arXiv subjects

Joseph Silk

Publications and source records attributed to Joseph Silk.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Multi-messenger tests of gravity with weakly lensed gravitational waves

General relativity (GR) predicts concordant trajectories for photons and gravitational waves (GW). We propose a new multi-messenger avenue (GW-CMB-CMB) to prove this aspect of fundamental physics by cross-correlating the GW signal of astrophysical origin with the lensing field derived from the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This new window will allow robust measurement of the prediction from GR with high signal-to-noise and will be able to unveil the true nature of gravity using the GW sources detected by missions such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Evolution of primordial black hole spin due to Hawking radiation

Near extremal Kerr black holes are subject to the Thorne limit $a<a^*_{\rm lim}=0.998$ in the case of thin disc accretion, or some generalized version of this in other disc geometries. However any limit that differs from the thermodynamics limit $a^* < 1$ can in principle be evaded in other astrophysical configurations, and in particular if the near extremal black holes are primordial and subject to evaporation by Hawking radiation only. We derive the lower mass limit above which Hawking radiation is slow enough so that a primordial black hole with a spin initially above some generalized Thorne limit can still be above this limit today. Thus, we point out that the observation of Kerr black holes with extremely high spin should be a hint of either exotic astrophysical mechanisms or primordial origin.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

A detailed look at the stellar populations in green valley galaxies

$\require{mediawiki-texvc}$The green valley (GV) represents an important transitional state from actively star-forming galaxies to passively evolving systems. Its traditional definition, based on colour, rests on a number of assumptions that can be subject to non-trivial systematics. In Angthopo et al. (2019), we proposed a new definition of the GV based on the 4000$Å$ break strength. In this paper, we explore in detail the properties of the underlying stellar populations by use of ~230 thousand high-quality spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), contrasting our results with a traditional approach via dust-corrected colours. We explore high quality stacked SDSS spectra, and find a population trend that suggests a substantial difference between low- and high-mass galaxies, with the former featuring younger populations with star formation quenching, and the latter showing older (post-quenching) populations that include rejuvenation events. Subtle but measurable differences are found between a colour-based approach and our definition, especially as our selection of GV galaxies produces a cleaner "stratification" of the GV, with more homogeneous population properties within sections of the GV. Our definition based on 4000$Å$ break strength gives a clean representation of the transition to quiescence, easily measurable in the upcoming and future spectroscopic surveys.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Biosignature Surveys to Exoplanet Yields and Beyond

Upcoming biosignature searches focus on indirect indicators to infer the presence of life on other worlds. Aside from just signaling the presence of life, however, some biosignatures can contain information about the state that a planet's biosphere has achieved. This additional information can be used to measure what fractions of planets achieve certain key stages, corresponding to the advent of life, photosynthesis, multicellularity, and technological civilization. We forecast the uncertainties of each measurement for upcoming surveys, and outline the key factors that determine these uncertainties. Our approach is probabilistic and relies on large numbers of candidates rather than detailed examination of individual exoplanet spectra. The dependence on survey size, likeliness of the transition, and several measures of degrees of confidence are discussed, including discussion of geological false positives in biosignatures as well as how combining data from different missions can affect the inference. Our analysis should influence policy recommendations for future mission design and strategy to minimize the impact of measurement uncertainties.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2020

Time-dependence of the astrophysical stochastic gravitational wave background

The astrophysical stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) is mostly produced from unresolved stellar binary mergers, and the number of events at any moment of time is expected to be Poisson-distributed. The event rate is governed by several astrophysical processes. The Poisson nature leads to variation in the number of sources and this causes temporal variations in the SGWB. The intrinsic temporal fluctuations of the SGWB are a rich source of astrophysical information that can be explored via ongoing and future gravitational wave experiments to classify the sources of the SGWB signal. Along with several other methods to estimate the GW event rates from individual sources, the study of the temporal variations of the SGWB signal provides an independent method for estimating the event rates of the GW sources that contribute to the SGWB. Along with direct estimates of event rates, this approach can also distinguish between different sources contributing to the SGWB signal and will be a useful probe of its evolution over a vast cosmic volume. On averaging over observation times, the SGWB will be statistically invariant under time translation. Statistical time translation symmetry of the SGWB is expected due to the negligible evolution of the relevant cosmological and astrophysical phenomena over the observation time-scales over which the data is collected.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Primordial Rotating Black Holes

