The James Webb Space Telescope North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) Time-Domain Field (TDF) has been monitored by Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and XMM-Newton with a regular cadence for 5 yr, starting in 2019. The survey has accumulated 3.5 Ms of NuSTAR exposure and 228 ks quasi-simultaneous XMM-Newton observations covering 0.31 deg2. This paper presents the results from the most recent 2 years' worth of 2 Ms NuSTAR and 166 ks XMM observations in NuSTAR cycles 8 and 9. These observations reached a 20% area flux of 2.20 x 10-14 erg cm-2 s-1 in the 8-24 keV band. Note that 75 NuSTAR sources and 274 XMM-Newton sources are detected at 99% reliability level. The logN-logS measured in cycles 8+9 are consistent with those measured in the previous cycle 5+6 NuSTAR NEP survey, but in a larger area (0.3 deg2 compared with 0.19 deg2). The slope of the cycles 8+9 8-24 keV logN-logS curve is flatter than other works (alpha 89 = 1.13 +/- 0.46), but is consistent with the Euclidean value of alpha = 1.50. In addition, we found similar to 36% of the NuSTAR sources to be heavily obscured (NH >= 1023 cm-2). The Compton-thick (NH >= 1024 cm-2) active galactic nuclei fraction is 9-8+18% in the NEP-TDF, which is consistent with the measurements in previous surveys.

The extended X-ray emission observed in the direction of several molecular clouds in the central molecular zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy exhibits spectral and temporal properties consistent with the X-ray echo scenario. This concept postulates that the observed signal is a light-travel-time delayed reflection of a short (delta t <1.5 yr) and bright (L-X > 10(39) erg s(-1)) flare that was most probably produced a few hundred years ago by Sgr A*. This scenario also predicts a distinct polarization signature for the reflected X-ray continuum, with the polarization vector being perpendicular to the direction toward the primary source and the polarization degree being determined by the scattering angle. We report the results of two deep observations of the currently brightest (in reflected emission) molecular complex Sgr A taken with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) in 2022 and 2023. We confirm the previous polarization measurement for a large region encompassing the Sgr A complex with high significance. We also reveal an inconsistent polarization pattern for the brightest reflection region in its center. Specifically, the X-ray polarization from this region is almost perpendicular to the expected direction in the case of Sgr A* illumination, and it shows a smaller degree of polarization compared to the large region. Taken at face value, this could indicate the simultaneous propagation of several illumination fronts throughout the CMZ, with the origin of one of them not being Sgr A*. The primary source could be associated with the Arches stellar cluster or a currently unknown source located closer to the illuminated cloud, potentially lowering the required luminosity of the primary source. Although significantly deeper observations with IXPE would be required to unequivocally distinguish between the scenarios, a combination of high-resolution imaging and micro-calorimetric spectroscopy offers an additional promising path forward.

We report the third observation of the Seyfert-1.9 active galactic nucleus (AGN) MCG-05-23-16 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), together with optical spectropolarimetry obtained at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), and combined with archival near-ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared polarimetric data. We detect no X-ray polarization in the 2-8 keV band, with a 99% confidence upper limit of <= 2.9%, which is further reduced to <= 2.5% when combined with the two previous IXPE observations of the same target. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that equatorial coronal models are disfavored if the AGN is indeed a type 1.9/2 AGN, while coronae coplanar to the accretion disk remain consistent if the source is less inclined than previously assumed. Data from VLT/FORS2 reveal a typical type 2 spectrum in total flux, a broad H alpha line in polarized flux, and a polarization degree and angle that depend strongly on wavelength. The polarization angle rotates by nearly 70 degrees across the optical band. Comparison with historical measurements confirms the long-term stability of the polarization spectrum and a similar to 90 degrees rotation in the near-ultraviolet. Interpreting the multiwavelength polarization relative to the AGN ionization axis indicates that the main obscurer is not a compact circumnuclear torus, but rather a distant kiloparsec-scale dust lane crossing the galaxy. This result implies that MCG-05-23-16 is, in fact, a type 1 AGN seen through foreground dust. The low X-ray column density becomes consistent with the absence of polarization, provided that the nuclear inclination is low.

