SearcharxivSearch

arXiv subjects

Minjin Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Minjin Kim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

HealMed: Multilingual Evaluation of Large Language Models in Medicine

We present HealMed, an expert-reviewed benchmark for multilingual evaluation of large language models in medicine. HealMed contains 1,000 examples in each of nine languages, drawn from nine datasets and covering three task formats: MCQA, NLI and open-ended QA. The benchmark was developed over two years by 23 physicians and medical experts based across nine countries and regions. Each translation was evaluated and revised by two experts fluent in English and the corresponding target language. On HealMed, performance declined most in low-resource languages, although the size of the gap varied markedly across languages and models. The strongest proprietary models were the most stable across languages, whereas many open-source and medically specialized models showed larger and less consistent gaps. Medical specialization alone did not ensure multilingual robustness. Furthermore, expert revision could either raise or lower measured performance, indicating that translation quality materially affects cross-language evaluation results.

cs.CL

Comparing the Near-infrared Spectral Energy Distributions from Different Stellar Population Synthesis Models with SPHEREx Observations

While stellar population synthesis (SPS) models have been widely used for spectral analysis in optical wavelengths, their characteristics remain uncertain in the near-infrared (NIR) due to a relative lack of observed NIR spectra. The spectrophotometric data from SPHEREx are well-suited for investigating the performance of SPS models in the NIR, thanks to its wide wavelength coverage over $0.7-5.0~{\rm \mu m}$. In this work, we compare the observed SPHEREx data of SDSS compact galaxies, including 2,726 non-emission-line galaxies and 1,163 emission-line galaxies, to the NIR SEDs predicted from the full spectrum fitting of SDSS optical spectra. We use four different SPS models that extend into the NIR: E-MILES, Bruzual \& Charlot (BC03), Charlot \& Bruzual (CB19), and FSPS. We find that all four models tend to overpredict the stellar continuum at $2.4-5~{\rm \mu m}$ by $0.1-0.3~{\rm mag}$. This trend is particularly prominent for intermediate-age stellar populations ($\sim1-5~{\rm Gyr}$), suggesting a systematic bias in the NIR SED predictions of current SPS models. For stellar populations older than $5~{\rm Gyr}$, E-MILES shows relatively smaller offsets at $3.8-5~{\rm \mu m}$ compared to other models. Meanwhile, for emission-line galaxies, the SPS models underestimate the SED by up to $\sim0.5~{\rm mag}$ at longer wavelengths due to the contribution of non-stellar emission. Overall, these results highlight the necessity of refining the NIR stellar spectral features in SPS models, such as emissions from thermally pulsating asymptotic giant branch stars or molecular absorptions from cool stars.

astro-ph.GA

A UV-to-Near-infrared QSO Composite Spectrum from the SPHEREx All-Sky Survey

We present a composite spectrum of $\sim 61,000$ type 1 SDSS QSOs (median $z \approx 1.26$), constructed using SPHEREx spectrophotometric data and covering a rest-frame wavelength range of $0.14-4.5~\mu$m. The SPHEREx mission surveys the entire sky in 102 near-infrared spectral channels spanning $0.75-5.0~\mu$m with a spectral resolution of $R \approx 35-130$, providing a unique dataset for building a statistically robust QSO composite. We find that the UV and optical continuum of the resulting composite can be described by a power law, $f_\nu \propto \nu^{\alpha_\nu}$, with a best-fit spectral index of $\alpha_\nu = -0.10$, while the near-infrared continuum is well-fit with a spectral index of $-1.46$. The power-law indices in both the optical and near-infrared regimes strongly depend on properties of QSOs, such that more luminous QSOs tend to exhibit flatter UV/optical and steeper near-infrared continua compared to those of less luminous ones. The IR-to-optical flux ratio decreases with increasing AGN luminosity, consistent with the predictions of the receding torus model. The line ratios of broad emission lines, including H$\alpha$, Pa$\beta$, and Pa$\alpha$, are in good agreement with predictions from Case B recombination, suggesting that internal extinction is almost negligible. The equivalent widths of these emission lines are proportional to AGN luminosity, contrary to the trend expected from the Baldwin effect. Finally, the shape of the composite is sensitive to host-galaxy contamination, which must be considered when utilizing this QSO composite for subsequent scientific applications.

