arXiv subjects

Kendrick M. Smith

Publications and source records attributed to Kendrick M. Smith.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

First detection of the moving lens effect with ACT and DESI LS

The moving lens effect is a secondary CMB anisotropy induced by the transverse motion of gravitational potentials. We develop a Fourier-space cross-spectrum estimator that retains the scale dependence of the signal, and apply it to the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) DR6 CMB temperature maps and luminous red galaxies from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys. Using the foreground-reduced ACT NILC map, we find strong evidence for a non-zero amplitude of the cross-correlation $b_{\rm ML} = 1.24 \pm 0.26$ ($4.8σ$) for the extended sample and $0.93 \pm 0.25$ ($3.7σ$) for the main sample, both consistent with the halo-model prediction for the moving lens signal. Our Fourier-based pipeline enforces separation of scales between the reconstructed velocities and the cross-correlation, which we show is essential for foreground mitigation. The residual foreground contamination is expected to be significantly smaller than the signal from both simulations and the multi-frequency analysis presented in this paper. No curl-mode test exceeds $2σ$, and the results are robust across analysis variants. They constitute the first detection of the moving lens effect and unlock access to transverse velocities, a new cosmological probe. When combined with the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, this provides a path toward mapping the three-dimensional velocity field of the Universe, opening a new avenue for probing the growth of structure and gravity on large scales.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

QML-FAST -- A Fast Code for low-$\ell$ Tomographic Maximum Likelihood Power Spectrum Estimation

We present a novel implementation for the quadratic maximum likelihood (QML) power spectrum estimator for multiple correlated scalar fields on the sphere. Our estimator supports arbitrary binning in redshift and multipoles $\ell$ and includes cross-correlations of redshift bins. It implements a fully optimal analysis with a pixel-wise covariance model. We implement a number of optimizations which make the estimator and associated covariance matrix computationally tractable for a low-$\ell$ analysis, suitable for example for kSZ velocity reconstruction or primordial non-Gaussianity from scale-dependent bias analyses. We validate our estimator extensively on simulations and compare its features and precision with the common pseudo-$C_\ell$ method, showing significant gains at large scales. We make our code publicly available. In a companion paper, we apply the estimator to kSZ velocity reconstruction using data from ACT and DESI Legacy Survey and construct full set of QML estimators on 40 correlated fields up to $N_{\text{side}}= 32$ in timescale of an hour on a single 24-core CPU requiring $<256\ \mathrm{Gb}$ RAM, demonstrating the performance of the code.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Fine-Tuning Small Reasoning Models for Quantum Field Theory

Despite the growing application of Large Language Models (LLMs) to theoretical physics, there is little academic exploration into how domain-specific physics reasoning ability develops while training these models. To investigate this, we perform the first academic fine-tuning study of small (7B-parameter) reasoning models dedicated specifically to theoretical physics. Because open-source verifiable training data required to train such capabilities is scarce, we developed a robust data generation pipeline that can both create synthetic problems and make existing human-authored problems suitable for model training. Selecting Quantum Field Theory (QFT) as our primary domain, we generated over 2,500 synthetic problems alongside a curated collection of human-adapted problems sourced from arXiv and standard pedagogical resources. We conduct both Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT) experiments, benchmarking performance gains as well as generalization to other physics domains. We perform an extensive analysis of model chains-of-though before and after fine-tuning, to understand how reasoning errors evolve during RL and SFT. Finally, we publicly release our data pipeline, verifiable QFT training data, and $\sim$200M tokens of QFT reasoning traces.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2026

If at First You Don't Succeed, Trispectrum: I. Estimating the Matter Power Spectrum Covariance with Higher-Order Statistics