We present the results of AGN–host-galaxy decomposition using JWST/NIRCam, HST/ACS, and HST/WFC3 imaging of the North Ecliptic Pole Time Domain Field (NEP-TDF). The light-profiles of 36 NIRCam-selected AGN candidates are modeled for measurement of their point sources, and point source-subtracted host-galaxy emission is used in SED modeling for star formation rate (SFR) estimation. Offsets from the canonical star-forming main sequence (SFMS) show that the host galaxies form two distinct groups distinguished by their star formation: a “bridge” between the moderate SFRs of radio sources and low SFRs of X-ray sources, and a cleanly-separated “branch” above Δ SFMS = -1 whose SFR trends positively with AGN fraction. Branch galaxies include late-type galaxies with X-ray and radio detections and more dominant point sources that are most certainly AGN, while bridge galaxies have predominantly early-type morphologies with weaker point sources that may be due to compact stellar bulges. Both groups show evidence of recent transition between star formation and quiescence, but neither group shows preference for higher or lower stellar mass or redshift, suggesting that star formation in NIRCam-selected AGN-hosts is more strongly determined by AGN activity than by stellar mass.

The Lynx2030 Science Analysis Group (SAG) was convened to reassess the scientific goals and technical drivers of the Lynx mission concept amid a rapidly evolving astrophysics landscape. Building on the original Lynx Concept Study, the SAG examined how recent discoveries, emerging facilities, and advances in instrumentation influence the scientific opportunities for a next-generation flagship X-ray observatory. Through focused working groups, the SAG investigated the scientific impact of enhanced capabilities: (i) improved angular resolution, (ii) broader bandpass coverage, (iii) an enhanced microcalorimeter, (iv) new capabilities and observing modes, and (v) larger fields of view. Across a broad range of topics, from the formation of the first black holes and the evolution of galaxies to the baryon cycle, compact objects, stellar explosions, multi-messenger astrophysics, and the dynamic high-energy Universe, the SAG finds that the scientific motivation for a Lynx-class observatory remains compelling and, in many areas, has significantly strengthened over the past decade, prominently through JWST's discovery of the "Little Red Dots", likely massive accreting black holes in infant galaxies whose nature is fundamentally an X-ray question. This report shows that modest extensions beyond the original Lynx design reference mission can unlock transformative science while preserving the observatory's core architecture. Powerful current and future facilities such as Roman, Rubin, JWST, SKA, ngVLA, LISA, and NewAthena highlight the unique role a high-angular-resolution, high-throughput X-ray observatory would play in the multi-wavelength and multi-messenger ecosystem of the 2030s and beyond. The findings of the Lynx2030 SAG confirm Lynx's central vision: an unprecedented view of the hot and energetic Universe, enabling discoveries that will define high-energy astrophysics in the coming decades.

Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGN) provide a unique view of Comptonization and nonthermal emission from accreting black holes in the low accretion rate regime. However, to decipher the exact nature of the Comptonizing corona in LLAGN, its geometry and emission mechanism must be understood beyond the limits of spectro-timing techniques. Spectropolarimetry offers the potential to break the degeneracies between different coronal emission models. Compton-thin LLAGN provide an opportunity for such spectropolarimetric exploration in the 2–8 keV energy range using the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). In this work, we carry out a spectropolarimetric analysis of the first IXPE observation, in synergy with a contemporaneous Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array observation, of an LLAGN: NGC 2110. Using 554.4 ks of IXPE data from 2024 October, we constrain the 99% upper limit on the polarization degree (PD) to be less than 8.3% assuming the corresponding polarization angle (PA) to be aligned with the radio jet, and less than 3.6% if in the perpendicular direction. In the absence of a significant PD detection, the PA remains formally unconstrained, yet the polarization significance contours appear to be aligned with the radio jet, tentatively supporting models in which the corona is radially extended in the plane of the disk. We also carry out detailed Monte Carlo simulations using monk and STOKES codes to test different coronal models against our results and compare the polarization properties between NGC 2110 and brighter Seyferts.