astro-ph.GA

The Changing-look Phenomenon Accompanied by an Accretion Mode Transition in NGC 3786

To reveal the physical origin of the changing-look (CL) phenomenon in NGC 3786, which transitioned from type 1.8/1.9 to type 1, we present an analysis of long-term spectral monitoring in the optical and near-infrared obtained with Gemini/GMOS-N and Gemini/GNIRS, respectively. Since the onset of the CL phenomenon, NGC 3786 has remained $\sim 1-1.5$ mag brighter in the mid-infrared than in the pre-CL stage, whereas the optical continuum has changed only moderately ($\sim 0.2-0.3$ mag). Spectroscopic analysis further reveals that while the fluxes of the broad Pa$\beta$ and Pa$\alpha$ lines were enhanced over a two-year follow-up period, the flux of the broad H$\alpha$ line remained unchanged. We propose that observed temporal variations in the continuum and line flux ratios disfavor a tidal disruption event origin. Instead, the observations can be primarily explained by a gradual change in line-of-sight extinction driven by variations in the torus covering factor, which is determined by the Eddington ratio and the accretion mode. An additional mechanism, arising from the physical conditions within the broad-line region, may partially account for the temporal evolution of the flux ratios. Our study highlights the importance of investigating the CL phenomenon in intermediate-type active galactic nuclei associated with outbursts detected only in the mid-infrared to explore the detailed structural evolution of nuclear activity.

astro-ph.GA

A Catalog of Mid-infrared Variable Sources in the Ecliptic Poles

We construct a catalog of mid-infrared (MIR) variable sources using the multi-epoch 3.6 (W1) and 4.5 $\mu$m (W2) dataset from the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) at the north and south ecliptic poles (NEP and SEP). The catalog provides well-sampled light curves that cover areas within a radius of 5 degrees from the poles, which are frequently observed by current and forthcoming missions. By carefully processing the NEOWISE data to secure reliable photometric measurements, we identified 2764 and 27581 variables in the NEP and SEP, respectively, using the probability deviating from the non-variable and the correlation coefficient between W1 and W2. Cross-correlation with various complementary datasets reveals that, in the NEP, variability is dominated by active galactic nuclei, whereas stellar objects are more common in the SEP due to its proximity to the Large Magellanic Cloud. In particular, proper motion measurements from Gaia and MIR color-color diagrams are ideal for narrowing down the physical origin of the MIR variable sources. We identify three MIR transients in the NEP. Interestingly, all coincide with obscured QSOs, suggesting a physical connection between transient events and circumnuclear obscuration. Finally, we discuss the potential applications of our catalog in synergy with existing and future time-domain surveys.

astro-ph.GA

The Identification of Asymmetric Barred Galaxies in Illustris TNG-50

Most barred galaxies exhibit symmetric structures. However, recent studies have shown that a subset of barred galaxies exhibit lopsided morphologies. To quantify their occurrence and investigate their physical origins, we analyze barred galaxies in the IllustrisTNG TNG50 simulation. We select 519 clearly barred galaxies in their stellar mass maps out of 770 barred galaxies from the TNG50-1 catalog. We classify the bar morphologies into four subgroups - `Lopsided', `Perturbed', `Symmetric', and `Indeterminate' - and perform a comparative analysis of their physical properties. We find that galaxies hosting asymmetric bars (`Lopsided' and `Perturbed') tend to have higher gas densities around the bar region, enhanced star formation activity, and more recent bar-formation epochs than galaxies with symmetric bars. However, the factor that most consistently distinguishes the four subgroups is the stellar mass distribution of the host galaxy, and there appears to be no physical correlation with bar size. These findings suggest that asymmetric bars form preferentially in less massive galaxies and may evolve into symmetric bars over time through secular processes. However, this conclusion should be considered with caution, as the fraction of asymmetric bars in the TNG50 simulation is systematically higher than that observed in the local universe.

