultraviolet to the radio decameter range. Fluxes are measured within a fixed elliptical isophotal aperture using GALEX, SDSS, WISE, Spitzer/MIPS, Herschel/PACS+SPIRE, and VLA data, and supplemented by meter/decameter constraints. We report new observations obtained in Jan-Feb 2022 with the Ukrainian T-shape radio telescope and derive, for the first time, an upper limit in the 24--32~MHz band. The UV-to-decameter SED (27 points) is modelled with \textsc{CIGALE}, including a dedicated low-frequency radio prescription (\texttt{radio_extra}) that accounts for emission and absorption effects. Using ZTF and NEOWISE data (2014--2025), we detect genuine nuclear variability; optical trends at $\sim2^{\prime\prime}$ primarily trace the compact nucleus, while NEOWISE variability reflects a mix of nuclear changes and warm-dust emission within the larger aperture. The preferred fit yields $M_\star \simeq 6.0\times10^{10},M_\odot$, ${\rm SFR}\simeq1.65,M_\odot,{\rm yr}^{-1}$, $M_{\rm dust}\simeq1.3\times10^{8},M_\odot$, and an effective dust temperature of $\sim23$~K. The decameter constraint gives $S_{28,{\rm MHz}}<11.22$~Jy, consistent with expectations for a Milky Way-like system placed at 10.7~Mpc. We conclude that an integrated, homogeneous SED, especially below 100~MHz, provides a complementary diagnostic for identifying and validating MWAs and for interpreting how Milky Way properties would appear to an external observer.

astro-ph.GA↗

NGC3521 as the Milky Way analogue: spectral energy distributon from UV to Radio and photometric variability

We studied the multiwavelength properties of NGC 3521, the Milky Way galaxy-twin, from UV- to radio, exploring the data from GALEX for UV-, SDSS for optical, 2MASS, WISE, MIPS (Spitzer) and PACS, SPIRE (Herschel) for IR-, and NRAO VLA for radio ranges. To obtain the spectral energy distribution (SED), we exploited the CIGALE software and constructed SEDs without (model A) and with (model B) AGN module. The type of nuclear activity of NGC 3521 is confirmed as the LINER. We also present the results of the photometric data processing. Exploring the ZTF observations in 2018-2024, we found, for the first time, a weak photometric variability of the nuclear activity, where the correlation between g-r color indices and g-magnitude for long-term timescale shows a BWB trend (bluer-when-brighter) with a Pearson coefficient r(g-r)=0.56, which is a medium correlation. To detect the variability of NGC 3521 during the day (IDV), we provided observations using a Zeiss-600 telescope with an aperture size of 8" at the Terskol observatory. The data obtained in the R-filter with an exposure of 90 sec for three hours on Feb 11, 2022, serve in favor of a trend towards an increase in brightness with the amplitude of variability of 0.04 +- 0.001 mag. According to the results of the simulations, the best fit to the observed SED is provided by model A, which considers the contribution to the radiation from all galaxy components, assuming that the galaxy nucleus is inactive. Within this model, we derived the stellar mass M$_{star}$ = 2.13 * 10$^{10} M_{Sun}$, the dust mass M$_{dust}$ = 8.45 * 10$^{7} M_{Sun}$, and the star formation rate SFR = 1.76 $M_{Sun}$ * yr$^{-1}$ with $χ^{2}$/d.o.f = 1.8. Also, based on the HIPASS radio data, we estimated the mass of neutral hydrogen to be M$_{HI}$ = 1.3 * 10$^{10} M_{Sun}$, which is an order of magnitude greater than the mass of the stellar component.

astro-ph.GA↗

Milky Way galaxy-analogs and isolated galaxies with bars: environmental density in the Local Volume

