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  1. Vishniac, Ethan (Ed.)
    Abstract We present a composite machine learning framework to estimate posterior probability distributions of bulge-to-total light ratio, half-light radius, and flux for active galactic nucleus (AGN) host galaxies withinz < 1.4 andm < 23 in the Hyper Supreme-Cam (HSC) Wide survey. We divide the data into five redshift bins:low(0 < z < 0.25),mid(0.25 < z < 0.5),high(0.5 < z < 0.9),extra(0.9 < z < 1.1), andextreme(1.1 < z < 1.4), and train our models independently in each bin. We use PSFGAN to decompose the AGN point-source light from its host galaxy, and invoke the Galaxy Morphology Posterior Estimation Network (GaMPEN) to estimate morphological parameters of the recovered host galaxy. We first trained our models on simulated data, and then fine-tuned our algorithm via transfer learning using labeled real data. To create training labels for transfer learning, we used GALFIT to fit  ∼20,000 real HSC galaxies in each redshift bin. We comprehensively examined that the predicted values from our final models agree well with the GALFIT values for the vast majority of cases. Our PSFGAN + GaMPEN framework runs at least three orders of magnitude faster than traditional light-profile fitting methods, and can be easily retrained for other morphological parameters or on other data sets with diverse ranges of resolutions, seeing conditions, and signal-to-noise ratios, making it an ideal tool for analyzing AGN host galaxies from large surveys coming soon from the Rubin-LSST, Euclid, and Roman telescopes. 
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  2. Abstract We present nuclear (100–150 pc) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for a sample of 23 nearby luminous infrared galaxies hosting a total of 28 nuclei. We gather aperture photometry from high-resolution X-ray to submillimeter data for each nuclear region localized by Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of the dust continuum. We model the broadband SEDs using X-CIGALE. Binning the merging systems by interaction class, we find that the active galactic nucleus (AGN) fraction (fraction of AGN infrared luminosity to total infrared luminosity) appears enhanced in the late- and post-merger stages compared to the early-merger stage. Examining the relationship between X-ray emission and infrared emission of the nuclear regions, we find that the infrared emission in the nuclei is dominated by dust and AGNs, with minimal contribution from stars. We also find that nuclear regions have higher X-ray hardness ratios than the host galaxies globally among both the AGN and non-AGN population. We highlight the similarities and differences in the SEDs of dual nuclei in five closely separated late-stage merging systems: Arp 220 (dnuc ∼ 0.5 kpc), NGC 6240 (dnuc ∼ 1 kpc), IRAS 07251−0248 (dnuc ∼ 2 kpc), IRAS F12112+0305 (dnuc ∼ 4 kpc), and IRAS F14348+1447 (dnuc ∼ 6 kpc). The SEDs for these resolved pairs are distinct, suggesting that the AGN state is much more susceptible to the stellar and dust content within the immediate circumnuclear (<150 pc) environment than to the host’s global infrared luminosity or merger stage. 
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  3. To reproduce observed galaxy properties, cosmological simulations require that massive galaxies experience feedback from active galactic nuclei, which regulates star formation within those galaxies. However, the energetics and timescales of these feedback processes are poorly constrained. We combined optical, infrared, submillimeter, and radio observations of the active galaxy VV 340a, which is hosting a low-power jet launched from a supermassive black hole at its center. We found that the jet undergoes precession, with a period of (8.2 ± 5.5) × 105years, and drives an outflow of gas at a rate of 19.4 ± 7.9 solar masses per year. The jet shocks the gas, producing highly ionized plasma that extends several kiloparsecs from the nucleus. The outflow ejects sufficient gas from the galaxy to influence its star-formation rate. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available February 26, 2027
  4. Abstract We present the CO(1–0) maps of 28 infrared-bright galaxies from the Great Observatories All-Sky Luminous Infrared Galaxy Survey (GOALS) taken with the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter Astronomy (CARMA). We detect 100 GHz continuum in 16 of the 28 CARMA GOALS galaxies, which trace both active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and compact star-forming cores. The GOALS galaxies show a variety of molecular gas morphologies, though in the majority of cases the average velocity fields show a gradient consistent with rotation. We fit the full continuum spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of each of the sources using eithermagphysor SED3FIT (if there are signs of an AGN) to derive the total stellar mass, dust mass, and SFRs of each object. We adopt a value determined from luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs and ULIRGs) ofαCO= 1.5 0.8 + 1.3 M(K km s−1pc2)−1, which leads to more physical values forfmoland the gas-to-dust ratio. Mergers tend to have the highest gas-to-dust ratios. We assume the cospatiality of the molecular gas and star formation and plot the CARMA GOALS sample on the Schmidt–Kennicutt relation, where we find that they preferentially lie above the line set by normal star-forming galaxies. This hyper-efficiency is likely due to the increased turbulence in these systems, which decreases the freefall time compared to star-forming galaxies, leading to “enhanced” star formation efficiency. Line wings are present in a non-negligible subsample (11/28) of the CARMA GOALS sources and are likely due to outflows driven by AGNs or star formation, gas inflows, or additional decoupled gas components. 