astro-ph.GA

BASS. LI. Cool gas supply of HI-massive local Seyfert galaxies

We present neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) imaging observations of 22 HI-rich ($M_{\rm HI} \gtrsim 10^{9.7} M_\odot$), hard X-ray-selected local Seyferts to explore how cool gas is supplied to active galactic nuclei (AGN) hosts. The sample predominantly resides in group-like, gas-rich environments. About 80% (18/22) of the galaxies have HI-detected neighbors, 61% (11/18) of which clearly exhibit strong lopsidedness, one-sided gas tails, and/or gas structures connecting to nearby companion galaxies, suggesting gas exchange histories. We examine the HI size-mass relation and star formation properties of these HI-rich AGN hosts, finding no systematic deviations from known scaling relations. In most cases, our samples are the most massive systems within their respective groups, implying that our sample is more likely to acquire gas rather than lose it. Interestingly, galaxies with more extended HI disks show stronger AGN activity. Considering that extended HI is often associated with external processes, this finding suggests that environmentally accreted gas - through galaxy interactions and gas exchange with neighboring systems - may have played a role in supplying additional fuel to the AGNs in our sample. Notably, the HI extent-AGN activity correlation becomes even tighter for those AGN hosts whose neighboring galaxies are gas poor or lack HI, further supporting externally supplied gas as a fuel source.

astro-ph.GA

Black Hole Properties of Type-1 Active Galactic Nuclei in the North Ecliptic Pole Wide Field: I. Mid-infrared Sources with Optical Counterparts

We present measurements of black hole (BH) properties of 861 Type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP)-Wide field. These AGNs are detected in both optical and mid-infrared (MIR) surveys and are identified as Type-1 AGNs in optical spectroscopic surveys. By performing spectral energy distribution (SED) and line fitting, we obtained their MIR continuum luminosities ($L_{\rm MIR}$) as well as full width at half maximum (FWHM) values for the \ion{C}{4}, \ion{Mg}{2}, H$\beta$, and H$\alpha$ lines. Using these measurements, we derived bolometric luminosities ($10^{43.20}$--$10^{47.27}~{\rm erg~s^{-1}}$), BH masses ($10^{7.29}$--$10^{9.67}$\,$M_{\odot}$), and Eddington ratios ($10^{-2.74}$--$10^{-0.08}$) for $\sim$450 objects over a wide redshift range ($z=0.09$--$4.71$). The use of $L_{\rm MIR}$ and FWHM values effectively alleviates the effects of dust extinction, enabling reliable estimates of BH properties even for dust-obscured AGNs. Moreover, we find that 34\,\% of the Type-1 AGNs in the NEP-Wide field are dust-obscured, and that their bolometric luminosities can be significantly underestimated without proper dust extinction correction. Our relatively extinction-free BH property estimates can (i) be combined with multi-wavelength data in the NEP-Wide field to facilitate diverse studies of AGN environments, number densities, host galaxies, and related topics, and (ii) serve as fiducial estimates for SPHEREx and other upcoming infrared (IR) spectroscopic missions covering the NEP-Wide field.

astro-ph.GA

Mid-infrared Variability-based AGN Selection using the Multi-epoch Photometric Data from WISE

We assess the systematics and efficiency of an AGN selection method based on mid-infrared (MIR) variability. To this end, we utilize various types of active and inactive galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, matching them with multi-epoch photometric data from the NEOWISE mission. Using W1 and W2 band light curves with a $\sim10$-year baseline, we find that combining the likelihood of deviation from non-variability with the correlation coefficient between the W1 and W2 bands reliably identifies AGNs. Specifically, this MIR-based method recovers $\sim 28.2\%$ of optically selected AGNs. Applying the same technique to inactive galaxies, we identify AGN candidates at fractions ranging from $0.4$ to $11.8\%$, indicating that MIR variability allows us to detect AGN candidates even in optically inactive hosts. While some variable sources exhibit transient-like light curves, possibly originating from tidal disruption events or supernovae, their contribution to the total variable population is less than a few percent, indicating a minimal impact on our results. Across all subsamples, the AGN fraction marginally increases with star formation activity, implying coordinated evolution between central black hole growth and star formation. Finally, the AGN fraction inferred from our method drops dramatically in classical LINERs, consistent with their low accretion rates and absence of a dusty torus.

