arXiv subjects

Swayamtrupta Panda

Publications and source records attributed to Swayamtrupta Panda.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A Gamma-ray Emitting Head-Tail Radio Galaxy Swimming Through the Hot Medium of the Merging Cluster Abell 3627

Head-tail radio sources are jetted active galactic nuclei (AGN) moving through the dense intracluster medium of galaxy clusters. They are extremely rare in the gamma-ray sky, likely because they are usually observed at large viewing angles. Therefore, every new gamma-ray detection of head-tail radio galaxies allows us to probe the origin of the high-energy emission in this unique class of AGN. Here we report, for the first time, the association of ESO~0137-G007 (z=0.016), a head-tail radio galaxy located at the outskirts of the merging cluster Abell 3627, with the gamma-ray source FL16Y~J1615.5$-$6034. The motion of the galaxy through the dense cluster environment and subsequent ram pressure and/or intracluster medium turbulence have led to the formation of a $>$500 kpc-long jet exhibiting a twisted, wiggly radio morphology. Its optical spectrum, obtained with the 4.1 m SOAR telescope, is devoid of emission lines, indicating that the underlying accretion activity is radiatively inefficient. From the measured line-of-sight stellar velocity dispersion, we estimate the mass of the central supermassive black hole to be $(3.36\pm1.32)\times10^9$ \Msun. We briefly discuss several radiative models to explain the observed broadband spectral energy distribution of ESO~0137$-$G007. We conclude that deeper multi-wavelength observations of this unique gamma-ray emitting head-tail radio galaxy will enable us to better understand the interaction of the jet with the hot cluster environment, thus setting the stage for the research of this class of AGN with the upcoming Square Kilometer Array.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Accretion-disk sizes in two quasars with interferometrically resolved broad-line regions at $z=2.3$ and $z=4.0$

We present the first direct comparison between accretion-disk (AD) and broad-line region (BLR) sizes in quasars at z > 2, combining continuum reverberation mapping with interferometric BLR constraints from GRAVITY and GRAVITY+. Using medium-band photometric monitoring with the MPG/ESO 2.2 m telescope, we measure inter-band continuum lags in SDSS J092034.17+065718.0 at z = 2.33 (J0920) and SMSS J052915.80-435152.0 at z = 3.96 (J0529), among the most luminous quasars known (Lbol ~ 10^48 erg s^-1). These are currently the only two quasars at z > 2 with spatially resolved BLRs and dynamical black-hole masses from interferometry. We detect significant continuum lags in both quasars, increasing monotonically with wavelength. The inferred UV disk sizes are RAD = 4.35 +0.78/-0.91 light-days for J0529 and RAD = 3.15 +0.50/-0.48 light-days for J0920. For J0920, accreting at lambda_Edd ~ 7-20, the disk size is consistent with standard thin-disk expectations despite its super-Eddington regime. For J0529, the disk size agrees with thin-disk predictions using the single-epoch black-hole mass, but implies disk inflation by a factor of a few if the GRAVITY+ dynamical mass, an order of magnitude lower, is adopted. UV continuum disk sizes therefore provide an independent physical scale constraining black-hole mass and accretion-rate models, particularly where BLR kinematics are dominated by outflows. The interferometric BLR sizes reveal pronounced radial hierarchies, with RBLR/RAD ~ 270 for J0529 (Hbeta) and ~115 for J0920 (Halpha). The successful lag detections at Lbol ~ 10^48 erg s^-1 show that continuum reverberation mapping remains feasible for the most luminous systems, opening a path to larger samples with surveys such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's LSST.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Luminosity function of quasars at $1.0<z<3.5$ from SDSS and DESI

