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Zhao-Yu Li

Publications and source records attributed to Zhao-Yu Li.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Neutrino mass constraints in the Schwarzschild-de Sitter black-hole dark energy model with ACT DR6 and DESI DR2 data

Recent DESI observations have posed new challenges to $\Lambda$CDM, showing a preference for dynamical dark energy and yielding neutrino mass constraints within $\Lambda$CDM that approach the lower bound allowed by neutrino oscillation experiments. In this work, we investigate cosmological constraints on the key neutrino parameters, $\sum m_\nu$ and $N_{\rm eff}$, within the Schwarzschild-de Sitter black-hole dark energy (SdSDE) framework. We use cosmic microwave background (CMB) data from Planck and ACT DR6, baryon acoustic oscillation data from DESI DR2, and type Ia supernova data from DES-Dovekie and PantheonPlus. We find that SdSDE scenarios prefer a positive neutrino mass whenever $\sum m_\nu$ is allowed to vary. Using CMB+DESI+DES-Dovekie data, we obtain $\sum m_\nu=0.207^{+0.047}_{-0.052}~{\rm eV}$ for SdSDE+$\sum m_\nu$, reduced to $\sum m_\nu=0.162^{+0.055}_{-0.056}~{\rm eV}$ when $N_{\rm eff}$ is also varied. This arises from the positive correlation between $N_{\rm eff}$ and $\sum m_\nu$, together with the systematic preference of SdSDE for values of $N_{\rm eff}$ below the standard value. Furthermore, the best-fit $\chi^2$ comparison shows that $\Lambda$CDM with extended neutrino parameters is strongly preferred over the corresponding SdSDE extension. Overall, the positive neutrino mass preference induced by SdSDE may reflect parameter compensation rather than an improved global fit, a possibility that should be further tested with future high-precision observational data.

astro-ph.CO

The Low-$\alpha$ Splash Population in the Milky Way

The Milky Way in-situ halo, also known as the Splash, consists of old (age $>$ 10 Gyr), metal-rich ([Fe/H] $> -0.7$), high-$\alpha$ stars, i.e., thick disk-like chemistry, on halo-like orbits (eccentricity $>$ 0.6). Its origin is linked to stars formed in the disk and dynamically heated by either internal or external agents. In this work, we investigate its low-$\alpha$ counterpart, the low-$\alpha$ Splash, motivated by recent findings of an old thin disk population. We conjecture that any mechanism capable of heating disk stars should affect both of present-day high- and low-$\alpha$ old populations. Using data from the APOGEE DR17 spectroscopic catalog, we identify metal-rich low-$\alpha$ stars with halo-like kinematics similar to those of the classical high-$\alpha$ Splash. We investigate their possible heating mechanisms using the GASTRO suite of simulations, which allows us to explore the effects of star-forming clumps as well as a major merger in the proto-disk of a Milky Way analog galaxy. Our main results show that only clumpy Milky Way models are able to produce Splash populations through scattering by clumps in the early Galaxy, including the low-$\alpha$ counterpart, whereas the model including only the merger and without an early clumpy phase fails to produce these populations. In the models, the low-$\alpha$ Splash corresponds to a subset of the old thin disk that was dynamically heated by the same mechanism responsible for the formation of the high-$\alpha$ Splash.

astro-ph.GA

CSST Preparations: Galaxy Completeness and S\'ersic Profile Fitting across the Wide, Deep, and Extreme Fields

The upcoming imaging survey of the Chinese Space-station Survey Telescope (CSST) will deliver high-resolution imaging of an unprecedented number of galaxies for galaxy studies. To understand CSST's capability, and to support the preparation of early-science programs, we generate 470,526 mock CSST images for 22,406 simulated galaxies with $M_*>10^9 M_\odot$, whose parameters are calibrated to match real HST observations spanning photometric redshift $0<z\lesssim7$, across seven CSST filters and three planned survey depths: wide, deep, and extreme. We then perform source detection and S\'ersic fitting. For point sources, we found that the 95% completeness magnitude in the g band reaches 26.3, 27.4, and 28.5 mag for the wide, deep, and extreme fields, respectively. For extended galaxies, their spatial extent dilutes the surface brightness, leading to brighter 95% completeness magnitudes of 24.4, 25.9, and 27.1 mag. The detection completeness remains above 95% at $z\lesssim3-4$ in the extreme field, while the corresponding redshift limits are $z\approx1$ in the deep field and $z\approx0.5$ in the wide field. Using three fitting codes, GALFIT, AstroPhot, and SourceXtractor++, we quantify measurement biases and uncertainties in galaxy magnitude ($m$), effective radius ($R_e$), effective surface brightness ($\mu_e$), S\'ersic index ($n$), and axis ratio ($q$). On average, for fainter galaxies, the reduced signal-to-noise ratio leads to systematic overestimates in $m$, $R_e$, and $\mu_e$, and underestimates in $n$ and $q$. These biases, as well as the associated scatter, become progressively smaller in deeper fields. Overall, our results provide quantitative constraints on sample selection and the robustness of morphological measurements in CSST early-science and legacy surveys.

