arXiv subjects

Mateusz Kapusta

Publications and source records attributed to Mateusz Kapusta.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Distortion of a relativistic jet echoing a magnetic flux eruption

Magnetized accretion onto spinning black holes can accumulate a large magnetic flux across the event horizon and launch a pair of relativistic jets via the Blandford-Znajek mechanism. In the magnetically saturated (arrested) state, excess magnetic flux is ejected from the black hole in episodic magnetic flux eruptions, which result in a significant yet temporary reduction of jet power. We analyze results of a high-resolution 3D general-relativistic magneto-hydro-dynamic numerical simulation of geometrically thick magnetically saturated accretion onto a high-spin Kerr black hole for a single cycle of magnetic flux eruption and accumulation. We show that following an eruption, a weakened jet develops a strong helical distortion with distinct structure of magnetic fields - the poloidal field along the jet core is unaffected by the eruption; while toroidal field lines, ejected from the black hole during the eruption and later re-advected onto it, form poloidal `bypasses' along the inner jet sheath. Such a distortion may appear in sources fed by geometrically thick accretion flows as an asymmetric superluminal knot, strongly interacting with the jet sheath along an oblique working surface. The jet section re-powered by magnetic flux re-accumulated on the black hole is tilted by a few degrees, implying significant variations in radiation boost towards observers of BL Lac blazars. The intrinsic structure of the jet spine is consistent with axisymmetric semi-analytical models.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Strange quark star I: the maximum gravitational mass and deformation of magnetized spinning model

We investigate the structural parameters of strange quark stars (SQS) under the influence of strong magnetic fields and varying rotational frequencies. The equation of state is computed using the MIT bag model with a density-dependent bag constant and considering the Landau quantization effect regarding the strong magnetic fields up to $5\times10^{17}\,$G in the interior of SQS. Employing the LORENE library, we calculate the structural parameters under different magnetic field strengths and rotational frequencies. Our models are compared in terms of maximum gravitational mass, deformation parameter, binding energy, and compactness. Our equation of state model demonstrates that the gravitational masses are higher than those computed using a MIT bag model with a fixed bag constant. We find the gravitational masses beyond $2.3 \,M_\odot$, which are compatible with the masses of observed compact objects, such as the ``black widow'' pulsar \emph{PSR J0952-0607}, and the \emph{GW190814} event detected by the LIGO/Virgo collaboration. The deformation parameter and maximum gravitational mass of SQS are characterized by fitted functions accounting for variations in both magnetic field strength and rotational frequency. We find the maximum deformation parameter of 1.55 and the maximum gravitational mass of $2.8\, M_\odot$ in the fast-rotating strongly magnetized model.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Strange quark star II: the minimal and maximal gravitational mass and the Keplerian configuration

We employ the MIT bag model with density-dependent bag constant for the equation of state (EOS) to estimate the gravitational mass and Keplerian frequency of rapidly rotating strange quark stars (SQS). In a companion paper we discuss the structural parameters of such rotating stars under the influence of strong magnetic fields. We use the LORENE library to compute the structural parameters at different rotational frequencies in the range of 1100-1300~Hz for a non-magnetized SQS. While there is no minimum limit for the mass of slowly rotating self-bound stars, by computing the maximum rotational frequency, known as the mass-shedding limit, we show that SQS must have a minimum mass to sustain high rotational frequencies. The mass-shedding frequency in our EOS model is lower than that estimated from the MIT bag model EOS with a fixed bag constant. The Keplerian frequency in our model depends linearly on the gravitational mass at the mass-shedding limit (and similarly on the minimum mass) with the slope of 0.08~${\rm kHz}/M_\odot$. We obtain mass limits aligned with the observational data for both the heaviest and the lightest observed pulsars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

IrisML: Neural Posterior Estimation for the Spectral Energy Distribution fitting

Over the past 30 years, numerous large-scale photometric astronomical surveys have been conducted, including SDSS, Pan-STARRS, Gaia,2MASS, WISE, and others. These surveys provide extensive photometric measurements that can be used to infer a wide range of physical parameters of astronomical objects. Traditionally, Bayesian approaches, such as Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling have been employed for such inference tasks. However, these methods tend to be computationally intensive and often require manual tuning or expert supervision. In this work, we propose a novel machine learning model designed to perform automatic and robust inference from photometric data, offering a scalable and efficient alternative to conventional techniques.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2025