We present a study of the evolution of type 1 quasars at $1.0<z<3.5$, covering the peak epoch of quasar activity. The quasar evolution has been extensively explored by a variety of previous works and the derived quasar luminosity functions (QLFs) are not well consistent with each other, presumably due to the complexities introduced by different quasar selection techniques and associated completeness corrections. We use a new strategy to construct QLFs based on a library of all known quasars. We focus on a wide region of $\sim$1700 deg$^2$ and a deep field of $\sim$265 deg$^2$ that have rich spectroscopic data primarily from SDSS and DESI. We then apply traditional color cuts in the rest-frame UV/optical to select quasar candidates and use the quasar library to identify them. Our final sample consists of 62,426 quasars at $1.0<z<3.5$, with a high completeness ($\sim$96%) and a high purity ($\sim$93%) in the color selection. Simple color cuts can potentially minimize selection biases for the study of quasar evolution. We derive binned QLFs and characterize them using a double power-law model. Sample incompleteness and contamination are considered as part of the uncertainties in the calculation. Compared to previous results, our QLFs are slightly higher at the faint end, and also higher at the bright end at $2.5<z<3.5$. The QLFs suggest that the quasar evolution at $1.0 < z < 2.5$ can be well described by the pure luminosity evolution model, while at $2.5 < z < 3.5$, it can be described by either the pure luminosity evolution or the pure density evolution model.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Quiescent Host Galaxies of Extended Quasars Revealed by Spectrophotometric Decomposition

Previous works of low-redshift quasar host galaxies have focused on compact quasars and found that their host galaxies are mainly star-forming galaxies. Here we present a study of host galaxies for quasars with extended morphologies in ground-based optical images. We select a sample of more than 1000 type 1 quasars at redshift $0.1<z<1$ that are classified as extended objects by DESI. Combining high-resolution spectra from DESI and high-quality images from Subaru HSC, we develop a spectrophotometric decomposition technique to iteratively decompose each quasar into an AGN component and its host galaxy. The technique can effectively break the degeneracy between the AGN and host components and capture the host spectral features. Our results show that the host galaxies of most quasars have low star-formation rates (SFRs) and low specific SFRs, indicating that they are quiescent galaxies. Many of them exhibit prominent post-starburst features with the existence of significant old stellar populations. These properties are quite different from the nature of compact quasars with star-forming host galaxies. In addition, the relation between the black hole mass and stellar mass for our sample is broadly consistent with the canonical local relations. This work is complementary to the previous studies and suggests that the host galaxies of low-redshift quasars are more diverse than what was thought.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Compiling the largest multiwavelength database of known changing-look AGN: Prospects in the Rubin era

Changing-look active galactic nuclei (CL-AGN) provide a direct way to study accretion and spectral-state changes on timescales of months to years. Still, the known population remains scattered across heterogeneous literature samples. We present a compilation of a homogenized catalog of known CL-AGN and related candidates, designed as a traceable reference database for time-domain and multiwavelength studies. After coordinate homogenization, duplicate removal, and validation, the optical parent catalog contains 1,438 unique sources, including 987 spectroscopically confirmed CL-AGN and 451 candidate or photometrically selected systems. We augment the catalog with ancillary information from radio/mm, infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray data sets using nway and survey-specific quality criteria. The resulting database includes 188 sources in the broad radio layer, 9 RFC/VLBI compact-core matches, 16 sources with ALMA archival coverage, 1,353 infrared counterparts, 918 GALEX ultraviolet matches, and 576 X-ray counterparts. We also identify 9 Fermi-LAT candidate associations. Overall, 1,385 sources have at least one non-optical counterpart, and 75 have coverage across the four main ancillary regimes: radio, infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray. As a first application, we identify 70 confirmed CL-AGN within the LSST Wide--Fast--Deep footprint and 5 within the Rubin Deep Drilling Fields, and provide the up-to-date, ~116-day ugrizy Rubin lightcurve for SDSS J095902.76+021906.3 (z=0.34579) and discuss the early data inferences. This catalog is envisioned to be community-driven and provides a dynamic, expandable resource for target selection, population comparisons, and future Rubin-era CL-AGN studies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Stacked Reverberation Mapping of High Redshift Quasars in DESI. I. Feasibility Analysis

