arXiv subjects

Krzysztof Lisiecki

Publications and source records attributed to Krzysztof Lisiecki.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Extending the Little Red Dot population at intermediate redshift with VIPERS

Little red dots (LRDs) are a recently identified population of compact, red sources characterised by a distinctive V-shaped UV-to-optical continuum and broad emission lines. Their physical structure and evolution remain uncertain, while their properties at intermediate redshifts are largely unexplored. We identify and characterise LRD-like sources at 0.5 0.5, bridging local and high-redshift studies. Their abundance, compact morphology, environmental properties, and multi-wavelength emission provide new constraints on the evolution and physical origin of this population.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

CORN -- Chronometers of Relic Nature I: The first estimate of the expansion rate of the Universe using compact relic galaxies

Measuring the expansion rate of the Universe is a central challenge in cosmology. Independent and robust methods are essential to validate existing measurements and assess potential systematic effects. We employ the cosmic chronometer (CC) approach, which uses the differential age evolution of quiescent galaxies to measure the Hubble parameter H(z) without assuming an underlying cosmological model. In contrast to previous CC studies, we restrict our analysis to relics -- ultra compact massive galaxies (UCMGs) hosting the oldest stellar populations -- thereby minimising uncertainties related to star formation history and merger history. We select a sample of 189 relic galaxies in the redshift range 0.07< z <0.22 from the E-INSPIRE UCMGs catalogue. Using the D_n4000 spectral index of relic galaxies and its redshift evolution, combined with MILES stellar population synthesis models, we derive the differential age relation required to infer H(z). We account not only for metallicity effects but also for the impact of alpha-element enhancement, which has not been explicitly propagated into the systematic uncertainty budget of the D_n4000 cosmic chronometer method. We obtain an independent measurement of H(z=0.15) = 85\pm53 km/s/Mpc. The total uncertainty is dominated by statistical limitations. The systematic component is 13% (8.7% when alpha-enrichment is not propagated), among the tightest estimates in current CC studies. We find that alpha-enrichment plays a major role in the systematic error budget, particularly in the high metallicity regime, and must be properly accounted for in future analyses. We demonstrate the proof of concept that relic galaxies provide a promising pathway to reduce systematic uncertainties in the CC method. The statistical uncertainties, which dominate the error budget, can be significantly reduced by the increase of data volume expected during the next years.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2026

From DES to KiDS: Domain adaptation for cross-survey detection of low-surface-brightness galaxies

Low-surface-brightness galaxies (LSBGs) are vital for understanding galaxy formation, but their diffuse nature makes them challenging to detect. Upcoming large-scale surveys are expected to uncover large numbers of LSBGs, requiring robust automated methods to identify them across heterogeneous datasets. As a precursor to the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) and Euclid, we explore domain adaptation techniques for cross-survey LSBG identification. Using models trained on the Dark Energy Survey (DES), we search for LSBGs in the Kilo-Degree Survey Data Release 5 (KiDS DR5). We used an ensemble consisting of one convolutional neural network (CNN) and two transformer models trained on DES cutouts and applied to KiDS DR5 imaging data. Structural parameters were estimated with galfitm, and photometric redshifts and stellar population properties were estimated through spectral energy distribution fitting with CIGALE. We identify 20,180 LSBGs and 434 ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in KiDS DR5. Their structural parameters are similar to known LSBGs from DES and the Hyper Suprime-Cam SSP Survey (HSC-SSP). The KiDS-LSBGs follow a continuous size-luminosity relation connecting classical dwarf galaxies and UDGs, and their colours are bimodal ($\sim73\%$ blue, $\sim27\%$ red). Cross-matching with spectroscopic and cluster catalogues provides redshifts for 4,913 systems, enabling a systematic characterisation of the star-forming main sequence of LSBGs. Strong environmental trends are evident, with cluster LSBGs and UDGs exhibiting redder colours and reduced star formation compared to non-cluster systems. We demonstrate that domain adaptation enables robust cross-survey LSBG identification with deep learning models, providing a scalable pathway for constructing homogeneous LSBG catalogues for the LSST and Euclid era.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

ALMA reveals diverse dust-to-gas mass ratios and quenching modes in old quiescent galaxies

