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Context: Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) are dense gravitationally-bound collections of 4-10 galaxies ideal for studying gas and star formation quenching processes. Aims: We aim to understand the transition of HCGs from possessing complex HI tidal structures (so-called phase 2 groups) to a phase where galaxies have lost most or all their HI (phase 3). We also seek to detect diffuse H i gas that was previously missed by the Very Large Array (VLA). Methods: We observed three phase 2 and three phase 3 HCGs with MeerKAT and reduced the data using the Containerized Automated Radio Astronomy Calibration (CARACal) pipeline. We produced data cubes, moment maps, integrated spectra, and compared our findings with previous VLA and Green Bank Telescope (GBT) observations. Results: Compared with previous VLA observations, MeerKAT reveals much more extended tidal features in phase 2 and some new high surface brightness features in phase 3 groups. However, no diffuse HI component was found in phase 3 groups. We also detected many surrounding galaxies for both phase 2 and phase 3 groups, most of which are normal disk galaxies. Conclusions: The difference between phase 2 and phase 3 groups is still substantial, supporting previous findings that the transition between the two phases must be abrupt., Comment: 37 pages, 34 figures, 4 tables - Accepted for publication in A&A

Challenging neutron-capture cross-section measurements of small cross sections and samples with a very limited number of atoms require high-flux time-of-flight facilities. In turn, such facilities need innovative detection setups that are fast, have low sensitivity to neutrons, can quickly recover from the so-called $\gamma$-flash, and offer the highest possible detection sensitivity. In this paper, we present several steps toward such advanced systems. Specifically, we describe the performance of a high-sensitivity experimental setup at CERN n\_TOF EAR2. It consists of nine sTED detector modules in a compact cylindrical configuration, two conventional used large-volume C$_{6}$D$_{6}$ detectors, and one LaCl$_{3}$(Ce) detector. The performance of these detection systems is compared using $^{93}$Nb($n$,$\gamma$) data. We also developed a detailed \textsc{Geant4} Monte Carlo model of the experimental EAR2 setup, which allows for a better understanding of the detector features, including their efficiency determination. This Monte Carlo model has been used for further optimization, thus leading to a new conceptual design of a $\gamma$ detector array, STAR, based on a deuterated-stilbene crystal array. Finally, the suitability of deuterated-stilbene crystals for the future STAR array is investigaged experimentally utilizing a small stilbene-d12 prototype. The results suggest a similar or superior performance of STAR with respect to other setups based on liquid-scintillators, and allow for additional features such as neutron-gamma discrimination and a higher level of customization capability.

This paper obtains the matrix elements and characters of the discrete series unitary irreducible representations (UIRs) of the Sp$(4,\mathbb{R})$ group. With an isomorphic relationship to the two-fold covering of SO$_0(2,3)$ (Sp$(4,\mathbb{R}) \sim$ SO$_0(2,3)\times \mathbb{Z}_2$), this group holds particular importance as the kinematical/relativity group within the framework of ($1+3$-dimensional) anti-de Sitter spacetime., Comment: 17 pages

Despite the increasing prevalence of RL sources at cosmic noon, our understanding of the underlying physics that governs the accretion disc outflows in these particular sources and its dissimilarity with RQ quasars remains somewhat limited. Disentangling the real impact of the radio-loudness and accretion on the outflow parameters remains a challenge to this day. We present 10 new spectra of high-z high-L quasars, combined with previous data at both high and low z and evaluate the role of the feedback from RL and RQ AGN. The final high-z high-L sample consists of a combination of 60 quasars from our ISAAC and the Hamburg-ESO surveys. The low-z sample has 84 quasars with optical and FOS reanalyzed data. We perform a multicomponent analysis of optical and UV emission line profiles along the quasar MS, and provide a relation to estimate the outflow main parameters in both the BLR and NLR through the analysis of the [OIII]5007 and CIV1549 emission lines. High-ionization lines usually present a significant asymmetry towards the blue especially in RQ that is strong evidence of outflow motions. In the ISAAC sample, 72% of the quasars present significant O[III] outflows, with c(1/2) ~ -250 km/s. RL tend to present slightly more modest blueshifted components. The behavior of [OIII]5007 mirrors the one of CIV1549, with blueshift amplitudes between the two lines showing a high degree of correlation that appears unaffected by the presence of radio emission. Both RL and RQ AGN outflow parameters at high L appear in the range needed to provide feedback effects on their host galaxies. Both high- and low-z RL quasars exhibit smaller outflows compared to RQ, suggesting a potential role of radioloudness in mitigating outflow effects. Nevertheless, the radio-loudness effect on the AGN feedback is much less significant than the one of accretion that emerges as the main driver of the nuclear outflows., Comment: A total of 34 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for publication on Astronomy and Astrophysics

