SearcharxivSearch

arXiv subjects

Masashi Chiba

Publications and source records attributed to Masashi Chiba.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Fuzzy Dark Matter and the Impact of Core--Halo Diversity on Its Particle Mass Constraints

We investigate how diversity in the core--halo mass relation and the inclusion of higher-order velocity moments affect constraints on the fuzzy dark matter particle mass ($m_ψ$) inferred from the internal kinematics of dwarf galaxies. Using stellar line-of-sight velocities and projected positions for eight Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies, we model their dark matter halos as solitonic cores embedded within outer Navarro--Frenk--White envelopes. We apply both second- and fourth-order Jeans analyses to derive the posterior distribution of $m_ψ$. Our results show that there are two ranges of $m_ψ$ consistent with the observed kinematics: $\log_{10}(m_ψ/\mathrm{eV}) = -19.72^{+0.64}_{-0.56}$, and a narrower low-mass window $\log_{10}(m_ψ/\mathrm{eV}) = -21.81^{+0.39}_{-0.26}$, both within the 68\% credible intervals. The latter becomes prominent only when core--halo diversity is taken into account, which highlights the sensitivity of the inferred fuzzy dark matter particle mass constraints to our understanding of the core--halo relation. Future observations, providing larger stellar samples and more precise kinematic measurements, will be essential for clarifying the allowed parameter space of fuzzy dark matter.

astro-ph.GA

Galactic Archaeology with the Subaru `Ōnohi`ula Prime Focus Spectrograph Strategic Program

The recently commissioned Subaru `Ōnohi`ula Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) will obtain spectra from nearly 2,400 fibers that cover 1.24 square degrees. The 360 night Subaru Strategic Program for PFS is dedicating approximately one-third of its allocation (130 nights) to study the structure and evolution of galaxies in the Local Group. This Galactic Archaeological survey has three pillars. (1) We will determine whether the mass density profiles of dwarf galaxies are consistent with cusps, as expected for cold dark matter, or cores, as expected from alternative dark matter theories or baryonic feedback. We will deduce the density profiles as a function of radius from modeling of the full line-of-sight velocity and abundance distributions for six dwarf galaxies. Our total sample will consist of 18,000 member stars to beyond the nominal tidal radius of each system. (2) From measurements of the [alpha/Fe] abundance ratio, we will learn the difference in assembly history of the two most massive galaxies in the Local Group: M31 and the Milky Way. We will observe 30,000 member stars over 45 square degrees of M31's halo and outer disk. (3) We will uncover how the most fragile (outer) part of the Milky Way responded to accretion events both in the distant past (such as Gaia-Sausage Enceladus) and in more recent history (such as the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy). To support this study, PFS will provide velocities and metallicities--from which, in combination with photometry, we will deduce ages--for tens of thousands of main-sequence stars out to a Galactocentric distance of ~30 kpc.

astro-ph.GA

The Milky Way Tomography with Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam. II. Global halo structure

We investigate the structure of the Milky Way's stellar halo within 70 kpc of the Sun using a wide-field photometric catalog obtained from the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP). We employ a large sample of main-sequence turn-off stars as distance tracers. To robustly derive the structural parameters of the stellar halo, we develop a forward-modeling framework that explicitly accounts for distance uncertainties, the solar position, and the limited sky coverage of the survey. Applying this method to the HSC-SSP catalog, we found that the smooth stellar halo is well described by a double power-law density profile, with inner and outer slope of approximately -3.3 and -4.8, respectively, with a break radius of 17.4 kpc. The outer steep density slope derived in this work supports a picture in which the present-day structure of the Milky Way's stellar halo is influenced by early massive accretion events, consistent with inferences from kinematic substructures such as Gaia Enceladus/Sausage. Ongoing wide-field imaging surveys, including UNIONS and LSST, will provide further constraints on the structure of the stellar halo and key insights into its formation history.

astro-ph.GA

The Milky Way Tomography with Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam: Implications for the past orbit of the Large Magellanic Cloud

We report the discovery of diffuse stellar substructure in the Milky Way's outer halo toward Boötes, unveiled by deep imaging data of the Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam. This substructure is detected as an excess of faint main-sequence stars, at heliocentric distances beyond 30 kpc, extending over at least 100 $\mathrm{deg^2}$. To infer its origin, we compare the projected spatial distribution of these stars to that of simulated tidal debris from the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), under the assumptions that the LMC is on either its first or second passage of the Milky Way. We found that the observed overdensity lies in a region of the halo where debris from the LMC is expected if it is on its initial pericentric phase 7-8 Gyr ago, which is predicted in the second-passage model, while the first-passage model is unable to explain the observed substructure. Chemo-kinematical data are required to further constrain its past orbit and to understand the origin of this new halo substructure, as should be obtained in the near future with deep photometric surveys such as UNIONS and LSST, and wide-field spectroscopy such as possible with PFS and DESI.

astro-ph.GA

A Long Stellar Stream in M83: Possible Connection Between XUV Disks and Minor Mergers?

