Search

Pyramidal cells that emit spikes when the animal is at specific locations of the environment are known as "place cells": these neurons are thought to provide an internal representation of space via "cognitive maps". Here, we consider the Battaglia-Treves neural network model for cognitive map storage and reconstruction, instantiated with McCulloch & Pitts binary neurons. To quantify the information processing capabilities of these networks, we exploit spin-glass techniques based on Guerra's interpolation: in the low-storage regime (i.e., when the number of stored maps scales sub-linearly with the network size and the order parameters self-average around their means) we obtain an exact phase diagram in the noise vs inhibition strength plane (in agreement with previous findings) by adapting the Hamilton-Jacobi PDE-approach. Conversely, in the high-storage regime, we find that -- for mild inhibition and not too high noise -- memorization and retrieval of an extensive number of spatial maps is indeed possible, since the maximal storage capacity is shown to be strictly positive. These results, holding under the replica-symmetry assumption, are obtained by adapting the standard interpolation based on stochastic stability and are further corroborated by Monte Carlo simulations (and replica-trick outcomes for the sake of completeness). Finally, by relying upon an interpretation in terms of hidden units, in the last part of the work, we adapt the Battaglia-Treves model to cope with more general frameworks, such as bats flying in long tunnels.

Following the high activity of the gamma-ray Fermi source 4FGL J0449.1+1121 (PKS 0446+112), possibly associated with a IceCube neutrino event IC-240105A, we obtained optical spectroscopy with the Gran Telescopio Canarias of the counterpart. We detect a clear emission line at 3830 Ang identified as Ly$\alpha$ that confirms the redshift of source at z=2.153. Comparing with previous spectroscopy, we find an increase of the continuum by a factor $\sim$10, and a significant decrease of the CIV 1550 emission line flux by a factor $\sim$5. This produces a dramatic drop of the Equivalent Width from $\sim$20 Ang to 0.8 Ang, which is suggestive of a very high jet activity. The Full Width Half Maximum of the emission lines are midway (1000 - 2000 km/s) between those typical of the broad and narrow regions of quasars. Based on this, the source classification is intermediate between Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar and BL Lac object., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 3 table, accepted for publication in ApJ

Recent observations have led to the discovery of numerous optically selected binaries containing an undetected component with mass consistent with a compact object (neutron star or white dwarf). Using the the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory we have carried out X-ray and UV observations of a small sample of these binaries. Four systems are wide (with orbital period P>300 d), and they were chosen because of their small distance (d<250 pc) and the mass of the collapsed component favoring a neutron star. Two other are compact systems (P<0.9 d), with convincing evidence of containing a neutron star. The source 2MASS J15274848$+$3536572 was detected in the X-ray band, with a flux of 5E-13 erg/cm2/s and a spectrum well fitted by a power law or a thermal plasma emission model. This source also showed an UV (2200 Angstrom) excess, which might indicate the presence of mass accretion. For the other targets we derived X-ray flux upper limits of the order of 1E-13}$ erg/cm2/s . These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the collapsed component in these six systems are neutron stars., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication by A&A

The fourth-DR3 version (4FGL-DR3) of the Fermi/LAT catalogue of $\gamma$-ray sources contains $\sim$ 1000 objects at a galactic latitude |b| > 10$^{\circ}$ which are not identified with an optical counterpart (UGS). We performed a systematic study of these sources, focusing on 190 objects that have a unique X-ray counterpart in the available Swift/XRT observations. Optical counterparts are then selected, and for 33 sources optical spectra were found in the literature. We found that 21 can be classified as BL Lac objects. Among these we were able to provide the redshift for 8 of them while for 2 others we established a lower limit to the redshift by detecting intervening absorption. The other 12 objects display optical spectra with prominent emission lines (0.036

Parametric approaches to grammatical diversity range from Chomsky's 1981 classical Principles & Parameters model to minimalist reinterpretations: in some proposals of the latter framework, parameters need not be an extensional list given at the initial state S0 of the mind, but can be constructed through a bio-program in the course of language development. In this contribution we pursue this lead and discuss initial data and ideas relevant for the elaboration of three sets of questions: 1) how can binary parameters be conceivably implemented in cortical and subcortical circuitry in the human brain? 2) how can parameter mutations be taken to occur? 3) given the distribution of parameter values across languages and their implications, can multi-parental models of language phylogenies, departing from ultrametricity, also account for some of the available evidence?, Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Contribution submitted to "A Cartesian dream: A geometrical account of syntax. In honor of Andrea Moro". M. Greco and D. Mocci, eds., Rivista di Grammatica Generativa/Research in Generative Grammar. Lingbuzz Press ISSN 2531-5935