Recent discoveries of dust and molecular gas in quiescent galaxies (QGs) up to $z\sim3$ challenge the long-standing view that the interstellar medium depletes rapidly once star formation ceases, raising key questions of whether dust and gas co-evolve in QGs, and how their depletion links to stellar aging. We present deep Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band~6 continuum and CO(3--2) observations of 17 QGs at $z\sim0.4$ in the COSMOS field. Using the dust-to-molecular gas mass ratio ($δ_{\rm DGR}$) as a key diagnostic, we trace post-quenching evolution of the cold interstellar medium. Our study triples the number of QGs with direct $δ_{\rm DGR}$ estimates, constraining 12 systems with stellar population ages of $\sim$5--10 Gyr. For the first time, we show that $δ_{\rm DGR}$ in QGs ranges from $\sim8\times$ below to $\sim2.5\times$ above the canonical value of $δ_{\rm DGR}\sim1/100$. Despite uniformly low molecular gas fractions (median $f_{\rm H_2}=M_{\rm H_2}/M_{\star}\sim4.1\%$), QGs follow diverse evolutionary paths: about half exhibit rapid ($\sim700$ Myr) exponential dust decline with age, while the rest show mild decline over $\gtrsim$2 Gyr, maintaining elevated $δ_{\rm DGR}\gtrsim1/100$. Our results support simulations predictions of dust and molecular gas evolving independently post-quenching, without a preferred quenching mode. This challenges the use of dust continuum as a $\rm H_2$ tracer, implying that quenching cannot be robustly linked to interstellar medium conditions when relying solely on dust or gas.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

The first catalogue of spectroscopically confirmed red nuggets at z~0.7 from the VIPERS survey. Linking high-z red nuggets and local relics

'Red nuggets' are a rare population of passive compact massive galaxies thought to be the first massive galaxies that formed in the Universe. First found at $z \sim 3$, they are even less abundant at lower redshifts, and it is believed that with time they mostly transformed through mergers into today's giant ellipticals. Those red nuggets which managed to escape this fate can serve as unique laboratories to study the early evolution of massive galaxies. In this paper, we aim to make use of the VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey to build the largest up-to-date catalogue of spectroscopically confirmed red nuggets at the intermediate redshift $0.5 8\times10^{10}$ $\rm{M}_{\odot}$ and effective radii $R_\mathrm{e}<1.5$ kpc. Among them, we select red, passive galaxies with old stellar population based on colour--colour NUVrK diagram, star formation rate values, and verification of their optical spectra. Verifying the influence of the limit of the source compactness on the selection, we found that the sample size can vary even up to two orders of magnitude, depending on the chosen criterion. Using one of the most restrictive criteria with additional checks on their spectra and passiveness, we spectroscopically identified only 77 previously unknown red nuggets. The resultant catalogue of 77 red nuggets is the largest such catalogue built based on the uniform set of selection criteria above the local Universe. Number density calculated on the final sample of 77 VIPERS passive red nuggets per comoving Mpc$^3$ increases from 4.7$\times10^{-6}$ at $z \sim 0.61$ to $9.8 \times 10^{-6}$ at $z \sim 0.95$, which is higher than values estimated in the local Universe, and lower than the ones found at $z>2$. It fills the gap at intermediate redshift.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

V838 Monocerotis as seen by ALMA: a remnant of a binary merger in a triple system

V838 Mon erupted in 2002 quickly becoming the prototype of a new type of stellar eruptions known today as (luminous) red novae. The red nova outbursts are thought to be caused by stellar mergers. The merger in V838 Mon took place in a triple or higher system involving two B-type stars. We mapped the merger site with ALMA at a resolution of 25 mas in continuum dust emission and in rotational lines of simple molecules, including CO, SiO, SO, SO$_2$, AlOH, and H$_2$S. We use radiative transfer calculations to reproduce the remnant's architecture at the epoch of the ALMA observations. For the first time, we identify the position of the B-type companion relative to the outbursting component of V838 Mon. The stellar remnant is surrounded by a clumpy wind with characteristics similar to winds of red supergiants. The merger product is also associated with an elongated structure, $17.6 \times 7.6$ mas, seen in continuum emission, and which we interpret as a disk seen at a moderate inclination. Maps of continuum and molecular emission show also a complex region of interaction between the B-type star (its gravity, radiation, and wind) and the flow of matter ejected in 2002. The remnant's molecular mass is about 0.1 M$_{\odot}$ and the dust mass is 8.3$\cdot$10$^{-3}$ M$_{\odot}$. The mass of the atomic component remains unconstrained. The most interesting region for understanding the merger of V838 Mon remains unresolved but appears elongated. To study it further in more detail will require even higher angular resolutions. ALMA maps show us an extreme form of interaction between the merger ejecta with a distant (250 au) companion. This interaction is similar to that known from the Antares AB system but at a much higher mass loss rate. The B-type star not only deflects the merger ejecta but also changes its chemical composition with an involvement of circumstellar shocks.

astro-ph.SR↗