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Mario Radovich

Publications and source records attributed to Mario Radovich.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

CHEX-MATE: AMALGAM weak-lensing analysis of 41 Planck Sunyaev-Zel'dovich-selected galaxy clusters

We present a weak-lensing shear analysis of 41 Planck SZ-selected galaxy clusters at $0.11\le z\le 0.55$ from the CHEX-MATE sample, using wide-field Subaru/Suprime-Cam and CFHT/MegaPrime imaging from the AMALGAM project. We detect the azimuthally averaged weak-lensing signal around the X-ray peak of each cluster, achieving a median S/N of 6.5 per cluster. The $45^\circ$-rotated component has a median S/N of -0.1 and ranges from -1.8 to +1.8, consistent with zero. We model the excess surface mass density profile of each cluster with an NFW profile to infer weak-lensing mass and concentration constraints. The total systematic uncertainty in the weak-lensing mass calibration is assessed to be $8\%$. Using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, we then derive weak-lensing-calibrated scaling relations for the halo concentration, $c_{200}$, as a function of $M_{200}$ and redshift, and for the Planck SZ mass proxy, $M_{SZ}$, as a function of $M_{500}$ and redshift, while accounting for sample selection effects, weak-lensing modelling biases, and residual calibration uncertainty. At $M_{200}=10^{15}M_\odot$ and $z=0.25$, we find $c_{200}=3.53\pm0.71$ with an intrinsic scatter of $0.22\pm0.04$ dex. The inferred normalisation and scatter are consistent with recent $\Lambda$CDM predictions for massive haloes, with no significant mass or redshift dependence over the probed range. For the Planck mass proxy, our baseline regression yields $M_{SZ}/M_{500}=0.83\pm0.09$ at $M_{500}=7\times10^{14}M_\odot$ and $z=0.25$, with an intrinsic scatter of $0.10\pm0.02$ dex. A restricted model with fixed unit mass slope and no redshift evolution gives $1-b=0.72\pm0.11$. We also provide weak-lensing-calibrated posterior estimates of $M_{500}$ for the sample based on the baseline $M_{SZ}$--$M_{500}$--$z$ relation. These results provide an initial weak-lensing mass calibration for CHEX-MATE multi-probe cluster studies.

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Galaxy clusters in the VIDEO fields: detection and characterisation in the context of MOONRISE

We analyse the cluster content of the $\sim 4.5 \text{ deg}^{2}$ XMM-LSS and CDFS VIDEO fields which are expected to be partially covered by the upcoming MOONRISE survey. Using AMICO and WaZP photometric redshift-based cluster finders, we construct a sample of $519$ cluster candidates detected by both finders in the redshift range $z = 0.1-3$, including $74$ detections at $z > 1.5$. For all detections, we identify the Brightest Central Galaxy (BCG) and compute a list of probabilistic cluster memberships. Our photometric redshift measurements of the clusters agree well with spectroscopic redshifts from the literature, when available. From ancillary spectroscopic data, we assign $z_\text{spec}$ measurements to $116$ cluster candidates based on their spectroscopic members and to $204$ based on their likely BCGs. We also show that candidates containing Radio-Loud members are efficiently recovered using the prior-based cluster finder PPM. We perform a preliminary analysis of the galaxy content of these candidates, focusing on the Red-Sequence components of their apparent Colour-Magnitude Diagram. By comparing with models of galaxy evolution, we show that this population is consistent with a model of passive evolution with a formation at high redshift, and is already in place at $z = 1.5-2.0$. Finally, our cluster sample is used to evaluate how these clusters would be detected and characterised, according to various MOONRISE strategies. We show that cluster spectroscopic confirmation and characterisation could be efficiently achieved up to $z\sim1.7$ even with the shallowest survey strategy. This open unprecedented insight into the physical properties of high-redshift galaxy clusters and into galaxy formation in dense environments.