The broad line region of quasars has long been probed by reverberation mapping techniques that measure time lags between continuum and broad emission line variations. Stacked reverberation mapping has been proposed as a less observationally expensive alternative to traditional methods. This ensemble approach also reduces biases from small-number statistics. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is conducting the most extensive spectroscopic survey of quasars to date. We create mock light curves emulating expected DESI quasar observations at redshifts $1.48<z<5.2$ and luminosities $ 44.68 \leq \log L_{1350} λ/ \mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}} \leq 45.99 $ to test stacked reverberation mapping feasibility using sparse spectroscopic data paired with well-sampled photometric data. The pipeline, using the lag estimation code JAVELIN, successfully recovers the simulated C IV lags within one sigma of the true values using spectroscopic light curves composed of only a few spectral epochs (2-10) with irregular cadences. We investigate how observational factors, including C IV flux error magnitude, number of stacked quasars, and spectral epoch count, affect performance. This work motivates a pathway for future stacked reverberation mapping projects with large scale spectroscopic surveys of quasars having $\geq 2$ spectroscopic observations. Our results suggest an economical alternative for constraining and extending the radius-luminosity relation to higher redshifts and luminosities. Subsequently, this relation can be employed more reliably in single-epoch black hole mass measurements and quasar cosmology in these distant regimes.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

The S-PLUS Fifth Data-Release: Over 4500 square degrees of the Southern Sky and a multicolor view of the Hydra and Antlia galaxy clusters

We present the 5th data release (DR5) of the Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS), covering 4592 square degrees across 2491 fields. Observations were conducted with the T80-South, a Brazilian robotic telescope equipped with the Javalambre 12-filter system, containing five broad- and seven narrowband filters. Data products feature FITS images and extensive catalogs containing fluxes, magnitudes, and shape parameters for over 113 million detections. In addition, several value-added catalogs are provided, offering photometric redshifts (photo-zs), object classifications, masks, and extinction coefficients. For the first time, this release includes coverage of 110 square degrees along the Galactic disk, facilitating new research into Galactic structure and stellar populations. The release also provides full coverage of the Hydra Supercluster and numerous other nearby clusters with improved data reduction and calibration, enhancing photo-z accuracy, which is vital for large-scale structure studies. A preliminary analysis of the Hydra and Antlia galaxy clusters up to $5 \times R_{200}$ yields an updated catalog of 1706 cluster members based on both spectroscopic and high-quality photo-zs. Our photometric data shows that both clusters have a similar proportion of galaxies with an H$α$ excess relative to their clustercentric distance, though Hydra has a higher fraction near its center. Additionally, the spatial distribution of all objects in our sample highlights a bridge connecting both clusters. We verify that S-PLUS DR5 provides a solid foundation for future scientific investigations, ranging from Solar System studies to Cosmology.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Known changing-look AGN located within Rubin Deep Drilling Fields

Changing-look active galactic nuclei (CL-AGN) exhibit spectroscopic and photometric changes on timescales of months to years, making them powerful laboratories for studying accretion variability onto supermassive black holes. Motivated by the growing relevance of large spectro-photometric time-domain surveys, especially the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), we compiled a master catalog of known CL-AGN from the literature and evaluated its spatial overlap with the Rubin survey footprint. Using a geometric cross-match based on sky coordinates, we identify 79 sources located in high-cadence regions of the main survey footprint (Wide-Fast-Deep, or WFD), including 5 particularly favorable targets lying within the Deep Drilling Fields (DDFs) of COSMOS and XMM-LSS. These sources represent especially promising candidates for future variability studies in the Rubin era. This Research Note presents a first proof of concept for connecting known CL-AGN with Rubin observing fields, while the full catalog and a more comprehensive analysis will be presented in a forthcoming paper.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

HALO II: Constraining Hubble constant $H_{0}$ through continuum delay fitting of Fairall 9

