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Xiaohui Fan

Publications and source records attributed to Xiaohui Fan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

(LRDs)$^2$: The Low-ReDshift Little Red Dots Survey. II. DESI DR1 Sample

JWST has revealed a substantial population of "Little Red Dots" (LRDs) at $z>4$, challenging conventional AGN frameworks. However, the low-redshift regime remains largely unexplored. In the second paper of the (LRDs)$^2$ series, we present a systematic selection from DESI DR1 and identify 27 LRDs at $z=0.2-0.9$, yielding a number density lower limit of $7.5\times10^{-10}$ cMpc$^{-3}$. We conducted near-IR spectroscopic follow-up observations for 21 of them, revealing their full SED shapes and emission lines. These low-$z$ LRDs share the hallmark properties of their high-$z$ counterparts: compact morphology, V-shaped UV-optical continua, broad Balmer emission with extreme decrements (median H$α$/H$β\sim15$), frequent Balmer absorption (70%), and blackbody-like optical-to-near-IR continua. All have low metallicity, occupy the same regions in the BPT diagram as high-$z$ LRDs, and have softer ionizing spectra than typical AGNs. The consistency between low-$z$ and high-$z$ LRD properties indicates the same physical processes at work. The correlation between broad-line Balmer luminosity and $L_{5100}$ deviates from that of local type-1 AGNs, limiting the direct application of local BH mass calibrations. Ionized [O III] outflows are ubiquitous (78%). One LRD at $z=0.196$, J1717+3807, shows robust long-term variability in $i$ and WISE bands. The optical-to-NIR continua of LRDs reveal a wide range of temperatures $\sim2000-4700$ K (peak $0.6-1.4$ $μ$m), with a subset showing cooler and larger envelopes than those at high $z$. Low-$z$ LRDs serve not only as proximate laboratories for probing the nature of LRDs, but also trace the cosmic evolution of this population from the cosmic dawn to the present day.

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MAMMOTH-LyC: Investigating the Role of Galaxy Mergers in a Strong Lyman Continuum Leaker at $z=2.39$

The MAMMOTH-LyC survey is a cycle 30 Hubble Space Telescope (HST) medium program obtaining 18-orbit-deep WFC3/UVIS F225W imaging in two massive galaxy protocluster fields at $z\sim2.2$. We introduce this survey by reporting the discovery of J1244-LyC1, a strong Lyman continuum (LyC) leaker at $z = 2.39$, exhibiting clear merger signatures. J1244-LyC1 has a highly significant ($6σ$) LyC detection, corresponding to an absolute escape fraction of $f_{\mathrm{esc}} \! =\!36\%\pm6\%$ ($1σ$). The LyC emission is spatially resolved into multiple peaks that coincide with the system's disturbed morphology, confirming genuine multi-site LyC leakage. With a stellar mass of $10^{10.2}{M_\odot}$, J1244-LyC1 is both the first confirmed high-redshift LyC-leaking merger and the most massive LyC emitter known to date. We interpret J1244-LyC1 as a merger-driven starburst system in which tidal interactions have disrupted the interstellar medium, creating multiple low-column-density pathways that facilitate LyC escape. This discovery provides the first direct evidence of spatially resolved LyC escape in a merging system, offering new insight into the potential role of major mergers in driving the cosmic reionization.

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Can Blue UV-Bright Galaxies Drive Reionization at Cosmic Dawn? An $M_{\rm UV}=-19.6$ Galaxy with $f_{\rm esc}\approx0.85$ at $z=9.244$