The environmental density of galaxies within the cosmic web constrains their 3D locations in filaments, voids, groups, and clusters. It traces the distribution of baryons and the influence of dark-matter halos on galaxy evolution, and helps diagnose external processes such as supernova and AGN feedback, tidal interactions, ram-pressure stripping, and large-scale flows. We focus on isolated barred galaxies, the parent population that includes Milky Way analogs. To measure local environmental density and verify isolation (|Delta v| <= 500 km s^-1), we built a Python pipeline that works in two redshift regimes: low (z0 < 0.02) and high (z0 >= 0.02). Densities were estimated with k-nearest neighbors and Voronoi tessellations and classified as void (Sigma < 0.05), filament (0.05 <= Sigma < 0.5), group (0.5 <= Sigma < 2.0), and cluster (Sigma >= 2.0). Our northern-sky sample contains 311 isolated barred galaxies from 2MIG plus Milky Way analog systems (z < 0.07). We find 157 void, 84 filament, 27 group, and 11 cluster galaxies; 30 have no detected neighbors. Sixty-seven lie in extremely low-density regions (Sigma_3D < 0.01 gal Mpc^-3), and 22 have the nearest companion beyond 5 Mpc, indicating residence in extended voids. The Milky Way (Sigma_5NN ~ 0.13 gal Mpc^-3, R ~ 2.1 Mpc) and its close analog NGC 3521 both lie in filamentary environments at the edge of a nearby void. For z > 0.02 we identify three additional Milky Way analog candidates from the density metrics: CGCG 208-043 (3D Voronoi) and NGC 5231 and CGCG 047-026 (5th-nearest neighbor). These results show that local environmental density is an effective, physically motivated criterion for selecting Milky Way analogs.

astro-ph.GA↗

Galaxy rotation curve based on RGB stars from the Gaia DR3 catalogue

In this paper, we construct a detailed circular velocity curve of the Milky Way out to 20 kpc based on the radial component of the Jeans equation in cylindrical coordinates, assuming an axisymmetric gravitational potential, and show its dependence on azimuth. We use only Gaia DR3 data and aim to minimize the use of model data and various assumptions. To build the rotation curves, we used a sample of 4,547,980 RGB stars with measured spatial velocities, covering the Galactic plane in the range of Galactocentric cylindrical coordinates $150^\circ < θ< 210^\circ$ and 0 < R < 20 kpc. We exclude systematics in the data that may arise from neglecting higher-order moments of the velocity distribution and their dispersions, as well as due to random measurement errors in Gaia. At the distance of the Sun, the circular velocity $V_{\rm c}(R_0)$ turned out to be ($229.63\pm0.30$) km s$^{-1}$, which is in good agreement with many previous estimates. The average slope of the circular velocity is $(-2.29\pm0.05)$ km s$^{-1}$ kpc$^{-1}$ obtained in the range of $R$ from 6 to 20 kpc and $θ$ from 150 to 210 degrees. The determined circular velocity curve has some peculiarities in behavior near $R\sim$13 and 18 kpc, but in general it does not contradict the results of other authors up to distances where our statistics are reliable.

astro-ph.GA↗

Search for the potential electromagnetic counterparts of neutrino events in SDSS galaxies at z<0.1

Identification of electromagnetic emission in coincidence with high-energy neutrinos is fundamentally important for multimessenger astronomy. Such observations are essential for constraining source localization, determining the source type, and understanding emission mechanisms. Typically, they require following up a neutrino alert (IceCube issues two alert streams: Gold, with at least 50 percent probability of astrophysical origin, and Bronze, with at least 30 percent probability) with an electromagnetic facility, primarily in X-ray and gamma-ray bands. Another approach involves electromagnetic monitoring of hot spots in the IceCube skymap, i.e., positions exceeding the instrument sensitivity. An alternative method consists in performing correlation analysis across available neutrino events and source catalogs. We searched for spatial coincidence between galaxies from SDSS and high-energy neutrino events. The analysis includes IceCube Gold alerts and neutrino-electromagnetic coincidence events from AMON (Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network), identified through the end of September 2025. We examined galaxies from the morphological catalog at redshifts 0.02 to 0.1, which contains 315,776 SDSS DR9 objects with absolute stellar magnitudes in the range from -24 to -13 in the r band. Among 59 IceCube Gold alerts, we found three with only one galaxy (SDSS J231231.52+033415.1) within the 50 percent containment radius. Among 24 neutrino-electromagnetic coincidence events, three more contain only one galaxy (SDSS J220711.14+122535.9) within the same radius. These six galaxies represent the most promising candidates for potential host galaxies of neutrino sources. We summarize their available multiwavelength data and the ZTF light curves obtained from 2018 to 2025.