The 4D eigenvector 1 (E1) sequence has emerged as a powerful tool for organizing the observational and physical characteristics of type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis of the metallicity of the broad line region gas, incorporating both new data and previously published findings, to assess the presence of any trend along the sequence. We perform a multi-component analysis on the strongest UV and optical emission lines, compute $\sim 10$ diagnostic ratios, and compare them with the prediction of CLOUDY photoionization simulations, identifying a photoionization solution closest to the data. Our investigation reveals a consistent pattern along the optical plane of the E1. We observe a systematic progression in metallicity, ranging from sub-solar values to metallicity levels several times higher than solar values. These findings underscore the role of metallicity as a fundamental correlate of the 4DE1/main sequence. Extreme values of metallicity, at least several tens solar, are confirmed in low-$z$ AGNs radiating at a high Eddington ratio, although the origin of the extreme enrichment remains open to debate.

Context. An optically thick, geometrically thin accretion disk (AD) around a supermassive black hole might contribute to broad-line emission in type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGN). However, emission line profiles are most often not immediately consistent with the profiles expected from a rotating disk. The extent to which an AD in AGN contributes to the broad Balmer lines and high-ionization UV lines in radio-loud (RL) AGN needs to be investigated. Aims. This work aims to address whether the AD can account for the double-peaked profiles observed in the Balmer lines (H$\beta$, H$\alpha$), near-UV (Mgii$\lambda$2800), and high-ionization UV lines (Civ$\lambda$1549, Ciii]$\lambda$1909) of the extremely jetted quasar 3C 47. Methods. The low ionization lines (LILs) (H$\beta$, H$\alpha$, and Mgii$\lambda$2800) were analyzed using a relativistic Keplerian AD model. Fits were carried out following Bayesian and multicomponent non-linear approaches. The profiles of prototypical high ionization lines (HILs) were also modeled by the contribution of the AD, along with fairly symmetric additional components. Results. The LIL profiles of 3C 47 are in very good agreement with a relativistic Keplerian AD model. The disk emission is constrained between $\approx$ 100 and $\approx$ 10000 gravitational radii, with a viewing angle of $\approx$30 degrees. Conclusions. The study provides convincing direct observational evidence for the presence of an AD and explains the HIL profiles are due to disk and failed wind contributions. The agreement between the observed profiles of the LILs and the model is remarkable. The main alternative, a double broad line region associated with a binary black hole, is found to be less appealing than the disk model for the quasar 3C 47., Comment: A total of 15 pages, with 11 figures. Accepted for publication on Astronomy and Astrophysics