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GREX-PLUS Science Book v2

GREX-PLUS (Galaxy Reionization EXplorer and PLanetary Universe Spectrometer) is a mission candidate for a JAXA strategic L-class mission to be launched in the 2030s. Its primary science goals are two-fold: galaxy formation and evolution, and planetary system formation and evolution. The GREX-PLUS spacecraft will carry a telescope with a 1 m primary mirror aperture cooled down to 50 K. The two science instruments will be onboard: a wide-field camera in the 2--8 $\mu$m wavelength band and a high-resolution spectrometer with a wavelength resolution of 30,000 in the 10--18 $\mu$m band. The GREX-PLUS wide-field camera aims to detect the first generation of galaxies at redshift $z>15$. The GREX-PLUS high-resolution spectrometer aims to identify the location of the water ``snowline'' in protoplanetary disks. Both instruments will provide unique datasets for a broad range of scientific topics, including galaxy mass assembly, the origin of supermassive blackholes, infrared background radiation, molecular spectroscopy in the interstellar medium, transit spectroscopy of exoplanet atmospheres, planetary atmospheres in the Solar System, and so on. This document is the second version of a collection of scientific themes that can be achieved with GREX-PLUS. Each section in Chapters~2 and 3 is based on presentations at several GREX-PLUS Science Workshops.

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With arms wide open: a VLT/MUSE view of the mechanisms driving unwinding spiral arms in cluster galaxies

The environmental mechanisms driving unwinding spiral arms in cluster galaxies remain debated. While earlier studies attributed it mainly to gravitational interactions, recent works suggest that RPS alone can induce unwinding. We present a VLT/MUSE spatially resolved analysis to investigate the mechanisms responsible for spiral-arm unwinding in two galaxies, UG101 and UG103, drawn from a larger sample. They are selected as tidal and RPS-driven candidates, respectively, based on the proximity of close neighbors. We estimate the galactocentric radius at which tidal forces, from a companion or the cluster potential, become relevant ($R_{\mathrm{tid}}$). We examine gas and stellar kinematics, exploiting their different responses to gravitational and hydrodynamical perturbations. SINOPSIS is used to map stellar populations in age bins and constrain unwinding timescales. For UG101, we find $R_{\mathrm{tid}} \sim 1.5 R_e$, while the unwound features extend beyond this radius. UG101 shows irregular stellar and gas kinematics; its rotation curve indicates similar motions, although the gas is truncated on one side and extended on the other. For UG103, neither the closest companion nor the cluster appear capable of triggering unwinding. UG103 displays regular stellar but disturbed gas kinematics, with truncation on the disk side likely facing the ICM wind and gas extended in the opposite direction. Stellar population maps show the emergence and unwinding of the spiral arms in UG103 on timescales consistent with its cluster infall time ($\sim 1.6$ Gyr). We conclude that unwinding in UG101 and UG103 is primarily driven by tidal interactions and RPS, respectively, although a combined effect cannot be excluded for UG101. Our methodology provides a framework to identify the mechanisms driving unwinding in cluster galaxies from spatially resolved properties.

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The supersonic nature of jellyfish galaxies

All gas-rich galaxies in cluster environments are expected to experience ram-pressure stripping from the intra-cluster medium. However, only a fraction of these develop ongoing star-formation in their stripped tail, becoming the so-called ``jellyfish'' galaxies. In this work we provide observational evidence that magnetic fields can signal differences in the extraplanar star formation and explore what are the physical conditions that lead to the formation of a jellyfish galaxy. We first focus on JO147, a jellyfish galaxy that features weak star formation activity in its tail. Using MeerKAT radio continuum observations, we discover polarized emission only in a small fraction of its tail, with an average fraction of $~10\%$, and a low Mach number $\mathcal{M}=1.3-1.6$, which suggests a possible association between magnetic field draping, shock-compression of the gas, and extraplanar star formation activity. Then, we test this scenario in a sample of 17 jellyfish galaxies from the GASP project. We combine dynamical models for their orbits within the host clusters with realistic cluster temperature profiles to infer their Mach number, and we find a positive correlation between it and the star formation activity in their tail. We conclude that supersonic motion is a necessary condition for triggering star formation in the stripped tails of jellyfish galaxies. Our findings provide empirical evidence that the critical factor preventing the stripped gas evaporation is the shock compression induced by the supersonic motion through the cluster. This process likely enhances the magnetic field surrounding the galaxy and the properties of the stripped material.