astro-ph.GA

The Host Galaxies of Active Galactic Nuclei with Direct Black Hole Mass Measurements

Reverberation mapping (RM) determines the mass of black holes (BH) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) by resolving the BH gravitational sphere of influence in the time domain. Recent RM campaigns yielded direct BH masses through dynamical modeling for a sample of 32 objects, spanning a wide range of AGN luminosities and BH masses. In addition, accurate BH masses have been determined by spatially resolving the broad-line region with GRAVITY for a handful of AGNs. Here, we present a detailed analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images using surface-brightness profile fitting with state-of-the-art programs. We derive AGN luminosity and host-galaxy properties, such as radii and luminosities for spheroid, disk, and bar (if present). The spheroid effective radii were used to measure stellar velocity dispersion from integral-field spectroscopy. Since the BH masses of our sample do not depend on any assumption of the virial factor needed in single-epoch spectroscopic mass estimates, we can show that the resulting scaling relations between the mass of the supermassive BHs and their host galaxies match those of quiescent galaxies, naturally extending to lower masses in these (predominantly) spiral galaxies. We find that the inner AGN orientation, as traced by the broad-line region inclination angle, is uncorrelated with the host-galaxy disk. Our sample has the most direct and accurate MBH measurements of any AGN sample and provides a fundamental local benchmark for studies of the evolution of massive black holes and their host galaxies across cosmic time.

astro-ph.GA

Galaxy-Galaxy Blending in SPHEREx Survey Data

The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) will provide all-sky spectral survey data covering optical to mid-infrared wavelengths with a spatial resolution of 6\farcs2, which can be widely used to study galaxy formation and evolution. We investigate the galaxy-galaxy blending in SPHEREx datasets using the mock galaxy catalogs generated from cosmological simulations and observational data. Only $\sim0.7\%$ of the galaxies will be blended with other galaxies in all-sky survey data with a limiting magnitude of 19 AB mag. However, the fraction of blended galaxies dramatically increases to $\sim7$--$9\%$ in the deep survey area around the ecliptic poles, where the depth reaches $\sim22$ AB mag. We examine the impact of the blending in the number count and luminosity function analyses using the SPHEREx data. We find that the number count can be overestimated by up to $10$--$20\%$ in the deep regions due to the flux boosting, suggesting that the impact of galaxy-galaxy blending on the number count is moderate. However, galaxy-galaxy blending can marginally change the luminosity function by up to 50\%\ over a wide range of redshifts. As we only employ the magnitude limit at $K_s$-band for the source detection, the blending fractions determined in this study should be regarded as lower limits.

astro-ph.GA

Radio-Near Infrared Imaging of Dual Active Galactic Nuclei Candidates

We report the results of a pilot study that searched for dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) in local ($z<$0.25) galaxies hosting double-peaked narrow emission lines in their optical spectra. We present high-resolution $L-$band (1.5 GHz or 18 cm) continuum images from the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) as well as WFC3/IR F160W images from the Hubble Space Telescope of two candidate dual AGN systems: J0948+6848 and J1223+5409. In both targets, we detected compact non-thermal radio emission that is approximately co-spatial with the near-infrared AGN. Both systems host two high brightness temperature ($>10^{8}$ K) radio sources that indicate the presence of either a parsec-scale-separation dual AGN ($d_{\text{sep}} \sim 90$ pc and $\sim 56$ pc, respectively) or a radio jet. Matched-resolution multi-band radio observations are necessary to further characterize the AGN activity in these systems.

astro-ph.GA

Asymmetric torus variability in active galactic nuclei driven by global brightening and dimming