A correlation between astrophysical high-energy neutrinos and blazars has been suggested by various authors. In particular, a likely association between IceCube events and intermediate and high-energy peaked BL Lac objects has led to a sample of 47 objects having a high probability of being neutrino sources. In the first paper of this series we reported optical spectroscopy of 17 objects, which together with data taken from the literature covered 80 per cent of the sample. Here we present spectroscopy obtained at large aperture telescopes of a further 17 objects (plus four additional targets), which completes the sample coverage. For twelve objects we are able to determine the redshift (0.07 < z <1.6), while for the others we set a lower limit on it, based on either the robust detection of intervening absorption systems or on an estimation derived from the absence of spectral signatures of the host galaxy. With these new data we expand and reinforce the main results of our previous papers, namely the fact that in terms of their broad-band properties our sources appear to be indistinguishable from the rest of the blazar population and the relatively large (>34 per cent and possibly as high as 80 per cent) fraction of masquerading BL Lac objects, for which the low equivalent width of the emission lines is due to the brightness of the boosted continuum, rather than being an intrinsic property, in our sample., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 21 pages, 7 Figures, 10 Tables

Isolated black holes and neutron stars can be revealed through the observation of long duration gravitational microlensing events. A few candidates have been found in surveys of stars in the direction of the Galactic bulge. Recently, thanks to the addition of astrometric information at milliarcsecond level, it has been possible to reduce the uncertainties in the masses and distances for some of these "dark" gravitational lenses and select the most promising candidates. These isolated compact objects might emit X-rays powered by accretion from the interstellar medium. Using data of the Chandra, XMM-Newton, and INTEGRAL satellites, we searched for X-ray emission in the isolated black hole candidate OGLE-2011-BLG-0462, and in several other putative collapsed objects found with gravitational microlensing. OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 has been recently interpreted as a 7.1 M_sun black hole at a distance of 1.6 kpc, although a different group obtained a mass range (1.6-4.4 M_sun) that cannot exclude a massive neutron star. We have derived upper limits on the flux from OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 of 9$\times10^{-15}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ in the 0.5-7 keV range and $\sim2\times10^{-12}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ in the 17-60 keV range. The implied X-ray luminosity is consistent with the small radiative efficiency expected for a black hole and disfavours a neutron star interpretation. Limits down to a factor about five lower are obtained for the soft X-ray flux of other candidates, but their interpretation is affected by larger uncertainties in the masses, distances and spatial velocities., Comment: Accepted for publication on The Astrophysical Journal, 3 figures, 3 tables

Based on a 20-year-long multiband observation of its light-curve, it was conjectured that the quasar SDSSJ025214.67-002813.7 has a periodicity of ~4.4 years. These observations were acquired at a highly irregular sampling rate and feature long intervals of missing data. In this setting, the inference over the light-curve's spectral content requires, in addition to classic Fourier methods, a proper model of the probability distribution of the missing observations. In this article, we address the detection of the periodicity of a light-curve from partial and irregularly-sampled observations using Gaussian processes, a Bayesian nonparametric model for time series. This methodology allows us to evaluate the veracity of the claimed periodicity of the abovementioned quasar and also to estimate its power spectral density. Our main contribution is the confirmation that considering periodic component definitely improves the modeling of the data, although being the source originally selected by a large sample of objects, the possibility that this is a chance result cannot be ruled out., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, MNRAS, in press

Examining a catalogue of isolated galaxy pairs, a preferred orbital intervelocity of ~150 km/s was recently reported. This discovery is difficult to reconcile with the expectations from Newtonian numerical simulations of cosmological structure formations. In a previous paper we have shown that a preferred intervelocity for galaxy pairs is expected in Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND). Here a detailed analysis of the MOND predictions is presented, showing that a remarkable agreement with the observations can be achieved for a mass to light ratio M/L~1 in solar units. This agrees with the expectations for a typical stellar population, without requiring non-baryonic dark matter for these systems., Comment: Accepted for publication on MNRAS. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2110.06936