We revisit EBG-1, a gravitationally lensed galaxy at $z = 9.244$, using newly obtained deep (14 hr) JWST/NIRSpec G235M ($R \sim 1000$) spectroscopy. EBG-1 is one of the bluest galaxies observed at $z > 9$. Along with its remarkably blue continuum of $β= -2.99 \pm 0.15$, we find very weak nebular emission from EBG-1. We obtain a $3σ$ upper limit of EW $< 8.4$ Angstrom for C III], a marginal H$β$ measurement (EW $= 256.2 \pm 122.2$ Angstrom), and a $5σ$ detection of [O III] $λ5007$ (EW $= 882.8 \pm 180.6$ Angstrom). These lines suggest an oxygen abundance of $12 + \log(\mathrm{O/H}) = 7.16 \pm 0.25$ ($\simeq 3\% Z_{\odot}$) and $\log(\mathrm{C/O}) < -0.88$ ($3σ$), placing EBG-1 on the C/O-metallicity sequence traced by lower-redshift galaxies. To constrain the escape fraction ($f_{\rm esc}$), we compare the observed UV slope and emission-line equivalent widths with synthetic spectra generated using BEAGLE. The models favor $f_{\rm esc} \gtrsim 0.75$, with $f_{\rm esc} \approx 0.85$ providing the best overall agreement with the observations. These results suggest that relatively UV-bright galaxies like EBG-1 can achieve the exceptionally high ionizing efficiencies supported by late reionization scenarios.

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A 210 Megaparsec Ionized Structure at $z=6.8$ Revealed by an Astrophysics Foundation Model

Reionization is the last major transition in the Universe that transforms the intergalactic medium (IGM) from neutral to highly ionized, yet its spatial structure remains poorly constrained. Using an astrophysics foundation model trained for James Webb Space Telescope datasets, we identify a luminous galaxy at redshift $z=7.567$ showing significant Ly$α$ transmission at $z=6.80\pm0.07$. This transmission, named ``the First Ly$α$ transmission in the Reionization Epoch at $z\sim7$" (FL$α$RE-z7), indicates a cosmological-scale ionized structure extending over $210.5^{+55.7}_{-53.5}$ comoving Megaparsecs at cosmic dawn. The hydrogen neutral fraction of the ionized structure is $x_{\rm HI}=(2.07^{+0.29}_{-0.30})\times10^{-6}$, about $10^5$ times lower than the cosmic mean at similar redshifts $(x_{\rm HI}\approx0.4)$. Cosmological simulations suggest a probability of $\approx10^{-5}$ for a random sightline to reproduce the transmission. We find no significant galaxy overdensity associated with the transmission region, in tension with canonical inside-out reionization models. FL$α$RE-z7 severely challenges existing reionization models in the standard $Λ$CDM Universe, indicating extreme spatial fluctuation in ionizing radiation or IGM temperature. Our result marks the first example of a foundation model discovering a previously unpredicted astrophysical phenomenon, demonstrating the power of deep learning methods for mining large astronomical datasets and finding unexpected new astrophysics.

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Deep X-ray View of a Distant Protocluster Anchored by a Quasar at $z=6.63$: No Evidence for Enhanced X-ray AGN Activity

Whether dense environments accelerate SMBH growth during cosmic reionization remains uncertain because X-ray constraints on $z>6$ protoclusters are rare. We analyze $\sim865$ ks of Chandra observations of J0910-0414 quasar field, a massive protocluster at $z=6.63$. We construct a catalog of 251 X-ray sources and search for AGN among 21 spectroscopically confirmed members, excluding the central quasar. This is the first systematic X-ray AGN census in a $z>6$ protocluster; none of the members is individually detected. Stacking all members ($\sim17$ Ms total exposure) yields no significant signal and limits the average rest-frame 2-10 keV luminosity to $\langle L_{\rm 2-10~keV}\rangle\leq9.54\times10^{42}~\rm erg~s^{-1}$. The null result gives a central 90% Jeffreys upper bound of $f_{\rm AGN}<0.09$. After accounting for the spatially varying sensitivity, the field Compton-thin X-ray luminosity function predicts $N_{\rm exp,field}=0.0356$ AGN in the surveyed volume. Assuming the overdensity profile of AGNs in this protocluster is the same as that of galaxies determined by Wang et al. (2024), the expected AGN count becomes $N_{\rm exp}=0.131$. Zero detections then imply a one-sided 90% upper limit of $η_{\rm rel}<17.5$ on any additional X-ray AGN enhancement beyond that associated with the galaxy overdensity. Although $η_{\rm rel}<17.5$ permits more than an order-of-magnitude enhancement, the data show no significant excess of X-ray-detectable AGN in J0910-0414 protocluster. The present X-ray data may miss heavily obscured, intrinsically X-ray-weak, or intermittently accreting SMBHs; the non-detection therefore does not rule out AGNs among the member galaxies.