The Hubble tension remains one of the most significant unresolved problems in modern cosmology. A key question is whether it may arise from underestimated systematic uncertainties in the different measurement techniques. In this context, new independent methods are of exceptional importance. We therefore pursue a novel approach to determining the Hubble constant, $H_{0}$ based on continuum time delay and spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Unlike conventional techniques, this method is entirely independent of the cosmic distance ladder and does not require cross-calibration against other distance indicators. As a result, it enables a direct determination of $H_{0}$, free from the arbitrary normalizations that often affect indirect measurements. We conducted a dedicated monitoring campaign of the Seyfert galaxy Fairall 9 and further developed the {\tt H0RIZON-AGN} model to interpret the resulting observations. The model incorporates the effects of radiation reprocessing in the surrounding cold accretion disk, enabling a more realistic description of the observed continuum delays. Through the simultaneous modeling of the continuum lag-spectrum and the broadband SED of Fairall 9, we derived a Hubble constant of $H_{0}=72.4_{-3.7}^{+3.4} \, \rm km \, s^{-1} \, Mpc^{-1}$. Achieving a measurement precision of approximately 5% from a single source demonstrates the considerable potential of this method for independent determinations of the Hubble constant. Our determination of $H_{0}$ is broadly consistent, within the current uncertainties, with both early- and late-Universe measurements. Future applications of the method to larger datasets, particularly those provided by the Vera Rubin Observatory, are expected to reduce the uncertainty to below 1%, thereby establishing this approach as a powerful independent probe of the Hubble tension.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Simultaneous modeling of FeII emission in the optical and near-infrared in a prototypical Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy

This work investigates the FeII emission in active galactic nuclei (AGN), combining observational data from optical and near-infrared (NIR) spectra of the prototypical FeII emitter IZw1 with state-of-the-art photoionization modeling. Using updated FeII atomic datasets (Smyth et al. 2019; Tayal & Zatsarinny 2018; Bautista et al. 2015), we explore a wide parameter space to determine the physical conditions of FeII-emitting regions in the broad-line region (BLR). Our results show that optical ($R_{\rm 4570}$) and NIR ($R_{\rm 1μm}$) FeII emission can be simultaneously reproduced under consistent conditions, with the best agreement obtained using the Smyth et al. (2019) dataset, for hydrogen densities of $10^{11.0}$ to $10^{12.0}$ cm$^{-3}$ and near-solar metallicity. We quantify, for the first time, the impact of Lyman-$α$ fluorescence on the physical conditions of FeII emission in both regimes, revealing its dominant role in the NIR and, in contrast, highlighting the stronger influence of collisional processes in the optical. Additionally, for the first time, we compare optical and NIR FeII emission simultaneously with OI and the CaII triplet (CaT), reinforcing their connection to similar spatial regions and physical properties, as well as their usefulness as better proxies for optical FeII. Our findings support the idea of a vertical BLR structure, with NIR FeII and OI originating in less dense regions of the cloud than optical FeII and CaT.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Impact of Baseline, Cadence, and Host Contamination on AGN Variability Metrics: A Systematic Study with ZTF

Variability in active galactic nuclei (AGN) probes the physics of accretion onto supermassive black holes. This variability is characterized using metrics derived from the flux distributions of temporally separated epochs. We studied the stability of two variability metrics, the Stetson index "J" and the smoothness "s", against baseline, cadence, and host galaxy contamination. We studied 23 nearby AGNs using Zwicky Transient Facility's Data Release 24. Both metrics are robust to baseline variations of $\sim 2$ years. However, s is sensitive to cadence, showing variations $\gtrsim 40\%$, while J shows minor variations $\lesssim10\%$. We studied the host galaxy impact using Mrk 493 as a representative case. We found that J remains unchanged after host subtraction, while s increases. We concluded that J is a robust tool for characterizing AGN variability, while s should be interpreted with caution.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Spatially Resolved AGN Ionization and Star Formation at Cosmic Noon with JWST/JEMS