We present the confirmation and characterization of a long stream (S-stream) in the southern part of M83. This feature is revealed using deep wide-field photometric data obtained by the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) mounted on the Subaru Telescope. Using individual red giant branch (RGB) stars, we successfully trace the stream over a large length of $\sim 81$~kpc and a considerable width of $\sim 9$ kpc. With a mean surface brightness of ${\langle μ_{\it V} \rangle} \sim 31.8_{-1.9}^{+1.3}$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$, it is one of the most diffuse extragalactic streams currently known. The mean photometric metallicity of the stream is $\langle[{\rm M/H}]\rangle = -1.23\pm0.02$ dex with a standard deviation of $0.28\pm0.01$ dex, and we estimate the stellar mass to be $(8.5_{-2.8}^{+4.2}) \times 10^6~{\rm M_\odot}$ from the luminosity of RGB stars. Compared to its well-known northern counterpart, the S-stream is slightly more metal-poor, but our large-area RGB map shows compelling evidence that these two features are related, originating from a single low-mass merger event. We identify density variations along the S-stream, which more likely reflect intrinsic density structure within the progenitor rather than the interaction with dark matter subhalos. Similarities between the morphology of the S-stream and some features in the \HI distribution suggest that a minor merger event may have disturbed and redistributed M83's outer \HI gas, leading to triggered star formation and the formation of the XUV disk.

astro-ph.GA

Subaru/HSC NB395 view of NGC 5466: metallicity, mass function, and the nature of its tidal stream

We present a deep photometric study of the globular cluster NGC 5466 and its tidal stream using Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) imaging with the metallicity-sensitive narrowband filter NB395. We develop an improved member-selection technique based on a k-nearest neighbor algorithm applied to the color-color-magnitude diagram (CCMD), enabling reliable candidate identification down to $i_{2,0} < 23.5$. Photometric metallicities derived from NB395 colors agree with previous measurements, supporting the robustness of our calibration. While modest residual contamination and possible offsets - potentially driven by variations in light-element abundances - may remain beyond 10 arcmin, the metallicity distribution of high-probability inner members matches the known mean metallicity of NGC 5466, demonstrating the effectiveness of our method. The spatial distribution of NB395-selected stars clearly delineates the tidal stream. Beyond the tidal radius, the azimuthally averaged radial surface density profile follows a power law with slope $α= -4.53_{-0.14}^{+0.13}$. We also detect a power-law component perpendicular to the stream, suggestive of multiple apogalactic passages. A density gap is identified at a projected distance of $\sim200$ pc from the cluster center, consistent with eTidal N-body predictions and possibly associated with a recent pericentric passage or Galactic disk interaction. Analysis of the main-sequence mass function reveals a strong negative radial gradient in the slope within the tidal radius, whereas the slope along the outer stream is relatively flat, consistent with preferential tidal stripping of low-mass stars. These results highlight the power of HSC/NB395 photometry for identifying metal-poor populations and deriving photometric metallicities, underscoring its value for future wide-field surveys.

astro-ph.GA

Estimating accretion times of halo substructures in the Milky Way

To unravel the formation history of the Milky Way, we estimate the accretion times of six phase-space substructures in the stellar halo, using the orbital frequencies toward two spatial directions ($r, ϕ$) in spherical coordinates. These substructures, identified in our previous studies, are located in the solar neighbourhood and therefore have high-precision astrometry from Gaia. The uncertainties of the results are determined using the Monte Carlo method, and the significance is established through comparison with random halo samples. The results for the substructure GL-1 in both directions show good consistency and high significance ($4.3σ$ and $3.9σ$), yielding a combined accretion time of $5.6 \pm 0.1$ Gyr ago, where the uncertainties quoted are statistical only. The substructures GL-4 and GR-1, with smaller pericenters, exhibit higher significance in the less massive potential of the Milky Way, implying that the more massive potential may overestimate the central mass, especially the bulge. The accretion times of GL-4 and GR-1 are $6.9 \pm 0.3$ Gyr with a confidence of $3.7σ$, and $2.0 \pm 0.1$ Gyr with a confidence of $4.4σ$, respectively. Further constraints on the accretion times of phase-space substructures require more precise astrometric data, e.g., by Gaia DR4, China Space Station Survey Telescope and Roman space telescope.

