All ten LIGO/Virgo binary black hole (BH-BH) coalescences reported following the O1/O2 runs have near-zero effective spins. There are only three potential explanations for this. If the BH spin magnitudes are large, then: (i) either both BH spin vectors must be nearly in the orbital plane or (ii) the spin angular momenta of the BHs must be oppositely directed and similar in magnitude. Then there is also the possibility that (iii) the BH spin magnitudes are small. We consider the third hypothesis within the framework of the classical isolated binary evolution scenario of the BH-BH merger formation. We test three models of angular momentum transport in massive stars: a mildly efficient transport by meridional currents (as employed in the Geneva code), an efficient transport by the Tayler-Spruit magnetic dynamo (as implemented in the MESA code), and a very-efficient transport (as proposed by Fuller et al.) to calculate natal BH spins. We allow for binary evolution to increase the BH spins through accretion and account for the potential spin-up of stars through tidal interactions. Additionally, we update the calculations of the stellar-origin BH masses, including revisions to the history of star formation and to the chemical evolution across cosmic time. We find that we can simultaneously match the observed BH-BH merger rate density and BH masses and BH-BH effective spins. Models with efficient angular momentum transport are favored. The updated stellar-mass weighted gas-phase metallicity evolution now used in our models appears to be key for obtaining an improved reproduction of the LIGO/Virgo merger rate estimate. Mass losses during the pair-instability pulsation supernova phase are likely to be overestimated if the merger GW170729 hosts a BH more massive than 50 M⊙. We also estimate rates of black hole-neutron star (BH-NS) mergers from recent LIGO/Virgo observations. If, in fact. angular momentum transport in massive stars is efficient, then any (electromagnetic or gravitational wave) observation of a rapidly spinning BH would indicate either a very effective tidal spin up of the progenitor star (homogeneous evolution, high-mass X-ray binary formation through case A mass transfer, or a spin- up of a Wolf-Rayet star in a close binary by a close companion), significant mass accretion by the hole, or a BH formation through the merger of two or more BHs (in a dense stellar cluster).

In our quest to identify the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), we first update the nucleosynthesis yields for both near-Chandrasekhar-(Ch) and sub-Ch-mass white dwarfs (WDs) for a wide range of metallicities with our 2D hydrodynamical code and the latest nuclear reaction rates. We then include the yields in our galactic chemical evolution code to predict the evolution of elemental abundances in the solar neighborhood and dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies Fornax, Sculptor, Sextans, and Carina. In the observations of the solar neighborhood stars, Mn shows an opposite trend to α elements, showing an increase toward higher metallicities, which is very well reproduced by the deflagration-detonation transition of Ch-mass WDs but never by double detonations of sub-Chmass WDs alone. The problem of Ch-mass SNe Ia was the Ni overproduction at high metallicities. However, we found that Ni yields of Ch-mass SNe Ia are much lower with the solar-scaled initial composition than in previous works, which keeps the predicted Ni abundance within the observational scatter. From the evolutionary trends of elemental abundances in the solar neighborhood, we conclude that the contribution of sub-Ch-mass SNe Ia to chemical enrichment is up to 25%. In dSph galaxies, however, larger enrichment from sub-Ch-mass SNe Ia than in the solar neighborhood may be required, which causes a decrease in [(Mg, Cr, Mn, Ni)/Fe] at lower metallicities. The observed high [Mn/Fe] ratios in Sculptor and Carina may also require additional enrichment from pure deflagrations, possibly as SNe Iax. Future observations of dSph stars will provide more stringent constraints on the progenitor systems and explosion mechanism of SNe Ia.

A variety of solid tumors secrete proteins that are immunochemically distinct from parathyroid hormone (PTH) but activate PTH-responsive adenylate cyclase. Such PTH-like proteins have been proposed as mediators of the hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia frequently associated with malignancies. We purified to apparent homogeneity a PTH-like protein with a molecular weight of 6,000, that is produced by human renal carcinoma cells. The amino-terminal sequence of the PTH-like protein and that of human PTH were found to display at least five identities in the first 13 positions. The purified protein bound to PTH receptors, activated adenylate cyclase in renal plasma membranes, and stimulated cAMP formation in rat osteosarcoma cells. The PTH-like protein reproduced two additional effects of PTH, stimulation of bone resorption in fetal rat limb bone cultures and inhibition of phosphate uptake in cultured opossum kidney cells. These properties are consistent with a role for PTH-like proteins as mediators of the syndrome of malignancy-associated hypercalcemia.

We present two-dimensional hydrodynamics simulations of near-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf (WD) models for Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) using the turbulent deflagration model with deflagrationdetonation transition (DDT). We perform a parameter survey for 41 models to study the effects of the initial central density (i.e., WD mass), metallicity, flame shape, DDT criteria, and turbulent flame formula for a much wider parameter space than earlier studies. The final isotopic abundances of 11 C to 91 Tc in these simulations are obtained by post-process nucleosynthesis calculations. The survey includes SNe Ia models with the central density from 5 × 10 8 g cm −3 to 5 × 10 9 g cm −3 (WD masses of 1.30 -1.38 M ⊙ ), metallicity from 0 to 5 Z ⊙ , C/O mass ratio from 0.3 -1.0 and ignition kernels including centered and off-centered ignition kernels. We present the yield tables of stable isotopes from 12 C to 70 Zn as well as the major radioactive isotopes for 33 models. Observational abundances of 55 Mn, 56 Fe, 57 Fe and 58 Ni obtained from the solar composition, well-observed SNe Ia and SN Ia remnants are used to constrain the explosion models and the supernova progenitor. The connection between the pure turbulent deflagration model and the subluminous SNe Iax is discussed. We find that dependencies of the nucleosynthesis yields on the metallicity and the central density (WD mass) are large. To fit these observational abundances and also for the application of galactic chemical evolution modeling, these dependencies on the metallicity and WD mass should be taken into account.

