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K. C. Chambers

Publications and source records attributed to K. C. Chambers.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Euclid preparation. The shape of halo profiles in $\Lambda$CDM and non-standard cosmologies

We study the shape of three-dimensional and projected dark-matter halo profiles extracted from cosmological $N$-body simulations in $\Lambda$CDM and non-standard cosmologies, using the \texttt{DUSTGRAIN-PF} and \texttt{DEMNUni} suites. The models considered include massive neutrinos, $f(\mathcal{R})$ gravity, and dynamical dark energy. By comparing density, mass, velocity-dispersion, and excess-surface-density profiles up to $5\,r_{500{\rm c}}$, we quantify the differential imprint of non-standard physics on halo structure in view of \textit{Euclid} cluster WL studies. Our main analysis is performed at $z=1.1$, a high-redshift regime where the weak-lensing signal-to-noise starts to degrade, providing a conservative stress test for detectability; for \texttt{DUSTGRAIN-PF} we additionally analyse $z=0.5$ and $z=0.3$ snapshots. In low-mass haloes ($M_{\rm 200c}<7\times10^{13}\,M_\odot$), $f(\mathcal{R})$ gravity produces deviations of order $10\,\%$ in projected and three-dimensional profiles, especially in the outskirts where screening is less efficient. Massive neutrinos partially reduce this signal, reflecting the competition between free streaming and fifth-force-enhanced growth. Dynamical dark energy and massive-neutrino cosmologies generally induce smaller, few-percent deviations, with the largest effects again found in low-mass haloes and at large radii. Under simplified assumptions for \Euclid WL, detecting such profile differences at $z=1.1$ requires stacks of $\sim10^5$ haloes, while a few thousands haloes may be sufficient at $z\lesssim0.5$. This further calls for the need of integrating such precise modelling of non-standard effects -- along with other observational effects -- in any likelihood involving \textit{Euclid} WL masses to avoid non-negligible systematic biases. Concentration--mass relations show weaker cosmology dependence, typically at the $\sim5\,\%$ level. [...]

astro-ph.CO

AT 2024qfm: a luminous fast blue optical transient at a redshift of z = 0.2267 identified by Lasair-ZTF

Luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs) emit from x-ray to radio wavelengths, epitomised by the discovery of AT 2018cow in a host galaxy at 65 Mpc. In the following eight years eleven more have been found, at redshifts $0.075 \lesssim z \lesssim0.34$, plus one identified retrospectively from 2016. Here we present the discovery of AT 2024qfm, classified as an LFBOT in a host galaxy at $z = 0.2267 \pm 0.0002$. Its ultraviolet-to-optical luminosity and rapid 13 day fade closely match AT 2018cow. We describe how the transient was identified in the Zwicky Transient Facility alert stream using a custom filter in the Lasair broker that flags flux gradients over time. Another LFBOT candidate was identified with the same methodology (AT 2024kth). The physical origin of LFBOTs remains debated with no firm consensus, and further progress requires more discoveries, host-galaxy characterisation, and multi-wavelength analysis to constrain theory. We discuss this discovery in the context of Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), whose sensitivity will increase the effective LFBOT survey volume tenfold relative to ZTF, out to $z \lesssim 0.6$, and show that our FastFinder filter could recover such events. We highlight the challenge of detecting their fast evolution with sufficiently low latency to trigger multi-wavelength follow-up that can constrain theoretical models.

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Euclid: Inferring star-formation history via cross-correlations of photometric clustering and shear with the cosmic infrared background

The cosmic infrared background, sourced by dust heated by star-forming activity, encodes the integrated history of the star-formation distribution over a large swathe of cosmic time. Decomposing the contribution from galaxies at different redshifts to the observed CIB maps provides a powerful tool for probing the large-scale star-formation history across cosmic times. To this end, we perform a forecast tomographic cross-correlation analysis using simulated photometric galaxy clustering and weak lensing data based on the Euclid mission survey specifications, combined with Planck CIB observations. The analysis adopts templates constructed from the halo occupation distribution model to measure the bias-weighted star-formation-rate density, $\langle b \rho_{\rm SFRD}\rangle$, as a function of redshift. We present forecasts for the $\langle b \rho_{\rm SFRD}\rangle$ constraints based on these simulations and quantify the expected constraining power using Fisher information matrix methods. Compared with results obtained using the same dataset as in previous works, we find that Euclid will tighten the constraints on $\langle b \rho_{\rm SFRD}\rangle$ across all redshift bins by a factor of about $2$ and provide more measurements over a deeper redshift range. This leads to improved constraints on all HOD parameters, typically reducing the marginalized uncertainties by a factor of about $2.5$, while also breaking parameter degeneracies.