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Cosmology with galaxy clusters using machine learning. Application to eROSITA Data

Context: We present the first Cosmological Parameter inferences from eROSITA X-ray observations of galaxy clusters using a Machine Learning algorithm. Methods: We train a Random Forest using mock catalogs of clusters from Magneticum multi-cosmology hydrodynamical simulations. We apply the trained ML algorithm to observed X-ray features (gas luminosity, mass, and temperature) at different redshifts from the eROSITA eFEDS and eRASS1 catalogs. Results: We obtain cosmological constraints with precision comparable to those from standard analyses, such as weak lensing and cluster abundances. We infer $\Omega_{\rm m}=0.30^{+0.03}_{-0.02}$, $\sigma_8=0.81\pm0.01$, and $h_0=0.710\pm0.004$. The recovered parameters show no tension in the $\Omega_{\rm m}-\sigma_8$ space, but a significant deviation of $h_0$ from the Planck estimates. These inferences remain rather stable against variations of the input observable set and parameter space coverage. These results indicate that correlations among intracluster properties contain cosmological information beyond that encoded in the cluster abundance alone, which can be captured by machine learning trained on multi-cosmology simulations. Conclusions: ML algorithms trained on multi-cosmology hydrodynamical simulations can effectively infer cosmological parameters directly from galaxy cluster data. This is a change of paradigm in the context of cosmological parameter inferences. This approach complements traditional cluster-count analyses and is particularly suited to large upcoming surveys, where systematic uncertainties in mass calibration may otherwise dominate the error budget. It also highlights the potential of large-scale X-ray surveys to deliver independent tests of the standard cosmological model.

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CFHT MegaCam Two Deep Fields Imaging Survey (2DFIS) II: Decoding the Lensing Profile of a "Rotating" Cluster with Deep CFHT Imaging

We present a multi-wavelength analysis of the galaxy cluster RXCJ0110.0+1358 ($z=0.058$), a rotating cluster candidate, combining deep CFHT imaging, SDSS photometry, spectroscopic redshifts, and XMM-Newton X-ray observations. We find a notable discrepancy between the optical and X-ray views: while optical data reveal a pronounced bimodal galaxy distribution with significant kinematic substructure signatures, the X-ray emission exhibits a single, smoothly extended component centered on the BCG. Our weak lensing analysis resolves this discrepancy by revealing that the mass is predominantly concentrated in the southeast ($\log M_{200}/M_\odot = 14.04_{-0.40}^{+0.24}$), while the northwestern substructure has a negligible mass ($\sim 10^{13} M_\odot$). This immense mass disparity rules out the dynamical possibility of a rotating system. We demonstrate that the apparent optical bimodality arises from the projection of a filament, which led optical group-finding algorithms to misclassify these galaxies as cluster members. This contamination creates a spurious substructure that mimics a rotation signal and leads to an overestimation of the luminosity-based halo mass, resolving the observed inconsistencies.

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KiDS-Legacy: Constraints on Horndeski gravity from weak lensing combined with galaxy clustering and cosmic microwave background anisotropies

We present constraints on modified gravity from a cosmic shear analysis of the final data release of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS-Legacy) in combination with DESI measurements of baryon acoustic oscillations, eBOSS observations of redshift space distortions, and cosmic microwave background anisotropies from Planck. We study the Horndeski class of modified gravity models in an effective field theory framework employing a parameterisation that satisfies stability conditions by construction and, for the first time, present a cosmological analysis in this inherently stable parameter basis. Cosmic shear constrains the Horndeski parameter space significantly, matching or surpassing the CMB contribution. Adopting the de-mixed kinetic term of the scalar field perturbation, $D_{\rm kin}$, and the deviation of the Planck mass from its fiducial value, $\Delta M_*^2\equiv M_*^2-1$, as model parameters, we constrain their present values to be $\Delta \hat{M}_*^2=0.32^{+0.07}_{-0.21}$ and $\hat{D}_{\rm kin} = 3.74^{+0.69}_{-1.92}$, which deviate from general relativity at $1.5\sigma$ and $1.9\sigma$, respectively. We derive constraints on the structure growth parameter $S_8=0.813^{+0.008}_{-0.011}$, which is compatible with the $\Lambda$CDM constraint at $0.54\sigma$. We obtain the deviation of the effective Newtonian coupling from the GR value as $\Delta \mu_{\infty,{\rm eff}}=0.066\pm0.023$, corresponding to a $2.9\sigma$ significance. Although modified gravity provides a slightly better fit to the data, a model comparison shows only a weak preference for modified gravity at the $1.4\sigma$ level. When adopting a dynamical dark energy model of the background cosmology, the inferred modified gravity parameter constraints are stable with respect to a $\Lambda$CDM background, while a mild preference at $1.57\sigma$ for dynamical dark energy remains.

