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1. Atmospheric Characterization of the Super-Jupiter HIP 99770 b with KPIC

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad6609  

   Zhang, Yapeng; Xuan, Jerry W; Mawet, Dimitri; Wang, Jason J; Hsu, Chih-Chun; Ruffio, Jean-Bapiste; Knutson, Heather A; Inglis, Julie; Blake, Geoffrey A; Chachan, Yayaati; et al (August 2024, The Astronomical Journal)

   Abstract Young, self-luminous super-Jovian companions discovered by direct imaging provide a challenging test for planet formation and evolution theories. By spectroscopically characterizing the atmospheric compositions of these super-Jupiters, we can constrain their formation histories. Here we present studies of the recently discovered HIP 99770 b, a 16M_Juphigh-contrast companion on a 17 au orbit, using the fiber-fed high-resolution spectrograph KPIC ( $\mathcal{R}$∼ 35,000) on the Keck II telescope. OurK-band observations led to detections of H₂O and CO in the atmosphere of HIP 99770 b. We carried out free retrieval analyses usingpetitRADTRANSto measure its chemical abundances, including the metallicity and C/O ratio, projected rotation velocity ( $v\sin i$), and radial velocity (RV). We found that the companion’s atmosphere has C/O $={0.55}_{-0.04}^{+0.06}$and [M/H] $={0.26}_{-0.23}^{+0.24}$(1σconfidence intervals), values consistent with those of the Sun and with a companion formation via gravitational instability or core accretion. The projected rotation velocity $v\sin \left(i\right)<7.8$km s⁻¹is small relative to other directly imaged companions with similar masses and ages. This may imply a nearly pole-on orientation or effective magnetic braking by a circumplanetary disk. In addition, we added the companion-to-primary relative RV measurement to the orbital fitting and obtained updated constraints on orbital parameters. Detailed characterization of super-Jovian companions within 20 au like HIP 99770 b is critical for understanding the formation histories of this population. 

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2. Velocity-resolved Reverberation Mapping of NGC 3227

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad08b8  

   Bentz, Misty C.; Markham, Madison; Rosborough, Sara; Onken, Christopher A.; Street, Rachel; Valluri, Monica; Treu, Tommaso (December 2023, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract We describe the results of a new reverberation mapping program focused on the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 3227. Photometric and spectroscopic monitoring was carried out from 2022 December to 2023 June with the Las Cumbres Observatory network of telescopes. We detected time delays in several optical broad emission lines, with Hβhaving the longest delay at ${\tau }_{\mathrm{cent}}={4.0}_{-0.9}^{+0.9}$days and Heiihaving the shortest delay with ${\tau }_{\mathrm{cent}}={0.9}_{-0.8}^{+1.1}$days. We also detect velocity-resolved behavior of the Hβemission line, with different line-of-sight velocities corresponding to different observed time delays. Combining the integrated Hβtime delay with the width of the variable component of the emission line and a standard scale factor suggests a black hole mass of $M_{\mathrm{BH}}={1.1}_{-0.3}^{+0.2}\times {10}^7$M_⊙. Modeling of the full velocity-resolved response of the Hβemission line with the phenomenological codeCARAMELfinds a similar mass of $M_{\mathrm{BH}}={1.2}_{-0.7}^{+1.5}\times {10}^7$M_⊙and suggests that the Hβ-emitting broad-line region (BLR) may be represented by a biconical or flared disk structure that we are viewing at an inclination angle ofθ_i≈ 33° and with gas motions that are dominated by rotation. The new photoionization-based BLR modeling toolBELMACfinds general agreement with the observations when assuming the best-fitCARAMELresults; however,BELMACprefers a thick-disk geometry and kinematics that are equally composed of rotation and inflow. Both codes infer a radially extended and flattened BLR that is not outflowing. 