ABSTRACT We present 3D full-sphere supernova simulations of non-rotating low-mass (∼9 M⊙) progenitors, covering the entire evolution from core collapse through bounce and shock revival, through shock breakout from the stellar surface, until fallback is completed several days later. We obtain low-energy explosions (∼0.5–1.0 × 1050 erg) of iron-core progenitors at the low-mass end of the core-collapse supernova (LMCCSN) domain and compare to a super-AGB (sAGB) progenitor with an oxygen–neon–magnesium core that collapses and explodes as electron-capture supernova (ECSN). The onset of the explosion in the LMCCSN models is modelled self-consistently using the vertex-prometheus code, whereas the ECSN explosion is modelled using parametric neutrino transport in the prometheus-HOTB code, choosing different explosion energies in the range of previous self-consistent models. The sAGB and LMCCSN progenitors that share structural similarities have almost spherical explosions with little metal mixing into the hydrogen envelope. A LMCCSN with less second dredge-up results in a highly asymmetric explosion. It shows efficient mixing and dramatic shock deceleration in the extended hydrogen envelope. Both properties allow fast nickel plumes to catch up with the shock, leading to extreme shock deformation and aspherical shock breakout. Fallback masses of $\mathord {\lesssim }\, 5\, \mathord {\times }\, 10^{-3}$ M⊙ have no significant effects on the neutron star (NS) masses and kicks. The anisotropic fallback carries considerable angular momentum, however, and determines the spin of the newly born NS. The LMCCSN model with less second dredge-up results in a hydrodynamic and neutrino-induced NS kick of >40 km s−1 and a NS spin period of ∼30 ms, both not largely different from those of the Crab pulsar at birth.

We study the hydrostatic equilibrium configuration of an admixture of degenerate dark matter and normal nuclear matter by using a general relativistic two-fluid formalism. We consider non-selfannihilating dark matter particles of mass $1 GeV. The mass-radius relations and moments of inertia of these dark-matter admixed neutron stars are investigated and the stability of these stars is demonstrated by performing a radial perturbation analysis. We find a new class of compact stars which consists of a small normal matter core with radius of a few kilometers embedded in a ten-kilometer-sized dark matter halo. These stellar objects may be observed as extraordinarily small neutron stars that are incompatible with realistic nuclear matter models.

We calculate the evolution of massive stars, which undergo pulsational pair-instability (PPI) when the O-rich core is formed. The evolution from the main sequence through the onset of PPI is calculated for stars with initial masses of 80-140 M e and metallicities of Z=10 −3 −1.0 Z e. Because of mass loss, Z0.5 Z e is necessary for stars to form He cores massive enough (i.e., mass >40 M e) to undergo PPI. The hydrodynamical phase of evolution from PPI through the beginning of Fe-core collapse is calculated for He cores with masses of 40−62 M e and Z=0. During PPI, electron-positron pair production causes a rapid contraction of the O-rich core, which triggers explosive O-burning and a pulsation of the core. We study the mass dependence of the pulsation dynamics, thermodynamics, and nucleosynthesis. The pulsations are stronger for more massive He cores and result in a large amount of mass ejection such as 3-13 M e for 40−62 M e He cores. These He cores eventually undergo Fe-core collapse. The 64 M e He core undergoes complete disruption and becomes a pair-instability supernova. The H-free circumstellar matter ejected around these He cores is massive enough to explain the observed light curve of Type I (H-free) superluminous supernovae with circumstellar interaction. We also note that the mass ejection sets the maximum mass of black holes (BHs) to be ∼50 M e , which is consistent with the masses of BHs recently detected by VIRGO and aLIGO.

Stars with ∼ 8 − 10 M ⊙ evolve to form a strongly degenerate ONeMg core. When the core mass becomes close to the Chandrasekhar mass, the core undergoes electron captures on 24 Mg and 20 Ne, which induce the electron-capture supernova (ECSN). In order to clarify whether the ECSN leads to a collapse or thermonuclear explosion, we calculate the evolution of an 8.4 M ⊙ star from the main sequence until the oxygen ignition in the ONeMg core. We apply the latest electron-capture rate on 20 Ne including the second forbidden transition, and investigate how the location of the oxygen ignition (center or off-center) and the Y e distribution depend on the input physics and the treatment of the semiconvection and convection. The central density when the oxygen deflagration is initiated, ρ c,def , can be significantly higher than that of the oxygen ignition thanks to the convection, and we estimate log 10 (ρ c,def /g cm −3 ) > 10.10. We perform two-dimensional simulations of the flame propagation to examine how the final fate of the ONeMg core depends on the Y e distribution and ρ c,def . We find that the deflagration starting from log 10 (ρ c,def /g cm −3 ) > 10.01(< 10.01) leads to a collapse (thermonuclear explosion). Since our estimate of ρ c,def exceeds this critical value, the ONeMg core is likely to collapse, although further studies of the convection and semiconvection before the deflagration are important.