HST pre-imaging of a free-floating planet candidate microlensing event

High-cadence microlensing observations uncovered a population of very short-timescale microlensing events, which are believed to be caused by the population of free-floating planets (FFP) roaming the Milky Way. Unfortunately, the light curves of such events are indistinguishable from those caused by wide-orbit planets. To properly differentiate both cases, one needs high-resolution observations that would allow resolving a putative luminous companion to the lens long before or after the event. Usually, the baseline between the event and high-resolution observations needs to be quite long ($\sim 10$ yr), hindering potential follow-up efforts. However, there is a chance to use archival data if they exist. Here, we present an analysis of the microlensing event OGLE-2023-BLG-0524, the site of which was captured in 1997 with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Hence, we achieve a record-breaking baseline length of 25 years. A very short duration of the event ($t_E = 0.346 \pm 0.008$ d) indicates an FFP as the explanation. We have not detected any potential companion to the lens with the HST data, which is consistent with the FFP origin of the event. Thanks to the available HST data, we are able to reject from 25% to 48% of potential stellar companions depending on the assumed population model. Based on the finite-source effects in the light curve we measure the angular Einstein radius value $θ_E = 4.78 \pm 0.23 μas$, suggesting a super-Earth in the Galactic disk or a sub-Saturn-mass planet in the Galactic bulge. We show that the archival high-resolution images should be available for several microlensing events, providing us with the unprecedented possibility of seeing the lensing system as it was many years before the event.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2024

Chaotic magnetic disconnections trigger flux eruptions in accretion flows channeled onto magnetically saturated Kerr black holes

Magnetized accretion flow onto a black hole (BH) may lead to accumulation of poloidal magnetic flux across its horizon, which for high BH spin can power far-reaching relativistic jets. The BH magnetic flux is subject to a saturation mechanism by means of magnetic flux eruptions involving relativistic magnetic reconnection. Such accretion flows have been described as magnetically arrested (MAD) or choked (MCAF). The main goal of this work is to describe the onset of relativistic reconnection and initial development of magnetic flux eruption in accretion flow onto magnetically saturated BH. We analyze the results of 3D ideal GRMHD numerical simulations in the Kerr metric, starting from weakly magnetized geometrically thick tori rotating either prograde or retrograde. We integrate large samples of magnetic field lines in order to probe magnetic connectivity with the BH horizon. The boundary between magnetically connected and disconnected domains coincides roughly with enthalpy equipartition. The geometrically constricted innermost part of the disconnected domain develops a rigid structure of magnetic field lines - rotating slowly and insensitive to the BH spin orientation. The typical shape of innermost disconnected lines is a double spiral converging to a sharp inner tip anchored at the single equatorial current layer. The footpoints of magnetic flux eruptions are found to zip around the BH along with other azimuthal patterns. Magnetic flux eruptions from magnetically saturated accreting BHs can be triggered by minor density gaps in the disconnected domain, resulting from chaotic disconnection of plasma-depleted magnetospheric lines. Accretion flow is effectively channeled along the disconnected lines towards the current layer, and further towards the BH by turbulent cross-field diffusion. Rotation of flux eruption footpoints may contribute to the variability of BH crescent images.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Search for dormant black holes in the OGLE data

Light curves of ellipsoidal variables collected by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) were analyzed, in order to search for dormant black hole candidates. After the preselection based on the amplitude of ellipsoidal modulation, each object was investigated by means of the spectral energy distribution fit, which allowed us to select objects that are in close agreement with the spectrum of a single stellar object. After this final step of the preselection process, we were left with only fourteen objects that were then investigated in detail. For each candidate, we estimated basic physical parameters such as temperature, mass, luminosity, and, in some cases, radial velocity semi-amplitude. One of the objects turned out to be a spotted star while the rest are considered black-hole binary candidates. In the end, we present an alternative explanation for the ellipsoidal modulation in the form of contact binaries, which are not only vast in number, contrary to black-hole binaries, but are also in much better agreement with the radial velocity estimates for some of the systems analyzed. Even if the presented arguments suggest a noncompact character of the companion objects, each of them should be observed spectroscopically in order to verify the compact object hypothesis.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

The maximum mass and deformation of rotating strange quark stars with strong magnetic fields

We study the structure and total energy of a strange quark star (SQS) endowed with a strong magnetic field with different rotational frequencies. The MIT bag model is used, with the density-dependent bag constant for the equation of state (EOS). The EOS is computed considering the Landau quantization effect regarding the strong magnetic fields (up to $5\times10^{17}$ G) in the interior of the strange quark star. Using the LORENE library, we calculate the structural parameters of SQS for different setups of magnetic field strengths and rotational frequencies. In each setup, we perform calculations for $51$ stellar configurations, with specified central enthalpy values. We investigate the configurations with the maximum gravitational mass of SQS in each setup. Our models of SQSs are compared in the maximum gravitational mass, binding energy, compactness, and deformation of the star. We show that the gravitational mass might exceed $2.3 M_\odot$ in some models, which is comparable with the mass of the recently detected ``black widow'' pulsar \emph{PSR J0952-0607} and the mass of \emph{GW190814} detected by the LIGO/Virgo collaboration. The deformation and maximum gravitational mass of SQS can be characterized by simple functions that have been fitted to account for variations in both magnetic field strength and frequency. Rapidly rotating strange stars have a minimum gravitational mass given by the equatorial mass-shedding limit.

astro-ph.HE↗