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Abstract Tidal disruption events (TDEs) are a class of transients that occur when a star is destroyed by the tides of a massive black hole (MBH). Their rates encode valuable MBH demographic information, but this can only be extracted if accurate TDE rate predictions are available for comparisons with observed rates. In this work, we present a new, observer-friendly Python package called REPTiDE, which implements a standard loss-cone model for computing TDE rates given a stellar density distribution and an MBH mass. We apply this software to a representative sample of 91 nearby galaxies over a wide range of stellar masses with high-resolution nuclear density measurements from C. H. Hannah et al. We measure per-galaxy TDE rates ranging between 10^−7.7and 10^−2.9yr^–1and find that the sample-averaged rates agree well with observations. We find a turnover in the TDE rate as a function of both galaxy stellar mass and black hole mass, with the peak rates being observed in galaxies at a galaxy mass of 10^9.5M_⊙and a black hole mass of 10^6.5M_⊙. Despite the lower TDE rates inferred for intermediate-mass black holes, we find that they have gained a higher fraction of their mass through TDEs when compared to higher-mass black holes. This growth of lower-mass black holes through TDEs can enable us to place interesting constraints on their spins; we find maximum spins ofa_• ≈ 0.9 for black holes with masses below ∼10^5.5M_⊙. 

Abstract A subset of galaxies have dense nuclei, and when these galaxies are accreted and tidally stripped, the nuclei can masquerade as globular clusters in the halos of large galaxies. If these nuclei contain massive central black holes, some may accrete gas and become observable as active galactic nuclei. Previous studies have found that candidate stripped nuclei rarely host luminous X-ray sources, but these studies were typically restricted to both the most massive candidate nuclei and the most luminous X-ray sources. Here we use new and archival Chandra and XMM-Newton data to search for X-ray emission in a near-complete sample of massive globular clusters and candidate stripped nuclei in the nearest accessible elliptical galaxy, NGC 5128. This sample has the unique advantage that the candidate stripped nuclei are identified dynamically via elevated mass-to-light ratios (M/L_V). Our central result is that 5/22 ( $23_{-6}^{+11}$ %) of the candidate stripped nuclei have X-ray sources down to a typical limit ofL_X∼ 5 × 10³⁶erg s⁻¹, a fraction lower than or comparable to that among massive clusters with normalM/L_V(16/41; $39_{-7}^{+8}$ %). Hence we confirm and extend the result that nearly all X-ray sources in stripped nuclei are likely to be X-ray binaries rather than active galactic nuclei. If the candidate stripped nuclei have black holes of typical masses ∼2 × 10⁵M_⊙needed to explain their elevatedM/L_V, then they have typical Eddington ratios of ≲ 2 × 10⁻⁶. This suggests that it will be challenging to conduct an accretion census of wandering black holes around even nearby galaxies. 

Abstract The volumetric rate of tidal disruption events (TDEs) encodes information on the still-unknown demographics of central massive black holes (MBHs) in low-mass galaxies (≲10⁹M_⊙). Theoretical TDE rates from model galaxy samples can extract this information, but this requires accurately defining the nuclear stellar density structures. This region is typically dominated by nuclear star clusters (NSCs), which have been shown to increase TDE rates by orders of magnitude. Thus, we assemble the largest available sample of parsec-scale 3D density profiles that include NSC components. We deproject the point-spread-function-deconvolved surface-brightness profiles of 91 nearby galaxies of varying morphology and combine these with nuclear mass-to-light ratios estimated from measured colors or spectral synthesis to create 3D mass density profiles. We fit the inner 3D density profile to find the best-fit power-law density profile in each galaxy. We compile this information as a function of galaxy stellar mass to fit new empirical density scaling relations. These fits reveal positive correlations between galaxy stellar mass and central stellar density in both early- and late-type galaxies. We find that early-type galaxies have somewhat higher densities and shallower profiles relative to late-type galaxies at the same mass. We also use the density profiles to estimate the influence radius of each galaxy’s MBH and find that the sphere of influence was likely resolved in most cases. These new relations will be used in future works to build mock galaxy samples for dynamical TDE rate calculations, with the aim of constraining MBH demographics in low-mass galaxies. 