astro-ph.CO

Euclid: Calibrating distances from surface brightness fluctuations with Early Release Observations of the Fornax cluster

Surface brightness fluctuations (SBF), the pixel-to-pixel variations in flux that arise from the statistical distribution of stars in galaxy images, provide a powerful tool to measure redshift-independent distances from photometric data alone. This method is particularly important in the era of large imaging surveys, such as those carried out during the Euclid mission. Here we present the first application of SBF to Euclid data, using the FAST-SBF code to measure stellar fluctuation amplitudes in the $I_\mathrm{E}$ band for a sample of galaxies in the Early Release Observations (ERO) of the Fornax galaxy cluster. Although the Euclid data reduction pipeline is not optimized for SBF measurements, extensive testing suggests that we are able to extract robust results. We calibrate the absolute fluctuation magnitude $\overline{M}_\mathrm{IE}$ as a function of the $(I_\mathrm{E}{-}H_\mathrm{E})$ colour for 15 galaxies in Fornax, then test this relation on galaxies in two other ERO fields: the Perseus cluster and dwarf satellite candidates around NGC 6744. Overall, we find reasonable agreement with distances in the literature and good agreement in cases where FAST-SBF indicates the measurements are robust. Finally, we compare our results against Stellar Population Tools (SPoT) simple stellar population models, and discuss the possibility of using SBF with Euclid to probe the underlying stellar populations of the galaxies.

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Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Searching for radio-selected \Euclid-dark galaxies in the EDF-N

We present and investigate the properties of a sample of radio-selected, Euclid-dark galaxies, identified from LOFAR HBA observations at 144 MHz within the Euclid Deep Field-North (EDF-N). Starting from radio sources lacking optical counterparts in previous surveys, but detected with Spitzer/IRAC, we identified 166 galaxies with no emission at a more than $3\sigma$ level in Euclid Quick Release 1 (Q1) images, and no matches in the Euclid Q1 catalogue. To minimise contamination from nearby sources, we selected a sub-sample of 88 isolated galaxies. By exploiting multi-band images and catalogues available for the EDF-N, we inferred the physical properties of our sample via SED fitting. The resulting redshift distribution spans $0.4 \leq z_\mathrm{ph} \leq 5.0$. We used recent sub-arcsecond imaging from the International LOFAR Telescope to constrain the nature of the compact radio emission through brightness temperature estimates. By combining this information with the radio excess relative to the infrared/radio correlation (IRRC), we searched for possible active galactic nuclei (AGN) activity. Approximately 40% of our sources show evidence of AGN activity. The Euclid-dark sources detected in the far-infrared are consistent with a population of heavily obscured, massive star-forming galaxies with high star formation rates. Their location above the star-forming main sequence is consistent with similar near-infrared-dark galaxy populations reported in the literature. We also performed a UV-to-radio median stacking analysis, finding that the two subsamples exhibit similar global physical properties and differ primarily in their radio emission. These preliminary results indicate that the wide area covered by Euclid enables the identification of a higher fraction of systems in which intense star formation and AGN activity coexist, likely capturing a key phase of galaxy--black hole co-evolution.

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Euclid: Discovery of 31 new quasars at $6.6 < z < 7.8$