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Nearly pristine gas in a galaxy 1 billion years after the Big Bang

Excitation of carbon and oxygen ions is the primary mechanism by which collapsing gas clouds dissipate heat to form new stars. At early cosmic times, in galaxies with chemically pristine gas, many stars are expected to have masses far larger than the mass of our sun due to the deficit in these elements. We searched for ultra-metal-poor galaxies using their spectroscopic absorption signatures in front of bright background quasars, employing the new GHOST high-resolution spectrograph. Here we report the discovery of the first galaxy containing a reservoir of neutral hydrogen gas with metallicity below the ultra-metal-poor threshold: with a measured carbon-to-hydrogen ratio 11,000 times lower than the Sun, it is the most pristine ever found by a factor of four. UMP-DLA-1 is the only known galaxy with measured carbon and oxygen abundances too low to enable efficient formation of stars with solar mass or below. The low metallicity alone therefore guarantees a top-heavy stellar population, providing a direct view of the chemical composition imprinted by massive low-metallicity stars that perished long before the present day: an elevated oxygen-to-carbon ratio. The abundance pattern of UMP-DLA-1 is likely a close representation of the atomic yields of first- or early second-generation stars.

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The Nineteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Mapping the local and distant Universe is key to our understanding of it. For decades, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has made a concerted effort to map millions of celestial objects to constrain the physical processes that govern our Universe. The most recent and fifth generation of SDSS (SDSS-V) is organized into three scientific ``mappers". Milky Way Mapper (MWM) that aims to chart the various components of the Milky Way and constrain its formation and assembly, Black Hole Mapper (BHM), which focuses on understanding supermassive black holes in distant galaxies across the Universe, and Local Volume Mapper (LVM), which uses integral field spectroscopy to map the ionized interstellar medium in the local group. This paper describes and outlines the scope and content for the nineteenth data release (DR19) of SDSS and the most substantial to date in SDSS-V. DR19 is the first to contain data from all three mappers. Additionally, we also describe nine value added catalogs (VACs) that enhance the science that can be conducted with the SDSS-V data. Finally, we discuss how to access SDSS DR19 and provide illustrative examples and tutorials.

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A dust-reddened quasar in a [C II]-luminous host at z=6.55

Most known quasars at $z>6$ were selected through their rest-frame UV emission. Only a small number of reddened quasars have been identified at these redshifts, leaving their nuclear and host-galaxy properties poorly constrained. We present JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy and ALMA band 6 observations of the quasar J1440+0019 at $z=6.5488$, revealing its dust-reddened nature and jointly characterizing its nucleus and host galaxy. The continuum is best described by an SMC-like extinction law with $E(B-V)=0.20\pm0.03$. Three absorption systems detected in N V, Si IV, and C IV are blueshifted by approximately $900$--$3600$ km s$^{-1}$ and likely trace an ionized nuclear outflow. The broad Mg II line and extinction-corrected continuum yield a black-hole mass of $\log(M_{\rm BH}/M_\odot)=9.04\pm0.42$, a bolometric luminosity of $L_{\rm bol}\simeq1.1\times10^{47}$ erg s$^{-1}$, and an Eddington ratio of $λ_{\rm Edd}\simeq0.8$. ALMA observations further reveal its host galaxy to be among the most [C II]-luminous known at $z>6$, with $L_{\mathrm{[C II]}}=(7.21\pm0.25)\times10^9 L_\odot$. For a fiducial dust temperature of 47 K and emissivity index $β=1.6$, the dust continuum implies $L_{\rm TIR}=8.9\times10^{12} L_\odot$ and $M_{\rm dust}=4.0\times10^8 M_\odot$. The inferred dynamical mass places J1440+0019 in the region of the $M_{\rm BH}$--$M_{\rm dyn}$ plane occupied by high-redshift blue quasars. These observations reveal a moderately reddened, rapidly accreting quasar in a luminous, dust-rich host during reionization. Its measured nuclear and host-galaxy properties provide an observational reference for identifying and characterizing similar systems in future systematic searches with wide-area infrared surveys.