We present a method to estimate non-Gaussian power spectrum covariance matrices by directly measuring the response of the small-scale power spectrum to long-wavelength perturbations via bispectrum and trispectrum estimators. Specifically, we derive estimators for the complete non-Gaussian matter power spectrum covariance, including the super-sample contribution, in terms of the squeezed bispectrum and collapsed trispectrum of the underlying density field. We apply these estimators to the Quijote simulations, and recover unbiased estimates of the small-scale ($k\gtrsim 0.15~h/{\rm Mpc}$) matter power spectrum covariance at the percent level using only 25 simulations - comparable to the precision of the sample covariance estimated using 5,000 simulations. This technique significantly reduces the number of simulations needed to estimate power spectrum covariances and opens the possibility of inferring power spectrum covariances directly from survey data, enabling stringent tests of simulations and, potentially, power spectrum analyses that do not rely on external covariance matrices.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

Constraining $f_{NL}$ using the Large-Scale Modulation of Small-Scale Statistics

We implement a novel formalism to constrain primordial non-Gaussianity of the local type from the large-scale modulation of the small-scale power spectrum. Our approach combines information about primordial non-Gaussianity contained in the squeezed bispectrum and the collapsed trispectrum of large-scale structure together in a computationally amenable and consistent way, while avoiding the need to model complicated covariances of higher $N$-point functions. This work generalizes our recent work, which used a neural network estimate of local power, to the more conventional local power spectrum statistics, and explores using both matter field and halo catalogues from the Quijote simulations. We find that higher $N$-point functions of the matter field can provide strong constraints on $f_{NL}$, but higher $N$-point functions of the halo field, at the halo density of Quijote, only marginally improve constraints from the two-point function.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Inferring the Impacts of Baryonic Feedback from Kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich Cross-Correlations

The complex processes of baryonic feedback associated with galaxy evolution are still poorly understood, and their impact on the clustering of matter on small scales remains difficult to quantify. While many fitting functions and emulators exist to model the matter power spectrum, their input parameters are not directly observable. However, recent studies using hydrodynamical simulations have identified a promising correlation between the gas content of halos and changes to the matter power spectrum from feedback. Building on these findings, we create the first fully data-driven power spectrum emulator. We utilize the kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect, a secondary anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background, as a tracer of free electrons in and around halos. We train a neural network to learn the mapping between the suppression of the matter power spectrum and the shape of the kSZ power spectrum extracted with a radial velocity template. We train and validate our algorithm using the FLAMINGO suite of hydrodynamical simulations, which encompasses a wide range of feedback models. Our emulator can reconstruct the matter power spectrum at the sub-percent level for scales $k\leq 5\;h/$Mpc and $0.2\leq z \leq 1.25$ directly from the data. Our model is robust and retains percent-level accuracy even for feedback models and cosmological parameter values not seen during training (except in a few extreme cases drastically different from the fiducial model). Due to its robustness, our algorithm offers a new way to identify the sources of suppression in the matter power spectrum, breaking the degeneracies between baryonic feedback and new physics. Finally, we present a forecast for reconstruction of the matter power spectrum combining maps of the microwave background anisotropies from a Simons Observatory-like experiment and galaxy catalogs from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

CHIME/FRB/Pulsar discovery of a nearby long period radio transient with a timing glitch

We present the discovery of a 421 s long period radio transient (LPT) using the CHIME telescope, CHIME J0630+25. The source is localized to RA=06:30:38.4$\pm1'$ Dec=25:26:24$\pm1'$ using voltage data acquired with the CHIME baseband system. A timing analysis shows that a model including a glitch is preferred over a non-glitch model with $dF/F=1.3\times10^{-6}$, consistent with other glitching neutron stars. The timing model suggests a surface magnetic field of $\sim1.5\times10^{15}$ G and a characteristic age of $\sim1.28\times10^{6}$ yrs. A separate line of evidence to support a strong local magnetic field is an abnormally high rotation measure of $RM=-347.8(6) \mathrm{rad\, m^{-2}}$ relative to CHIME J0630+25's modest dispersion measure of 22(1) pc cm$^{-2}$, implying a dense local magneto-ionic structure. As a result, we believe that CHIME J0630+25 is a magnetized, slowly spinning, isolated neutron star. This marks CHIME J0630+25 as the longest period neutron star and the second long period neutron star with an inferred magnetar-like field. Based on dispersion measure models and comparison with pulsars with distance measurements, CHIME J0630+25 is located at a nearby distance of 170$^{+310}_{-100}$ pc (95.4\%), making it an ideal candidate for follow-up studies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Velocity Reconstruction from KSZ: Measuring $f_{NL}$ with ACT and DESILS

The kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect offers an indirect way to reconstruct large-scale cosmic velocities, by correlating high-resolution CMB temperature maps with galaxy surveys. In this work, we present the first three-dimensional reconstruction of the large-scale velocity field using a photometric galaxy survey, using data from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys (DESILS) and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) DR5. We detect an $11.7σ$ correlation between our velocity reconstruction and the galaxy field, using only DESILS LRGs in the northern Galactic hemisphere. We find that the overall amplitude of the kSZ-induced correlation is low relative to a halo model prediction ($b_v = 0.45^{+0.06}_{-0.05}$), in agreement with previous results which find high feedback and smoothed gas profiles near massive galaxies. We use this measurement to place new constraints on local-type primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG), obtaining $f_{\rm NL}\!=\!-39^{+40}_{-33}$. This represents the most stringent $f_{\rm NL}$ constraint from kSZ velocity-based analyses to date. We validate our findings through extensive null tests, including tests for CMB foregrounds based on comparing 90 and 150 GHz CMB data.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2025

Measurement of the Dispersion$\unicode{x2013}$Galaxy Cross-Power Spectrum with the Second CHIME/FRB Catalog

The dispersion of extragalactic fast radio bursts (FRBs) can serve as a powerful probe of the diffuse plasma between and surrounding galaxies, which contains most of the Universe's baryons. By cross-correlating the dispersion of background FRBs with the locations of foreground galaxies, we can study the relative spatial distributions of plasma and galaxies on scales of 0.1 to 50 Mpc, which are strongly affected by feedback processes in galaxy formation. Here we present the measurement of the dispersion$\unicode{x2013}$galaxy angular cross-power spectrum between 2873 FRBs from the Second CHIME/FRB Catalog and nearly 6 million galaxies from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Survey. Over five photometric galaxy redshift bins spanning $0.05 < z <0.5$ and at 5.1$σ$ significance, we make the first definitive detection of spatial correlations in FRB dispersion measure due to cosmic structure. While parameter inferences should be interpreted with caution because of incomplete modelling of both the signal and systematic errors, our data indicate that the plasma$\unicode{x2013}$galaxy cross-power spectrum cuts off relative to the matter power spectrum at a scale $k_\textrm{cut}^{-1}=0.9^{+0.4}_{-0.4}\,\textrm{Mpc}$. This scale is consistent with those X-ray stacking analyses that suggest dark-matter halos with group-scale masses are largely evacuated of their baryons by feedback processes. Our study demonstrates that FRBs are promising tools to discern the physics of baryonic structure formation and will only become more powerful as FRB surveys expand.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Multiwavelength Constraints on the Origin of a Nearby Repeating Fast Radio Burst Source in a Globular Cluster