We report the discovery of 31 new high-$z$ quasars in the redshift range $6.6 < z < 7.8$. These quasars were selected from approximately 3000 deg$^2$ of sky covered during the first 1.5 years of the Euclid Wide Survey, representing the initial results of the Euclid high-$z$ quasar search. Our candidate selection employed multiple machine-learning and probabilistic techniques applied to the Euclid $I_E$, $Y_E$, $J_E$, and $H_E$ images, supplemented by ancillary $z$-band data when available. Spectroscopic follow-up observations were carried out with Keck, Magellan, and the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). Among the new discoveries, there are 12 quasars at $z \geq 7$, more than doubling the number of previously known quasars at $z \geq 7$. The newly discovered quasars exhibit $21.2 < J_E < 23.2$ ($-25.5 < M_{1450} < -23.6$), extending quasar studies to the faint end of the quasar luminosity function (QLF) at $z \gtrsim 7$. The quasar with the highest-$z$, EUCL J172902.75+641018.1 at $z \approx 7.77$, sets the new redshift record for the most distant quasar ever reported. These discoveries demonstrate Euclid's transformative role in high-$z$ quasar discovery and set the stage for future follow-up studies of the early galaxies hosting quasars, supermassive black hole growth, and the intergalactic medium in the epoch of reionisation.

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Euclid: A UV-faint quasar in a highly luminous star-forming host galaxy at $z \approx 7.7$

Constraining the co-evolution of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies in the first billion years after the Big Bang is essential for understanding the formation of the earliest cosmic structures. Here, we present IRAM/NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) observations of the $z \approx 7.7$ quasar EUCL\,J125308.55+705432.3, recently discovered in the first data release of the Euclid Wide Survey. We report the most distant detections of [CII] 158$\mu\mathrm{m}$ and cold dust emission in a quasar host to date. The [CII] emission line sets the systemic redshift at $z=7.6980\pm0.0004$. The source exhibits luminosities of $L_{\rm FIR}=3.6\times10^{12}\,L_{\odot}$ and $L_{[CII]}=2\times10^9\,L_{\odot}$, respectively, a dust mass of 1.4$\times 10^{8}\,M_{\odot}$, and a dynamical mass in the range 0.33-1.3$\times10^{10}\,M_{\odot}$. Remarkably, despite being nearly two magnitudes fainter in the rest-frame UV ($M_{1450}=-24.06$) than previously known $z\approx7.5$ quasars ( $\sim-$26.5), EUCL\,J125308.55+705432.3 exhibits the brightest [CII] emission among them. This indicates that the host galaxy is actively star-forming, with a star-formation rate $>250\,M_{\odot}\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$, consistent with recent findings that UV-faint quasars at $z>6$ preferentially reside in [CII]-luminous galaxies. The UV-faintness likely reflects dust obscuration or sub-Eddington accretion, rather than lower host mass, suggesting these systems are at a different stage in their evolution compared to UV-bright quasars. These IRAM/NOEMA observations highlight the power of combining Euclid's wide-area quasar discovery potential with submillimetre follow-up observations to characterise the host galaxies of early supermassive black holes across a broader redshift and luminosity range than previously accessible.

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Euclid: The convective-transition gap of 47 Tuc

We report the first detection of the `convective-transition gap' (also known as `M-dwarf gap') in the globular cluster 47 Tuc (NGC 104) thanks to Euclid data. This feature, linked to a change in the physical properties of late-type dwarfs, has remained elusive, with only two detections so far. Leveraging the large number of stars, high resolution, and photometric precision enabled by Euclid, we detect a statistically significant, sharp discontinuity in the main-sequence luminosity function of 47 Tuc at $I_{\rm E} \approx 22.9$, which we identify as the convective-transition gap. We compare the observed properties of the gap in 47 Tuc with theoretical models, showing how the gap can be a powerful diagnostic to probe the internal chemical structure of globular clusters, and their multiple stellar populations. Following its initial discovery in the metal-poor cluster NGC 6397, the identification of a convective gap in the metal-rich 47 Tuc suggests that this feature might be more general than previously thought. These results demonstrate that Euclid can be transformative well beyond cosmology, with impact across multiple areas of astrophysics, including resolved stellar populations.

astro-ph.SR

Euclid: Precise inference of defocus wavefront error from image diffraction spike measurements