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Probing Direct Contributions of Galaxies and AGN to Cosmic Reionization in a Quasar Field J0226+0302 with JWST NIRCam and NIRSpec

We present JWST Cycle 2 NIRCam and NIRSpec observations in a quasar field J0226+0302 at z=6.5412 to probe the direct connections between the intergalactic medium (IGM), galaxies, and AGN during reionization. This field was previously observed by the JWST ASPIRE program, detecting eight [OIII]-emitting galaxies at 5.3<z<6.4 with a single NIRCam pointing. Using new NIRCam and NIRSpec observations, we identify 65 additional line-emitting galaxies at 5.3<z<6.4. The IGM-galaxy cross-correlation function shows a ~2-sigma excess IGM transmission at ~10-40 cMpc from galaxies, suggesting a significant contribution from regions traced by star-forming galaxies to the local ionizing background. The IGM-galaxy cross-correlation function in this field is consistent with THESAN simulations for an IGM neutral fraction of 5%-7% and an average galaxy ionizing photon escape fraction f_esc of 6%, although a single field is subject to substantial cosmic variance and cannot constrain these quantities independently. Among 49 line-emitting galaxies observed by NIRSpec, we identify four AGN with broad H-alpha emission lines, resulting in an AGN fraction of (8+/-4)%. From the IGM effective optical depth and the IGM-AGN cross-correlation function, we find that the IGM transmission is higher within 5 cMpc/h of four AGN than around the majority of [OIII] emitters. We interpret the excess transmission as resulting from the local radiation enhancement by the AGN, and estimate f_esc~50%-100%, based on our illustrative model for the IGM-AGN cross-correlation function. Future JWST NIRSpec observations in quasar fields will yield a more constraining IGM-AGN cross-correlation function, providing further insights into the roles of galaxies and AGN in reionization.

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NEXUS: Discovery of a Luminous Young Transient at $z=5$

We report the discovery of AT 2026abck, a young transient in a star-forming galaxy at $z=5.017\pm0.001$, identified from Year-2 observations of the NEXUS JWST treasury program. AT 2026abck was detected on 2026 Aug 7 in NIRCam F200W imaging, with contemporaneous detection from parallel NIRCam F150W+F277W imaging. It brightened by $>1.4$ mag in F200W over $\lesssim 12$ rest-frame days, as inferred from the last non-detection. AT 2026abck has nearly identical magnitudes of $\sim27.4$ mag in F150W, F200W, and F277W, and is undetected in F444W ($>27.9$ mag, 3$σ$). It is the first robustly detected $z\gtrsim 5$ transient in a non-lensing field. A blackbody fit yields a hot photosphere ($\sim1.7\times10^4\, \mathrm{K}$) with a radius of $\sim7\times10^{14}$ cm ($\sim46$ au) and a bolometric luminosity of $\sim3\times10^{43}\, {\rm erg\, s^{-1}}$. Its off-nucleus location and hot, UV-bright SED favor a core-collapse supernova origin, while its temperature and luminosity exceed those of normal SNe II at comparable early phases. We estimate that AT 2026abck was detected $\sim4$-10 rest-frame days after explosion. The host is an intermediate-mass ($M_*\approx10^{9.8}\,M_\odot$), star-forming (${\rm SFR}\approx20\,M_\odot\,{\rm yr^{-1}}$) galaxy on the $z\approx5$ main sequence, $\sim3.3$ dex more massive than the ultra-faint host of the lensed SN Eos at $z=5.13$. Together, the two events show that CCSNe at $z>5$ occur across a wide range of host environments, and AT 2026abck demonstrates that high-cadence blank-field JWST surveys can capture high-redshift SNe during their early, UV-bright phase.

