arXiv subjects

Veronika Lipatova

Publications and source records attributed to Veronika Lipatova.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Pebbles to Gems: Intermediate-mass black holes in the first star clusters

The rapid assembly of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) observed at $z\gtrsim7$ requires efficient seeding mechanisms in the early Universe. Population III (Pop. III) star clusters have recently emerged as a promising pathway that may bridge the gap between traditional light- and heavy-seed scenarios by producing intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) with masses up to $\sim10^4\,\rm M_{\odot}$. We investigate the properties and number densities of IMBHs forming in Pop. III star clusters with masses $M_{\rm cl}\sim10^3-4\times10^5\,\rm M_{\odot}$, and hosted in isolated dark matter minihalos, using a suite of direct $N$-body simulations. We adopt cosmologically motivated initial conditions and explore different stellar evolution prescriptions, binary orbital parameter distributions, and cluster dynamical configurations. By $z\sim19$, the IMBH mass function consistently peaks at $m_{\rm IMBH}\sim200\,\rm M_{\odot}$, with number densities of $n_{\rm IMBH}\sim0.2-5\,\rm cMpc^{-3}$. In sufficiently dense and massive clusters, IMBHs with masses $>10^3\,\rm M_{\odot}$ can already form by $z\sim19$, reaching number densities of $n_{\rm IMBH}\sim10^{-4}-10^{-2}\,\rm cMpc^{-3}$. The most massive IMBHs in our models reach $\sim6200\,\rm M_{\odot}$ through the collapse of very massive stars assembled by repeated stellar collisions, a process enhanced in fractal clusters. Lower-mass IMBHs form instead predominantly through single and binary stellar evolution and binary stellar mergers. We find that models combining large stellar radii and tight binaries produce the highest IMBH abundances relative to isolated Pop. III evolution. Owing to the high retention fraction of IMBHs ($\gtrsim88\%$), massive dense Pop. III star clusters can act as efficient incubators of both light and heavy SMBH seeds, even if only a fraction of Pop. III stars formed in such environments.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Mass distribution of Pop III star clusters: A-SLOTH predictions for JWST observability

This study aims to model the expected luminosities of the first four Balmer-series transitions from Pop.\,III star-forming halos and assess their detectability with JWST/NIRSpec across $5 \le z \le 11$, while testing whether the massive Pop.\,III stellar systems required for detectability are physically expected to form. We use the semi-analytical code A-SLOTH with merger trees constructed from the extended Press-Schechter (EPS) formalism and cosmological $N$-body simulations targeting Milky Way-like halos and the halo population in an 8~Mpc$/h$ box. Predicted line fluxes are compared to JWST detection limits derived from the Exposure Time Calculator (ETC), assuming a 10\,000~s NIRSpec exposure at a signal-to-noise ratio of 5. For our default model parameters, Pop.\,III H$α$ fluxes peak at $\sim10^{-20}$\,erg\,s$^{-1}$\,cm$^{-2}$, 1--2 orders of magnitude below the JWST detection threshold ($\sim6\times10^{-19}$\,erg\,s$^{-1}$\,cm$^{-2}$). The other Balmer lines are weaker than H$α$ and are likewise undetectable. This is because, in our models, the massive Pop.\,III stellar systems required to generate detectable Balmer emission do not form. Pop.\,III star formation proceeds in short, feedback-regulated episodes that are terminated by radiative and supernova feedback, yielding young Pop.\,III stellar masses of only $\sim10^{1}$--$10^{4}\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$. In contrast, detectable Balmer emission would require Pop.\,III stellar masses of $M_{\star,\mathrm{III}}\gtrsim 10^{5}\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$, depending on the observable redshift.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Impact of initial mass function on the chemical evolution of high-redshift galaxies

Recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have found evidence for an invariant relation between stellar mass, metallicity, and star formation rate up to $z\sim 8$ and its breakdown at higher redshifts. Understanding the underlying physics driving such correlations is thus crucial. Here, we explore the impact of the initial mass function (IMF) on the chemical evolution of high-redshift galaxies. Indeed, star formation and metal enrichment in galaxies are regulated by supernova (SN) explosions and metal yields from massive stars, which are sensitive to the high-mass end of the IMF. Using the semi-analytical galaxy evolution code \textsc{a-sloth}, we follow galactic baryon cycles along merger trees built from a high-resolution cosmological simulation. Stellar feedback is modeled with up-to-date stellar evolution tracks covering the full metallicity range ($Z \sim 10^{-11} - 0.03$) and a broad stellar mass range ($m_\star\sim2 - 600\ \rm M_\odot$), including metal yields from stellar winds, core-collapse SNe, (pulsational) pair-instability SNe, and Type Ia SNe. Assuming a Kroupa-like IMF with a varying upper mass limit $m_{\max}$, we find that only models with $m_{\max} \gtrsim 200\ \rm M_\odot$ can simultaneously reproduce the observed mass-metallicity-star formation rate relation and cosmic star formation history at $z\gtrsim 4$ owing to enhanced metal yields from pair-instability SNe. Our results confirm that very massive ($\gtrsim 200\ \rm M_\odot$) stars and pair-instability SNe play an important role in the star formation and chemical enrichment histories of high-$z$ galaxies. They also have profound implications for electromagnetic transients and gravitational-wave events.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Black Hole - Neutron Star and Binary Neutron Star Mergers from Population III and II stars

Population III (Pop.$~$III) stars are expected to be massive and to undergo minimal mass loss due to their lack of metals, making them ideal progenitors of black holes and neutron stars. Here, we investigate the formation and properties of binary neutron star (BNS) and black hole-neutron star (BHNS) mergers originating from Pop.$~$III stars, and compare them to their metal-enriched Population II (Pop.$~$II) counterparts, focusing on their merger rate densities (MRDs), primary masses and delay times. We find that, despite the high merger efficiency of Pop.$~$III BNSs and BHNSs, their low star formation rate results in a MRD at least one order of magnitude lower than that of Pop.$~$II stars. The MRD of Pop.$~$III BNSs peaks at redshift $z\sim15$, attaining a value $\mathcal{R}_{\rm BNS}(z\sim15) \sim 15\,\rm Gpc^{-3}\,yr^{-1}$, while the MRD of Pop.$~$III BHNSs is maximum at $z\sim13$, reaching a value $\mathcal{R}_{\rm BHNS}(z\sim13) \sim 2\,\rm Gpc^{-3}\,yr^{-1}$. Finally, we observe that the black hole masses of Pop.$~$III BHNS mergers have a nearly flat distribution with a peak at $\sim 20\,\rm M_{\odot}$ and extending up to $\sim 50\,\rm M_{\odot}$. Black holes in Pop.$~$II BHNS mergers show instead a peak at $\lesssim 15\,\rm M_{\odot}$. We consider these predictions in light of recent gravitational-wave observations in the local Universe, finding that a Pop.$~$III origin is preferred relative to Pop.$~$II for some events.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

M3DIS -- A grid of 3D radiation-hydrodynamics stellar atmosphere models for stellar surveys. II. Carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars

Understanding the origin and evolution of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars is key to tracing the Galaxy's early chemical enrichment. We investigate how realistic 3D radiation-hydrodynamics (RHD) model atmospheres affect carbon abundances in CEMP stars and implications for their classification and Galactic chemical evolution (GCE). We focus on biases from traditional 1D hydrostatic models. We use the M3DIS code to compute 3D RHD model atmospheres for main-sequence and sub-giant stars over a wide range of metallicities and carbon enhancements. Synthetic spectra of the CH G-band are calculated with 3D radiative transfer and compared to spectra from classical 1D MARCS models. We derive abundance corrections and apply them to a large SAGA database sample to quantify effects on the carbon abundance distribution and CEMP classification. Our new 3D CEMP models predict cooler upper atmospheric layers than in 1D models, resulting in stronger CH absorption and lower inferred carbon abundances by up to -0.9 dex at the lowest metallicities. Carbon enhancement in the atmosphere itself increases molecular opacities and leads to radiative re-heating, partly offsetting adiabatic cooling in 3D models and reducing 3D-1D abundance corrections. Applying these corrections lowers the CEMP fraction by up to 20% below [Fe/H]=-3 and alters the relative contribution of CEMP sub-classes. The fraction of CEMP-no stars increases while the number of CEMP-r/s stars decreases, due to the downward revision of absolute carbon abundances. These changes bring the Galactic carbon distribution into better agreement with GCE models assuming a 20% contribution from faint supernovae. Realistic model atmospheres are essential to reliably reconstruct the Galaxy's early chemical enrichment history.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Contact binary asteroid (153201) 2000 WO107: rotation, shape model, and density

