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<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>We present the first ab initio simulation of a radiation-mediated shock emerging at the photosphere of a relativistic outflow. The simulation is performed using our code <jats:monospace>radshock</jats:monospace> that follows fluid dynamics coupled to time-dependent radiative transfer, calculated with the Monte-Carlo method. We use the code to examine the radiative blast wave emerging from neutron star merger GW170817. It was previously proposed that the merger ejected a dark, relativistically expanding, homologous envelope, and then an explosion inside the envelope produced the observed gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A. Our simulation demonstrates how the shock wave generates radiation as it propagates through the envelope, approaches its photosphere, releases the radiation, and collapses, splitting into two collisionless shocks of a microscopic thickness. We find the light curve and the spectral evolution of the produced gamma-ray burst; both are similar to the observed GRB 170817A.</jats:p>

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>We explore constraints imposed by shear-driven instabilities on the acceleration of energetic particles in relativistic shearing flows. We show that shearing layers in large-scale AGN jets are likely to encompass a sizeable fraction (≳0.1) of the jet radius, requiring seed injection of GeV electrons for efficient acceleration. While the diffusion process may depend on predeveloped turbulence if injection occurs at higher energies, electron acceleration to PeV and proton acceleration to EeV energies appears possible within the constraints imposed by jet stability.</jats:p>

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The astrophysical origin of gravitational wave transients is a timely open question in the wake of discoveries by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)/Virgo. In active galactic nuclei (AGNs), binaries form and evolve efficiently by interaction with a dense population of stars and the gaseous AGN disk. Previous studies have shown that stellar-mass black hole (BH) mergers in such environments can explain the merger rate and the number of suspected hierarchical mergers observed by LIGO/Virgo. The binary eccentricity distribution can provide further information to distinguish between astrophysical models. Here we derive the eccentricity distribution of BH mergers in AGN disks. We find that eccentricity is mainly due to binary–single (BS) interactions, which lead to most BH mergers in AGN disks having a significant eccentricity at 0.01 Hz, detectable by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. If BS interactions occur in isotropic-3D directions, then 8%–30% of the mergers in AGN disks will have eccentricities at 10 Hz above <jats:italic>e</jats:italic> <jats:sub>10 Hz</jats:sub> ≳ 0.03, detectable by LIGO/Virgo/Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector, while 5%–17% of mergers have <jats:italic>e</jats:italic> <jats:sub>10 Hz</jats:sub> ≥ 0.3. On the other hand, if BS interactions are confined to the AGN–disk plane due to torques from the disk, with 1–20 intermediate binary states during each interaction, or if BHs can migrate to ≲ 10<jats:sup>−3</jats:sup> pc from the central supermassive BH, then 10%–70% of the mergers will be highly eccentric (<jats:italic>e</jats:italic> <jats:sub>10 Hz</jats:sub> ≥ 0.3), consistent with the possible high eccentricity in GW190521.</jats:p>

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>We study the properties of the host galaxies of changing-look active galactic nuclei (CL AGNs) with the aim of understanding the conditions responsible for triggering CL activity. We find that CL AGN hosts primarily reside in the so-called green valley that is located between spiral-like star-forming galaxies and dead ellipticals, implying that CL AGNs are activated during distinct periods of quenching and galaxy transformation processes. CL AGN hosts have low galaxy asymmetry indicators, suggesting that secular evolutionary processes (the influence of bars and spirals, and possibly minor mergers) might be the primary mechanism for transporting gas to the vicinity of the supermassive black hole (SMBH) rather than major mergers. Similar to tidal disruption events and highly variable AGNs, we find that CL AGN hosts are associated with SMBHs residing in high-density pseudo-bulges and appear to overlap most significantly with the population of low-ionization nuclear emission-line region galaxies. As such, CL AGNs are likely fueled by strong episodic bursts of accretion activity, which appear to take place preferentially as the amount of material accessible for star formation and accretion dwindles. We also identify that CL AGN hosts are characterized by either large Sérsic indices or high bulge fractions, which suggests a simple metric for identifying candidates for spectroscopic follow-up observations in forthcoming synoptic surveys.</jats:p>

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Recent studies of ultra-hot Jupiters suggested that their atmospheres could have thermal inversions due to the presence of optical absorbers such as titanium oxide (TiO), vanadium oxide (VO), iron hydride (FeH), and other metal hydride/oxides. However, it is expected that these molecules would thermally dissociate at extremely high temperatures, thus leading to featureless spectra in the infrared. KELT-9 b, the hottest exoplanet discovered so far, is thought to belong to this regime and host an atmosphere dominated by neutral hydrogen from dissociation and atomic/ionic species. Here, we analyzed the eclipse spectrum obtained using the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 and, by utilizing the atmospheric retrieval code TauREx3, found that the spectrum is consistent with the presence of molecular species and is poorly fitted by a simple blackbody. In particular, we find that a combination of TiO, VO, FeH, and H<jats:sup>-</jats:sup> provides the best fit when considering Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Spitzer, and TESS data sets together. Aware of potential biases when combining instruments, we also analyzed the HST spectrum alone and found that TiO and VO only were needed in this case. These findings paint a more complex picture of the atmospheres of ultra-hot planets than previously thought.</jats:p>