astro-ph.GA↗

Discovery of the Polar Ring Galaxies with deep learning

The aim of our research is to create a catalog of strong and good candidates for PRGs using existing catalogs of PRGs, develop an image-based approach with machine learning methods for the search and discovery of PRGs in a big sky survey, and explore the capability of the CIGALE software for determining their multiwavelength properties. For the first time, we applied a deep learning method to the search for PRGs. We visually inspected galaxies from existing catalogs of PRGs to create a training sample based on high-quality SDSS images. Since the resulting training sample was extremely small (87 strong and good PRGs), we applied augmentation, image segmentation, and ensemble learning techniques. However, most effective method was transfer learning with its ability to enlarge the training sample by synthetic images generated by GALFIT. To examine deep learning approach for finding new PRGs we used the SDSS catalog of galaxies at z < 0.1. The method with synthetic images showed that even with overtraining we were able to find galaxies with a ring pattern. Our deep learning approach has resulted in the discovery of three PRGs (SDSS J140644.42+471602.0; SDSS J133650.48+492745.3; SDSS J095717.30+364953.5). Also, we visually inspected the Catalog of the SDSS Ring galaxies at z < 0.1 and discovered four PRGs among ~2,200 ring galaxies (SDSS J095851.32+320422.9; SDSS J104211.05+234448.2; SDSS J162212.63+272032.2; SDSS J104600.10+090627.2). One of the discovered galaxies with transfer learning, SDSS J140644.42+471602.0, was studied with CIGALE software to determine its spectral energy distribution in IR-UV bands. The current SFR is 71 M_sun per year, although the lack of FUV data limits this estimate. The total stellar mass is 8.34x10^{10} M_sun. The predominance of an old stellar population (two-thirds of the total mass) suggests that this PRG is undergoing interaction process.

astro-ph.GA↗

Spatial orientation and shape of the velocity ellipsoids of the Gaia DR3 giants and subgiants in the Galactic plane

We present the results of determining the parameters characterizing the shape and orientation of residual velocity ellipsoids from the Gaia DR3 red giants and subgiants. We show the distribution of velocity dispersions in the Galactic plane obtained from three components of the spatial velocity, as well as the coordinate distribution of the intersection points of the velocity ellipsoid axes with the celestial sphere, in particular the deviations of the longitudes and latitudes of the vertices of stellar regions located within spheres with a radius of 1 kpc centered in the Galactic mid-plane. The area of the Galactic disk under study is in the range of Galactocentric coordinates 0 < R < 15 kpc and $120^\circ < θ< 240^\circ$. We show that the vertex deviations in some regions of the Galactic mid-plane can reach $30^\circ$ in longitude, and $15^\circ$ in latitude. This indicates the presence of kinematic distortions of the stellar velocity field, especially noticeable in the angular range of $150^\circ < θ< 210^\circ$ at a distance of approximately 13 kpc. We propose the angles of deviation of longitudes and latitudes of the ellipsoid axes of residual stellar velocities to be considered as kinematic signatures of various Galactic deformations determined from real fields of spatial velocities. We present the distribution of parameters characterizing the shapes of velocity ellipsoids, as well as their distribution of the semi-axes length ratios. We note a local feature in this distribution and in the distribution of the elongation measurements of the ellipsoids. We perform a comparison of the results obtained from the tensor of deformation velocities and from the observed spatial velocities.

astro-ph.GA↗

Machine learning technique for morphological classification of galaxies from the SDSS. III. Image-based inference of detailed features