The precise origins of fast radio bursts (FRBs) remain unknown. Multiwavelength observations of nearby FRB sources can provide important insights into the enigmatic FRB phenomenon. Here, we present results from a sensitive, broadband X-ray and radio observational campaign of FRB 20200120E, the closest known extragalactic repeating FRB source (located 3.63 Mpc away in an ~10-Gyr-old globular cluster). We place deep limits on the persistent and prompt X-ray emission from FRB 20200120E, which we use to constrain possible origins for the source. We compare our results with various classes of X-ray sources, transients, and FRB models. We find that FRB 20200120E is unlikely to be associated with ultraluminous X-ray bursts, magnetar-like giant flares, or an SGR 1935+2154-like intermediate flare. Although other types of bright magnetar-like intermediate flares and short X-ray bursts would have been detectable from FRB 20200120E during our observations, we cannot entirely rule them out as a class. We show that FRB 20200120E is unlikely to be powered by an ultraluminous X-ray source or a young extragalactic pulsar embedded in a Crab-like nebula. We also provide new constraints on the compatibility of FRB 20200120E with accretion-based FRB models involving X-ray binaries. These results highlight the power of multiwavelength observations of nearby FRBs for discriminating between FRB models.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Constraints on local primordial non-Gaussianity with 3d Velocity Reconstruction from the Kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect

The cosmic velocity field is an unbiased probe of the total matter distribution but is challenging to measure directly at intermediate and high redshifts. The large-scale velocity field imprints a signal in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect. We perform the first 3d reconstruction of the large-scale velocity field from the kSZ effect by applying a quadratic estimator to CMB temperature maps and the 3d positions of galaxies. We do so by combining CMB data from the fifth data release of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (in combination with Planck) and a spectroscopic galaxy sample from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We then measure the galaxy-velocity cross-power spectrum and detect the presence of the kSZ signal at a signal-to-noise ratio of 7.2$σ$. Using this galaxy-velocity cross-correlation alone, we constrain the amplitude of local primordial non-Gaussianity finding $f_{\rm NL}=-90^{+210}_{-350}$. This pathfinder measurement sets the stage for joint galaxy-CMB kSZ constraints to significantly enhance the $f_{\rm NL}$ information obtained from galaxy surveys through sample variance cancellation.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

A search for persistent radio sources toward repeating fast radio bursts discovered by CHIME/FRB

The identification of persistent radio sources (PRSs) coincident with two repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) supports FRB theories requiring a compact central engine. However, deep non-detections in other cases highlight the diversity of repeating FRBs and their local environments. Here, we perform a systematic search for radio sources towards 37 CHIME/FRB repeaters using their arcminute localizations and a combination of archival surveys and targeted observations. Through multi-wavelength analysis of individual radio sources, we identify two (20181030A-S1 and 20190417A-S1) for which we disfavor an origin of either star formation or an active galactic nucleus in their host galaxies and thus consider them candidate PRSs. We do not find any associated PRSs for the majority of the repeating FRBs in our sample. For 8 FRB fields with Very Large Array imaging, we provide deep limits on the presence of PRSs that are 2--4 orders of magnitude fainter than the PRS associated with FRB\,20121102A. Using Very Large Array Sky Survey imaging of all 37 fields, we constrain the rate of luminous ($\gtrsim$10$^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$) PRSs associated with repeating FRBs to be low. Within the context of FRB-PRS models, we find that 20181030A-S1 and 20190417A-S1 can be reasonably explained within the context of magnetar, hypernebulae, gamma-ray burst afterglow, or supernova ejecta models -- although we note that both sources follow the radio luminosity versus rotation measure relationship predicted in the nebula model framework. Future observations will be required to both further characterize and confirm the association of these PRS candidates with the FRBs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

A fast radio burst localized at detection to an edge-on galaxy using very-long-baseline interferometry