Primordial black holes formed in an early post-inflation matter-dominated epoch during preheating provide a novel pathway for a source of the dark matter that utilizes known physics in combination with plausible speculations about the role of quantum gravity. Two cases are considered here: survival of Planck-scale relics and an early universe accretion scenario for formation of primordial black holes of asteroid-scale masses.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Probing the theory of gravity with gravitational lensing of gravitational waves and galaxy surveys

The cross-correlation of gravitational wave strain with upcoming galaxy surveys probe theories of gravity in a new way. This method enables testing the theory of gravity by combining the effects from both gravitational lensing of gravitational waves and the propagation of gravitational waves in spacetime. We find that within 10 years, the combination of the Advanced-LIGO and VIRGO detector networks with planned galaxy surveys should detect weak gravitational lensing of gravitational waves in the low redshift Universe ($z<0.5$). With the next generation gravitational wave experiments such as Voyager, LISA, Cosmic-Explorer and Einstein Telescope, we can extend this test of the theory of gravity to larger redshifts by exploiting the synergies between electromagnetic wave and gravitational wave probes.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Subhalo sinking and off-center massive black holes in dwarf galaxies

Using fully GPU $N$-body simulations, we demonstrate for the first time that subhalos sink and transfer energy via dynamical friction into the centres of dwarf galaxies. This dynamical heating kicks any central massive black hole (MBH) out to tens of parsecs, especially at early epochs ($z$=1.5-3). This mechanism helps explain the observed off-center BHs in dwarf galaxies and also predicts that off-center BHs are more common in higher mass dwarf galaxies since dynamical friction becomes significantly weaker and BHs take more time to sink back towards the centres of their host galaxies. One consequence of off-center BHs during early epochs of dwarf galaxies is to quench any BH feedback.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

How to measure CMB spectral distortions with an imaging telescope

We propose the implementation of an imaging telescope in combination with an inter-frequency calibrator to measure the spectral shape of the microwave sky by exploiting the differences in the sky intensity between multiple pairs of frequency channels. By jointly sampling the cosmological and foreground parameters in a Bayesian framework for $600$ instrument configurations, we determine the minimum calibration accuracy required in order to obtain measurements of spectral distortions and simultaneously measure spectral and spatial fluctuations of the CMB. We demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for a CMB mission like PICO (Probe of Inflation and Cosmic Origins), and show that a $10$-$σ$ measurement of the $y$-distortion along with a two orders of magnitude improvement on the FIRAS (Far-Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer) $μ$-distortion limit is feasible from this technique. We argue that longer term applications may be envisaged at even higher sensitivity, capable of attaining the $μ$-distortion that provide a robust prediction of the $Λ$CDM model and even primordial recombination lines of hydrogen and helium, in the context of the ESA (European Space Agency) Voyage 2035-2050 program.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Cusp-to-core transition in low-mass dwarf galaxies induced by dynamical heating of cold dark matter by primordial black holes

We performed a series of high-resolution $N$-body simulations to examine whether dark matter candidates in the form of primordial black holes (PBHs) can solve the cusp-core problem in low-mass dwarf galaxies. If some fraction of the dark matter in low-mass dwarf galaxies consists of PBHs and the rest is cold dark matter, dynamical heating of the cold dark matter by the PBHs induces a cusp-to-core transition in the total dark matter profile. The mechanism works for PBHs in the 25-100 M$_{\sun}$ mass window, consistent with the LIGO detections, but requires a lower limit on the PBH mass fraction of 1$\%$ of the total dwarf galaxy dark matter content. The cusp-to-core transition time-scale is between 1 and 8 Gyr. This time-scale is also a constant multiple of the relaxation time between cold dark matter particles and PBHs, which depends on the mass, the mass fraction and the scale radius of the initial density profile of PBHs. We conclude that dark matter cores occur naturally in halos comprised of cold dark matter and PBHs, without the need to invoke baryonic processes.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Embedding globular clusters in dark matter minihalos solves the cusp-core and timing problems in the Fornax dwarf galaxy