This paper follows series of our works on the applicability of various machine learning methods to the morphological galaxy classification (Vavilova et al., 2021, 2022). We exploited the sample of 315776 SDSS DR9 galaxies with absolute stellar magnitudes of -24m<Mr<-19.4m at 0.003<z<0.1 as a target data set for the CNN classifier based on the DenseNet-201. Because it is tightly overlapped with the Galaxy Zoo 2 (GZ2) sample, we use these annotated data as the training data set to classify galaxies into 34 detailed features. In the presence of a pronounced difference of visual parameters between galaxies from the GZ2 training data set and galaxies without known morphological parameters, we applied novel procedures, which allowed us for the first time to get rid of this difference for smaller and fainter SDSS galaxies. We describe in detail the adversarial validation technique as well as how we managed the optimal train-test split of galaxies from the training data set. We have also found optimal galaxy image transformations to increase the classifier generalization ability. It can be considered as another way to improve the human bias for those galaxy images that had a poor vote classification in the GZ project. Such an approach, likely auto-immunization, when the CNN classifier trained on very good images is able to retrain bad images from the same homogeneous sample, can be considered co-planar to other methods of combating the human bias. The accuracy of CNN classifier is in the range of 83.3-99.4 percent depending on 32 features. As a result, for the first time, we assigned the detailed morphological classification for more than 140K low-redshift galaxies, especially at the fainter end. We accentuate on the typical problem points of galaxy CNN image classification from the astronomical point of view. The catalogs will be available through the VizieR.

astro-ph.GA↗

Machine learning technique for morphological classification of galaxies from SDSS. II. The image-based morphological catalogs of galaxies at 0.02<z<0.1

We applied the image-based approach with a convolutional neural network model to the sample of low-redshifts galaxies with $-24^{m}<M_{r}<-19.4^{m}$ from the SDSS DR9. We divided it into two subsamples, SDSS DR9 galaxy dataset and Galaxy Zoo 2 (GZ2) dataset, considering them as the inference and training datasets, respectively. As a result, we created the morphological catalog of 315782 galaxies at 0.02<z<0.1, where morphological five classes and 34 detailed features (bar, rings, number of spiral arms, mergers, etc.) were first defined for 216148 galaxies (inference dataset) by the image-based CNN classifier. For the rest of galaxies the initial morphological classification was re-assigned as in the GZ2 project. Our method shows the promising performance of morphological classification attaining more 93 % of accuracy for five classes morphology prediction except the cigar-shaped (75 %) and completely rounded (83 %) galaxies. Main results are presented in the catalog of 19468 completely rounded, 27321 rounded in-between, 3235 cigar-shaped, 4099 edge-on, 18615 spiral, and 72738 general low-redshift galaxies of the studied SDSS sample. As for the classification of galaxies by their detailed structural morphological features, our CNN model gives the accuracy in the range of 92-99 % depending on features, a number of galaxies with the given feature in the inference dataset, and the galaxy image quality. We demonstrate that implication of the CNN model with adversarial validation and adversarial image data augmentation improves classification of smaller and fainter SDSS galaxies with $m_{r}$ <17.7.

astro-ph.GA↗

Machine learning technique for morphological classification of galaxies from the SDSS. I. Photometry-based approach

Methods. We used different galaxy classification techniques: human labeling, multi-photometry diagrams, Naive Bayes, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbors, and k-fold validation. Results. We present results of a binary automated morphological classification of galaxies conducted by human labeling, multiphotometry, and supervised Machine Learning methods. We applied its to the sample of galaxies from the SDSS DR9 with 0.02 < z < 0.1 and 24m < Mr < 19.4m. To study the classifier, we used absolute magnitudes: Mu, Mg, Mr , Mi, Mz, Mu-Mr , Mg-Mi, Mu-Mg, Mr-Mz, and inverse concentration index to the center R50/R90. Using the Support vector machine classifier and the data on color indices, absolute magnitudes, inverse concentration index of galaxies with visual morphological types, we were able to classify 316 031 galaxies from the SDSS DR9 with unknown morphological types. Conclusions. The methods of Support Vector Machine and Random Forest with Scikit-learn machine learning in Python provide the highest accuracy for the binary galaxy morphological classification: 96.4% correctly classified (96.1% early E and 96.9% late L types) and 95.5% correctly classified (96.7% early E and 92.8% late L types), respectively. Applying the Support Vector Machine for the sample of 316 031 galaxies from the SDSS DR9 at z < 0.1, we found 141 211 E and 174 820 L types among them.