The success of the Euclid cosmological weak lensing measurements requires unprecedented knowledge of the point spread function (PSF) shape. Defocus wavefront errors induce variations in PSF size that directly bias inferred galaxy shapes. We present a rapid, model-independent estimator of the Euclid visible instrument defocus based on measuring subpixel shifts in diffraction spikes from bright stars, arising from the non-mirror-symmetric placement of the telescope spiders. This estimate requires no a-priori PSF model and can be directly inferred from individual survey exposures within seconds. We express defocus as the secondary mirror displacement along the optical axis, $\Delta z$, achieving a per-exposure precision of $\sigma(\Delta z) = 0.022\,\mu\text{m}$ in standard Euclid wide-survey images, corresponding to a peak-to-valley optical-path difference of $0.75\,\text{nm}$. This sensitivity resolves thermally induced shifts, typically 0.1-0.3$\,\mu\text{m}$, and enables tracking of temporal evolution and field-of-view variations when combining exposures within periods of stability. Since July 2024, the Euclid telescope has been exceptionally stable, while changes to defocus are effectively homogeneous across the field of view. By correlating defocus with PSF size, we find that the Euclid DR3 requirement of a fractional PSF size bias of $\left|\Delta R_\mathrm{PSF}^2/R_\mathrm{PSF}^2\right|<10^{-3}$ corresponds to field-averaged secondary mirror displacements exceeding $\langle \Delta z_\mathrm{thr}\rangle = (0.0683 \pm 0.0024)\,\mu\text{m}$. Our estimator provides a robust real-time monitoring tool, supplies a stringent prior for computationally intensive PSF model fitting, and is applicable not only to the Euclid telescope, but to other telescopes whose spider vanes are not mirror-symmetrically arranged.

astro-ph.CO

Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1): The geometry of dark matter halos from extragalactic streams

Wide-field surveys like Euclid mark a new era of extragalactic stellar stream studies. With a large number of streams, it is now possible to constrain the dark matter halos of galaxies in a cosmological volume and draw comparisons to theoretical expectations for the geometry of dark matter halos. This study combines Euclid imaging with visual detection and segmentation annotations to analyse streams. We use projected stream morphologies to constrain the shape and centre-of-mass position (CoM) of each host galaxy's potential, jointly probing baryonic and dark matter distributions. These inferences complement weak lensing methods, with sensitivity to halo profile and geometry on sub-virial scales. The method enables both stacked, population-level constraints on halo flattening and CoM position, and constraints on these quantities for individual halos. We also present a novel method for transforming segmentation maps of stellar streams into smooth, curvature-preserving tracks optimised for fast and robust dynamical inference. This approach enables rapid modelling of stream morphology, supports a statistically rigorous combination of constraints across multiple streams within a single galaxy, and enables joint inference across galactic hosts. From our study of 13 galaxies with prominent tidal streams, we find agreement with spherical halos, albeit a mild preference for flattening with $q = 0.95^{+0.05}_{-0.10}$ at 68\% confidence. This is promising early agreement with $\Lambda$CDM predictions. With thousands more discovered streams expected across \Euclid's mission, our programme will enable precise measurements of halo shapes and CoM positions across large samples and redshifts, offering constraints on the geometry of dark matter halos.

astro-ph.GA

Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1): The impact of AGN emission on SED-derived physical properties

The Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1) is a powerful dataset to study active galactic nuclei (AGN) and their host galaxies. Deriving their physical properties through multi-component spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting is a challenging task for AGN, but it is greatly aided by the Euclid near-infrared photometry. Here we present a new method to quantify the reliability of SED-derived parameters, such as AGN bolometric and monochromatic luminosities, host's stellar mass $M_\star$, star-formation rate (SFR) and specific star-formation rate (sSFR), by using mock SEDs of AGN built by combining observed SEDs of QSOs and galaxies. We apply this methodology to the ${\sim}1$ million Q1 AGN candidates, constructing a catalogue of AGN and host galaxy properties, alongside their respective reliability values. With a reliability threshold at 0.5, we find 88\% of sources with robust stellar masses and 76\% with reliable AGN luminosities. Moreover, through SED fitting we also measure the AGN fraction $f_{\rm AGN}$ of the total mid-infrared flux and we use its lower-limit to select AGN. A $f_{\rm AGN, \, low} > 0.075$ threshold yields 85\% completeness and purity. Comparable to colour-colour AGN selections, this method has the advantage of being less affected by redshift evolution and exploring fainter magnitudes. Additionally, by comparing the AGN and host galaxy parameters across different identification methods, we find that the probed range in stellar mass and AGN luminosity can be quite different. This highlights the importance of combining different approaches and accounting for their selection biases when studying AGN and their role in galaxy evolution. Finally, for the X-ray detected sample, we present the X-ray to mid-IR luminosity relation, and the correlation between stellar mass and bolometric luminosity as a function of redshift, in good agreement with previous results.