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KiDS-Legacy: Constraining dark energy, neutrino mass, and curvature

We constrained minimally extended cosmological models with the cosmic shear analysis of the final data release from the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS-Legacy) in combination with external probes. Due to the consistency of the KiDS-Legacy analysis with the cosmic microwave background (CMB), we could combine these datasets reliably for the first time. Additionally, we used CMB lensing, galaxy redshift-space distortions, and baryon acoustic oscillations. We assessed, in turn, the effects of spatial curvature, varying neutrino masses, and an evolving dark energy component on cosmological constraints from KiDS-Legacy alone and from KiDS-Legacy combined with external probes. We find KiDS-Legacy to be consistent with the fiducial flat $\Lambda$-cold dark matter ($\Lambda$CDM) analysis with $c^2 \sum m_\nu\leq 1.5\,$eV, $w_0 = -1.0\pm 0.7$, and $w_a = -1.3^{+1.9}_{-2.0}$ while $\Omega_K = 0.08^{+0.16}_{-0.17}$ (1$\sigma$ bounds) with an almost equal goodness of fit. The $w_0w_a$CDM model is not a significant improvement over $\Lambda$CDM when cosmic shear and CMB lensing are combined, yielding a Bayes factor $B = 0.07$. If all probes are combined, however, $B$ increases to 2.73, corresponding to a $2.6\sigma$ suspiciousness tension. The constraint on $S_8 = \sigma_8\sqrt{\Omega_\mathrm{m}/0.3}$ is robust to opening up the parameter space for cosmic shear. Adding all external datasets to KiDS-Legacy, we find $S_8 = 0.816 \pm 0.006$ in $\Lambda$CDM and $S_8 = 0.837 \pm 0.008$ in $w_0 w_a$CDM for all probes combined.

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Distinguishing ram pressure from gravitational interactions: Applying the Size-Shape Difference method to real galaxies

In dense environments, mechanisms like ram pressure stripping (RPS) and gravitational interactions can induce similar morphological features in galaxies, distinguishable only through detailed study of their stellar properties. While RPS affects recently formed stars by displacing the gas disk from which they form, gravitational interactions perturb stars of all ages rather similarly. We present the first observational test of the Size-Shape Difference (SSD) measure, a novel approach validated for simulated galaxies, that quantifies morphological differences between young and intermediate-age stellar populations to distinguish RPS from gravitationally interacting galaxies. We analyze 67 galaxies from the GASP survey using spatially-resolved star formation histories derived using SINOPSIS. In our fiducial model, we compare stellar populations in two age bins (t < 20 Myr and 20 Myr <= t < 570 Myr) to calculate SSD values. The sample includes confirmed RPS cases with different stripping intensities, as well as undisturbed and gravitationally interacting galaxies. We find that extreme cases of RPS show SSD values ~3.5x higher than undisturbed and gravitationally interacting galaxies (56(+24/-15) as compared to 16(+6/-2) and 16(+6/-3), respectively), confirming simulation predictions. This enhancement reflects RPS-induced asymmetries: youngest stars are compressed along the leading edge and/or displaced into the extended tails of cold gas, while older populations remain undisturbed. In contrast, gravitational interactions perturb all stars uniformly, producing lower SSD values. SSD robustly distinguishes strong RPS cases, even adopting different age bins. This holds even without correcting for disk inclination, or when single-band imaging are used to trace stellar distributions. This makes SSD a promising tool to select RPS candidates for spectroscopic follow-up in upcoming surveys.