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  5. Abstract We present the COSMOS Spectroscopic Redshift Compilation encompassing ∼20 yr of spectroscopic redshifts within a 10 deg2area centered on the 2 deg2COSMOS legacy field. This compilation contains 487,666 redshifts of 266,284 unique objects from 138 individual programs up toz ∼ 8 with median stellar mass ∼108.4–1010M(redshift dependent). Rest-frameNUVrJcolors and star formation rate–stellar mass correlations show that the compilation primarily contains low-to-intermediate-mass star-forming and massive, quiescent galaxies atz < 1.25 and mostly low-mass bursty star-forming galaxies atz > 2. Sources in the compilation cover a diverse range of environments, including protoclusters such as “Hyperion.” The full compilation is 50% spectroscopically complete byi ∼ 23.4 mag andKs ∼ 21.6 mag; however, this is redshift dependent. Spatially, the compilation is >50% (>30%) complete within the central (outer) region limited toi < 24 mag andKs < 22.5 mag, separately. We demonstrate how the compilation can be used to validate photometric redshifts and investigate calibration metrics. By training self-organizing maps on COSMOS2020/Classic and projecting the compilation onto it, we find key subpopulations currently lacking spectroscopic coverage, includingz < 1 intermediate-mass quiescent and low-/intermediate-mass bursty star-forming galaxies,z ∼ 2 massive quiescent galaxies, andz > 3 massive star-forming galaxies. This highlights how combining self-organizing maps with our compilation can provide guidance for future spectroscopic observations to get a complete spectroscopic view of galaxy populations. Lastly, the compilation will undergo periodic data releases incorporating new spectroscopic redshifts and providing a lasting legacy resource for the community. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available December 18, 2026
  6. Abstract We present new JWST NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy (IFS) data for the luminous infrared galaxy NGC 7469, a nearby (70.6 Mpc) active galaxy with a Seyfert 1.5 nucleus that drives a highly ionized gas outflow and a prominent nuclear star-forming ring. Using the superb sensitivity and high spatial resolution of the JWST instrument NIRSpec IFS, we investigate the role of the Seyfert nucleus in the excitation and dynamics of the circumnuclear gas. Our analysis focuses on the [Feii], H2, and hydrogen recombination lines that trace the radiation/shocked-excited molecular and ionized interstellar medium around the active galactic nucleus (AGN). We investigate gas excitation through H2/Brγand [Feii]/Paβemission line ratios and find that photoionization by the AGN dominates within the central 300 pc of the galaxy except in a small region that shows signatures of shock-heated gas; these shock-heated regions are likely associated with a compact radio jet. In addition, the velocity field and velocity dispersion maps reveal complex gas kinematics. Rotation is the dominant feature, but we also identify noncircular motions consistent with gas inflows as traced by the velocity residuals and the spiral pattern in the Paαvelocity dispersion map. The inflow is 2 orders of magnitude higher than the AGN accretion rate. The compact nuclear radio jet has enough power to drive the highly ionized outflow. This scenario suggests that the inflow and outflow are in a self-regulating feeding–feedback process, with a contribution from the radio jet helping to drive the outflow. 
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  7. Abstract We report the discovery of 15 exceptionally luminous 10 ≲z≲ 14 candidate galaxies discovered in the first 0.28 deg2of JWST/NIRCam imaging from the COSMOS-Web survey. These sources span rest-frame UV magnitudes of −20.5 >MUV> −22, and thus constitute the most intrinsically luminousz≳ 10 candidates identified by JWST to date. Selected via NIRCam imaging, deep ground-based observations corroborate their detection and help significantly constrain their photometric redshifts. We analyze their spectral energy distributions using multiple open-source codes and evaluate the probability of low-redshift solutions; we conclude that 12/15 (80%) are likely genuinez≳ 10 sources and 3/15 (20%) likely low-redshift contaminants. Three of ourz∼ 12 candidates push the limits of early stellar mass assembly: they have estimated stellar masses ∼ 5 × 109M, implying an effective stellar baryon fraction ofϵ∼ 0.2−0.5, whereϵ≡M/(fbMhalo). The assembly of such stellar reservoirs is made possible due to rapid, burst-driven star formation on timescales < 100 Myr where the star formation rate may far outpace the growth of the underlying dark matter halos. This is supported by the similar volume densities inferred forM∼ 1010Mgalaxies relative toM∼ 109M—both about 10−6Mpc−3—implying they live in halos of comparable mass. At such high redshifts, the duty cycle for starbursts would be of order unity, which could cause the observed change in the shape of the UV luminosity function from a double power law to a Schechter function atz≈ 8. Spectroscopic redshift confirmation and ensuing constraints of their masses will be critical to understand how, and if, such early massive galaxies push the limits of galaxy formation in the Lambda cold dark matter paradigm. 