astro-ph.GA

Winding, Unwinding, Rewinding the Gaia Phase Spiral

The Gaia Space Satellite has transformed the field of Galactic Dynamics by collecting 6D phase space information for hundreds of millions of stars. In 2018, it enabled the discovery of the Gaia Phase Spiral (Antoja et al., 2018), a clear signal in the vertical motion of the stars that reveals how far from equilibrium the Galactic disk is. Seven years after the discovery of this structure, a workshop dedicated to the Phase Spiral took place at the Lorentz Center. Workshop participants summarized the current state of knowledge about the Phase Spiral and identified open questions and key areas to continue progressing in understanding the origin of the Phase Spiral and the physics governing the response of the disk to perturbations. Here, we aim to summarize the content and discussions of this workshop, share the resources that have been produced at this workshop with the broader community, and invite interested individuals to join on the projects that started.

astro-ph.GA

Cold Gas Infall onto A Brightest Group Galaxy via A Gas-Rich Minor Merger

Dust and cold gas are not uncommon in nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs), and represent an important aspect of their evolution. However, their origin has been debated for decades. Potential sources include internal processes (e.g., mass loss from evolved stars), external mechanisms (e.g., minor mergers or cooling flows), or a combination of both. Gas-rich minor mergers have long been proposed as an important channel for cold gas fueling in both observations and simulations, but direct evidence of cold gas transportation via gas-rich minor mergers remains elusive, particularly in galaxy groups and clusters where environmental effects are prevalent. In this letter, we present the first unambiguous case of direct cold gas transportation onto a brightest group galaxy (BGG) at $z=0.25$, driven by an ongoing close-separation gas-rich minor merger with a mass ratio of $\sim1:56$. High-resolution JWST imaging reveals a heavily obscured, low-mass satellite that is barely visible at restframe optical wavelengths. Tidal stripping from this satellite deposits gas and dust onto the BGG, forming prominent $\sim$10 kpc dust lanes in situ. Cosmological simulations indicate that such interactions preferentially occur in gas-rich satellites undergoing their first infall in highly eccentric orbits. Our results highlight the pivotal role of gas-rich minor mergers in replenishing cold gas reservoirs and shaping the evolution of central ETGs in galaxy groups.

astro-ph.GA

GASTRO library II: Exploring Chemical Bimodalities in Disk Galaxies with GSE-like Mergers and Massive Star-forming Clumps

We use several smoothed particle hydrodynamics+N-body models as part of the GASTRO library to study the role of high-density star-forming clumpy regions and a single merger on the formation of the $\alpha$-rich and $\alpha$-poor populations in the disk galaxies. These experiments are tailored to mimic what is expected to be the Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus (GSE) accretion event, which occurred circa 10 Gyr ago in the Milky Way (MW). We find that either an early clumpy phase or a retrograde merger significantly reduces the star formation rate (SFR) of the disk, giving rise to a chemical bimodality qualitatively similar to the MW's. The decrease of the SFR as the cause of the chemical bimodality is consistent with previous idealized and cosmological simulations. On the other hand, a prograde radial merger does not significantly modify the SFR of the disk, resulting in no clear chemical bimodality. We further show that stars originating from the inner regions ($R_{form}<4$ kpc) do not create the disk's chemical bimodality, although they can enhance it. Finally, only the models with an early clumpy phase can produce a significant fraction of old, age $>11$ Gyr, $\alpha-$poor stars with disk-like orbits, similar to what has been recently observed in the MW. Our results strengthen the case of clumpy disky galaxies observed at redshift $z\approx 1-2$ as likely progenitors of our Galaxy.