astro-ph.GA

Probing a new subclass of llGRB-SN transients: Insights from EP250304a and its associated supernova

With the advent of the Einstein Probe (EP) mission, we are entering a new era in the study of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), enabling the detection of faint, low-luminosity transients that would previously have gone undetected. EP250304a was an event discovered by EP associated with the broad-lined type Ic supernova (SN) SN 2025fhm located at z = 0.2. Despite no gamma-ray emission being detected at the time of the EP trigger, we identify evidence for a relativistic outflow consistent with a GRB-like jet across multiple wavelengths. We present a detailed spectral and photometric analysis of EP250304a/SN 2025fhm, including multi-band light curve modelling performed with the Redback Python package. We find that this event closely resembles low-luminosity GRB-SNe (llGRB-SNe) such as GRB 060218/SN 2006aj, GRB 100316D/SN 2010bh, and GRB 171205A/SN 2017iuk, all of which exhibit early-time emission consistent with a thermal shocked cocoon. These similarities suggest that EP250304A/SN 2025fhm may belong to an emerging subclass of shocked cocoon-dominated llGRB-SNe, representing the low-luminosity end of a broader continuum of engine-driven GRB-SN explosions.

astro-ph.HE

Early Multiwavelength Observations of AT 2026fgk: The Luminous Afterglow to Sub-luminous GRB 260310A, Identified Independently of a Gamma-ray Trigger

The origins of sub-luminous ($L_\mathrm{\gamma,\mathrm{iso}} < 10^{49.5}$\,erg\,s$^{-1}$) gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) associated with broad-lined Type~Ic supernovae (Ic-BL SNe) are poorly understood, in part due to the low discovery rate and faint afterglows. Here we present the identification of the optical afterglow of Fermi-GBM-detected GRB\,260310A (AT\,2026fgk) as a rapidly rising ($>1\,$mag\,d$^{-1}$), red ($g-r=0.4$\,mag) transient using the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observatory, Large Array Survey Telescope, and Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) data streams. We present multiwavelength follow-up observations from the first 50\,days, which reveal that GRB 260310A/AT\,2026fgk was sub-luminous ($L_\mathrm{\gamma,iso}=10^{48.8}\,$erg\,s$^{-1}$); it was the most nearby ($z=0.153$) afterglow identified blindly by an optical survey; and that it is one of the brightest afterglows ever observed at X-ray, optical, and radio (cm to mm) wavelengths. We spectroscopically confirm an underlying Ic-BL SN with properties typical of GRB-SNe ($M_\mathrm{ej}\approx3\,M_\odot$, $E_{\rm K}\approx 10^{52}\,$erg). With basic modeling of the afterglow, including the long optical rise ($\approx10^{3}\,$s), we infer either a low initial Lorentz factor ($\Gamma_0\approx40$) or a slightly off-axis viewing angle ($\lesssim3^\circ$). The host galaxy's mass and star formation rate are similar to the hosts of other sub-luminous GRBs. ZTF's flux-limited survey gives a volumetric rate of AT\,2026fgk-like events of $0.30^{+1.37}_{-0.29}\,$Gpc\,$^{-3}$\,yr$^{-1}$, which is consistent with the on-axis, high luminosity ($L_{\rm \gamma,iso}>10^{49.5}$\,erg\,s$^{-1}$) long-GRB rate. The similarity in the rates strongly constrains the prevalence of low-$\Gamma_0$ bursts and the beaming of the initial relativistic material in GRBs.

astro-ph.HE

Euclid preparation. Probing galaxy evolution within cosmic voids in Euclid-like simulations