Eight years after the first detection of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos by IceCube we are still almost clueless as regards to their origin, although the case for blazars being neutrino sources is getting stronger. After the first significant association at the $3 - 3.5\,\sigma$ level in time and space with IceCube neutrinos, i.e. the blazar TXS 0506+056 at $z=0.3365$, some of us have in fact selected a unique sample of 47 blazars, out of which $\sim 16$ could be associated with individual neutrino track events detected by IceCube. Building upon our recent spectroscopy work on these objects, here we characterise them to determine their real nature and check if they are different from the rest of the blazar population. For the first time we also present a systematic study of the frequency of masquerading BL Lacs, i.e. flat-spectrum radio quasars with their broad lines swamped by non-thermal jet emission, in a $\gamma$-ray- and IceCube-selected sample, finding a fraction $>$ 24 per cent and possibly as high as 80 per cent. In terms of their broad-band properties, our sources appear to be indistinguishable from the rest of the blazar population. We also discuss two theoretical scenarios for neutrino emission, one in which neutrinos are produced in interactions of protons with jet photons and one in which the target photons are from the broad line region. Both scenarios can equally account for the neutrino-blazar correlation observed by some of us. Future observations with neutrino telescopes and X-ray satellites will test them out., Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The dynamics of isolated galaxy pairs represents an important tool to investigate the behavior of gravity in the low acceleration regime. Statistical analysis of a large sample of galaxy pairs led to the noticeable discovery of a region of preferred 3-dimensional velocities centered at $\sim 150$ km/s and $\sim 100$ km/s wide, a feature hard to justify in the context of numerical simulations of cosmological structure formation. It is shown here that such a feature is expected within the framework of the Modified Newtonian Dynamics, which, however, predicts it to be centered at $\sim$ 170 Km/s., Comment: accepted for MNRAS

We focus our analysis on 55 BL Lac objects with a hard Fermi gamma-ray spectrum, and for which a redshift or a lower limit to it has been determined by a previous study of ours. We extrapolate the spectral fits given by the 4FGL catalogue to the VHE band (>0.1 TeV), which can be explored by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Furthermore, we take into account the absorption due to the extragalactic background light, strongly depending on the redshift. Finally, we compare our results with publicly available sensitivity curves for a selection of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope arrays currently operating or under construction. From our extrapolations and simulations we find a large number of promising candidates for observation with the forthcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array observatory., Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

There is mounting evidence that ultra-energetic neutrinos of astrophysical origin may be associated with blazars. Here we investigate a unique sample of 47 blazars, $\sim 20$ of which could be new neutrino sources. In particular, we focus on 17 objects of yet unknown redshift, for which we present optical spectroscopy secured at the Gran Telescopio Canarias and the ESO Very Large Telescope. We find all sources but one (a quasar) to be BL Lac objects. For nine targets we are able to determine the redshift (0.09~$<$~z~$<$~1.6), while for the others we set a lower limit on it, based on either the robust detection of intervening absorption systems or on an estimation derived from the absence of spectral signatures of the host galaxy. In some spectra we detect forbidden and semi-forbidden emission lines with luminosities in the range $10^{40} - 10^{41}$ erg s$^{-1}$. We also report on the spectroscopy of seven blazars possibly associated with energetic neutrinos that partially meet the criteria of our sample and are discussed in the Appendix. These results represent the starting point of our investigation into the real nature of these objects and their likelihood of being neutrino emitters., Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures, 9 Tables, Accepted for publication by MNRAS

Quasar projected pairs (QPPs) can be used for investigating the circumgalactic medium of quasars through the study of intervening absorption lines in the spectrum of the background quasar that are at the same redshift of the foreground quasar. Here we report on optical spectroscopy, gathered at Gran Telescopio Canarias, of 14 QPPs. In 7 cases we find MgII absorption lines associated with the foreground quasar. Only for two cases line-of-sight absorptions (LOS) are revealed. These new observations complement our previous study performed on other 30 QPPs. A brief discussion of the properties of the intervening absorption lines associated with the foreground quasar for the full dataset is reported., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Science