We use a fully GPU $N$-body code to demonstrate that dark matter minihalos, as a new component of globular clusters, resolve both the timing and cusp-core problems in Fornax if the five (or six) globular clusters were recently accreted ($\leq$ 3 Gyr ago) by Fornax. Under these assumptions, infall of these globular clusters does not occur and no star clusters form in the centre of Fornax in accordance with observations. We find that crossings of globular clusters that have DM minihalos near the Fornax centre induce a cusp-to-core transition of the dark matter halo and hence resolve the cusp-core problem in this dwarf galaxy. The dark matter core size depends on the frequency of globular cluster crossings. Our simulations clearly demonstrate also that between the passages, the dark matter halo can regenerate its cusp. Moreover, our models are in good agreement with constraints on the dark matter masses of globular clusters as our clusters lose a large fraction of their initial dark matter minihalos. These results provide circumstantial evidence for the universal existence of dark matter halos in globular clusters.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Small-scale primordial fluctuations in the 21cm Dark Ages signal

Primordial black hole production in the mass range $10-10^4 \,{\rm M_\odot}$ is motivated respectively by interpretations of the LIGO/Virgo observations of binary black hole mergers and by their ability to seed intermediate black holes which would account for the presence of supermassive black holes at very high redshift. Their existence would imply a boost in the primordial power spectrum if they were produced by overdensities reentering the horizon and collapsing after single-field inflation. This, together with their associated Poisson fluctuations would cause a boost in the matter power spectrum on small scales. In fact, any evidence of extra power above that of an almost scale-invariant primordial power spectrum on small scales would suggest a non-single-field slow-roll model of inflation, whether or not primordial black holes were produced. The extra power could become potentially observable in the 21cm power spectrum on scales around $k\sim0.1 - 50\,{\rm Mpc^{-1}}$ either with the new generation of filled low frequency interferometers. We explicitly include the contribution from primordial fluctuations in our prediction of the 21cm signal which has been previously neglected, by constructing primordial power spectra motivated by single-field models of inflation that would produce extra power on small scales. We find that depending on the mass and abundance of primordial black holes, it is important to include this contribution from the primordial fluctuations, so as not to underestimate the 21cm signal. Evidently our predictions of detectability, which lack any modelling of foregrounds, are unrealistic, but we hope that they will motivate improved cleaning algorithms that can enable us to access this intriguing corner of PBH-motivated parameter space.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

Cosmological constraints in extended parameter space from the Planck 2018 Legacy release

We present new constraints on extended cosmological scenarios using the recent data from the Planck 2018 Legacy release. In addition to the six parameters of the standard LCDM model, we also simultaneously vary the dark energy equation of state, the neutrino mass, the neutrino effective number, the running of the spectral index and the lensing amplitude $A_L$. We confirm that a resolution of the Hubble tension is given by a dark energy equation of state with w<-1, ruling out quintessence models at high statistical significance. This solution is, however, not supported by BAO and Pantheon data. We find no evidence for evolving dark energy, i.e. $w_a \neq 0$. The neutrino effective number is always in agreement with the expectations of the standard model based on three active neutrinos. The running of the spectral index also is always consistent with zero. Despite the increase in the number of parameters, the $A_L$ lensing anomaly is still present at more than two standard deviations. The $A_L$ anomaly significantly affects the bounds on the neutrino mass that can be larger by a factor four with respect to those derived under standard $Λ$CDM. While the lensing data reduces the evidence for $A_L>1$, the inclusion of BAO and Pantheon increase its statistical significance.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

Planck evidence for a closed Universe and a possible crisis for cosmology

The recent Planck Legacy 2018 release has confirmed the presence of an enhanced lensing amplitude in CMB power spectra compared to that predicted in the standard $Λ$CDM model. A closed universe can provide a physical explanation for this effect, with the Planck CMB spectra now preferring a positive curvature at more than $99 \%$ C.L. Here we further investigate the evidence for a closed universe from Planck, showing that positive curvature naturally explains the anomalous lensing amplitude and demonstrating that it also removes a well-known tension within the Planck data set concerning the values of cosmological parameters derived at different angular scales. We show that since the Planck power spectra prefer a closed universe, discordances higher than generally estimated arise for most of the local cosmological observables, including BAO. The assumption of a flat universe could, therefore, mask a cosmological crisis where disparate observed properties of the Universe appear to be mutually inconsistent. Future measurements are needed to clarify whether the observed discordances are due to undetected systematics, or to new physics, or simply are a statistical fluctuation.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