astro-ph.GA

Search for Past Stellar Encounters and the Origin of 3I/ATLAS

3I/ATLAS, the third discovered interstellar object, has a heliocentric speed of 58 km/s and exhibits cometary activity. To constrain the origin of 3I/ATLAS and its past dynamical evolution, we propagate the orbits of 3I/ATLAS and nearby stars to search for stellar encounters. Integrating orbits in the Galactic potential and propagating the astrometric and radial-velocity uncertainties of 30 million Gaia stars, we identify 25 encounters with median encounter distances less than 1 pc. However, because the encounter speeds between 3I/ATLAS and each encounter exceed 20 km/s, none is a plausible host under common ejection mechanisms. We infer stellar masses for most stars and quantify the gravitational perturbations exerted by each individual star or each binary system on 3I/ATLAS. The strongest gravitational scattering perturber is a wide M-dwarf binary. Among all past encounters, the binary's barycenter and 3I/ATLAS reach the small encounter distance of 0.242 pc and the encounter speed of 28.39 km/s,1.64 Myr ago. We further demonstrate that the cumulative influence of the stellar encounters on both the speed and direction of 3I/ATLAS is weak. Based on the present kinematics of 3I/ATLAS to assess its origin, we find that a thin-disk origin is strongly favored, because the thin disk both exhibits a velocity distribution closely matching that of 3I/ATLAS and provides the dominant local number density of stars.

astro-ph.SR

Influence of Barlens on the Bulge Parameters in the 2D Image Decomposition

Recent observations and simulations have shown that a buckled bar in the face-on view can be considered as a combination of a long flat bar and a short round barlens (corresponding to the boxy/peanut bulge in the edge-on view). However, the barlens component can be misidentified as the bulge, potentially leading to inaccurate bulge parameter measurements in two-dimensional (2D) image decomposition. Our goal is to explore the optimal method for modeling the barlens component and to understand its impact on bulge parameter measurements in 2D image decomposition. We first analyze mock images from two different simulations (with/without bulge) to verify our decomposition method. We then apply the method to two nearby barred galaxies, NGC 1533 and NGC 7329, from the Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey (CGS). Using GALFIT, we conduct 2D image decomposition by gradually increasing the complexity of model configurations. We also explore the effects of inclination by projecting the simulated galaxy to various viewing angles and analyzing the variations in bulge and barlens parameters. From the mock images, we find that the bulge-to-total ratio (B/T) could be overestimated by 50$\%$ without considering the barlens component; the S\'ersic index and effective radius of the bulge are also affected to varying degrees. The decomposition results of the two CGS galaxies are consistent with our mock image tests. Uncertainties of the structural parameters of the bulge and barlens are larger at higher inclination angels due to the strong projection effect in the central region. Our findings underscore the necessity of accurately modeling the barlens, revealing that its inclusion in 2D image decomposition can lead to a decrease in B/T by $\sim$30-50$\%$, with other bulge parameters, such as the S\'ersic index and effective radius, also affected.

astro-ph.GA

Introduction to the Chinese Space Station Survey Telescope (CSST)

The Chinese Space Station Survey Telescope (CSST) is an upcoming Stage-IV sky survey telescope, distinguished by its large field of view (FoV), high image quality, and multi-band observation capabilities. It can simultaneously conduct precise measurements of the Universe by performing multi-color photometric imaging and slitless spectroscopic surveys. The CSST is equipped with five scientific instruments, i.e. Multi-band Imaging and Slitless Spectroscopy Survey Camera (SC), Multi-Channel Imager (MCI), Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS), Cool Planet Imaging Coronagraph (CPI-C), and THz Spectrometer (TS). Using these instruments, CSST is expected to make significant contributions and discoveries across various astronomical fields, including cosmology, galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN), the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, stars, exoplanets, Solar System objects, astrometry, and transients and variable sources. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the CSST instruments, observational capabilities, data products, and scientific potential.