The black hole occupation fraction (focc) defines the fraction of galaxies that harbor central massive black holes (MBHs), irrespective of their accretion activity level. While it is widely accepted that focc is nearly 100% in local massive galaxies with stellar masses M⋆ ≳ 1010 M⊙, it is not yet clear whether MBHs are ubiquitous in less-massive galaxies. In this work, we present new constraints on focc based on over 20 yr of Chandra imaging data for 1606 galaxies within 50 Mpc. We employ a Bayesian model to simultaneously constrain focc and the specific accretion-rate distribution function, p(λ), where the specific accretion rate is defined as λ = LX/M⋆, where LX is the MBH accretion luminosity in the 2─10 keV range. Notably, we find that p(λ) peaks around 1028ergs−1M⊙−1 ; above this value, p(λ) decreases with increasing λ, following a power law that smoothly connects with the probability distribution of bona fide active galactic nuclei. We also find that the occupation fraction decreases dramatically with decreasing M⋆: in high-mass galaxies (M⋆ ≍ 1011−12 M⊙), the occupation fraction is >93% (a 2σ lower limit), and then declines to 66%−7%+8% (1σ errors) between M⋆ ≍ 109−10 M⊙, and to 33%−9%+13% in the dwarf galaxy regime between M⋆ ≍ 108−9 M⊙. Our results have significant implications for the normalization of the MBH mass function over the mass range most relevant for tidal disruption events, extreme mass ratio inspirals, and MBH merger rates that upcoming facilities are poised to explore. 

Abstract We assemble a catalog of 15424 nearby galaxies within 50 Mpc with consistent and homogenized mass, distance, and morphological type measurements. Our catalog combines galaxies from HyperLeda, the NASA-Sloan Atlas, and the Catalog of Local Volume Galaxies. Distances for the galaxies combine best-estimates for flow-corrected redshift-based distances with redshift-independent distances. We also compile magnitude and color information for 11740 galaxies. We use the galaxy colors to estimate masses by creating self-consistent color—mass-to-light ratio relations in four bands; we also provide color transformations of all colors into Sloang–iby using galaxies with overlapping color information. We compile morphology information for 13744 galaxies, and use the galaxy color information to separate early- and late-type galaxies. This catalog is widely applicable for studies of nearby galaxies and for placing these studies in the context of more distant galaxies. We present one application here: a preliminary analysis of the nuclear X-ray activity of galaxies. Out of 1506 galaxies within the sample that have available Chandra X-ray observations, we find that 291 have detected nuclear sources. Of the 291 existing Chandra detections, 249 have log(L_X) > 38.3 and available stellar mass estimates. We find that the X-ray active fractions in early-type galaxies are higher than in late-type galaxies, especially for galaxy stellar masses between 10⁹and 10^10.5M_⊙. We show that these differences may be due at least in part to the increased astrometric uncertainties in late-type galaxies relative to early types. 

Context.As the nearest accessible massive early-type galaxy, NGC 5128 presents an exceptional opportunity to measure dark matter halo parameters for a representative elliptical galaxy. Aims.Here we take advantage of rich new observational datasets of large-radius tracers to perform dynamical modeling of NGC 5128 Methods.We used a discrete axisymmetric anisotropic Jeans approach with a total tracer population of nearly 1800 planetary nebulae, globular clusters, and dwarf satellite galaxies extending to a projected distance of ∼250 kpc from the galaxy center to model the dynamics of NGC 5128. Results.We find that a standard Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) halo provides an excellent fit to nearly all the data, except for a subset of the planetary nebulae that appear to be out of virial equilibrium. The best-fit dark matter halo has a virial mass ofM_vir = 4.4_−1.4^+2.4 × 10¹² M_⊙, and NGC 5128 appears to sit below the mean stellar mass–halo mass and globular cluster mass–halo mass relations, which both predict a halo virial mass closer toM_vir ∼ 10¹³ M_⊙. The inferred NFW virial concentration isc_vir = 5.6_−1.6^+2.4, which is nominally lower thanc_vir ∼ 9 predicted from publishedc_vir–M_virrelations, but within the ∼30% scatter found in simulations. The best-fit dark matter halo constitutes only ∼10% of the total mass at one effective radius but ∼50% at five effective radii. The derived halo parameters are consistent within the uncertainties for models with differing tracer populations, anisotropies, and inclinations. Conclusions.Our analysis highlights the value of comprehensive dynamical modeling of nearby galaxies and the importance of using multiple tracers to allow cross-checks for model robustness. 

We have conducted a systematic search around the Milky Way (MW) analog NGC 253 (D= 3.5 Mpc), as a part of the Panoramic Imaging Survey of Centaurus and Sculptor (PISCeS)—a Magellan+Megacam survey to identify dwarfs and other substructures in resolved stellar light around MW-mass galaxies outside of the Local Group. In total, NGC 253 has five satellites identified by PISCeS within 100 kpc with an absoluteV-band magnitude ofM_V< −7. We have additionally obtained deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging of four reported candidates beyond the survey footprint: Do III, Do IV, and dw0036m2828 are confirmed to be satellites of NGC 253, while SculptorSR is found to be a background galaxy. We find no convincing evidence for the presence of a plane of satellites surrounding NGC 253. We construct its satellite luminosity function, which is complete down toM_V≲ −8 out to 100 kpc andM_V≲ −9 out to 300 kpc, and compare it to those calculated for other Local Volume galaxies. Exploring trends in satellite counts and star-forming fractions among satellite systems, we find relationships with host stellar mass, environment, and morphology, pointing to a complex picture of satellite formation, and a successful model has to reproduce all of these trends. 