Blazars exhibit strong variability across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including periods of high-flux states commonly known as flares. The physical mechanisms in blazar jets responsible for flares remain poorly understood to date. Our aim is to better understand the emission mechanisms during blazar flares using X-ray polarimetry and broadband observations from the archetypical TeV blazar Mrk 421, which can be studied with higher accuracy than other blazars that are dimmer and/or located farther away. We studied a flaring activity from December 2023 that was characterized from radio to very high-energy (VHE; E $>0.1$,TeV) gamma rays with MAGIC Fermi -LAT Swift XMM-Newton and several optical and radio telescopes. These observations included, for the first time for a gamma-ray flare of a blazar, simultaneous X-ray polarization measurements with IXPE, in addition to optical and radio polarimetry data. We quantify the variability and correlations among the multi-band flux and polarization measurements, and describe the varying broadband emission within a theoretical scenario constrained by the polarization data. We find substantial variability in both X-rays and VHE gamma rays throughout the campaign, with the highest VHE flux above 0.2,TeV occurring during the IXPE observing window, and exceeding twice the flux of the Crab Nebula. However, the VHE and X-ray spectra are on average softer, and the correlation between these two bands is weaker than those reported in the previous flares of Mrk 421. IXPE reveals an X-ray polarization degree significantly higher than that at radio and optical frequencies, similar to previous results for Mrk 421 and other high synchrotron peaked blazars. Differently to past observations, the X-ray polarization angle varies by ∼100^∘ on timescales of days, and the polarization degree changes by more than a factor of 4. The highest X-ray polarization degree, analyzed in 12,hr time intervals, reaches $26±2%$, around which an X-ray counter-clockwise hysteresis loop is measured with XMM-Newton . It suggests that the X-ray emission comes from particles close to the high-energy cutoff, hence possibly probing an extreme case of the Turbulent Extreme Multi-Zone model for which the chromatic trend in the polarization may be more pronounced than theoretically predicted. We model the broadband emission with a simplified stratified jet model throughout the flare. The polarization measurements imply an electron distribution in the X-ray emitting region with a very high minimum Lorentz factor (γ'_ min ≳10^4), which is expected in electron-ion plasma, as well as a variation of the emitting region size of up to a factor of 3 during the flaring activity. We find no correlation between the fluxes and the evolution of the model parameters, which indicates a stochastic nature of the underlying physical mechanism that likely explains the lack of a tight X-ray/VHE correlation during this flaring activity. Such behavior would be expected in a highly turbulent electron-ion plasma crossing a shock front.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) Time-Domain Field (TDF) has been monitored by NuSTAR and XMM-Newton with a regular cadence for five years starting in 2019. The survey has accumulated 3.5Ms of NuSTAR exposure and 228 ks quasi-simultaneous XMM-Newton observations covering 0.31 deg^2. This paper presents the results from the most recent two-years' 2Ms NuSTAR and 166 ks XMM observations in NuSTAR cycles 8 and 9. These observations reached a 20

We present the discovery, and initial lensing analysis, of a high-redshift galaxy-galaxy lensing system within the JWST-PEARLS/HST-TREASUREHUNT North Ecliptic Pole Time Domain Field (designated NEPJ172238.9 + 655143.1). The lensing geometry shears a z = 3 . 6 +/- 0 . 1 star-forming galaxy into a near-Einstein ring with a radius of 0.92 arcsec, consisting of 4 images, around a foreground massive elliptical galaxy at z = 1 . 258 +/- 0 . 005. The system is fortuitously located within the NIRISS F200W footprint of the PEARLS survey, enabling spectroscopic identification of the 8500 & Aring; TiO band in the foreground galaxy and allowing tight constraints to be placed on the redshift of the background galaxy based on its continuum detection and lack of strong emission lines. We calculate magnification factors of 2 . 6 < < 8 . 4 for the four images and a total lensing mass of (4 . 08 +/- 0 . 07) x 10(11) M (R). SED fitting of the foreground elliptical galaxy within the Einstein radius reveals a stellar mass of 1 . 26 x 10(11 )M (R) under a Kroupa IMF, providing 31 percent of the estimated lensing mass. Employing simple scaling relations and assumptions, an NFW dark matter halo is found to provide the correct remaining mass within 0 . 12(-0.09)(+ 0.21) dex. However, if a modified IMF for elliptical galaxies is employed (e.g. bottom-heavy or bottom-and-top-heavy), stellar mass estimations increase and can account for the majority of the lensing mass, reducing the need for dark matter. This system further demonstrates the new discovery space that the combined wavelength coverage, sensitivity and resolution of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) now enables.

