Data-driven core-collapse supernova multilateration with first neutrino events

Physical Review D American Physical Society (APS) 113:6 (2026) 063005

Authors:

Farrukh Azfar, Jeff Tseng, Marta Colomer Molla, Kate Scholberg, Alec Habig, Segev BenZvi, Melih Kara, James Kneller, Jost Migenda, Dan Milisavljevic, Evan O鈥機onnor

Abstract:

A Galactic core-collapse supernova (CCSN) is likely to be observed in neutrino detectors around the world minutes to hours before the electromagnetic radiation arrives. The SuperNova Early Warning System (SNEWS2.0) network of neutrino and dark matter detectors aims to use the relative arrival times of the neutrinos at the different experiments to point back to the supernova so as to facilitate follow-up observation. One of the simplest methods to estimate the CCSN direction is to use the first neutrino events detected through the inverse decay (IBD) process, e p e + n . We will consider neutrino detectors sensitive to IBD interactions with low backgrounds. The difference in signal arrival times between a large and a small detector will be biased, however, with the first event at the smaller detector, on average, arriving later than that at the larger detector. This bias can be mitigated by using these first events in a data-driven approach without recourse to simulations or models. The resulting method requires, at minimum, only the times of the first events at most detectors, along with a longer time series of events from one larger detector to act as a reference lightcurve. In this article, we demonstrate this method and its uncertainty estimate using pairs of detectors of different sizes and with different supernova distances. Finally, we use this method to calculate probability skymaps using four detectors currently in operation, Super-Kamiokande, Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), Large Volume Detector (LVD), and SNO + , and show that the calculated probabilities yield appropriate confidence intervals for all supernova directions. The area of the 68%聽confidence interval varies by distance and direction, but is expected to be a few thousand square degrees. The resulting skymaps should be useful for the multimessenger community as a rapid, initial pointing to follow up on the SNEWS2.0 Galactic CCSN neutrino alert.

Skew spectra: A generalization to spin s

Physical Review D American Physical Society (APS) 113:6 (2026) 063563

Authors:

Alexander Roskill, Sara Maleubre, David Alonso, Pedro G Ferreira

Abstract:

Skew spectra allow us to extract non-Gaussian information by taking the square of a map and finding the power spectrum of this new map with the original map. This allows us to use much of the infrastructure of power spectra and avoid the intricacies of estimating three point statistics. In this paper we present the first extension of skew spectra to arbitrary spin- s fields, as a means to extract non-Gaussian information efficiently from cosmological datasets like cosmic shear or cosmic microwave background polarization. We apply the formalism to weak lensing in the context of large scale structure, and discuss different ways of combining fields to build skew spectra, all while avoiding the problems associated with mass mapping. We provide plots of these new statistics for cold dark matter and vary cosmological parameters.

MIGHTEE/COSMOS-3D: The discovery of three spectroscopically confirmed radio-selected star-forming galaxies at z = 4.9-5.6

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 91探花 University Press (OUP) (2026) stag473

Authors:

RG Varadaraj, A Saxena, S Fakiolas, IH Whittam, MJ Jarvis, RA Meyer, CL Hale, K Kakiichi, M Li, JB Champagne, B Jin, ZJ Li, M Shuntov

Abstract:

Abstract Radio observations offer a dust-independent probe of star formation and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity, but sufficiently deep data are required to access the crossover luminosity between these processes at high redshift (z > 4.5). We present three spectroscopically confirmed high-redshift radio sources (HzRSs) detected at 1.3聽GHz at z = 4.9鈥5.6, with radio luminosities spanning L1.3 GHz 鈮 2鈥$5\times 10^{24} \, \rm W \, Hz^{-1}$. These sources were first identified as high-redshift candidates through spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting of archival Hubble, JWST NIRCam+MIRI, and ground-based photometry, and then spectroscopically confirmed via the H 伪 emission line using wide-field slitless spectroscopy from JWST COSMOS-3D. The star formation rates (SFRs) measured from SED fitting, the H 伪 flux, and the 1.3聽GHz luminosity, span ~100鈥$1800\, \rm M_{\odot } \, yr^{-1}$, demonstrating broad agreement between these SFR tracers. We find that these three sources lie either on or 0.5鈥1.0聽dex above the star-forming main sequence at z = 4鈥6 and have undergone a recent burst of star formation. The sources have extended rest-UV/optical morphologies with no evidence for a dominant point source component, indicating that an AGN is unlikely to dominate their rest-UV and optical emission. Two of the sources have complex, multi-component rest-frame UV/optical morphologies, suggesting that their starbursts may be triggered by merging activity. These HzRSs open up a new window towards probing radio emission powered by star formation alone at z > 4.5, representing a remarkable opportunity to begin tracing star formation, independent of dust, in the early Universe.