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COSMOS-3D: Diverse Environments and Hot-dust Signatures among Dusty Star-forming Galaxies at $z$ = 4.9-7.2

Dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) are expected to trace early massive-halo assembly, but the connection between dust-obscured star formation, morphology, hot dust, and environment remains unclear at $z$>4. We combine JWST/NIRCam F444W grism spectroscopy from COSMOS-3D with MIRI F1000W/F2100W imaging and a mixed ALMA-selected and ALMA-followed dusty-galaxy sample from CRISTAL, CHAMPS, REBELS, and A3COSMOS to study 18 DSFGs or DSFG candidates at z=4.9-7.2. We compare their environments with the parent spectroscopically confirmed emission-line sample and the COSMOS-Web photo-z galaxy sample using separate and combined overdensity estimators. The parent narrow-line H$α$ sample has a median observed, dust-uncorrected ${\rm SFR}_{\rm Hα}=11.7 M_\odot~{\rm yr^{-1}}$. Within R=0.5 pMpc, DSFGs have a median $δ_{\rm spec+phot}=0.92^{+0.06}_{-0.16}$, compared with $0.80^{+0.05}_{-0.04}$ for HAEs, with a stronger contrast on smaller scales. The strongest compact overdensities are associated with merger/interacting morphology: merging DSFGs reach $δ_{\rm spec+phot}=4.70^{+1.61}_{-1.51}$ within R=0.5 pMpc. In contrast, MIRI-bright DSFGs do not show an enhanced number of nearby visible H$α$-emitting companions, and their F2100W fluxes are difficult to explain with the 3.3 $μ$m PAH feature alone, suggesting an additional hot-dust component. These results are consistent with a possible phase-dependent picture in which the compact line-emitter core, merger-driven dusty phase, and MIRI-bright hot-dust phase need not be spatially or temporally identical during early structure growth.

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$\textit{Nāpōwawā`enakaulua}$: a close quasar pair at cosmic dawn in the Aether survey

We present the discovery and first characterization of $\textit{Nāpōwawā`enakaulua}$: the most compact known quasar pair candidate in the Epoch of Reionization, with a projected separation of only $0.98^{\prime\prime}$ ($\approx 5.56$ pkpc at $z \sim 6.08$) and a velocity offset of $Δv \simeq 15 \text{ km s}^{-1}$. Using spectroscopy from JWST/NIRSpec IFU, as part of the $\textit{Aether survey}$, Gemini/GNIRS and GMOS we characterize the continuum and emission line properties of the two quasars, enabling constraints on their black hole masses ($M_{\text{BH}} \simeq 1.5 \times 10^9$ and $4.0 \times 10^8\,M_\odot$), accretion states ($λ_{\text{Edd}} \simeq 1.23$ and $1.07$), and systemic redshifts ($z_{\rm sys} \simeq 6.0781$ and $6.0785$). We place this pair in the cosmological context by comparing the chance of occurrence to extrapolations of high-$z$ quasar clustering measurements at larger scales, resulting in a $\sim 2-3$ order of magnitude excess with respect to expectations. This excess hints at an underlying population of merger-triggered quasar pairs at cosmic dawn or to a denser-than-average galactic environment. $\textit{Nāpōwawā`enakaulua}$ thus represents a crucial signpost to investigate the mass assembly of the first massive galaxies and black holes.