X-ray polarization is a unique new probe of the particle acceleration in astrophysical jets made possible through the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. Here we report on the first dense X-ray polarization monitoring campaign on the blazar Mrk 421. Our observations were accompanied by an even denser radio and optical polarization campaign. We find significant short-timescale variability in both X-ray polarization degree and angle, including an ∼90° angle rotation about the jet axis. We attribute this to random variations of the magnetic field, consistent with the presence of turbulence but also unlikely to be explained by turbulence alone. At the same time, the degree of lower-energy polarization is significantly lower and shows no more than mild variability. Our campaign provides further evidence for a scenario in which energy-stratified shock-acceleration of relativistic electrons, combined with a turbulent magnetic field, is responsible for optical to X-ray synchrotron emission in blazar jets.

We present a detailed imaging analysis of 260 ks of subarcsecond resolution Chandra (ACIS-S) observations of the nearby Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 5728. Our study focuses on the bright and diffuse soft X-ray emission within the galaxy's inner similar to 1 kpc. By comparing the X-ray emission across different energy bands, we identify localized variations in the absorbing column and emission processes. We observe more X-ray absorption in the direction perpendicular to the bicone, which is co-located with an inner warped CO disk in the galaxy. The innermost region, which shows the strongest excess of hard X-ray emission, is spatially coincident with the CO (2-1) emission from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and dusty spirals we find in a Hubble Space Telescope V - H color map. We detect soft extended emission associated with the circumnuclear star-forming ring at similar to 1 kpc, suggestive of hot gas with kT = 0.44 keV. We derive measurements for the hot gas mass, M = 7.9 x 105 M circle dot, pressure, p = 2.0 x 10-10 dyne cm-2, and cooling times, tau c = 193.2 Myr. In the vicinity of the star-forming ring, we detect two X-ray point sources, with soft X-ray spectra, and 0.3-7 keV luminosities L similar to 8 x 1038 erg s-1. These properties suggest X-ray binaries.

We present an analysis of the ultraviolet luminosity function (UV LF) and star formation rate density of distant galaxies (7.5 < z < 13.5) in the “blank” fields of the Prime Extragalactic Areas for Reionization and Lensing Science (PEARLS) survey combined with Early Release Science data from the CEERS, GLASS, and NGDEEP surveys/fields and the first data release of JADES. We use strict quality cuts on EAZY photometric redshifts to obtain a reliable selection and characterization of high-redshift ( z > 6.5) galaxies from a consistently processed set of deep, near-infrared imaging. Within an area of 180 arcmin 2 , we identify 1046 candidate galaxies at redshifts z > 6.5 and we use this sample to study the UV LF in four redshift bins between 7.5 < z < 13.5. The measured number density of galaxies at z = 8 and z = 9 matches those of past observations undertaken by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Our z = 10.5 measurements lie between early James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) results and past HST results, indicating cosmic variance may be the cause of previous high density measurements. However, the number densities of UV-luminous galaxies at z = 12.5 are high compared to predictions from simulations. When examining the star formation rate density of galaxies at this period, our observations are still largely consistent with a constant star formation efficiency, are slightly lower than previous early estimations using JWST, and support galaxy driven reionization at z ≤ 8.