astro-ph.GA

Machine Learning Techniques to Distinguish Giant Stars from Dwarf Stars Using Only Photometry -- Pushing Redwards

We present our photometric method, which combines Subaru/HSC $NB515$, g, and i band filters to distinguish giant stars in Local Group galaxies from Milky Way dwarf contamination. The $NB515$ filter is a narrow-band filter that covers the MgI+MgH features at $5150$ Å, and is sensitive to stellar surface gravity. Using synthetic photometry derived from large empirical stellar spectral libraries, we model the $NB515$ filter's sensitivity to stellar atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances. Our results demonstrate that the $NB515$ filter effectively separates dwarfs from giants, even for the reddest and coolest M-type stars. To further enhance this separation, we develop machine learning models that improve the classification on the two-color ($g-i$, $NB515-g$) diagram. We apply these models to photometric data from the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy and two fields of M31, successfully identifying red giant branch stars in these galaxies.

astro-ph.GA

The Extended Stellar Distribution in the Outskirts of the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

We discover an extended distribution of main-sequence (MS) stars along the minor axis of the Ursa Minor (UMi) dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph). This study is enabled by deep, wide Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam data, reaching photometric uncertainties below 0.1 mag at $g,i \sim 26$ mag. Color-magnitude diagrams along the major and minor axes reveal a clear excess of MS stars beyond the nominal tidal radius along the minor axis. To characterize this structure, we derive radial number density profiles in seven azimuthal directions and fit them with an exponential+power-law function to assess the symmetry of the extended component. The power-law slopes tend to be shallower toward the minor axis, though the symmetry remains inconclusive within 1$σ$ uncertainties. This may indicate that the extended component is preferentially distributed along the minor axis, and could be different from the previously suggested tidal features along the major axis. Comparing with simulations, we find that the fraction of stars beyond five effective radii is consistent with expectations from an intermediate mass ratio merger scenario with a stellar mass ratio around 6:1. While these findings provide new insights into the structural complexity and dynamical history of the UMi dSph, alternative mechanisms such as stellar or supernova feedback have also been proposed for extended stellar halos in dwarfs and cannot be ruled out.

astro-ph.GA

The Star Formation and Chemical Evolution Histories of Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

We derive the star formation history (SFH) and chemical evolution history (CEH) of the Ursa Minor (UMi) dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph). We detect two distinct stellar populations that exist over 6 times half-light radius from its center. The results are obtained by applying a newly developed algorithm to the deep and wide-field photometric dataset taken with Hyper Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. The algorithm employs the genetic algorithm and the simulated annealing to minimize a $χ^{2}$ value between the observed color-magnitude diagram (CMD) and synthetic CMD generated from the stellar isochrones. The age and metallicity resolutions are set to $0.5$ Gyr and $0.1$ dex, respectively. The accuracy assessment with mock galaxies shows that it returns the peaks of metallicity distributions and star formation period within 1 $σ$ of input value in the case of a single population. In tests with two populations, two distinct metallicity peaks are identified without an offset from the input values, indicating the robustness of this algorithm. The detected two populations in the UMi dSph have the metallicity peaks of [Fe/H] = $-2.2$ and $-2.5$; the metal-rich population started its star formation about 1 Gyr later than the metal-poor one. The SFH of both metal-rich and metal-poor populations varies with distance from the center of the UMi dSph, without any age-gradients. These results suggest that the UMi dSph underwent a complex formation process, contrary to the simple formation history of dwarf galaxies previously thought.

astro-ph.GA

The $R$-Process Alliance: Enrichment of $r$-process Elements in a Simulated Milky Way-like Galaxy

We study the formation of stars with varying amounts of heavy elements synthesized by the rapid neutron-capture process ($r$-process) based on our detailed cosmological zoom-in simulation of a Milky Way-like galaxy with an $N$-body/smoothed particle hydrodynamics code, ASURA. Most stars with no overabundance in $r$-process elements, as well as the strongly $r$-process enhanced $r$-II stars ([Eu/Fe] $>+0.7$), are formed in dwarf galaxies accreted by the Milky Way within the 6 Gyr after the Big Bang. In contrast, over half of the moderately enhanced $r$-I stars ($+0.3 <$ [Eu/Fe] $\leq +0.7$) are formed in the main in-situ disk after 6 Gyr. Our results suggest that the fraction of $r$-I and $r$-II stars formed in disrupted dwarf galaxies is larger the higher their [Eu/Fe] is. Accordingly, the most strongly enhanced $r$-III stars ([Eu/Fe] $> +2.0$) are formed in accreted components. These results suggest that non-$r$-process-enhanced stars and $r$-II stars are mainly formed in low-mass dwarf galaxies that hosted either none or a single neutron star merger, while the $r$-I stars tend to form in the well-mixed in-situ disk. We compare our findings with high-resolution spectroscopic observations of $r$-process-enhanced metal-poor stars in the halo and dwarf galaxies, including those collected by the R-Process Alliance. We conclude that observed [Eu/Fe] and [Eu/Mg] ratios can be employed in chemical tagging of the Milky Way's accretion history.