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  8. Abstract We present a new method based on information theory to find the optimal number of bands required to measure the physical properties of galaxies with desired accuracy. As a proof of concept, using the recently updated COSMOS catalog (COSMOS2020), we identify the most relevant wave bands for measuring the physical properties of galaxies in a Hawaii Two-0- (H20) and UVISTA-like survey for a sample ofi< 25 AB mag galaxies. We find that with the availablei-band fluxes,r,u, IRAC/ch2, andzbands provide most of the information regarding the redshift with importance decreasing fromrband tozband. We also find that for the same sample, IRAC/ch2,Y,r, andubands are the most relevant bands in stellar-mass measurements with decreasing order of importance. Investigating the intercorrelation between the bands, we train a model to predict UVISTA observations in near-IR from H20-like observations. We find that magnitudes in theYJHbands can be simulated/predicted with an accuracy of 1σmag scatter ≲0.2 for galaxies brighter than 24 AB mag in near-IR bands. One should note that these conclusions depend on the selection criteria of the sample. For any new sample of galaxies with a different selection, these results should be remeasured. Our results suggest that in the presence of a limited number of bands, a machine-learning model trained over the population of observed galaxies with extensive spectral coverage outperforms template fitting. Such a machine-learning model maximally comprises the information acquired over available extensive surveys and breaks degeneracies in the parameter space of template fitting inevitable in the presence of a few bands. 
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  9. Abstract We constrain the intrinsic Eddington ratio ( λ Edd ) distribution function for local active galactic nuclei (AGN) in bins of low and high obscuration [ log ( N H / cm − 2 ) ≤ 22 and 22 < log ( N H / cm − 2 ) < 25 ], using the Swift Burst Alert Telescope 70 month/BASS DR2 survey. We interpret the fraction of obscured AGN in terms of circumnuclear geometry and temporal evolution. Specifically, at low Eddington ratios ( log λ Edd < −2), obscured AGN outnumber unobscured ones by a factor of ∼4, reflecting the covering factor of the circumnuclear material (0.8, or a torus opening angle of ∼34°). At high Eddington ratios ( log λ Edd > −1), the trend is reversed, with <30% of AGN having log ( N H / cm − 2 ) > 22 , which we suggest is mainly due to the small fraction of time spent in a highly obscured state. Considering the Eddington ratio distribution function of narrow-line and broad-line AGN from our prior work, we see a qualitatively similar picture. To disentangle temporal and geometric effects at high λ Edd , we explore plausible clearing scenarios such that the time-weighted covering factors agree with the observed population ratio. We find that the low fraction of obscured AGN at high λ Edd is primarily due to the fact that the covering factor drops very rapidly, with more than half the time spent with <10% covering factor. We also find that nearly all obscured AGN at high- λ Edd exhibit some broad lines. We suggest that this is because the height of the depleted torus falls below the height of the broad-line region, making the latter visible from all lines of sight. 
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  10. Abstract The 2 mm Mapping Obscuration to Reionization with ALMA (MORA) Survey was designed to detect high-redshift ( z ≳ 4), massive, dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs). Here we present two likely high-redshift sources, identified in the survey, whose physical characteristics are consistent with a class of optical/near-infrared (OIR)-invisible DSFGs found elsewhere in the literature. We first perform a rigorous analysis of all available photometric data to fit spectral energy distributions and estimate redshifts before deriving physical properties based on our findings. Our results suggest the two galaxies, called MORA-5 and MORA-9, represent two extremes of the “OIR-dark” class of DSFGs. MORA-5 ( z phot = 4.3 − 1.3 + 1.5 ) is a significantly more active starburst with a star formation rate (SFR) of 830 − 190 + 340 M ⊙ yr −1 compared to MORA-9 ( z phot = 4.3 − 1.0 + 1.3 ), whose SFR is a modest 200 − 60 + 250 M ⊙ yr −1 . Based on the stellar masses ( M ⋆ ≈ 10 10−11 M ⊙ ), space density ( n ∼ (5 ± 2) × 10 −6 Mpc −3 , which incorporates two other spectroscopically confirmed OIR-dark DSFGs in the MORA sample at z = 4.6 and z = 5.9), and gas depletion timescales (<1 Gyr) of these sources, we find evidence supporting the theory that OIR-dark DSFGs are the progenitors of recently discovered 3 < z < 4 massive quiescent galaxies. 
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