astro-ph.IM

Formation of the Two-Armed Phase Spiral from Multiple External Perturbations

Recent studies using the Gaia DR3 data have revealed a two-armed phase spiral in the $Z-V_Z$ phase space in the inner disk. In this study, we present new features of the two-armed phase spiral revealed by the Gaia Data and a new mechanism to explain such features with multiple external perturbations. By segmenting the Gaia DR3 RVS catalog based on $J_{\phi}$ (or $R_{g}$) and $\theta_\phi$, we confirm the existence of the clear two-armed phase spiral in the inner disk. Moreover, we identify a different two-armed phase spiral pattern at slightly larger radii, resembling a weak secondary branch along with the prominent major branch. At a given radius, with the azimuthal angle increasing, we observe a systematic transition of the two-armed phase spiral, with the significance of one branch weakened and another branch enhanced. This two-armed phase spiral may be due to the overlapping of distinct one-armed phase spirals. At different radii, the perturbation times estimated from each branch of the two-armed phase spiral are $\sim 320$ Myr and $\sim 500$ Myr, respectively, suggesting that the Galactic disk could be impacted by double external perturbers separated by $\sim 180$ Myr. We also performed test particle simulations of the disk perturbed by two satellite galaxies, which successfully generated a two-armed phase spiral similar to the observation. Both the observation and simulation results suggest that the signature in the $Z-V_Z$ phase space of earlier perturbations may not be completely erased by the more recent one.

astro-ph.GA

Beyond Morphology: Challenges in Decomposing Massive Stellar Halos in Sombrero-like, Halo-Embedded Disk Galaxies

Sombrero-like galaxies exhibit unique structural properties that challenge traditional photometric decomposition methods. In this study, we investigate their structural differences using both photometric and kinematic approaches to assess the extent to which photometric decomposition may misidentify key components, particularly the stellar halo. We select 270 Sombrero-like galaxies at redshift z=0 from the TNG50 simulation, applying filters to include only those with stellar mass $M_{\ast} > 10^{10}M_{\odot}$ and stellar halo mass fraction $0.3 < f_{\rm halo} < 0.6$. Synthetic images are generated using the GALAXEV population synthesis code, and photometric decomposition is carried out on both face-on and edge-on views using GALFIT. We then compare these results with kinematic decomposition based on the auto-GMM method, focusing on differences in recovered structural parameters such as mass fractions and S'ersic indices.Sombrero-like galaxies typically consist of disks embedded in massive stellar halos and may account for 30-60% of galaxies in TNG50. However, their identification is complicated by structural degeneracies and the presence of disk features (e.g., bars, spirals, star formation) at low or moderate inclinations. In face-on projections, photometric decomposition systematically overestimates disk fractions as stellar halos are almost absent, while edge-on analysis provides only approximate halo fractions. Radial profiles show discrepancies between photometric and kinematic decomposition, particularly in central regions. Additionally, no conclusive link exists between the S'ersic index n and the presence of large stellar halos, challenging the use of n as a merger history proxy. These findings underscore the need for improved decomposition methods to better understand the complex structures of Sombrero-like galaxies.

astro-ph.GA

The Origin of the Gas and Its Low Star Formation Efficiency in Quiescent Galaxies

Quiescent galaxies (QGs) typically have little cold gas to form stars. The discovery of gas-rich QGs challenges our conventional understanding of the evolutionary paths of galaxies. We take advantage of a new catalog of nearby, massive galaxies with robust, uniformly derived physical properties to better understand the origin of gas-rich QGs. We perform a comparative analysis of the cold interstellar medium and star formation properties of carefully matched samples of galaxies with varying degrees of star formation activity and gas richness. QGs with different gas content have virtually identical morphological types, light concentration, mass-size relation, stellar age, dark matter halo mass, and black hole activity. The only distinguishing characteristic is the environment. Gas-rich satellite QGs reside in a lower-density environment than their gas-poor counterparts, as a consequence of which they manage to retain their gas and experience a higher probability of cold gas accretion or gas-rich mergers. The environmental densities of central QGs are similar regardless of their gas content. We suggest that the cold gas resides mainly in the outskirts of the gas-rich QGs, where bars, if present, cannot transport it inward efficiently to fuel central star formation. The prominent bulges in gas-rich QGs stabilize the cold gas from fragmentation and leads to low star formation efficiency.

astro-ph.GA

Observational Constraints of Radial Migration in the Galactic Disc Driven by the Slowing Bar