At Cosmic Noon ($z\approx 2-3$), both star formation and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) activity peaked, each playing a significant role in ionizing interstellar gas on galaxy-wide scales. The spatial distribution of this ionized gas provides a direct probe of how AGN and stellar ionization shape the gaseous reservoirs of their host galaxies. Using JWST/NIRCam imaging from the JWST Extragalactic Medium-band Survey (JEMS) we spatially map two complementary tracers of ionized gas, [O III]$+\mathrm{H}β$ and Pa$β$, in $\sim200$ galaxies at $2.5 < z < 2.9$. We apply multiwavelength AGN diagnostics to divide the sample into AGN hosts (33 galaxies), Pa$β$-detected systems (32 galaxies), and control objects (175 galaxies). We measure the [O III]$+\mathrm{H}β$ and Pa$β$ spatial extents in each population and relate them to AGN and host properties derived from Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) modeling. Both tracers exhibit systematically larger maximum radial extents in AGN hosts than in control galaxies (by $\sim0.3$ dex), with [O III]$+\mathrm{H}β$ emission modestly more extended than Pa$β$ by $\sim0.1$ dex. With this statistically robust AGN sample, we measure the [O III]$+\mathrm{H}β$ radial extent-AGN luminosity relation at $z\sim3$ and derive a slope of $\sim0.2$, consistent with the shallow end of values reported at low redshift. The larger ionized gas extents among AGN hosts relative to the control sample, combined with the strong correlation between [O III]$+\mathrm{H}β$ extent and AGN luminosity suggest that AGN activity may dominate gas ionization in galaxies with mixed AGN and star-forming activity at Cosmic Noon, although stellar processes can still contribute significantly on kiloparsec scales.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Optical and cm follow-ups of the Changing-Look event in Mkn 590

The Changing-Look active galactic nucleus Mkn 590 is currently in a rejuvenated state, exhibiting a contemporaneous flux rise across X-rays, UV, optical and cm wavelengths. In this study, we present three new optical spectra obtained with the Nordic Optical Telescope, alongside three 1.4 GHz continuum measurements from the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope, acquired since Nov. 2024. We identified a clear increase in the broad hydrogen Balmer line emission in the most recent observational epochs. Additionally, the core radio flux densities appear to track the overall X-ray variability, suggesting a possible connection between the accretion flow and jet activity. Based on these data, we aim to explore the evolution of the circumnuclear gas in this source and potential links between accretion and ejection activity.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

NOCTURNE. III. Unidentified variable emission in the nuclear regions of PKS 2153-69

Historically, the study of the central regions of Type 1 AGN has been limited by the combination of the host galaxy spectrum with strong emission from the accretion disk and NLR/BLR, which prevented us from accurately probing the galactic and AGN properties in the central regions. Integral field spectroscopy allows us to correct for this effect and study both the unobscured cores of AGN host galaxies as well as the uncontaminated spectra of their central engines with unprecedented precision. Using MUSE WFM observations, in this work, we present a combined method for modelling and subtracting QSO light in type-1 AGN alongside results for one such source, PKS 2153-68 (z=0.028), both jetted and gamma-ray emitting. After separating the host galaxy and AGN spectra, we discuss the discovery of an unresolved and yet-to-be-identified high-velocity ($\sim$25000 km/s) short timescale ($\leq$1 yr) variable emission, unlike anything observed in other variable AGN.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