Temporal asymmetry in the flux variability of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) offers key insights into the physical mechanisms driving AGN variability. In this study, we investigated the variability of the torus by analyzing temporal asymmetry in the mid-infrared (MIR) continuum. We compared ensemble structure functions between the brightening and dimming phases for AGNs at $0.15<z<0.4$, using monitoring data in the optical from the Zwicky Transient Facility and in the MIR from the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. We found that AGNs with bluer optical-to-MIR colors exhibit positive temporal asymmetry in the MIR, indicating that their variability amplitude is larger when brightening. Conversely, those with redder colors show negative asymmetry, exhibiting larger variability amplitude when decaying. However, there is no significant temporal asymmetry in the $g$-band variability driven by the accretion disk, suggesting that the temporal asymmetry in the MIR continuum primarily originates from intrinsic processes in the torus instead of the reflection of the ultraviolet-optical variability from the accretion disk. Analysis of the composite light curves revealed that AGNs with bluer optical-to-MIR colors tend to brighten gradually in the MIR, leading to the observed temporal asymmetry. This finding suggests that hot-dust-rich AGNs evolve with a gradual decline in hot dust emission, while hot-dust-poor AGNs are associated with a steady increase.

astro-ph.GA

The Redshifts from 122 Bands: Comparative Redshift Forecast for Low-Resolution Spectra from SPHEREx and 7-Dimensional Sky Survey (7DS)

The recently initiated SPHEREx and 7DS surveys will deliver low-resolution spectra ($R\approx 30-130$) for hundreds of millions of galaxies over the optical to near-infrared range ($0.4-5.0\mu m$), covering a wide sky area without sample selection. These unique datasets will improve redshift estimation and provide a rich redshift catalog for the community. In this study, we forecast the performance of widely-used photometric redshift estimation methods using simulated SPHEREx and 7DS data. Four template-fitting approaches and two machine-learning (ML) methods are used to derive photometric redshifts from low-resolution spectrophotometric data. We measure redshifts using mock catalogs based on the GAMA and COSMOS galaxy samples and achieve high precision for bright (13 < i < 18) galaxies, with $\sigma_{NMAD}\lesssim 0.005$, bias $\lesssim 0.005$, and a catastrophic failure rate $\lesssim 0.005$ for all methods employed. We find that the combined SPHEREx + 7DS dataset significantly improves redshift estimation compared to using either the SPHEREx or 7DS datasets alone, highlighting the synergy between the two surveys. Moreover, we compare the redshift estimation performance across magnitude ranges for the different methods and examine the probability distribution functions (PDFs) produced by the template-fitting approaches. As a result, we identify some factors that can affect the redshift measurements, like treatments on dust extinction or inclusion of flux uncertainty in the ML model. We also show that the PDFs are relatively well calibrated, although the confidence intervals are generally underestimated, particularly for bright galaxies in the template-fitting methods. This study demonstrates the strong potential of SPHEREx and 7DS to deliver improved redshift measurements from low-resolution spectrophotometric data, underscoring the scientific value of jointly utilizing both datasets.

astro-ph.GA

Continuum variability in multi-epoch quasar spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We examine the continuum variability of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) by analyzing the multi-epoch spectroscopic data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. To achieve this, we utilized approximately 2 million spectroscopy pairwise combinations observed across different epochs for $\sim90,000$ AGNs. We estimate the ensemble variability structure function (SF) for subsamples categorized by various AGN properties, such as black hole mass, AGN luminosity ($L$), and Eddington ratio, to investigate how AGN variability depends on these parameters. We found that the SFs are strongly correlated with $L$, Eddington ratio, and rest-frame wavelength ($\lambda$). The analysis, with each parameter held fixed, reveals that SFs depend primarily on $L$ and $\lambda$, but not on the Eddington ratio. Consequently, under the assumption that AGNs follow a universal SF, we found that the variability timescale ($\tau$) is proportional to both $L$ and $\lambda$, expressed as $\tau \propto L^{0.62\pm0.07} \lambda^{1.74\pm0.23}$. This result is broadly consistent with predictions from the standard accretion disk model ($\tau \propto L^{0.5} \lambda^{2}$). However, when considering only shorter wavelengths ($\lambda \leq 3050$ \r{A}) to minimize contamination from the host galaxy and the Balmer continuum, the power-law index for $\lambda$ drops significantly to $1.12 \pm 0.24$. This value is lower than predicted by approximately $3-$4\ \sigma$, suggesting that the radial temperature profile may be systematically steeper than that predicted by the standard disk model, although other mechanisms may also contribute to this discrepancy. These findings highlight the power of temporal spectroscopic data in probing AGN variability, as they allow robust estimation of continuum fluxes without interference from strong emission lines.