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Radio Quasars in the Cosmic Dawn: A Spectroscopic Sample from the DESI Survey

We present the largest statistical spectroscopic sample of radio quasars at 4.7 10$). With radio luminosities of $\sim10^{25-28}$ W/Hz, the radio emission in all 83 quasars is expected to be jet-dominated rather than powered by star formation. Analysis of their rest-frame ultra-violet (UV) spectra reveals broadly similar composite spectral properties and CIV velocity shifts compared to radio non-detected quasars. The radio-detected and radio-loud quasars exhibit slightly smaller Ly$α$ and CIV equivalent widths on average, however, we find no significant evidence ($\sim1.3σ$) for a higher fraction of weak-line quasars (WLQs; ~10+/-4% versus ~4+/-1% for radio non-detected quasars). We further find that the broad absorption line (BAL) quasars are predominantly radio-quiet, and no correlation is observed between absorption index and radio-loudness, suggesting that radio emission is not produced by the BAL outflows themselves and are physically distinct phenomena. Our results demonstrate that powerful radio jets were already well-established by z~5.

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LATED: Ly$α$-anchored photometric selection of candidate metal-free and extremely metal-poor star formation from the end of reionisation to cosmic noon

Cosmological simulations allow a low-level tail of Population III (Pop III) star formation to persist to $z=2-6$. Spectroscopic confirmation is expensive, so an efficient photometric pre-selection is needed. We present LATED (Lyman-Alpha Tomography of Extremely Metal-poor Domains), which selects metal-free and extremely metal-poor candidates from a Ly$α$-emitter parent sample using strong-line diagnostics. The method requires three bands and two colours, $x=m_{\rm OIII}-m_{{\rm H}α}$ and $y=m_{{\rm H}α}-m_{\rm cont}$, which trace oxygen abundance and the H$α$ equivalent width, respectively. Requiring that the filters simultaneously contain [O III]+H$β$ and H$α$, together with a Ly$α$ parent selection, defines five windows spanning $z=1.92-6.60$ (four JWST/NIRCam, one Roman/WFI). The criteria, $x\geq x_{\rm min}(z)$ and $y\leq y_{\rm max}(z)$, are set by the per-redshift extrema of a forward-modelled Pop III template locus. Ordinary metal-enriched star-forming and AGN templates fall outside the selection region, and possible contaminants such as little red dots are flagged by their multi-band colours. To check contamination empirically, we apply LATED to 1126 JADES spectroscopic galaxies, and no source is selected in the four NIRCam windows. We release a Python package which converts the same photometry into R3=[O III]/H$β$ as a measurement or upper limit, reproducing JADES spectroscopy with small 0.12 dex scatter. Applied to 85 archival MUSE Ly$α$ emitters in Abell 2744, LATED recovers the confirmed extremely metal-poor galaxy AMORE6 and reveals three new candidates at $z=3-5$. Photometry alone cannot establish a metal-free nature. LATED delivers prioritised candidates for spectroscopic follow-up, providing a scalable route toward a systematic census of late-time Pop III star formation.

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LATED: JWST integral field spectroscopy of a galaxy caught in chemical infancy at $z=4.8$ behind Abell 2744

When Population III (Pop III) star formation ended remains an open question. LATED-1 is an intrinsically faint ($M_\mathrm{UV}=-16.15$) Ly$α$ emitter at $z=4.80$ revealed by VLT/MUSE behind the lensing cluster Abell 2744 ($z=0.308$). Before any spectroscopic metallicity constraints, it was identified as an extremely metal-poor or metal-free galaxy candidate from JWST imaging by LATED, our novel photometric selection framework. Here we present serendipitous JWST/NIRSpec PRISM integral-field spectroscopy of this target. The spectrum reveals Ly$α$, H$β$, and H$α$ at 7.0, 5.6, and 17.7$σ$, as well as tentative detections of [O III]$λ\lambda4959,5007$ at 2.9$σ$, and yields $R3=\mathrm{[O\,III]\lambda5007/Hβ}=0.59^{+0.27}_{-0.21}$, upholding the earlier LATED photometric prediction of $R3<1.54$ ($2σ$ limit). The canonical JWST-based strong-line calibration, extrapolated to low metallicity, implies $\log (O/H)=6.45^{+0.17}_{-0.19}$, or $Z/Z_\odot=0.58_{-0.20}^{+0.28}\%$, placing LATED-1 among the most metal-poor galaxies known. Its modest magnification ($μ=2.80$) leaves the intrinsic properties insensitive to the lens model. LATED-1 is therefore a dwarf galaxy caught in the earliest state of chemical enrichment, and a compelling target for testing whether Pop III star formation can persist to $z<5$. The result demonstrates that photometric selection, especially through the LATED methodology, can reach below one per cent solar metallicity to identify Pop III galaxy candidates for spectroscopic follow-up.