astro-ph.GA

Estimating Fe and Mg Abundances in the Milky Way Dwarf Galaxies Using Subaru/HSC and DEIMOS

We investigate the chemical abundance distributions of the Fornax, Sculptor, Ursa Minor, and Draco dwarf galaxies using Subaru/HSC photometric data. The HSC dataset, which includes broadband g and i filters and the narrowband NB515 filter, offers sensitivity to iron and magnesium abundances as well as surface gravity, enabling the identification of giant stars and foreground dwarfs. For analysis, we selected a total of 6713 giant candidates using a Random Forest regressor trained on medium-resolution (R ~ 6000) Keck/DEIMOS spectroscopic data. Our analysis reveals the extent of radial metallicity gradients in the galaxies. Such trends, not detectable in earlier studies, are now captured owing to the substantially enlarged sample size and areal coverage provided by the HSC data. These results are also consistent with chemical abundance patterns previously observed in the central regions through spectroscopic studies. Furthermore, we infer that Fornax underwent extended star formation, whereas Sculptor formed both metal-poor and metal-rich stars over a shorter time. Ursa Minor and Draco appear to have experienced brief, intense star formation episodes leading to nearly extinguished star formation. This study underscores the critical role of the expanded HSC dataset in revealing chemical gradients that were previously inaccessible. Future work incorporating additional spectra of metal-poor stars and age-sensitive isochrone modeling will enable more accurate maps of chemical abundance distributions.

astro-ph.GA

Simultaneous Formation of the Andromeda Giant Southern Stream and the Substructures in the Andromeda Halo

We investigate a minor merger event in M31 that simultaneously forms the Andromeda Giant Southern Stream (AGSS), Eastern Extent (EE), North-Eastern Shelf (NES), and Western Shel (WS), offering a unified model for these substructures. By varying the scale radius and mass of the progenitor's dark matter halo (DMH), around the range predicted by the $Λ$CDM model, we successfully reproduce the spatial features of these substructures. Across the limited range of parameters considered in this study, our analysis shows that the spatial evolution of NES and WS is independent of the gravitational potential of the DMH associated with the progenitor, while a shallower potential shifts EE further north. The simulations clearly demonstrate that the progenitor with a DMH mass of $9\times10^9M_\odot$ colliding with M31 850 Myr ago could simultaneously form al thes esubstructures. The simulation results indicate that EE lies several 10kpc closer to us than the aligned Stream Cp, which is actually a metal-poor component of Stream C, whose farther distance suggests overlapping debris from distinct collision events, while both remain closely aligned in celestial coordinates. Furthermore, we predict the existence of a positive stream along the AGSS, characterized by positive line-of-sight velocities relative to M31, which complements an already observed negative stream exhibiting negative line-of-sight velocities. Finally, we propose that three objects, namely Stream B, a metal-rich component of Stream C known as Stream Cr, and EE, are components of the Andromeda Giant Southern Arc (AGSA) connected to the AGSS. Although the existence of the positive stream and a complete picture of AGSA have yet to be confirmed observationally, we anticipate that future spectroscopic observations and further advances in theoretical studies will verify their existence.

astro-ph.GA

Disentangling gamma-beta: the 4th-order velocity moments based on spherical Jeans analysis

Distinguishing a core and a cusp within dark matter halos is complexified by the existence of mass-anisotropy degeneracy, where various combinations of velocity anisotropy ($β$) and inner density slope ($γ$) yield similar observational signatures. We construct a dynamical model that incorporates the 4th-order velocity moments to alleviate this challenge. The inclusion of the 4th-order velocity moments enables stars' line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) to be flexible. This flexible LOSVD can cover from a thin-tailed to a heavy-tailed distribution that is inaccessible if only the 2nd-order moments are considered. We test the model on four mock galaxies having isotropic orbits, $β= 0$: two resembling dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) and two resembling ultra-faint dwarfs (UFDs) in terms of velocity dispersion. Each category includes one galaxy with a cuspy NFW profile and one with a cored density profile. Results show that a ratio of the global velocity dispersion to velocity error, $σ_{\rm los,global} / δv_{\rm los} \gtrsim 4$, is crucial to avoid systematic biases arising from the strong sensitivity of 4th-order moments to the LOSVD tails. In cases where this velocity ratio condition is met, our model reliably recovers $γ$ in dSph mock galaxies, with the true value recovered within $\sim 1σ$, and strongly excludes a cuspy NFW profile for the cored dSph mock galaxy. However, recovering the density profiles of UFDs remains challenging due to their intrinsically low velocity dispersions.