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Using Deep Learning Methods to Detect for Ultra-diffuse Galaxies in KiDS

Ultra-diffuse Galaxies (UDGs) are a subset of Low Surface Brightness Galaxies (LSBGs), showing mean effective surface brightness fainter than $24\ \rm mag\ \rm arcsec^{-2}$ and a diffuse morphology, with effective radii larger than 1.5 kpc. Due to their elusiveness, traditional methods are challenging to be used over large sky areas. Here we present a catalog of ultra-diffuse galaxy (UDG) candidates identified in the full 1350 deg$^2$ area of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) using deep learning. In particular, we use a previously developed network for the detection of low surface brightness systems in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey \citep[LSBGnet,][]{su2024lsbgnet} and optimised for UDG detection. We train this new UDG detection network for KiDS (UDGnet-K), with an iterative approach, starting from a small-scale training sample. After training and validation, the UGDnet-K has been able to identify $\sim3300$ UDG candidates, among which, after visual inspection, we have selected 545 high-quality ones. The catalog contains independent re-discovery of previously confirmed UDGs in local groups and clusters (e.g NGC 5846 and Fornax), and new discovered candidates in about 15 local systems, for a total of 67 {\it bona fide} associations. Besides the value of the catalog {\it per se} for future studies of UDG properties, this work shows the effectiveness of an iterative approach to training deep learning tools in presence of poor training samples, due to the paucity of confirmed UDG examples, which we expect to replicate for upcoming all-sky surveys like Rubin Observatory, Euclid and the China Space Station Telescope.

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Matter power spectrum reconstruction with KiDS-Legacy: Improved internal $\Lambda$CDM consistency and preference for strong baryonic feedback

Direct measurements of the matter power spectrum, $P_\mathrm{m}(k,z)$, provide a powerful tool to investigate observed tensions between models of structure growth while also testing the internal consistency of cosmological probes. We analyse cosmic shear data from the final data release of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS), presenting a deprojected $P_\mathrm{m}(k,z)$, measured in up to three redshift bins. Compared to analyses using previous KiDS releases, we find improved internal consistency in the $z\lesssim0.7$ regime. At large scales, $k\lesssim0.1\,h\,\rm Mpc^{-1}$, our power spectrum reconstruction aligns with $\Lambda$CDM predictions with a density fluctuation amplitude $\sigma_8=0.81$. Furthermore, at small scales, $k=3$-$20\,h\,\rm Mpc^{-1}$, the average matter power spectrum is suppressed by $30\%\pm10\%\,{\rm (stat.)}\pm4\%\,{\rm (sys.)}$ with $2.8\sigma$ significance relative to a dark-matter-only model, consistent with expectations of strong baryonic feedback.

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Spatially resolved gas-phase metallicity at z~2-3 with JWST/NIRISS

Spatially resolved gas-phase metallicity maps are a crucial element in understanding the chemical evolution of galaxies. We present spatially resolved metallicity maps obtained from NIRISS/WFSS observations. This is the first such work presenting multiple individual galaxies. We investigate the source of ionisation, metallicity and its relation to star-formation in a spatially-resolved sense for a sample of eight galaxies -- four from JWST-PASSAGE and four from GLASS-JWST ERS. All but one galaxy are in the redshift range $1.9 \leq z \leq 2$, the outlier being at $z = 3.1$. Our sample covers a range of $8.0 <$ \logM $< 9.5$ in stellar mass, $0.2 <$ $\log{\rm{(SFR}}$/\Msunpyr) $< 1.1$ in star-formation rate (SFR) and $7.8 <$ \logOH $< 9.0$ in global metallicity. As a solution to the challenge of SF-AGN demarcation in absence of resolved \halpha, we present a new SF-demarcation line in the \textit{OHNO} parameter space based on MAPPINGS v5.1 publicly available \hii region model grids. We present the mass-metallicity gradient relation for our sample, which showed no clear trend with stellar mass, perhaps hinting at the fact that the high-$z$ galaxies have not yet started their accretion dominated phase. By interpreting the correlation between spatially resolved metallicity and SFR maps as a proxy for effective timescales of metal-transport in galaxies, we find a weak trend such that this timescale increases with stellar mass, implying a more effective feedback in lower mass galaxies.