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3. High-angular-resolution Imaging of the V892 Tau Binary System: A New Circumprimary Disk Detection and Updated Orbital Constraints

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acfda6  

   Vides, Christina L; Sallum, Steph; Eisner, Josh; Skemer, Andy; Murray-Clay, Ruth (November 2023, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract We present a direct imaging study of V892 Tau, a young Herbig Ae/Be star with a close-in stellar companion and circumbinary disk. Our observations consist of images acquired via Keck II/NIRC2 with nonredundant masking and the pyramid wavefront sensor at $K\prime$band (2.12μm) and $L\prime$band (3.78μm). Sensitivity to low-mass accreting companions and cool disk material is high at $L\prime$band, while complimentary observations at $K\prime$band probe hotter material with higher angular resolution. These multiwavelength, multiepoch data allow us to differentiate the secondary stellar emission from disk emission and deeply probe the structure of the circumbinary disk at small angular separations. We constrain architectural properties of the system by fitting geometric disk and companion models to the $K\prime$- and $L\prime$-band data. From these models, we constrain the astrometric and photometric properties of the stellar binary and update the orbit, placing the tightest estimates to date on the V892 Tau orbital parameters. We also constrain the geometric structure of the circumbinary disk, and resolve a circumprimary disk for the first time. 

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4. Search for $$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ → ℓ∓τ± with the semi-leptonic tagging method at Belle

   https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP08(2023)178  

   Nayak, L; Nishida, S; Giri, A; Adachi, I; Aihara, H; Asner, D M; Atmacan, H; Aulchenko, V; Aushev, T; Ayad, R; et al (August 2023, Journal of High Energy Physics)

   A<sc>bstract</sc> We present a search for the lepton-flavor-violating decays$$ {B}_s^0 $$ $B_s^0$→ℓ^∓τ^±, whereℓ=e, μ, using the full data sample of 121 fb⁻¹collected at the Υ(5S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energye⁺e⁻collider. We use$$ {B}_s^0{\overline{B}}_s^0 $$ $B_s^0{\overline{B}}_s^0$events in which one$$ {B}_s^0 $$ $B_s^0$meson is reconstructed in a semileptonic decay mode and the other in the signal mode. We find no evidence for$$ {B}_s^0 $$ $B_s^0$→ ℓ^∓τ^±decays and set upper limits on their branching fractions at 90% confidence level as$$ \mathcal{B} $$ $B$($$ {B}_s^0 $$ $B_s^0$→ e^∓τ^±)<14×10⁻⁴and$$ \mathcal{B} $$ $B$($$ {B}_s^0 $$ $B_s^0$→ μ^∓τ^±)<7.3×10⁻⁴. Our result represents the first upper limit on the$$ {B}_s^0 $$ $B_s^0$→ e^∓τ^±decay rate. 

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5. Measurement of the τ lepton polarization in Z boson decays in proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 13 TeV

   https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP01(2024)101  

   Hayrapetyan, A; Tumasyan, A; Adam, W; Andrejkovic, J W; Bergauer, T; Chatterjee, S; Damanakis, K; Dragicevic, M; Escalante_Del_Valle, A; Hussain, P S; et al (January 2024, Journal of High Energy Physics)

   A<sc>bstract</sc> The polarization ofτleptons is measured using leptonic and hadronicτlepton decays in Z →τ⁺τ⁻events in proton-proton collisions at$$ \sqrt{s} $$ $\sqrt{s}$= 13 TeV recorded by CMS at the CERN LHC with an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb⁻¹. The measuredτ⁻lepton polarization at the Z boson mass pole is$$ {\mathcal{P}}_{\tau}\left(\textrm{Z}\right) $$ $P_{\tau }\left(Z\right)$= −0.144 ± 0.006 (stat) ± 0.014 (syst) = −0.144 ± 0.015, in good agreement with the measurement of theτlepton asymmetry parameter ofA_τ= 0.1439 ± 0.0043 =$$ -{\mathcal{P}}_{\tau}\left(\textrm{Z}\right) $$ $-P_{\tau }\left(Z\right)$at LEP. Theτlepton polarization depends on the ratio of the vector to axial-vector couplings of theτleptons in the neutral current expression, and thus on the effective weak mixing angle sin²$$ {\theta}_{\textrm{W}}^{\textrm{eff}} $$ ${\theta }_W^{\mathrm{eff}}$, independently of the Z boson production mechanism. The obtained value sin²$$ {\theta}_{\textrm{W}}^{\textrm{eff}} $$ ${\theta }_W^{\mathrm{eff}}$= 0.2319 ± 0.0008(stat) ± 0.0018(syst) = 0.2319 ± 0.0019 is in good agreement with measurements ate⁺e⁻colliders. 

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