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration, luminous radio transients of extragalactic origin. These events have been used to trace the baryonic structure of the Universe using their dispersion measure (DM) assuming that the contribution from host galaxies can be reliably estimated. However, contributions from the immediate environment of an FRB may dominate the observed DM, thus making redshift estimates challenging without a robust host galaxy association. Furthermore, while at least one Galactic burst has been associated with a magnetar, other localized FRBs argue against magnetars as the sole progenitor model. Precise localization within the host galaxy can discriminate between progenitor models, a major goal of the field. Until now, localizations on this spatial scale have only been carried out in follow-up observations of repeating sources. Here we demonstrate the localization of FRB 20210603A with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) on two baselines, using data collected only at the time of detection. We localize the burst to SDSS J004105.82+211331.9, an edge-on galaxy at $z\approx 0.177$, and detect recent star formation in the kiloparsec-scale vicinity of the burst. The edge-on inclination of the host galaxy allows for a unique comparison between the line of sight towards the FRB and lines of sight towards known Galactic pulsars. The DM, Faraday rotation measure (RM), and scattering suggest a progenitor coincident with the host galactic plane, strengthening the link between the environment of FRB 20210603A and the disk of its host galaxy. Single-pulse VLBI localizations of FRBs to within their host galaxies, following the one presented here, will further constrain the origins and host environments of one-off FRBs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Large-scale velocity reconstruction with the kinematic Sunyaev--Zel'dovich effect and DESI LRGs

The kinematic Sunyaev--Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect induces a non-zero density-density-temperature bispectrum, which we can use to reconstruct the large-scale velocity field from a combination of cosmic microwave background (CMB) and galaxy density measurements, in a procedure known as ``kSZ velocity reconstruction''. This method has been forecast to constrain large-scale modes with future galaxy and CMB surveys, improving their measurement beyond what is possible with the galaxy surveys alone. Such measurements will enable tighter constraints on large-scale signals such as primordial non-Gaussianity, deviations from homogeneity, and modified gravity. In this work, we demonstrate a statistically significant measurement of kSZ velocity reconstruction for the first time, by applying quadratic estimators to the combination of the ACT DR6 CMB+kSZ map and the DESI LRG galaxies (with photometric redshifts) in order to reconstruct the velocity field. We do so using a formalism appropriate for the 2-dimensional projected galaxy fields that we use, which naturally incorporates the curved-sky effects important on the largest scales. We find evidence for the signal by cross-correlating with an external estimate of the velocity field from the spectroscopic BOSS survey and rejecting the null (no-kSZ) hypothesis at $3.8σ$. Our work presents a first step towards the use of this observable for cosmological analyses.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Statistical association between the candidate repeating FRB 20200320A and a galaxy group

We present results from angular cross-correlations between select samples of CHIME/FRB repeaters and galaxies in three photometric galaxy surveys, which have shown correlations with the first CHIME/FRB catalog containing repeating and nonrepeating sources: WISE$\times$SCOS, DESI-BGS, and DESI-LRG. We find a statistically significant correlation ($p$-value $<0.001$, after accounting for look-elsewhere factors) between a sample of repeaters with extragalactic dispersion measure DM $>395$ pc cm$^{-3}$ and WISE$\times$SCOS galaxies with redshift $z>0.275$. We demonstrate that the correlation arises surprisingly because of a statistical association between FRB 20200320A (extragalactic DM $\approx550$ pc cm$^{-3}$) and a galaxy group in the same dark matter halo at redshift $z\approx0.32$. We estimate that the host halo, along with an intervening halo at redshift $z\approx0.12$, accounts for at least $\sim$$30\%$ of the extragalactic DM. Our results strongly motivate incorporating galaxy group and cluster catalogs into direct host association pipelines for FRBs with $\lesssim$$1'$ localization precision, effectively utilizing the two-point information to constrain FRB properties such as their redshift and DM distributions. In addition, we find marginal evidence for a negative correlation at 99.4% CL between a sample of repeating FRBs with baseband data (median extragalactic DM $=354$ pc cm$^{-3}$) and DESI-LRG galaxies with redshift $0.3\le z<0.45$, suggesting that the repeaters might be more prone than apparent nonrepeaters to propagation effects in FRB-galaxy correlations due to intervening free electrons over angular scales $\sim$$0\mbox{$.\!\!^\circ$}5$.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Host Galaxies for Four Nearby CHIME/FRB Sources and the Local Universe FRB Host Galaxy Population