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The MUSE view of ram pressure stripped galaxies in clusters: the GASP sample

We present the full sample of 76 galaxies in 39 galaxy cluster fields at z=0.04-0.07 observed with VLT/MUSE by the GASP survey. Most of them (64) were observed as possible ram pressure stripped galaxies (stripping candidates) based on optical B-band images, while the remaining 12 were a control sample of both star-forming and passive galaxies. Based on spatially resolved ionized gas and stellar kinematics, we assess the physical origin of the gas asymmetries and find that 89% of the stripping candidates are confirmed by the VLT/MUSE data. In addition, also 3 of the 4 star-forming galaxies in the control sample show signs of ram pressure. These control galaxies display a ring of unusual emission line ratios, which we see also in field galaxies, possibly originating from the interaction with a hotter surrounding medium. The stripped galaxies are classified into various classes corresponding to different degrees of stripping, from weakest stripping to strong and extreme (jellyfish galaxies) stripping, as well as truncated gas disks with gas left only in the galaxy center. Our results show that selecting cluster stripping candidates based on optical imaging yields a sample that is indeed largely dominated by galaxies affected by ram pressure at different stages and stripping strength, though some contamination is present, mostly by tidal processes. Strong ram pressure cases are found in galaxies over the whole range of stellar masses studied (10^9-10^11.5 Msun) both in low-mass and high-mass clusters (cluster velocity dispersions sigma = 500-1100 km/s). We examine the possible connection between the progressive stages of stripping, up to the phase of a truncated gas disk, and the subsequent complete stripping of gas. We discuss the incompleteness intrinsic to this and other methods of selection to obtain a complete census of ram pressure stripping in clusters.

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CHEX-MATE: exploring the kinematical properties of Planck galaxy clusters

We analyse the kinematical properties of the CHEX-MATE (Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton - Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the Endpoint of structure formation) galaxy cluster sample. [...] We derive cluster mass profiles for 75 clusters using the \textsc{MG-MAMPOSSt} procedure, which recovers the gravitational potential and the anisotropy profiles from line-of-sight velocities and projected positions of galaxy members. The standard NFW and the Burkert models with flatter cores than NFW both adequately fit the kinematic data, with only marginal statistical preference for one model over the other. An estimation of the mass bias $(1-B_1) = M^{SZ}_{500}/M^{M}_{500} $ is performed from the comparison with SZ-X-ray-calibrated mass estimates, resulting in a value of $ 0.54 \pm 0.11$ when four evidently disturbed clusters are removed from the sample. We assess the dynamical state of the clusters by inferring the Anderson-Darling coefficient $(A^2)$ and the fraction of galaxies in substructures ($f_\text{sub}$). Except for a few cases, we found relatively low values for $A^2$, suggesting that CHEX-MATE clusters are not too far from relaxation. Moreover, no significant trends emerge among $A^2,\,f_\text{sub}$ and the difference between the log-masses estimated by \textsc{MG-MAMPOSSt} and by SZ-X-ray. We study the concentration-mass relation for the sample; despite the large scatter, we observe signs of an increasing trend for large-mass clusters, in agreement with recent theoretical expectations. Finally, the analysis of radial anisotropy profiles of member galaxies - stacked in five bins of mass and redshift - reveals that orbits tend to be isotropic at the center and more radial towards the edge, as already found in previous studies. A slight trend of increasing radial orbits at $r_{200}$ is observed in clusters with larger velocity dispersion

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The interplay between Active Galactic Nuclei and Ram-pressure stripping: spatially resolved gas-phase abundances of stripped and undisturbed galaxies