astro-ph.GA↗

A method of immediate detection of objects with a near-zero apparent motion in series of CCD-frames

The paper deals with a computational method for detection of the solar system minor bodies (SSOs), whose inter-frame shifts in series of CCD-frames during the observation are commensurate with the errors in measuring their positions. These objects have velocities of apparent motion between CCD-frames not exceeding three RMS errors ($3σ$) of measurements of their positions. About 15\% of objects have a near-zero apparent motion in CCD-frames, including the objects beyond the Jupiter's orbit as well as the asteroids heading straight to the Earth. The proposed method for detection of the object's near-zero apparent motion in series of CCD-frames is based on the Fisher f-criterion instead of using the traditional decision rules that are based on the maximum likelihood criterion. We analyzed the quality indicators of detection of the object's near-zero apparent motion applying statistical and in situ modeling techniques in terms of the conditional probability of the true detection of objects with a near-zero apparent motion. The efficiency of method being implemented as a plugin for the Collection Light Technology (CoLiTec) software for automated asteroids and comets detection has been demonstrated. Among the objects discovered with this plugin, there was the sungrazing comet C/2012 S1 (ISON). Within 26 minutes of the observation, the comet's image has been moved by three pixels in a series of four CCD-frames (the velocity of its apparent motion at the moment of discovery was equal to 0.8 pixels per CCD-frame; the image size on the frame was about five pixels). Next verification in observations of asteroids with a near-zero apparent motion conducted with small telescopes has confirmed an efficiency of the method even in bad conditions (strong backlight from the full Moon). So, we recommend applying the proposed method for series of observations with four or more frames.

astro-ph.IM↗

A new method based on the subpixel Gaussian model for accurate estimation of asteroid coordinates

We describe a new iteration method to estimate asteroid coordinates, which is based on the subpixel Gaussian model of a discrete object image. The method operates by continuous parameters (asteroid coordinates) in a discrete observational space (the set of pixels potential) of the CCD frame. In this model, a kind of the coordinate distribution of the photons hitting a pixel of the CCD frame is known a priori, while the associated parameters are determined from a real digital object image. The developed method, being more flexible in adapting to any form of the object image, has a high measurement accuracy along with a low calculating complexity due to a maximum likelihood procedure, which is implemented to obtain the best fit instead of a least-squares method and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm for the minimisation of the quadratic form. Since 2010, the method was tested as the basis of our CoLiTec (Collection Light Technology) software, which has been installed at several observatories of the world with the aim of automatic discoveries of asteroids and comets on a set of CCD frames. As the result, four comets (C/2010 X1 (Elenin), P/2011 NO1(Elenin), C/2012 S1 (ISON), and P/2013 V3 (Nevski)) as well as more than 1500 small Solar System bodies (including five NEOs, 21 Trojan asteroids of Jupiter, and one Centaur object) were discovered. We discuss these results that allowed us to compare the accuracy parameters of a new method and confirm its efficiency. In 2014, the CoLiTec software was recommended to all members of the Gaia-FUN-SSO network for analysing observations as a tool to detect faint moving objects in frames.

astro-ph.IM↗

Galaxy Triplets of the Local Supercluster. 3. Configuration Properties

Configuration properties of observed galaxy triplets are studied with the use of the method of configuration parameters and Agekian-Anosova configuration diagram. Statistically significant excess of the hierarchical configurations for the galaxy triplets of the Local Supercluster (LS) is established. The samples of the Interacting, Northern and Southern galaxy triplets do not demonstrate the same excess. Our results testify that the model of the dark matter concentrated in the halo of individual galaxies is convenient for dynamically young systems to which the most of LS triplets belong, whereas the model of the dark matter concentrated in the triplet's volume is more convenient for the compact triplets.

astro-ph↗