Radial migration is an important dynamical effect that has reshaped the Galactic disc, but its origin has yet to be elucidated. In this work, we present evidence that resonant dragging by the corotation of a decelerating bar could be the main driver of radial migration in the Milky Way disc. Using a test particle simulation, we demonstrate this scenario explains the two distinct age-metallicity sequences observed in the solar vicinity: the plateauing upper sequence is interpreted as stars dragged outwards by the expanding corotation of the decelerating bar and the steeper lower sequence as stars formed locally around the solar circle. The upper migrated sequence dominates at guiding radii around the current corotation radius of the bar, $R\sim7\,\mathrm{kpc}$, but rapidly dies away beyond this where the mechanism cannot operate. This behaviour naturally explains the radial dependence of the $\mathrm{[\alpha/Fe]}$-bimodality, in particular the truncation of the high-$\mathrm{[\alpha/Fe]}$ disc beyond the solar circle. Under our proposed radial migration scenario, we constrain the Milky Way bar's pattern speed evolution using the age-metallicity distribution of stars currently trapped at corotation. We find the bar likely formed with an initial pattern speed of $60-100$ km s$^{-1}$ kpc$^{-1}$ and began decelerating $6-8$ Gyr ago at a rate $-\dot{\Omega}/\Omega^2\sim0.0025-0.0040$ (where the quoted ranges include systematic uncertainties).

astro-ph.GA

Deciphering the Milky Way disc formation time encrypted in the bar chrono-kinematics

We present a novel method to constrain the formation time of the Milky Way disc using the chrono-kinematic signatures of the inner Galaxy. We construct an O-rich Mira variable sample from the Gaia Long-period Variable catalogue to study the kinematic behaviour of stars with different ages in the inner Galaxy. From the Auriga suite of cosmological zoom-in simulations, we find that the age of the oldest stellar population with imprints of the bar in density and kinematics matches the disc spin-up epoch. This is because stars born before the spin-up show insufficient rotation and are not kinematically cold enough to be efficiently trapped by the bar. We find that the bar kinematic signature disappears for Mira variables with a period shorter than 190 days. Using the period-age relation of Mira variables, we constrain the spin-up epoch of the Milky Way to be younger than $\sim11-12$~Gyr (redshift $\sim3$). We also discuss and compare our method and result to other evidence of the Milky Way spin-up epoch under the context of a realistic age uncertainty. Age uncertainty leads to an overestimation of the disc formation time when performing backward modelling. Our constrain of the spin-up epoch is independent from previous studies because it relies on the kinematics of the inner Galaxy instead of the solar vicinity.

astro-ph.GA

Radial Wave in the Galactic Disk: New Clues to Discriminate Different Perturbations

Decoding the key dynamical processes that shape the Galactic disk structure is crucial for reconstructing the Milky Way's evolution history. The second Gaia data release unveils a novel wave pattern in the $L_Z-\langle V_R\rangle$ space, but its formation mechanism remains elusive due to the intricate nature of involved perturbations and the challenges in disentangling their effects. Utilizing the latest Gaia DR3 data, we find that the $L_Z-\langle V_R\rangle$ wave systematically shifts toward lower $L_Z$ for dynamically hotter stars with larger $J_Z$ values. The amplitude of this phase shift between stars of different dynamical hotness ($\Delta L_Z$) peaks at around $\mathrm{2100\,km\,s^{-1}\,kpc}$. To differentiate the role of different perturbations, we perform three sets of test particle simulations, wherein a satellite galaxy, transient spiral arms, and a bar plus the transient spiral arms act as the sole perturber, respectively. Under the satellite impact, the phase shift amplitude $\Delta L_Z$ decreases toward higher $L_Z$, which we interpret through a toy model of radial phase mixing. While neither the transient spiral arms nor the bar generates an azimuthally universal phase shift variation pattern, combining the bar and spirals generates a characteristic $\Delta L_Z$ peak at the 2:1 Outer Lindblad Resonance (OLR) of the bar, qualitatively resembling the observed feature. Therefore, the $L_Z-\langle V_R\rangle$ wave is more likely of internal origin. Furthermore, linking the $\Delta L_Z$ peak to the 2:1 OLR offers a novel approach to constraining the pattern speed of the Galactic bar, supporting the long/slow bar model.

astro-ph.GA

The PSF Smoothing Effect on Concentration-Related Parameters of High Redshift Galaxies in HST and JWST