We present the host galaxies of four apparently non-repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs), FRBs 20181223C, 20190418A, 20191220A, and 20190425A, reported in the first Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME/FRB) catalog. Our selection of these FRBs is based on a planned hypothesis testing framework where we search all CHIME/FRB Catalog-1 events that have low extragalactic dispersion measure (< 100 pc cm$^{-3}$), with high Galactic latitude (|b| > 10$°$) and saved baseband data. We associate the selected FRBs to galaxies with moderate to high star-formation rates located at redshifts between 0.027 and 0.071. We also search for possible multi-messenger counterparts, including persistent compact radio and gravitational wave (GW) sources, and find none. Utilizing the four FRB hosts from this study along with the hosts of 14 published local Universe FRBs (z < 0.1) with robust host association, we conduct an FRB host demographics analysis. We find all 18 local Universe FRB hosts in our sample to be spirals (or late-type galaxies), including the host of FRB 20220509G, which was previously reported to be elliptical. Using this observation, we scrutinize proposed FRB source formation channels and argue that core-collapse supernovae are likely the dominant channel to form FRB progenitors. Moreover, we infer no significant difference in the host properties of repeating and apparently non-repeating FRBs in our local Universe FRB host sample. Finally, we find the burst rates of these four apparently non-repeating FRBs to be consistent with those of the sample of localized repeating FRBs observed by CHIME/FRB. Therefore, we encourage further monitoring of these FRBs with more sensitive radio telescopes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Proposed host galaxies of repeating fast radio burst sources detected by CHIME/FRB

We present a search for host galaxy associations for the third set of repeating fast radio burst (FRB) sources discovered by the CHIME/FRB Collaboration. Using the $\sim$ 1 arcmin CHIME/FRB baseband localizations and probabilistic methods, we identify potential host galaxies of two FRBs, 20200223B and 20190110C at redshifts of 0.06024(2) and 0.12244(6), respectively. We also discuss the properties of a third marginal candidate host galaxy association for FRB 20191106C with a host redshift of 0.10775(1). The three putative host galaxies are all relatively massive, fall on the standard mass-metallicity relationship for nearby galaxies, and show evidence of ongoing star formation. They also all show signatures of being in a transitional regime, falling in the ``green valley'' which is between the bulk of star-forming and quiescent galaxies. The plausible host galaxies identified by our analysis are consistent with the overall population of repeating and non-repeating FRB hosts while increasing the fraction of massive and bright galaxies. Coupled with these previous host associations, we identify a possible excess of FRB repeaters whose host galaxies have $M_{\mathrm{u}}-M_{\mathrm{r}}$ colors redder than the bulk of star-forming galaxies. Additional precise localizations are required to confirm this trend.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Mitigating radio frequency interference in CHIME/FRB real-time intensity data

Extragalactic fast radio bursts (FRBs) are a new class of astrophysical transients with unknown origins that have become a main focus of radio observatories worldwide. FRBs are highly energetic ($\sim 10^{36}$-$10^{42}$ ergs) flashes that last for about a millisecond. Thanks to its broad bandwidth (400-800 MHz), large field of view ($\sim$200 sq. deg.), and massive data rate (1500 TB of coherently beamformed data per day), the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment / Fast Radio Burst (CHIME/FRB) project has increased the total number of discovered FRBs by over a factor 10 in 3 years of operation. CHIME/FRB observations are hampered by the constant exposure to radio frequency interference (RFI) from artificial devices (e.g., cellular phones, aircraft), resulting in $\sim$20% loss of bandwidth. In this work, we describe our novel technique for mitigating RFI in CHIME/FRB real-time intensity data. We mitigate RFI through a sequence of iterative operations, which mask out statistical outliers from frequency-channelized intensity data that have been effectively high-pass filtered. Keeping false positive and false negative rates at very low levels, our approach is useful for any high-performance surveys of radio transients in the future.

astro-ph.IM↗