This paper describes the database of optical spectra of BL Lacertae (BLL) objects ZBLLAC available at the URL https://web.oapd.inaf.it/zbllac/. At the present date, it contains calibrated spectra for 295 BLL. For about 35% of them, we report a firm measure of redshift z while for 35 sources we set a lower limit on z based on the detection of intervening absorption systems, mainly ascribed to Mg II (2800 Ang). We report here on the architecture of the database and on its web front-end that permits to filter, query and interactively explore the data. We discuss some properties of the objects in the present dataset by giving the distribution of the redshifts and reporting on the detected emission lines, which turn out to be mainly forbidden and ascribed to [O II] (3737 Ang) and [O III] (5007 Ang). Finally, we discuss on intervening absorption systems detected in 35 BLLs that allow us to set lower limits to their distance., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Supplement

We derive the Gardner storage capacity for associative networks of threshold linear units, and show that with Hebbian learning they can operate closer to such Gardner bound than binary networks, and even surpass it. This is largely achieved through a sparsification of the retrieved patterns, which we analyze for theoretical and empirical distributions of activity. As reaching the optimal capacity via non-local learning rules like backpropagation requires slow and neurally implausible training procedures, our results indicate that one-shot self-organized Hebbian learning can be just as efficient.

We investigate the spectroscopic optical properties of gamma-ray sources detected with high significance above 50 GeV in the Third Catalog of Hard Fermi-LAT Sources (3FHL) and that are good candidates as TeV emitters. We focus on the 91 sources that are labelled by the Fermi team as BL Lac objects (BLL) or Blazar candidates of uncertain type (BCU) , that are in the Northern hemisphere, and are with unknown or uncertain redshift. We report here on GTC spectra (in the spectral range 4100 - 7750 AA) of 13 BCU and 42 BLL. We are able to classify the observed targets as BLL and each source is briefly discussed. The spectra allowed us to determine the redshift of 25 objects on the basis of emission and/or absorption lines, finding 0.05 < z < 0.91. Most of the emission lines detected are due to forbidden transition of [O III] and [N II]. The observed line luminosity is found lower than that of QSOs at similar continuum and could be reconciled with the line-continuum luminosity relationship of QSOs if a significant beaming factor is assumed. Moreover for 5 sources we found intervening absorption lines that allows to set a spectroscopic lower limit of the redshift. For the remaining 25 sources, for which the spectra are lineless, a lower limit to z is given, assuming that the host galaxies are giant ellipticals., Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Temporal analysis of blazar flux is a powerful tool to draw inferences about the emission processes and physics of these sources. In the most general case, the available light curves are irregularly sampled and influenced by gaps, and in addition are also affected by correlated noise, making their analysis complicated. Gaussian processes may offer a viable tool to assess the statistical significance of proposed periods in light curves characterized by any sampling and noise pattern. We infer the significance of the periods proposed in the literature for two well known blazars with multiple claims of possible year-long periodicity: PG1553+113 and PKS2155-304, in the high-energy and optical bands. Adding a periodic component to the modeling gives a better statistical description of the analyzed light curves. The improvement is rather solid for PG1553+113, both at high energies and in the optical, while for PKS2155-304 at high energies the improvement is not yet strong enough to allow cogent claims, and no evidence for periodicity emerged by the analysis in the optical. Modeling a light curve by means of Gaussian processes, in spite of being relatively computationally demanding, allows us to derive a wealth of information about the data under study and suggests an original analysis framework for light curves of astrophysical interest., Comment: Astronomical Journal, in press

The BL Lac object 4FGLJ0955.1+3551 has been suggested as a possible source of ultra energetic neutrinos detected by the Icecube observatory. The target was observed in January 2020 at the Large Binocular Telescope. Our spectroscopy (4100-8500 Ang) yields a firm redshift z = 0.557 as deduced by the absorption lines of the host galaxy. The upper limit of the minimum equivalent width on emission lines is 0.3 Ang. From the source image we are able to resolve the host galaxy for which we measure an absolute magnitude M(R) = -22.9 and Re = 8 kpc, that is values which are typical of the host galaxies of BL Lacs., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted to MNRAS