astro-ph.GA

The structure of the stellar halo of the Andromeda galaxy explored with the NB515 for Subaru/HSC. I.: New Insights on the stellar halo up to 120 kpc

We analyse the M31 halo and its substructure within a projected radius of 120 kpc using a combination of Subaru/HSC $\textit{NB515}$ and CFHT/MegaCam $\textit{g}$- \& $\textit{i}$-bands. We succeed in separating M31's halo stars from foreground contamination with $\sim$ 90 \% accuracy by using the surface gravity sensitive $\textit{NB515}$ filter. Based on the selected M31 halo stars, we discover three new substructures, which associate with the Giant Southern Stream (GSS) based on their photometric metallicity estimates. We also produce the distance and photometric metallicity estimates for the known substructures. While these quantities for the GSS are reproduced in our study, we find that the North-Western stream shows a steeper distance gradient than found in an earlier study, suggesting that it is likely to have formed in an orbit closer to the Milky Way. For two streams in the eastern halo (Stream C and D), we identify distance gradients that had not been resolved. Finally, we investigate the global halo photometric metallicity distribution and surface brightness profile using the $\textit{NB515}$-selected halo stars. We find that the surface brightness of the metal-poor and metal-rich halo populations, and the all population can be fitted to a power-law profile with an index of $α=-1.65\pm0.02$, $-2.82\pm0.01$, and $-2.44\pm0.01$, respectively. In contrast to the relative smoothness of the halo profile, its photometric metallicity distribution appears to be spatially non-uniform with nonmonotonic trends with radius, suggesting that the halo population had insufficient time to dynamically homogenize the accreted populations.

astro-ph.GA

Final results for mapping the Milky Way's stellar halo with blue horizontal-branch stars selected from the Subaru Hyper Supreme-Cam Survey

We select blue-horizontal branch stars (BHBs) from the internal data release of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program to reveal the global structure of the Milky Way (MW) stellar halo. The data are distributed over $\sim 1,100$~deg$^2$ area in the range of $18.5 r_{\rm b}$; the statistical difference between these fitting profiles is small. Both profiles are found to show prolate shapes having axial ratios of $q=1.47^{+0.30}_{-0.33}$ and $1.56^{+0.34}_{-0.23}$, respectively. We also find a signature of the so-called "splashback radius" for the candidate BHBs, which can reach as large as $r \sim 575$~kpc, although it is still inconclusive owing to rather large distance errors in this faintest end of the sample. Our results suggest that the MW stellar halo consists of the two overlapping components: the {\it in situ} inner halo showing a relatively steep radial density profile and the {\it ex situ} outer halo with a shallower profile, being characteristic of a component formed from accretion of small stellar systems.

astro-ph.GA

Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory Detailed Science Case 2024

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) International Observatory (TIO) will be a revolutionary leap forward in astronomical observing capabilities, enabling us to address some of the most profound questions about the universe. From unraveling the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy to exploring the origins of stars and planets, TMT will transform our understanding of the cosmos. The TIO Detailed Science Case (DSC) presents science goals that inform the top-level requirements for the observatory's design and operations, including the telescope, enclosure, instruments, and adaptive optics system.

astro-ph.IM

Triangulum IV: A Possible Ultra-Diffuse Satellite of M33

We report the detection of a dwarf satellite candidate (Triangulum IV: Tri IV) of the Triangulum galaxy (M33) using the deep imaging of Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC). From the apparent magnitude of the horizontal branch in Tri IV, the heliocentric distance of Tri IV is estimated to be $932^{+49}_{-43}$ kpc, indicating that Tri IV is located at the distance of $75^{+48}_{-40}$ kpc from the M33 center. This means that Tri IV is the probable satellite of M33, because its distance from M33 is within the virial radius of M33. We also estimate its surface brightness of $μ_{\it V} = 29.72^{+0.10}_{-0.10}$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$, and half-light radius of $r_h = 1749^{+523}_{-425}$ pc, suggesting that Tri IV is an ultra-diffuse galaxy or dynamically heated galaxy. The surface brightness of Tri IV is too low to be detected in the previous survey, so this detection suggests that much fainter satellites may be present in the outskirts of M33.

astro-ph.GA