Direct-collapse black holes (DCBHs) of mass ∼10 4 − 10 5 M ⊙ that form in HI-cooling halos in the early Universe are promising progenitors of the ≳10 9 M ⊙ supermassive black holes that fuel observed z ≳ 7 quasars. Efficient accretion of the surrounding gas onto such DCBH seeds may render them sufficiently bright for detection with the JWST up to z ≈ 20. Additionally, the very steep and red spectral slope predicted across the ≈1 − 5 μm wavelength range of the JWST/NIRSpec instrument during their initial growth phase should make them photometrically identifiable up to very high redshifts. In this work, we present a search for such DCBH candidates across the 34 arcmin 2 in the first two spokes of the JWST cycle-1 PEARLS survey of the north ecliptic pole time-domain field covering eight NIRCam filters down to a maximum depth of ∼29 AB mag. We identify two objects with spectral energy distributions consistent with theoretical DCBH models. However, we also note that even with data in eight NIRCam filters, objects of this type remain degenerate with dusty galaxies and obscured active galactic nuclei over a wide range of redshifts. Follow-up spectroscopy would be required to pin down the nature of these objects. Based on our sample of DCBH candidates and assumptions on the typical duration of the DCBH steep-slope state, we set a conservative upper limit of ≲5 × 10 −4 comoving Mpc −3 (cMpc −3 ) on the comoving density of host halos capable of hosting DCBHs with spectral energy distributions similar to the theoretical models at z ≈ 6 − 14.

We report the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae discovery of the tidal disruption event (TDE) ASASSN-23bd (AT 2023clx) in NGC 3799, a LINER galaxy with no evidence of strong AGN activity over the past decade. With a redshift of $z = 0.01107$ and a peak UV/optical luminosity of $(5.4\pm0.4)\times10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$, ASASSN-23bd is the lowest-redshift and least-luminous TDE discovered to date. Spectroscopically, ASASSN-23bd shows H$\alpha$ and He I emission throughout its spectral time series, and the UV spectrum shows nitrogen lines without the strong carbon and magnesium lines typically seen for AGN. Fits to the rising ASAS-SN light curve show that ASASSN-23bd started to brighten on MJD 59988$^{+1}_{-1}$, $\sim$9 days before discovery, with a nearly linear rise in flux, peaking in the $g$ band on MJD $60000^{+3}_{-3}$. Scaling relations and TDE light curve modelling find a black hole mass of $\sim$10$^6$ $M_\odot$, which is on the lower end of supermassive black hole masses. ASASSN-23bd is a dim X-ray source, with an upper limit of $L_{0.3-10\,\mathrm{keV}} < 1.0\times10^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$ from stacking all \emph{Swift} observations prior to MJD 60061, but with soft ($\sim 0.1$ keV) thermal emission with a luminosity of $L_{0.3-2 \,\mathrm{keV}}\sim4\times10^{39}$ erg s$^{-1}$ in \emph{XMM-Newton} observations on MJD 60095. The rapid $(t < 15$ days) light curve rise, low UV/optical luminosity, and a luminosity decline over 40 days of $\Delta L_{40}\approx-0.7$ make ASASSN-23bd one of the dimmest TDEs to date and a member of the growing ``Low Luminosity and Fast'' class of TDEs.

We present Chandra ACIS-S imaging spectroscopy results of the extended (1.″5–8″, 300–1600 pc) hard X-ray emission of NGC 5728, the host galaxy of a Compton-thick active galactic nucleus. We find spectrally and spatially resolved features in the Fe K α complex (5.0–7.5 keV) redward and blueward of the neutral Fe line at 6.4 keV in the extended narrow-line region bicone. A simple phenomenological fit of a power law plus Gaussians gives a significance of 5.4 σ and 3.7 σ for the red and blue wings, respectively. Fits to a suite of physically consistent models confirm a significance of ≥3 σ for the red wing. The significance of the blue wing may be diminished by the presence of rest-frame highly ionized Fe xxv and Fe xxvi lines (1.4 σ –3.7 σ range). A detailed investigation of the Chandra ACIS-S point-spread function and comparison with the observed morphology demonstrates that these red and blue wings are radially extended (∼5″, ∼1 kpc) along the optical bicone axis. If the wing emission is due solely to redshifted and blueshifted high-velocity neutral Fe K α , then the implied line-of-sight velocities are +/− ∼0.1 c , and their fluxes are consistent with being equal. A symmetric high-velocity outflow is then a viable explanation. This outflow has deprojected velocities ∼100 times larger than the outflows detected in optical spectroscopic studies, potentially dominating the kinetic feedback power.