astro-ph.GA

Probing the Physical Origin of the Balmer Decrement in the Broad-line Region of Nearby Active Galactic Nuclei via Spectral Variability

To investigate the physical origin of the Balmer decrement in the broad-line region of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we measure the temporal variability of the fluxes of the broad H$\beta$ and H$\alpha$ emission lines using multi-epoch spectroscopic data of low-redshift AGNs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The analysis of the mean spectra reveals that the Balmer decrement shows no correlation with AGN luminosity, while it is inversely correlated with the Eddington ratio. However, the temporal variation of the Balmer decrement in individual objects exhibits an even stronger anti-correlation with AGN luminosity, suggesting that the change in AGN luminosity plays a dominant role in determining the Balmer decrement. By comparing the temporal evolution of the Balmer decrement with the continuum color, we find that reddening due to the AGN itself may not be the primary factor. Instead, radiative transfer effects and excitation mechanisms, which deviate from the Case B recombination, appear to be critical for the variation of the Balmer decrement. These results provide useful insights into the underlying physics of changing-look AGNs and high-$z$ AGNs, such as the ``little red dots'', which exhibit extreme values of the Balmer decrement that can be misinterpreted as evidence for dust.

astro-ph.GA

The SPHEREx Satellite Mission

SPHEREx, a NASA explorer satellite launched on 11 March 2025, is carrying out the first all-sky near-infrared spectral survey. The satellite observes in 102 spectral bands from 0.75 to 5.0 um with a resolving power ranging from 35 to 130 in 6.2 arcsecond pixels. The observatory obtains a 5-sigma depth of 19.5 - 19.9 AB mag for 0.75 to 3.8 um and 17.8 - 18.8 AB mag for 3.8 to 5.0 um after mapping the full sky four times over two years. Scientifically, SPHEREx will produce a large galaxy redshift survey over the full sky, intended to constrain the amplitude of inflationary non-Gaussianity. The observations will produce two deep spectral maps near the ecliptic poles that will use intensity mapping to probe the evolution of galaxies over cosmic history. By mapping the depth of infrared absorption features over the Galactic plane, SPHEREx will comprehensively survey the abundance and composition of water and other biogenic ice species in the interstellar medium. The initial data are rapidly released in the form of spectral images to the public. The project will release specialized data products over the life of the mission as the surveys proceed. The science team will also produce specialized spectral catalogs on planet-bearing and low-mass stars, solar system objects, and galaxy clusters 3 years after launch. We describe the design of the instrument and spacecraft, which flow from the core science requirements. Finally, we present an initial evaluation of the in-flight performance and key characteristics.

astro-ph.IM

Dark gaps and resonances in barred galaxies

Dark gaps, low surface brightness regions along the bar minor axis, are expected to form as a consequence of secular evolution in barred galaxies. Although several studies have proposed links between dark gap locations and dynamical resonances, the results remain inconclusive. Using DESI Legacy Imaging Survey data, we find that approximately 61% of barred galaxies exhibit pronounced dark gaps. We compare the location of dark gaps with resonance radii derived from the Tremaine-Weinberg method applied to MaNGA data for the same galaxies. Our analysis shows that dark gaps do not preferentially form at specific resonances. Instead, their locations correlate with $\mathcal{R}$ $\equiv$ $R_{CR}/R_{Bar}$: slow bars tend to show shorter dark gap radii, while fast bars show longer ones. This trend reflects a tight relation between bar length and dark gap radius. However, when barred galaxies are classified by their ring morphology, certain types exhibit dark gaps that align with specific resonances. Notably, dark gaps located between the inner and outer rings are closely associated with the corotation radius. In galaxies with two dark gaps along the bar minor axis profile, the inner dark gap typically aligns with the ultraharmonic resonance, and the outer dark gap corresponds to the corotation radius. These findings suggest that some morphological types share similar $\mathcal{R}$ values and exhibit dark gaps near specific resonances. Thus, dark gaps may serve as proxies for dynamical resonances only in certain systems. Our findings may help explain the discrepancies observed in earlier studies.

astro-ph.GA