The evolution of galaxies is profoundly influenced by the environment in which they reside. Cosmic voids serve as pristine laboratories for studying galaxy evolution in the relative absence of the complex physical processes that dominate denser environments. In this study, we investigate galaxy properties and merger histories as a function of environment using the GAlaxy Evolution and Assembly (GAEA) mock-observation lightcone replicating the Euclid Deep Survey as foreseen for the first Euclid data release. The H$\alpha$-selected galaxy sample spans the redshift range $0.4 < z < 1.8$, corresponding to the interval over which H$\alpha$ is accessible to Euclid slitless spectroscopy. We classify galaxies based on their void-centric distance and local density contrast, and compare their stellar mass, specific star formation rate, bulge-to-total stellar mass ratio, and halo mass across different environments. We further analyse the merger histories of these galaxies to study their assembly evolution. We find that galaxies located closer to void centres ($d_{\rm cc} \lesssim 0.7 R_{\rm v}$) are less massive, more actively star-forming, and more disc-dominated than galaxies in denser regions. Merger histories indicate that void galaxies do not experience fewer mergers, but rather that mergers occur later relative to galaxies in high-density regions. These results support a scenario in which the environment regulates the timing and nature of mergers rather than their overall frequency, producing a slower evolutionary path in low-density regions. We conclude by discussing the extent to which these trends are shaped by environmental parametrisation methods and observational selection effects. Our analysis provides a framework for interpreting forthcoming Euclid data and demonstrates Euclid's potential to identify cosmic voids and probe environmental effects on galaxy evolution.

astro-ph.GA

The transitional Type Ibn/IIn SN 2022pda, with pre-explosion outbursts and a double-peaked light curve

We report the results of a photometric and spectroscopic follow-up campaign of the unusual interacting supernova (SN) 2022pda. Precursor variability lasting $\sim 100$ days is observed before the explosion. The SN light curve has a double peak shape. It reached a first maximum of $M_{\rm{r}} = -19.6 \pm 0.2$\,mag, followed by an initial two-month decline and a second, broad peak lasting about six months. The early spectra show a blue continuum with dominant H and He emission lines. A high-resolution pre-maximum spectrum shows that the profile of the \Hei~$\lambda$5876 line consists of a moderately narrow ($\sim 1900$ \kms) P~Cygni absorption superposed on a broader ($\sim 3300$ \kms) component. In the blue region, several spectral features are identified, including C {\sc iii}/N {\sc iii}/O {\sc ii} blends. Two broad bumps at 4600--5200 \AA, 6400--6800~\AA\ regions reveal a complex profile, which are likely due to blends of H, He, and other emission lines. Late-time spectra are still dominated by prominent and broad H and He lines in emission. Shock-driven model fits to the bolometric light curve suggest that the SN is powered by interaction with a massive CSM with enhanced mass loss rates $\sim 5$ \msun yr$^{-1}$, expelled during two events occurred $\sim 1$ and $\sim 0.2$ years before the explosion. The overall SN evolution indicates that SN\,2022pda is a transitional event between a H-rich SN IIn (SN\,2009ip-like) and a He-rich SN Ibn. Our findings suggest that the progenitor was likely a Luminous Blue Variable transitioning towards a Wolf--Rayet stage.

astro-ph.HE

Euclid: Early Release Observations -- The formation of peanutty dwarf galaxies in Perseus

Dwarf galaxies in dense cluster environments are susceptible to tidal interactions that can alter their morphology and kinematics. Boxy isophotes are well studied in massive galaxies but remain poorly understood in dwarfs. We aim to identify and characterise boxy/peanutty dwarf galaxies in the Perseus cluster and determine the origin of their isophotal shapes. Using Euclid Early Release Observations of the Perseus cluster, we present a cumulative light fraction method for robustly measuring the isophotal shape parameter $c_4$, particularly suited to low surface brightness regimes. From ~1100 cataloged dwarfs, we select a clean sample of ~190 early-type systems with reliable $c_4$ measurement. Observed trends are interpreted through comparison with mock Euclid observations of $N$-body simulations of tidally transformed dwarfs. We identify 13 dwarfs with significantly boxy isophotes ($c_4 < -0.0175$). These galaxies lack visible thin disks, lie on the cluster red sequence, and show no preferential spatial concentration within Perseus. We find a significant anticorrelation between $c_4$ and effective radius: larger galaxies exhibit more boxy isophotes. An analogous size-shape anticorrelation is recovered in the simulations, where inner regions are dominated by box orbits associated with a triaxial peanut structure and outer regions by short-axis tube orbits. The boxy dwarfs in Perseus are tidally transformed remnants of moderately rotating progenitors, with boxy isophotes tracing inner box-orbit-dominated peanut structures. The size-shape correlation arises from viewing geometry: face-on orientations reveal the rectangular profile of the elongated triaxial structure (large and boxy), while edge-on views yield rounder, compact morphologies. Our sample represents an orientation-selected subset of tidally transformed, peanutty dwarfs in the cluster.