Context. NGC 1068 is the most observed radio-quiet active galactic nucleus (AGN) in polarimetry, yet its high-energy polarization has never been probed before due to a lack of dedicated polarimeters.Aims. Using the first X-ray polarimeter sensitive enough to measure the polarization of AGNs, we want to probe the orientation and geometric arrangement of (sub)parsec-scale matter around the X-ray source. Methods. We used the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite to measure, for the first time, the 2-8 keV polarization of NGC 1068. We pointed IXPE at the target for a net exposure time of 1.15 Ms, in addition to using two Chandra snapshots of similar to 10 ks each in order to account for the potential impact of several ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) within IXPE's field of view. Results. We measured a 2-8 keV polarization degree of 12.4% 3.6% and an electric vector polarization angle of 101 degrees +/- 8 degrees at a 68% confidence level. If we exclude the spectral region containing bright Fe K lines and other soft X-ray lines where depolarization occurs, the polarization fraction rises to 21.3% +/- 6.7% in the 3.5-6.0 keV band, with a similar polarization angle. The observed polarization angle is found to be perpendicular to the parsec-scale radio jet. Using a combined Chandra and IXPE analysis plus multiwavelength constraints, we estimated that the circumnuclear "torus" may sustain a half-opening angle of 50-55 degrees (from the vertical axis of the system). Conclusions. Thanks to IXPE, we have measured the X-ray polarization of NGC 1068 and found comparable results, both in terms of the polarization angle orientation with respect to the radio jet and the torus half-opening angle, to the X-ray polarimetric measurement achieved for the other archetypal Compton-thick AGN: the Circinus galaxy. Probing the geometric arrangement of parsec-scale matter in extragalactic objects is now feasible thanks to X-ray polarimetry.

We use the Hubble Space Telescope to analyse the extended [O iii] 5007 & Aring; emission in seven bright radio-quiet type 1 quasars (QSO1s), focusing on the morphology and physical conditions of their extended Narrow-Line Regions (NLRs). We find NLRs extending 3-9 kpc, with four quasars showing roughly symmetrical structures (b/a=1.2-1.5) and three displaying asymmetric NLRs (b/a=2.4-5.6). When included with type 1 and type 2 AGNs from previous studies, the sizes of the extended [O iii] regions scale with luminosity as R-[OIII]similar to L-[OIII](0.5), consistent with photoionization. However, when analysed separately, type 1s exhibit a steeper slope (gamma(1) = 0.57 +/- 0.05) compared to type 2 AGNs (gamma(2) = 0.48 +/- 0.02). We use photoionization modelling to estimate the maximum NLRs sizes, assuming a minimum ionization parameter of log(U)=-3, an ionizing luminosity based on the L-[OIII]-derived bolometric luminosity, and a minimum gas number density n(H)similar to 100 cm(-3), assuming that molecular clouds provide a reservoir for the ionized gas. The derived sizes agree well with direct measurements for a sample of type 2 quasars, but are underestimated for the current sample of QSO1s. A better agreement is obtained for the QSO1s using bolometric luminosities derived from the 5100 & Aring; continuum luminosity. Radial mass profiles for the QSO1s show significant extended mass in all cases, but with less [O iii]-emitting gas near the central AGN compared to QSO2s. This may suggest that the QSO1s are in a later evolutionary stage than QSO2s, further past the blow-out stage.