arXiv subjects

Laura Lopez

Publications and source records attributed to Laura Lopez.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Linking stellar populations to HII regions across nearby galaxies. II. Infrared Reprocessed and UV Direct Radiation Pressure in HII Regions

Radiation pressure is a key mechanism by which stellar feedback disrupts molecular clouds and drives HII region expansion. This includes direct radiation pressure exerted by UV photons on dust grains, pressure associated with photoionization, and infrared (IR) radiation pressure on grains due to dust-reprocessed IR photons. We present a new method that combines high resolution mid-IR luminosities from JWST-MIRI, optical attenuation and nebular line measurements from VLT-MUSE, and HST H$\alpha$-based region sizes to estimate the strength of radiation pressure in $\approx 18,000$ HII regions across 19 nearby star-forming galaxies. This is the most extensive and direct estimate of these terms beyond the Local Group to date. In the disks of galaxies, we find that the total reprocessed IR pressure is on average 5% of the direct UV radiation pressure. This fraction rises to 10% in galaxy centers. We expect reprocessed IR radiation pressure to dominate over UV radiation pressure in regions where $L_{\rm F2100W}/L_{\rm H\alpha}^{\rm corr} \gtrsim 75$. Radiation pressure due to H ionizations is lower than pressure on dust in our sample, but appears likely to dominate the radiation pressure budget in dwarf galaxies similar to the Small Magellanic Cloud. The contribution from all radiation pressure terms appears to be subdominant compared to thermal pressure from ionized gas, reinforcing the view that radiation pressure is most important in compact, heavily embedded, and young regions.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Stellar associations powering HII regions $\unicode{x2013}$ I. Defining an evolutionary sequence

Connecting the gas in HII regions to the underlying source of the ionizing radiation can help us constrain the physical processes of stellar feedback and how HII regions evolve over time. With PHANGS$\unicode{x2013}$MUSE we detect nearly 24,000 HII regions across 19 galaxies and measure the physical properties of the ionized gas (e.g. metallicity, ionization parameter, density). We use catalogues of multi-scale stellar associations from PHANGS$\unicode{x2013}$HST to obtain constraints on the age of the ionizing sources. We construct a matched catalogue of 4,177 HII regions that are clearly linked to a single ionizing association. A weak anti-correlation is observed between the association ages and the H$\alpha$ equivalent width EW(H$\alpha$), the H$\alpha$/FUV flux ratio and the ionization parameter, log q. As all three are expected to decrease as the stellar population ages, this could indicate that we observe an evolutionary sequence. This interpretation is further supported by correlations between all three properties. Interpreting these as evolutionary tracers, we find younger nebulae to be more attenuated by dust and closer to giant molecular clouds, in line with recent models of feedback-regulated star formation. We also observe strong correlations with the local metallicity variations and all three proposed age tracers, suggestive of star formation preferentially occurring in locations of locally enhanced metallicity. Overall, EW(H$\alpha$) and log q show the most consistent trends and appear to be most reliable tracers for the age of an HII region.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Diophantine Problem in Some Metabelian Groups

In this paper we show that Diophantine problem for quadratic equations in Baumslag-Solitar groups $BS(1,k)$ and in wreath products $A \wr \mathbb{Z}$, where $A$ is a finitely generated abelian group and $\mathbb{Z}$ is an infinite cyclic group, is decidable.

math.GR↗

arXiv2019

High-Energy Astrophysics in the 2020s and Beyond

With each passing decade, we gain new appreciation for the dynamic, connected, and often violent nature of the Universe. This reality necessarily places the study of high-energy processes at the very heart of modern astrophysics. This White Paper illustrates the central role of high-energy astrophysics to some of the most pressing astrophysical problems of our time, the formation/evolution of galaxies, the origin of the heavy elements, star and planet formation, the emergence of life on exoplanets, and the search for new physics. We also highlight the new connections that are growing between astrophysicists and plasma physicists. We end with a discussion of the challenges that must be addressed to realize the potential of these connections, including the need for integrated planning across physics and astronomy programs in multiple agencies, and the need to foster the creativity and career aspirations of individual scientists in this era of large projects.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2018