AGN Variability with Rubin Observatory in the 2030s

AGN variability offers a direct probe of accretion physics, disk structure, and black hole growth, but progress has been limited by sample size, cadence heterogeneity, and photometric systematics. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will deliver multi-band light curves for millions of AGN, enabling variability studies at a true population scale. We synthesize recent results from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), which demonstrate that optical variability amplitudes and timescales are primarily regulated by accretion state, with secondary dependence on black hole mass and redshift, and establish the feasibility of survey-driven continuum reverberation mapping. ZTF measurements reveal optical continuum-emitting region sizes that often exceed standard thin disk predictions, implicating diffuse continuum emission from the broad line region as a significant contributor to observed inter-band lags. We evaluate the implications of LSST cadence and survey strategy, particularly the deep drilling fields, for continuum and emission line reverberation mapping, changing-look AGN, extreme variability quasars, and periodic variability searches. Key limitations of broadband photometric variability are identified, including variable emission line contamination, diffuse BLR continuum emission, and cadence-dependent lag recoverability. We argue that realizing LSST's full scientific potential requires community-scale, standardized variability metric pipelines, probabilistic classification integrated with alert brokers for follow-up triggering, and complementary medium-band photometric observations to isolate the accretion disk continuum. Together, these elements will enable LSST to convert photometric variability into quantitative constraints on accretion disks, BLR structure, and supermassive black hole growth across cosmic time.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Connecting disc-corona physics and ionised outflows in AGN in the 2040s

We outline a science case for next-generation wide-field spectroscopic surveys aimed at connecting the physics of the accretion disc and X-ray corona in active galactic nuclei (AGN) with the properties of their nebular regions and circumgalactic medium (CGM). We focus on the non-linear Lx-Luv relation and on deviations from this canonical coupling encoded in $Δα_{OX}$, the offset of the optical-to-X-ray index from the mean relation, and propose to use broad and narrow line emission and CGM nebulae as calorimeters of the ionising SED to trace different accretion "states". We propose an observational strategy based on rest-frame UV/optical spectroscopy of $\sim 10^{4}-10^{5}$ AGN, a time-domain reverberation-mapping tier for a well-defined subsample, coordinated X-ray coverage, and wide-field IFU mapping of CGM emission (including H$α$ and Ly$α$). From these goals we derive requirements for a future ESO facility in the 2040s: a dedicated, wide-field, high-multiplex optical-NIR spectroscopic telescope with time-domain flexibility and arcmin-scale IFU capability.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2025

The evolution of obscured AGN across cosmic time -- A large quasar survey for the 2040s

We propose a large quasar demographic optical multi-object spectroscopic (MOS) survey targeting over 50 million AGN candidates up to the highest redshifts possible in the optical (z~6.5), with repeat visits, using a variety of selection criteria available by 2040. A large MOS survey combining all AGN selection methods is the only way to unify a diverse range of different obscured AGN populations within a single, variability- and spectroscopy-based framework, rather than as disjoint classes selected by different methods.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Galaxy evolution in compact groups - III. Structural analysis of galaxies and dynamical state of non-isolated compact groups

Compact Groups (CGs) of galaxies are dense systems where projected separations are comparable to their optical diameters. A subset - non-isolated CGs - are embedded within major structures. Using multi-band S-PLUS data, we analyse galaxies in 122 non-isolated CGs within more massive systems such as larger groups and clusters. We compare them to galaxies in the host structures, hereafter surrounding group galaxies. Structural parameters were obtained with MorphoPLUS, a pipeline for multi-wavelength Sérsic profile fitting. Dividing galaxies into early (ETG), transition, or late types (LTG), we find: (1) Non-isolated CGs host higher quenched fractions and more ETGs, especially for stellar masses $\log(M/M_\odot) > 10.2$, than surrounding groups. (2) Sérsic indices increase with wavelength for all morphological types in both environments, whereas effective radii show a stronger morphology-dependent behaviour - ETGs become more compact towards redder bands, while LTGs exhibit flatter $Re(λ)$ trends. Environmental differences remain weak, with only a modest enhancement of the gradients for ETGs in non-isolated CGs. (3) Transition galaxies in CGs show a concentrated $R_e$-$n$ distribution and faint-end bimodality, consistent with ongoing morphological transformation absent in surrounding groups. (4) Phase-space analysis indicates that some CGs in clusters are projection artefacts, while others are genuine dense systems at various infall stages, from recent arrivals to ancient remnants. These results show that galaxies in non-isolated CGs follow distinct evolutionary paths compared to their surrounding groups galaxies, suggesting that the compact configuration plays a unique role beyond the influence of the larger-scale environment.

astro-ph.GA↗