ABSTRACT We use high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope imaging data of dwarf galaxies in the Local Volume ($$\lesssim {11}\, \mathrm{Mpc}$$) to parameterize 19 newly discovered nuclear star clusters (NSCs). Most of the clusters have stellar masses of $$M_{\star }^{\mathrm{nsc}} \lesssim 10^{6}{\, {\rm M}_{\odot }}$$ and compare to Galactic globular clusters in terms of ellipticity, effective radius, stellar mass, and surface density. The clusters are modelled with a Sérsic profile and their surface brightness evaluated at the effective radius reveals a tight positive correlation to the host galaxy stellar mass. Our data also indicate an increase in slope of the density profiles with increasing mass, perhaps indicating an increasing role for in situ star formation in more massive hosts. We evaluate the scaling relation between the clusters and their host galaxy stellar mass to find an environmental dependence: for NSCs in field galaxies, the slope of the relation is $$\alpha = 0.82^{+0.08}_{-0.08}$$ whereas $$\alpha = 0.55^{+0.06}_{-0.05}$$ for dwarfs in the core of the Virgo cluster. Restricting the fit for the cluster to $$M_{\star }^{\mathrm{gal}} \ge 10^{6.5}{\, {\rm M}_{\odot }}$$ yields $$\alpha = 0.70^{+0.08}_{-0.07}$$, in agreement with the field environment within the 1σ interval. The environmental dependence is due to the lowest-mass nucleated galaxies and we speculate that this is either due to an increased number of progenitor globular clusters merging to become an NSC, or due to the formation of more massive globular clusters in dense environments, depending on the initial globular cluster mass function. Our results clearly corroborate recent results in that there exists a tight connection between NSCs and globular clusters in dwarf galaxies. 

Abstract We present an analysis of nearly 1000 near-infrared, integrated-light spectra from APOGEE in the inner ∼7 kpc of M31. We utilize full-spectrum fitting with A-LIST simple stellar population spectral templates that represent a population of stars with the same age, [M/H], and [ α /M]. With this, we determine the mean kinematics, metallicities, α abundances, and ages of the stellar populations of M31's bar, bulge, and inner disk (∼4–7 kpc). We find a nonaxisymmetric velocity field in M31 resulting from the presence of a bar. The bulge of M31 is less metal-rich (mean [M/H] = − 0.149 − 0.081 + 0.067 dex) than the disk, features minima in metallicity on either side of the bar ([M/H] ∼ −0.2), and is enhanced in α abundance (mean [ α /M] = 0.281 − 0.038 + 0.035 ). The disk of M31 within ∼7 kpc is enhanced in both metallicity ([M/H] = − 0.023 − 0.052 + 0.050 ) and α abundance ([ α /M] = 0.274 − 0.025 + 0.020 ). Both of these structural components are uniformly old at ≃12 Gyr. We find the mean metallicity increases with distance from the center of M31, with the steepest gradient along the disk major axis (0.043 ± 0.021 dex kpc −1 ). This gradient is the result of changing light contributions from the bulge and disk. The chemodynamics of stellar populations encodes information about a galaxy’s chemical enrichment, star formation history, and merger history, allowing us to discuss new constraints on M31's formation. Our results provide a stepping stone between our understanding of the Milky Way and other external galaxies. 

Abstract In the coming decade, thousands of stellar streams will be observed in the halos of external galaxies. What fundamental discoveries will we make about dark matter from these streams? As a first attempt to look at these questions, we model Magellan/Megacam imaging of the Centaurus A (Cen A) disrupting dwarf companion Dwarf 3 (Dw3) and its associated stellar stream, to find out what can be learned about the Cen A dark matter halo. We develop a novel external galaxy stream-fitting technique and generate model stellar streams that reproduce the stream morphology visible in the imaging. We find that there are many viable stream models that fit the data well, with reasonable parameters, provided that Cen A has a halo mass larger than M 200 > 4.70 × 10 12 M ⊙ . There is a second stream in Cen A’s halo that is also reproduced within the context of this same dynamical model. However, stream morphology in the imaging alone does not uniquely determine the mass or mass distribution for the Cen A halo. In particular, the stream models with high likelihood show covariances between the inferred Cen A mass distribution, the inferred Dw3 progenitor mass, the Dw3 velocity, and the Dw3 line-of-sight position. We show that these degeneracies can be broken with radial-velocity measurements along the stream, and that a single radial velocity measurement puts a substantial lower limit on the halo mass. These results suggest that targeted radial-velocity measurements will be critical if we want to learn about dark matter from extragalactic stellar streams.