astro-ph.GA

Euclid preparation: Testing multi-field inflation with galaxy power spectrum and bispectrum

Primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG) is a powerful probe of the origin of cosmic structure. Stage-IV surveys like \Euclid will measure galaxy $2$- and $3$-point clustering at high signal-to-noise, whose exploitation requires robust joint analysis. We prepare for Euclid's spectroscopic sample by validating a redshift-space power-spectrum and bispectrum pipeline (one-loop $P_\ell$, tree-level $B_\ell$) on Euclid-like mocks from Abacus-PNG $N$-body simulations with Gaussian and local-PNG initial conditions, using a halo occupation distribution (HOD) tuned to Euclid Flagship 2. We stress-test analysis choices -- PNG-bias parametrisation, priors, and scale cuts -- and perform null tests without PNG. In a `prior-agnostic setup', detection of the dominant PNG term $\propto f_{\rm NL} \, b_\phi$ in single redshift bins is difficult; nevertheless, the bispectrum provides constraints on other PNG combinations that partially lift degeneracies. We propose a physically motivated prior on $b_\phi$ that yields unbiased $f_{\rm NL}$ while accounting for theory uncertainty, and determine scale cuts that give unbiased $\Lambda$CDM and $f_{\rm NL}$. With $V_{\rm eff}=16\,h^{-3}\,{\rm Gpc}^3$ across four snapshots ($0.8\le z\le1.7$), our likelihood analyses recover $<1\sigma$ bias in $f_{\rm NL}$ and $\Lambda$CDM. At fixed cuts, $B_\ell$ alone reduces $\sigma({f_{\rm NL}})$ by $\sim29$--$46\%$ relative to $P_\ell$, and joint power spectrum-bispectrum analysis tightens a further $\sim8$--$13\%$; the cumulative gain from $z=0.8$ to $1.7$ is $\sim2.3$ for the joint case. The bispectrum quadrupole is key. Our strongest results are at $z=1.7$: $1.9\sigma$ for $f_{\rm NL} \, b_\phi$ (prior-agnostic) and $2.35\sigma$ for $f_{\rm NL}$ (prior-based). Joint analyses thus offer strong prospects for testing multi-field inflation, pending end-to-end validation in the full Euclid geometry with observational systematics.

astro-ph.CO

\textit{Euclid} preparation. Baryon acoustic oscillations extraction techniques: comparison and optimisation

We present the first end-to-end validation of the Euclid baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) analysis pipeline, encompassing density-field reconstruction, two-point correlation function measurement, and cosmological-parameter inference. Using eight Euclid-like mock catalogues from each of four Flagship I snapshots, designed to reproduce the expected statistical properties of the first Euclid data release (DR1), we assess the two standard BAO reconstruction methods based on the Zel'dovich approximation, RecSym and RecIso, across $0.9 \leq z \leq 1.8$. The pipeline introduces several methodological advances: an emulator-based model evaluator (Bora.jl) combined with a Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampler (NUTS), achieving more than a 500-fold speed-up relative to standard Markov chain Monte Carlo, and a semi-analytical covariance estimator (BeXiCov+WinCov) that enables robust error estimates from only eight mock realisations while remaining stable under fiducial-cosmology variations. These components ensure computational efficiency while reducing the risk of underestimating parameter uncertainties. Both reconstruction schemes yield unbiased BAO measurements across all redshifts and analysis choices, including smoothing scale and fiducial cosmology. In each snapshot, reconstruction enhances the figure of merit for $\{\Omega_m, H_0 r_s\}$ by $\sim3$, equivalent to tripling the effective survey volume. Combining the four redshift bins, the improvement remains substantial, with BAO-only constraints reaching $\sim10\%$ precision on $\Omega_m$ and $\sim3\%$ on $H_0 r_s$. Results from RecSym and RecIso are consistent within uncertainties, though we recommend RecSym during testing due to its lower sensitivity to covariance variations. These findings establish the accuracy, robustness, and scalability of the Euclid BAO pipeline for DR1, providing a solid foundation for future cosmological analyses.

astro-ph.CO