The 4D Eigenvector 1 sequence has proven to be a highly effective tool for organizing observational and physical properties of type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGN). In this paper, we present multiple measurements of metallicity for the broad line region gas, from new or previously published data. We demonstrate a consistent trend along the optical plane of the E1 (also known as the quasar main sequence), defined by the line width of H$\beta$ and by a parameter measuring the prominence of singly-ionized iron emission. The trend involves an increase from sub-solar metallicity in correspondence with extreme Population B (weak FeII emission, large H$\beta$ FWHM) to metallicity several tens the solar value in correspondence with extreme Population A (very strong FeII optical emission, narrower H$\beta$ profiles). The data establish the metallicity as a correlate of the 4D E1/main sequence. If the very high metallicity gas ($Z \gtrsim 10 Z_\odot$) is expelled from the sphere of influence of the central black hole, as indicated by the widespread evidence of nuclear outflows and disk wind in the case of sources radiating at high Eddington ratio, then it is possible that the outflows from quasars played a role in chemically enriching the host galaxy., Comment: Submitted to Physics

We consider a basis of square integrable functions on a rectangle, contained in $R^2$, constructed with Legendre polynomials, suitable, for instance, for the analogical description of images on the plane or in other fields of application of the Legendre polynomials in higher dimensions. After extending the Legendre polynomials to any arbitrary interval of the form [a,b], from its original form on [-1,1], we generalize the basis of Legendre polynomials to two dimensions. This is the first step to generalize the basis to n-dimensions. We present some mathematical constructions such as Gelfand triples appropriate on this context. ``Smoothness'' of functions on space of test functions and some other properties are revisited, as well as te continuity of generators of $su(1,1)$ on this context., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures

One of the critical aspects for the accurate determination of neutron capture cross sections when combining time-of-flight and total energy detector techniques is the characterization and control of systematic uncertainties associated to the measuring devices. In this work we explore the most conspicuous effects associated to harsh count rate conditions: dead-time and pile-up effects. Both effects, when not properly treated, can lead to large systematic uncertainties and bias in the determination of neutron cross sections. In the majority of neutron capture measurements carried out at the CERN n\_TOF facility, the detectors of choice are the C$_{6}$D$_{6}$ liquid-based either in form of large-volume cells or recently commissioned sTED detector array, consisting of much smaller-volume modules. To account for the aforementioned effects, we introduce a Monte Carlo model for these detectors mimicking harsh count rate conditions similar to those happening at the CERN n\_TOF 20~m fligth path vertical measuring station. The model parameters are extracted by comparison with the experimental data taken at the same facility during 2022 experimental campaign. We propose a novel methodology to consider both, dead-time and pile-up effects simultaneously for these fast detectors and check the applicability to experimental data from $^{197}$Au($n$,$\gamma$), including the saturated 4.9~eV resonance which is an important component of normalization for neutron cross section measurements.

This manuscript introduces a novel holographic correspondence in $d$-dimensional de Sitter (dS$_d$) spacetime, connecting bulk dS$_d$ scalar unitary irreducible representations (UIRs) with their counterparts at the dS$_d$ boundary ${\cal{I}}^\pm$, all while preserving reflection positivity. The proposed approach, with potential applicability to diverse dS$_d$ UIRs, is rooted in the geometry of the complex dS$_d$ spacetime and leverages the inherent properties of the (global) dS$_d$ plane waves, as defined within their designated tube domains., Comment: 6 pages, no figure, version accepted for publication in Physics Letters B

This paper presents new optical and near-UV spectra of 11 extremely powerful jetted quasars, with radio to optical flux density ratio $>$ 10$^3$, that concomitantly cover the low-ionization emission of \mgii\ and \hb\ as well as the \feii\ blends in the redshift range $0.35 \lesssim z \lesssim 1$. We aim to quantify broad emission line differences between radio-loud (RL) and radio-quiet (RQ) quasars by using the 4D eigenvector 1 parameter space and its Main Sequence (MS) and to check the effect of powerful radio ejection on the low ionization broad emission lines. The \hb\ and \mgii\ emission lines were measured by using non-linear multicomponent fittings as well as by analysing their full profile. We found that broad emission lines show large redward asymmetry both in \hb\ and \mgii. The location of our RL sources in a UV plane looks similar to the optical one, with weak \feiiuv\ emission and broad \mgii. We supplement the 11 sources with large samples from previous work to gain some general inferences. We found that, compared to RQ, our extreme RL quasars show larger median \hb\ full width at half maximum (FWHM), weaker \feii\ emission, larger \mbh, lower \lledd, and a restricted bf space occupation in the optical and UV MS planes. The differences are more elusive when the comparison is carried out by restricting the RQ population to the region of the MS occupied by RL sources, albeit an unbiased comparison matching \mbh\ and \lledd\ suggests that the most powerful RL quasars show the highest redward asymmetries in \hb., Comment: The paper has been accepted for publishing in MNRAS. Has 26 pages and 59 figures