We perform a comprehensive investigation of the PSF smoothing effect on the measurement of concentration-related parameters ($C$, Gini, $M_{20}$) of high redshift galaxies in the HST and JWST surveys. Our sample contains massive galaxies from the CANDELS/EGS survey (0 < z < 2), and the CEERS survey (1 < z < 3). The non-parametric concentration-related parameters ($C$, Gini, $M_{20}$) and the model-dependent parameters (n, Re) of these galaxies are derived from Statmorph and GALFIT, respectively. We try to evaluate the PSF smoothing effect by comparing the concentration-related parameters to the S\'{e}rsic index in both observations and mock images. We find that the concentration index is generally underestimated, especially for smaller galaxies with higher S\'{e}rsic index (eventually converging to the concentration index of the PSF). However, galaxies with lower S\'{e}rsic index ($n \leq 1$) or larger relative size are less affected by the PSF smoothing effect. The Gini coefficient and the absolute $M_{20}$ statistic also show similar behaviour as the concentration index. Caution should be taken for the possible correction of the concentration-related parameters, where both the relative size and the S\'{e}rsic index of the galaxy are important. Compared to the HST images, the PSF smoothing is much less severe for images in the CEERS survey due to the much higher spatial resolution. In fact, it is better to use the S\'{e}rsic index rather than the non-parametric morphology indicators to trace the light concentration for galaxies at high redshifts. From the single S\'{e}rsic modelling of the HST and JWST images, we also confirm that galaxies at higher redshift are more compact with smaller $R_e$. The lower mass galaxies are more disc-like ($n\sim1$) compared to the higher mass galaxies that are more spheroid dominated ($n\sim3$).

astro-ph.GA

Measuring the Milky Way Vertical Potential with the Phase Snail in a Model Independent Way

The vertical phase-space spiral (snail) is a direct sign of dis-equilibrium of Milky Way's disc. Nevertheless, the wrapping of the phase snail contains information of the vertical potential. We propose a novel method to measure the vertical potential utilizing the intersections between the snail and $z$/$V_{z}$ axes, for which we know the maximum vertical heights ($Z_{max}$) or the maximum vertical velocities ($V_{z,max}$). Using a refined linear interpolation method, we directly obtain $(Z_{max},\ \frac{1}{2}V_{z,max}^{2})$ for these snail intersections to constrain the vertical potential profile empirically. Our method is model independent since no assumptions about the snail shape or the vertical potential have been made. Although the snail binned by the guiding center radius ($R_{g}$) is more prominent, it traces a vertical potential shallower than that of the snail binned by the same Galactocentric radius ($R$). We apply an empirical method to correct this difference. We measure the snail intersections in several $R_{g}$ bins within $7.5< R_{g} < 11.0$ kpc for Gaia DR3, and apply the interpolation method to deduce the potential values at several vertical heights. The potential at the snail intersections, as well as the following mass modeling are consistent with the popular Milky Way potentials in the literature. For the $R_{g}$-binned phase snail in the Solar neighborhood, the mass modeling indicates a local dark matter density of $ρ_{\rm dm}= 0.0150\pm0.0031$ $\rm M_{\odot}\,pc^{-3}$, consistent with previous works. Our method could be applied to larger radial ranges in future works, to provide independent and stronger constraints on the Milky Way's potential.

astro-ph.GA

The Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey. X. Bulges in Stellar Mass-based Scaling Relations

We measure optical colors for the bulges of 312 disk galaxies from the Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey and convert their previously available $R$-band structural parameters to stellar mass parameters. We also measure their average stellar mass surface density in the central 1 kpc ($Σ_{1}$). Comparing the mass-based Kormendy relation with the original one based on flux, we find that the majority of the classifications into classical and pseudo bulges, as well as their overall statistical properties, remain essentially unchanged. While the bulge type classifications of the Kormendy relation are robust against stellar population effects, the mass-based classification criteria do produce better agreement between bulge structural properties and their stellar populations. Moreover, the mass-based Kormendy relation reveals a population of ultra-dense bulges akin to high-$z$ compact early-type galaxies, which are otherwise hidden in the original Kormendy relation. These bulges are probably relics of spheroids assembled in the early Universe, although for some we cannot rule out some contribution from secular growth. We confirm previous studies that $Σ_1$ correlates well with bulge surface densities.

astro-ph.GA