Bi-interpretability of Some Monoids with the Arithmetic and Applications

We will prove bi-interpretability of the arithmetic $\N = \langle N, +,\cdot, 0, 1\rangle$ and the weak second order theory of $\N$ with the free monoid $\mathbb{M}_X$ of finite rank greater than 1 and with a non-trivial partially commutative monoid with trivial center. This bi-interpretability implies that finitely generated submonoids of these monoids are definable. Moreover, any recursively enumerable language in the alphabet $X$ is definable in $\mathbb{M}_X$. Primitive elements, and, therefore, free bases are definable in the free monoid. It has the so-called QFA property, namely there is a sentence $\phi$ such that every finitely generated monoid satisfying $\phi$ is isomorphic to $\mathbb{M}_X$. The same is true for a partially commutative monoid without center. We also prove that there is no quantifier elimination in the theory of any structure that is bi-interpretable with $\mathbb N$ to any boolean combination of formulas from $\Pi_n$ or $\Sigma_n$.

math.LO↗

arXiv2017

An XMM-Newton Study of the Mixed-Morphology Supernova Remnant G346.6-0.2

We present an X-ray imaging and spectroscopic study of the molecular cloud interacting mixed-morphology (MM) supernova remnant (SNR) G346.6-0.2 using XMM-Newton. The X-ray spectrum of the remnant is well described by a recombining plasma that most likely arises from adiabatic cooling, and has sub-solar abundances of Mg, Si, and S. Our fits also suggest the presence of either an additional power-law component with a photon index of $\sim$2, or an additional thermal component with a temperature of $\sim$2.0 keV. We investigate the possible origin of this component and suggest that it could arise from either the Galactic ridge X-ray emission, an unidentified pulsar wind nebula or X-ray synchrotron emission from high-energy particles accelerated at the shock. However, deeper, high resolution observations of this object are needed to shed light on the presence and origin of this feature. Based on its morphology, its Galactic latitude, the density of the surrounding environment and its association with a dense molecular cloud, G346.6-0.2 most likely arises from a massive progenitor that underwent core-collapse.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

The distribution of radioactive $^{44}$Ti in Cassiopeia A

The distribution of elements produced in the inner-most layers of a supernova explosion is a key diagnostic for studying the collapse of massive stars. Here we present the results of a 2.4 Ms \textit{NuSTAR} observing campaign aimed at studying the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A). We perform spatially-resolved spectroscopic analyses of the $^{44}$Ti ejecta which we use to determine the Doppler shift and thus the three-dimensional (3D) velocities of the $^{44}$Ti ejecta. We find an initial $^{44}$Ti mass of 1.54 $\pm$ 0.21 $\times 10^{-4}$ M$_{\odot}$ which has a present day average momentum direction of 340$^{\circ}$ $\pm$ 15$^{\circ}$ projected on to the plane of the sky (measured clockwise from Celestial North) and tilted by 58$^{\circ}$ $\pm$ 20$^{\circ}$ into the plane of the sky away from the observer, roughly opposite to the inferred direction of motion of the central compact object. We find some $^{44}$Ti ejecta that are clearly interior to the reverse shock and some that are clearly exterior to the reverse shock. Where we observe $^{44}$Ti ejecta exterior to the reverse shock we also see shock-heated iron; however, there are regions where we see iron but do not observe $^{44}$Ti. This suggests that the local conditions of the supernova shock during explosive nucleosynthesis varied enough to suppress the production of $^{44}$Ti in some regions by at least a factor of two, even in regions that are assumed to be the result of processes like $\alpha$-rich freezeout that should produce both iron and titanium.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Locating the most energetic electrons in Cassiopeia A

We present deep ($>$2.4 Ms) observations of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant with {\it NuSTAR}, which operates in the 3--79 keV bandpass and is the first instrument capable of spatially resolving the remnant above 15 keV. We find that the emission is not entirely dominated by the forward shock nor by a smooth "bright ring" at the reverse shock. Instead we find that the $>$15 keV emission is dominated by knots near the center of the remnant and dimmer filaments near the remnant's outer rim. These regions are fit with unbroken power-laws in the 15--50 keV bandpass, though the central knots have a steeper ($\Gamma \sim -3.35$) spectrum than the outer filaments ($\Gamma \sim -3.06$). We argue this difference implies that the central knots are located in the 3-D interior of the remnant rather than at the outer rim of the remnant and seen in the center due to projection effects. The morphology of $>$15 keV emission does not follow that of the radio emission nor that of the low energy ($<$12 keV) X-rays, leaving the origin of the $>$15 keV emission as an open mystery. Even at the forward shock front we find less steepening of the spectrum than expected from an exponentially cut off electron distribution with a single cutoff energy. Finally, we find that the GeV emission is not associated with the bright features in the {\it NuSTAR} band while the TeV emission may be, suggesting that both hadronic and leptonic emission mechanisms may be at work.

astro-ph.HE↗