The gas-phase oxygen abundance of the circumnuclear regions around supermassive black holes (SMBH) has been claimed to be affected by the presence of an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN). However, there is currently no consensus on the mechanism driving this effect. In this work, we explore whether the interplay between AGN activity and the Ram Pressure Stripping (RPS) can influence the metallicity distributions of nearby (z < 0.07) galaxies. To this aim, we measure the spatially resolved gas-phase oxygen abundances of 10 stripped AGN hosts from the GASP survey, as well as 52 AGN hosts found in the field, which are undisturbed by the effects of ram pressure, drawn from the MaNGA DR15. We find that the metal distributions in these two samples do not differ significantly. Only 2 out of the 10 RP-stripped AGNs present lower oxygen abundances at any given radius than the rest of the AGN sample. Overall, this result highlights that the AGN-RPS interplay does not play a significant role in shaping the metallicity distributions of stripped galaxies within 1.5 times the galaxy's effective radius (r < 1.5 Re). However, larger samples are required to draw more definitive conclusions. By including a control sample of SF galaxies, we observe that the AGN hosts are more metal-enriched than SF galaxies at any given radius. More than that, the steepness of the gradients in the nuclear regions (r < 0.5 Re) is greater in AGN hosts than in SF galaxies. These results favor the hypothesis that the AGN activity is causing metal pollution in the galaxy's nuclear regions.

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Stripped and Enriched: The Role of Ram-Pressure in Shaping Chemical Enrichment of Galaxies at Intermediate Redshift

The chemical evolution of galaxies is shaped by their star formation histories and the exchange of gas with their environments. Metallicity provides key insights into these processes, reflecting the interplay between star formation and gas flows. A fundamental aspect of this evolution is the mass-metallicity relation, which captures the strong correlation between a galaxy stellar mass ($M_\star$) and its gas-phase oxygen abundance. In this study, we use MUSE observations to analyze star-forming disc galaxies in 12 clusters within the redshift range $0.3 < z < 0.5$. Galaxies were classified into three groups: ram-pressure stripping (RPS), control cluster, and control field. For the first time, we investigate the impact of RPS on gas-phase metallicities across a wide mass range of galaxies at intermediate redshift, comparing RPS galaxies to counterparts in both cluster and field environments. By analyzing the integrated flux within galactic disks, our results reveal that, on average, RPS induces a metallicity enhancement of 0.2 dex over non-stripped galaxies. Contrary to the prevailing view that cluster membership alone drives metallicity enrichment, we find that control cluster galaxies exhibit metallicities comparable to field galaxies at a given $M_\star$, with only RPS galaxies displaying significantly higher metal content, highlighting the unique role of RPS in shaping the chemical properties of galaxies. These differences become more pronounced at lower $M_\star$, indicating that environmental influences play a more critical role in shaping the chemical evolution of lower-mass galaxies. Our findings suggest that both enhanced star formation rates and suppressed gas inflows -- consequences of ram pressure stripping -- drive the elevated metallicity observed in RPS galaxies.

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INSPIRE: INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics VIII. Emission lines and UV colours in ultra-compact massive galaxies

We report the discovery of emission lines in the optical spectra of ultra-compact massive galaxies (UCMGs) from INSPIRE, including relics, which are the oldest galaxies in the Universe. Emission-lines diagnostic diagrams suggest that all these UCMGs, independently of their star formation histories, are `retired galaxies'. They are inconsistent with being star-forming but lie in the same region of shock-driven emissions or photoionisation models, incorporating the contribution from post-asymptotic giant branch (pAGB) stars. Furthermore, all but one INSPIRE objects have a high [OII]/H{\alpha} ratio, resembling what has been reported for normal-size red and dead galaxies. The remaining object (J1142+0012) is the only one to show clear evidence for strong active galactic nucleus activity from its spectrum. We also provide near-UV (far-UV) fluxes for 20 (5) INSPIRE objects that match in GALEX. Their NUV-r colours are consistent with those of galaxies lying in the UV green valley, but also with the presence of recently (<0.5 Gyr) formed stars at the sub-percent fraction level. This central recent star formation could have been ignited by gas that was originally ejected during the pAGB phases and then re-compressed and brought to the core by the ram-pressure stripping of Planetary Nebula envelopes. Once in the centre, it can be shocked and re-emit spectral lines.

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