We combine different methods to investigate the rotation, determine the shape and estimate the density of near-Earth asteroid (153201) 2000 WO$_{107}$. We carried out photometric observations of the asteroid during the 2020 apparition. Then we created a program able to simulate the lightcurves, and used it within a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to reconstruct the asteroid shape model from the observational data. The Goldstone radar observations of the asteroid were used as an additional constraint on the asteroid model in the MCMC algorithm. The estimated shape and rotation rate of the contact binary were used to compute its density. The photometric observations of (153201) 2000 WO$_{107}$ obtained at a wide range of the phase angles from 5 to 68 degrees in the time interval November 28 -- December 8, 2020, show lightcurves typical for contact binary asteroids, which agrees with the results of the radar data. The lightcurves have a maximum amplitude of up to 1.24 mag. The best-fit modelled shape of the asteroid is composed of two ellipsoidal lobes with the axes $0.68\times 0.38 \times 0.36$ km and $0.44 \times 0.42 \times 0.16$ km. Its sidereal rotation period is determined to be $5.017\pm 0.002$ hr. The most probable solution for the angular velocity vector of the asteroid points at the ecliptic coordinates $λ=96^\circ \pm 8^\circ$ and $β=-78^\circ \pm 1^\circ$, whereas another less probable solution around $λ=286^\circ \pm 11 ^\circ$, $β=-76^\circ \pm 2 ^\circ$ cannot be disregarded. The estimated density of the asteroid $ρ=4.80^{+0.34}_{-0.63}$ g/cm$^3$ is consistent with its possible metallic composition. From the orbital simulation of this potentially hazardous asteroid, we find that its integral probability of colliding with the Earth in the next 10,000 years is $7\cdot 10^{-5}.$

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2024

A-SLOTH reveals the nature of the first stars

The first generation of stars (PopIII) are too dim to be observed directly and probably too short-lived to have survived for local observations. Hence, we rely on simulations and indirect observations to constrain the nature of the first stars. In this study, we calibrate the semi-analytical model A-SLOTH (Ancient Stars and Local Observables by Tracing Halos), designed for simulating star formation in the early Universe, using a likelihood function based on nine independent observables. These observables span Milky Way-specific and cosmologically representative variables, ensuring a comprehensive calibration process. This calibration methodology ensures that A-SLOTH provides a robust representation of the early Universe's star formation processes, aligning simulated values with observed benchmarks across a diverse set of parameters. The outcome of this calibration process is best-fit values and their uncertainties for 11 important parameters that describe star formation in the early Universe, such as the shape of the initial mass function (IMF) of PopIII stars or escape fractions of ionizing photons. Our best-fitting model has a PopIII IMF with a steeper slope, d$N$/d$M \propto M^{-1.77}$, than the log-flat models often proposed in the literature, and also relatively high minimum and maximum masses, $M_{\rm min} = 13.6$Msun and $M_{\rm max} = 197$Msun. However, we emphasize that the IMF-generating parameters are poorly constrained and, e.g., the IMF slope could vary from log-flat to Salpeter. We also provide data products, such as delay time distribution, bubble size distributions for ionizing and metal-enriched bubbles at high redshift, and correlation plots between all 11 input parameters. Our study contributes to understanding the formation of early stars through A-SLOTH and provides valuable insights into the intricate processes involved in the early Universe's star formation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Analytic theory for the tangential YORP produced by the asteroid regolith

The tangential YORP effect is a radiation pressure torque produced by asymmetric thermal emission by structures on the asteroid surface. As such structures, previous works considered boulders of different shapes lying on the surface of the asteroid. We study the tangential YORP produced by the rough interface of the asteroid's regolith. We create an approximate analytic theory of heat conduction on a slightly non-flat sinusoidal surface. We analyze the published data on the small-scale shape of the asteroid (162173) Ryugu and estimate its tangential YORP due to the surface roughness. We derive an analytic formula that expresses the TYORP of a sinusoidal surface in terms of its geometric and thermal properties. TYORP is maximal at the thermal parameter of the order of unity and for the shape irregularities of the order of the thermal wavelength. Application of this equation to Ryugu predicts TYORP, which is 5-70 times greater than its normal YORP effect. The contribution of the small-scale regolith roughness to the YORP effect of the asteroid can be comparable to the normal YORP and the tangential YORP produced by boulders. The same theory can describe roughness on the asteroid boulders, thus adding a new term to the previously considered TYORP created by boulders.

astro-ph.EP↗