MIGHTEE: The dark matter haloes, duty cycle and mechanical feedback from radio-AGN up to z ~ 2.5

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 91探花 University Press (OUP) (2026) stag468

Authors:

Joel Hamlett, Catherine L Hale, Matt J Jarvis, David Alonso, Natalia Stylianou, Imogen H Whittam

Abstract:

Abstract Radio-AGN are observed to be more strongly clustered than non-active galaxies, though it is unclear whether this is simply due to their preference for massive host galaxies, or if they reside in distinct environments beyond this mass dependence. Using data from three fields covered by the MIGHTEE survey, we measure the angular two-point cross-correlation functions with a large, stellar mass-limited population of near-infrared selected galaxies, overcoming limitations of previous single-deep-field studies. By fitting halo occupation distribution models, we infer the galaxy bias parameters, b, for radio-AGN in three redshift ranges with median redshifts of $z_{\rm {med}}=0.76^{+0.17}_{-0.28}$, $1.25^{+0.14}_{-0.17}$ and $1.75^{+0.44}_{-0.18}$, finding $b=1.94^{+0.07}_{-0.07}$, $2.50^{+0.11}_{-0.18}$ and $3.38^{+0.27}_{-0.38}$, respectively. The typical dark matter halo mass decreases with increasing redshift: $\log _{10}(\langle M_{\rm {h}} \rangle /{\rm {M_\odot }})=13.44^{+0.08}_{-0.08}$, $13.17^{+0.07}_{-0.06}$ and $13.03^{+0.09}_{-0.10}$, which we attribute to the increased abundance of cold gas required to fuel AGN activity at earlier times. The AGN duty cycle is determined to be ~5 鈭 9%, and we estimate that the total energy radiated by radio-jets over 0 < z < 2.5 is ~1053 J per halo, which is sufficient to account for the observed excess heating of gas beyond that of gravitational collapse. Comparing the typical dark matter halo masses to the values obtained for the control sample, we find that the halo masses of radio-AGN are $1.54^{+0.47}_{-0.33}$, $1.11^{+0.25}_{-0.20}$ and $1.82^{+1.04}_{-0.57}$ times greater than those of the stellar mass- and redshift-matched galaxies. This difference could arise because AGN feedback suppresses stellar mass growth while leaving halo mass unchanged, or because radio-AGN preferentially reside in earlier forming haloes which are more strongly clustered.

An Archival Optical Counterpart Search for Extragalactic Fast X-Ray Transients Discovered by Einstein Probe

The Astrophysical Journal American Astronomical Society 999:2 (2026) 239

Authors:

Run-Duo Liang, Wen-Xiong Li, Liang-Duan Liu, Ken W Smith, Stephen J Smartt, Qin-Yu Wu, Niu Li, Arne Rau, Ling-Zhi Wang, Armin Rest, Ning-Chen Sun, Franz E Bauer, Ezequiel Treister, Jia-Sheng Huang, Jennifer Chac贸n, Se谩n J Brennan, Matt Nicholl, Ting-Wan Chen, Amar Aryan, Sheng Yang, Albert KH Kong, Sofia Rest, Qi-Nan Wang, James H Gillanders

Abstract:

Extragalactic fast X-ray transients (eFXTs) represent a rapidly growing class of high-energy phenomena, whose physical origins remain poorly understood. With its wide-field, sensitive all-sky monitoring, the Einstein Probe (EP) has greatly increased the discovery rate of eFXTs. The search for and identification of the optical counterparts of eFXTs are vital for understanding their classification and constraining their physical origin. Yet, a considerable fraction of eFXTs still lack secure classifications due to the absence of timely follow-up observations. We carry out a systematic search of publicly available optical survey data and transient databases (including the Zwicky Transient Facility and the Transient Name Server) for optical counterparts to eFXT candidates detected by EP. In this paper, we describe our ongoing program and report the first results. Specifically, we identified the eFXT EP240506a to be associated with a UV/optical counterpart, AT 2024ofs. Spectroscopy of its host galaxy with the Very Large Telescope yields a redshift of z = 0.120 卤 0.002. By combining archival survey data with early-time multiwavelength observations, we find that the luminosity and light-curve evolution of AT 2024ofs are consistent with a core-collapse supernova origin. From detectability simulations, we estimate a local event rate density 蟻0=8.8鈭3.9+21.2yr鈭1Gpc鈭3 for EP240506a-like events, and completeness-corrected rate of about 36鈥78 yr鈭1 Gpc鈭3 for EP-detected X-ray transients associated with supernovae. Our results demonstrate the potential of EP to uncover prompt high-energy emission from core-collapse supernovae and underscore the critical importance of timely follow-up of future eFXT events.