From diffuse extragalactic and galactic gamma rays to limits on extra dimensions

We derive the maximum fraction of energy emitted in the form of massive (Kaluza- Klein) gravitons by core collapse supernovae, and the corresponding minimal extra-dimensional Planck mass M* in the ADD gravity framework at TeV scales. Our constraints arise: a) from the extragalactic gamma ray background observed by Fermi-LAT after astrophysical sources have been removed, and b) via the residual galactic emission left after astrophysical and potentially dark matter emission have been removed. We focus on a number of extra dimensions 3 and 4, since M* is then in the TeV range, where astrophysical and collider constraints compete. Lower limits on M* are derived in case a) of 8.0 TeV and 1.1 TeV, and in case b) of 16 TeV and 1.9 TeV, for a number of extra dimensions n=3 and n=4 respectively. These limits are especially robust and insensitive to the various uncertainties involved.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

Dark Matter Signatures of Supermassive Black Hole Binaries

A natural consequence of the galaxy formation paradigm is the existence of supermassive black hole (SMBH) binaries. Gravitational perturbations from a far-away SMBH companion can induce high orbital eccentricities on dark matter particles orbiting the primary SMBH via the eccentric Kozai-Lidov mechanism. This process yields an influx of dark matter particles into the primary SMBH ergosphere, where test particles linger for long timescales. This influx results in high self-gravitating densities, forming a dark matter clump that is extremely close to the SMBH. In such a situation, the gravitational wave emission between the dark matter clump and the SMBH is potentially detectable by LISA. If dark matter self-annihilates, the high densities of the clump will result in a unique co-detection of gravitational wave emission and high energy electromagnetic signatures.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

AGN in dwarf galaxies: frequency, triggering processes and the plausibility of AGN feedback

While AGN are considered to be key drivers of the evolution of massive galaxies, their potentially significant role in the dwarf-galaxy regime (M*< 10^9 MSun) remains largely unexplored. We combine optical and infrared data, from the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) and the Wide-field Infrared Explorer (WISE) respectively, to explore the properties of ~800 AGN in dwarfs at low redshift (z<0.3). Infrared-selected AGN fractions are ~10-30 per cent in dwarfs, which, for reasonable duty cycles, indicates a high BH-occupation fraction. Visual inspection of the deep HSC images indicates that the merger fraction in dwarf AGN (~6 per cent) shows no excess compared to a control sample of non-AGN, suggesting that the AGN-triggering processes are secular in nature. Energetic arguments indicate that, in both dwarfs and massive galaxies, bolometric AGN luminosities (L_AGN) are significantly greater than supernova luminosities (L_SN). L_AGN/L_SN is, in fact, higher in dwarfs, with predictions from simulations suggesting that this ratio only increases with redshift. Together with the potentially high BH-occupation fraction, this suggests that, if AGN feedback is an important driver of massive-galaxy evolution, the same is likely to be true in the dwarf regime, contrary to our classical thinking.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

High-redshift quasars and their host galaxies I: kinematical and dynamical properties and their tracers

Observations of high-redshift quasars provide information on the massive black holes (MBHs) powering them and the galaxies hosting them. Current observations of $z \gtrsim 6$ hosts, at sub-mm wavelengths, trace the properties of cold gas, and these are used to compare with the correlations between MBHs and galaxies characterising the $z=0$ population. The relations at $z=0$, however, rely on stellar-based tracers of the galaxy properties. We perform a very-high resolution cosmological zoom-in simulation of a $z=7$ quasar including state-of-the-art non-equilibrium chemistry, MBH formation, growth and feedback, to assess the evolution of the galaxy host and the central MBH, and compare the results with recent ALMA observations of high-redshift quasars. We measure both the stellar-based quantities used to establish the $z=0$ correlations, as well as the gas-based quantities available in $z \gtrsim 6$ observations, adopting the same assumptions and techniques used in observational studies. The high-redshift studies argued that MBHs at high redshift deviate from the local MBH-galaxy correlations. In our analysis of the single galaxy we evolve, we find that the high-redshift population sits on the same correlations as the local one, when using the same tracers used at $z=0$. When using the gas-based tracers, however, MBHs appear to be over-massive. The discrepancy between local and high-redshift MBHs seems caused by the different tracers employed, and necessary assumptions, and not by an intrinsic difference. Better calibration of the tracers, higher resolution data and availability of facilities that can probe the stellar population will be crucial to assess precisely and accurately high-redshift quasar hosts.

astro-ph.GA↗