This article addresses the study of the complex version of the modified Korteweg-de Vries equation using two different approaches. Firstly, the singular manifold method is applied in order to obtain the associated spectral problem, binary Darboux transformations and $\tau$-functions. The second part concerns the identification of the classical Lie symmetries for the spectral problem. The similarity reductions associated to these symmetries allow us to derive the reduced spectral problems and first integrals for the ordinary differential equations arising from such reductions., Comment: This article is intended to be published in the special issue dedicated to Prof. Decio Levi (in Open Communications in Nonlinear Mathematical Physics)

We elaborate the definition and properties of "massive" elementary systems in the $(1+3)$-dimensional Anti-de Sitter (AdS$_4$) spacetime, on both classical and quantum levels. We fully exploit the symmetry group {isomorphic to} Sp$(4,R)$, that is, the two-fold covering of SO$_0(2,3)$ (Sp$(4,\mathbb R) \sim$ SO$_0(2,3)\times \mathbb Z_2$), recognized as the relativity/kinematical group of motions in AdS$_4$ spacetime. In particular, we discuss that the group coset Sp$(4,\mathbb R)/\mathrm{S}\big(\mathrm{U}(1)\times \mathrm{SU}(2)\big)$, as one of the Cartan classical domains, can be interpreted as a phase space for the set of free motions of a test massive particle on AdS$_4$ spacetime; technically, in order to facilitate the computations, the whole process is carried out in terms of complex quaternions. The (projective) unitary irreducible representations (UIRs) of the Sp$(4,R)$ group, describing the quantum version of such motions, are found in the discrete series of the Sp$(4,\mathbb R)$ UIRs. We also describe the null-curvature (Poincar\'{e}) and non-relativistic (Newton-Hooke) contraction limits of such systems, on both classical and quantum levels. On this basis, we unveil the dual nature of "massive" elementary systems living in AdS$_4$ spacetime, as each being a combination of a Minkowskian-like elementary system {with positive proper mass}, with an isotropic harmonic oscillator arising from the AdS$_4$ curvature and viewed as a Newton-Hooke elementary system. This matter-vibration duality will take its whole importance in the quantum regime (in the context of the validity of the equipartition theorem) in view of its possible r\^{o}le in the explanation of the current existence of dark matter., Comment: 45 pages

We revisit the Perelomov SU(1,1) displaced coherent states states as possible quantum states of light. We disclose interesting statistical aspects of these states in relation with photon counting and squeezing. In the non-displaced case we discuss the efficiency of the photodetector as inversely proportional to the parameter k of the discrete series of unitary irreducible representations of SU(1,1). In the displaced case, we study the counting and squeezing properties of the states in terms of k and the number of photons in the original displaced state. We finally examine the quantization of a classical radiation field which is based on these families of coherent states. The procedure yields displacement operators which might allow to prepare such states in the way proposed by Glauber for the standard coherent states., Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures

Optical and UV properties of radio-quiet (RQ) and radio-loud (RL, relativistically "jetted") active galactic nuclei (AGN) are known to differ markedly; however, it is still unclear what is due to a sample selection and what is associated with intrinsic differences in the inner workings of their emitting regions. Chemical composition is an important parameter related to the trends of the quasar main sequence. Recent works suggest that in addition to physical properties such as density, column density, and ionization level, strong FeII emitters require very high metal content. Little is known, however, about the chemical composition of jetted radio-loud sources. In this short note, we present a pilot analysis of the chemical composition of low-z radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars. Optical and UV spectra from ground and space were combined to allow for precise measurements of metallicity-sensitive diagnostic ratios. The comparison between radio-quiet and radio-loud was carried out for sources in the same domain of the Eigenvector 1 / main sequence parameter space. Arrays of dedicated photoionization simulations with the input of appropriate spectral energy distributions indicate that metallicity is sub-solar for RL AGN, and slightly sub-solar or around solar for RQ AGN. The metal content of the broad line emitting region likely reflects a similar enrichment story for both classes of AGN not involving recent circum-nuclear or nuclear starbursts., Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Galaxies

Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) are dense configurations of 4 to 10 galaxies, whose HI (neutral gas) morphology appears to follow an evolutionary sequence of three phases, with gas initially confined to galaxies, then significant amounts spread throughout the intra-group medium, and finally with almost no gas remaining in the galaxies themselves. The HI deficiency of HCGs is expected to increase as the HI morphological phase progresses along this sequence, potentially making it a useful proxy for evolutionary phase. We test this hypothesis for the first time with a large sample of 38 HCGs with VLA HI observations that are uniformly reduced and analysed with a purpose-built pipeline. However, we find little evidence that HI deficiency can be used as a proxy for the evolutionary phase of a HCG in either of the first two phases, with the distribution of HI deficiency being consistent in both, although it does greatly increase in the third phase. This appears to be the result to three factors: a) there is already a broad range of HI deficiencies in Phase 1 HCGs, possibly due to their differing locations relative to large scale structures; b) the timescale for major interactions and morphological changes is, in general, considerably shorter than the timescale for the destruction or consumption of HI gas; and c) some groups have their HI content rejuvenated by the late addition of a new gas-rich member (for which we added a new sub-phase, 3c, to the established evolutionary sequence). Finally, across all HCGs studied, we identify only a few cases where there is strong evidence for the existence of a previously proposed diffuse HI component in the intra-group medium, which might be detectable with improved observations. This work was completed with considerable attention paid to scientific reproducibility, and all reduction and analysis has been made public via Github and Zenodo. (Abridged), Comment: Accepted to A&A

We aim to evaluate the behaviour of our 22 high-redshift (2.2 < z < 3.7) and high-luminosity (47.39 < Lbol < 48.36) quasars in the context of the 4-Dimensional Eigenvector 1. Our approach involves studying quasar physics through spectroscopic exploration of UV and optical emission line diagnostics. We are using new observations from ISAAC/VLT and mainly from the SDSS to cover the optical and the UV rest-frames, respectively. Emission lines are characterised both through a quantitative parametrisation of the line profiles, and by decomposing the emission line profiles using multicomponent fitting routines. We provide spectrophotometric properties and line profile measurements for Hb+[O iii], as well as for Si iv+O iv], C iv+He ii and the 1900 blend. Six out of the 22 objects present a significant blueshifted component on the Hb profile, and in 14/22 cases an Hb outflowing component associated to [O iii] is detected. The majority of [O iii] emission line profiles show blueshifted velocities larger than 250 km s^-1. [O iii] and C iv blueshifts show very high amplitudes and a high degree of correlation. Line width and shift are correlated for both [O iii] and C iv, suggesting that emission from outflowing gas is providing a substantial broadening to both lines. Otherwise, the links between C iv centroid velocity at half intensity (c(1/2)), Eddington ratio (L/LEdd), and bolometric luminosity are found to be in agreement with previous studies of high-luminosity quasars. Our analysis suggests that the behaviour of quasars of very high luminosity all along the main sequence is strongly affected by powerful outflows involving a broad range of spatial scales. The main sequence correlations remain valid at high redshift and high luminosity even if a systematic increase in line width is observed. Scaling laws based on UV Al iii and Hb emission lines are equally reliable estimators of MBH., Comment: Accepted for publication at A&A