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Calcium Triplet Absorption is Common around Little Red Dots

We present new evidence for an optically thick atmosphere surrounding Little Red Dots (LRDs) in the form of Ca absorption at rest-frame 8500A, the calcium triplet (CaT). Building on the detection of CaT absorption in one local LRD analog (the "Egg", Lin et. al. 2025), we investigate the region around rest-frame 8500A for an archival sample of 17 LRDs ($2 < z < 5$) with JWST/NIRSpec grating data. We detect CaT absorption in three individual sources, and find that on average there is an absorption equivalent width (EW) EW$_{\rm CaT} \approx -5$ A. Among the three detections, two are approaching the deepest absorption seen in integrated light from stars. Given that the continuum around CaT is probably dominated by the central engine, we argue that the absorbers are likely to be associated with the LRD. Such absorption has not historically been associated with any components of an AGN central engine, but a cool, optically thick photosphere as proposed for LRDs would naturally produce such absorption. The EW$_{\rm CaT}$ that we observe can be matched by hydrostatic atmosphere models at relatively low metallicity ([M/H]$<-1$) combined with an effective temperature $T_{\rm eff} > 4500$ K. Alternatively, the distribution can be matched at a low photospheric gas density $ρ_{\rm ph}<10^{-11}{\rm~g~cm^{-3}}$ that requires a non-hydrostatic gas structure on dynamical grounds. In the future, metal absorption lines should be a powerful complementary probe of the gas conditions, and possibly the enclosed mass, of LRDs.

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The Neglected Baseline in Model Interpretation

We observe that existing model interpretation methods generally ignore the baseline, and such neglect often results in imprecise or even incorrect interpretation. In this paper, we reformulate the task of model interpretation and the interpretation principles for model interpretation results to demonstrate the importance of the baseline. We further unify gradient-based methods, Integrated Gradients (IG) methods, and Taylor expansion, clarifying the connections among them and explicitly identifying the baseline for each method. On this basis, we analyze the flaws and errors in related model interpretation methods (IG, LayerCAM, ODAM, Difference Map). We advocate evaluating the quality of model interpretation results precisely through the attribution error between the attribution result and the attribution target, rather than adopting flawed evaluation methods, such as those based on marginal-effect or the assumption of perfect model performance. We revise IG and develope a model interpretation method with a clear and reasonable baseline, achieving better results. Our method supports model interpretation based on features from any layer. Interpretation based on features from different layers are all reasonable, and the differences among these results reflect varying degrees of feature extraction at different feature extraction stages.

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Debunking Grad-ECLIP: A Comprehensive Study on Its Incorrectness and Fundamental Principles for Model Interpretation

Grad-ECLIP is published at ICML 2024 and represents a new Transformer interpretation technical route (intermediate features-based). First, this paper demonstrates that the intermediate features-based technical route is not a novel one. Based on the existing attention-based route, we have developed Attention-ECLIP, which is completely equivalent to Grad-ECLIP but with simpler computation. Both through formal derivation and experimental validation, we prove that the intermediate feature-based route represented by Grad-ECLIP is actually an equivalent variant of the attention-based route. Next, this paper demonstrates that the Grad-ECLIP method is flawed. The model interpretation results obtained by Grad-ECLIP are not those of the original model, and the interpretation results are misaligned with the model's performance. We analyze the causes of Grad-ECLIP's flaws and propose, or rather, explicitly emphasize two fundamental principles that model interpretation should adhere to in order to avoid similar errors.

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