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Related papers: Little Red Dots as Globular Clusters in Formation

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''Little Red Dots'' (LRDs) are broad-line sources at high redshift, initially identified by their compact morphologies, red colours and prominent Balmer breaks. The origin of their optical-to-near-infrared continua is debated, with proposed…

Variability is a fundamental signature for active galactic nuclei (AGN) activity, and serve as an unbiased indicator for rapid instability happened near the center supermassive black hole (BH). Previous studies showed that AGN variability…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2024-12-09 Wei Leong Tee , Xiaohui Fan , Feige Wang , Jinyi Yang

We investigate the host galaxy properties of eight little red dots (LRDs) selected from the JWST UNCOVER survey, applying a new technique ({\tt\string GalfitS}) to simultaneously fit the morphology and spectral energy distribution using…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2025-01-14 Chang-Hao Chen , Luis C. Ho , Ruancun Li , Ming-Yang Zhuang

We study the stability and possible fates of Little Red Dots, under the stellar-only interpretation of their observational features. This is performed by a combination of analyzing the relevant timescales in their stellar dynamics and also,…

Numerical simulations have established that star clusters with densities comparable to the high redshift ($z>6$-$10$) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) proto globular clusters may build up extremely massive (EMSs; $m_\mathrm{\star}>1000…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2026-04-28 Antti Rantala

We argue that a high pressure phase transition of relativistic matter to a state with negative energy density, which leads to the formation of horizonless, globally unitary black hole mimickers, also gives rise to the appearance of ``little…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2026-05-20 Stephen L. Adler

The origin and formation of globular clusters has remained a mystery. We present a formation scenario for ancient globular cluster-like objects that form in ultra-high resolution simulations (smallest cell size $<0.1\,\mathrm{pc}$, mass…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2023-10-09 Thales A. Gutcke

In this note, we suggest the possibility that an elucidation of the nature of the numerous Little Red Dots (LRDs) at high redshifts, may facilitate the resolution of another concurrent cosmic puzzle, namely reionization. Specifically, it is…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2025-08-20 Fan Zhang

Recent studies at high redshift have revealed an enigmatic class of Little Red Dots (LRDs) with extreme Balmer breaks, stronger than in any stellar atmosphere. However, it is unclear whether such objects exist at lower redshift, especially…

We study the populations of stellar clumps in three high-redshift galaxies, at z=4.92, 4.88 and 4.03, gravitationally lensed by the foreground galaxy clusters MS1358, RCS0224 and MACS0940, respectively. The lensed galaxies consist of…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2024-02-26 Matteo Messa , Miroslava Dessauges-Zavadsky , Angela Adamo , Johan Richard , Adélaïde Claeyssens

We present a luminous Little Red Dot (LRD) at $z=6.027$, doubly imaged by the galaxy cluster Abell 383 and observed with JWST/NIRCam. The source shows the characteristic "V-shaped" SED and pronounced Balmer break that define the LRD…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2025-12-04 Josephine F. W. Baggen , Pieter van Dokkum , Ivo Labbé , Gabriel Brammer

The formation of globular clusters (GC), with their multiple stellar generations, is still an unsolved puzzle. Thus, interest is rising on the possibility to detect their precursors at high redshift, hence directly witnessing their…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2019-03-27 Lucia Pozzetti , Claudia Maraston , Alvio Renzini

Early JWST studies found an apparent population of massive, compact galaxies at redshifts $z\gtrsim7$. Recently three of these galaxies were shown to have prominent Balmer breaks, demonstrating that their light at $\lambda_{\rm rest} \sim…

The population of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) newly discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) exhibits peculiar properties that distinguish it from both local type I AGN and high-redshift quasars. Most of these sources are…

We present an analysis of medium/high-resolution JWST/NIRSpec spectra for 11 LRDs at $z \sim 4$. By decomposing the broad and narrow components of the Balmer emission lines, we investigate the connection between line emission and UV/optical…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2026-05-18 Yuxuan Pang , Xin Wang , Cheng Cheng , Shengzhe Wang , Hang Zhou , Qianqiao Zhou , Xue-Bing Wu , Karl Glazebrook

We present a photometric investigation into recent star formation in galaxy clusters at z ~ 0.1. We use spectral energy distribution templates to quantify recent star formation in large X-ray selected clusters from the LARCS survey using…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-17 Jacob P. Crossett , Kevin A. Pimbblet , John P. Stott , D. Heath Jones

The origin of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) remains a long-standing problem in astrophysics. Recent JWST observations reveal an unexpectedly abundant population of overmassive black holes at z>4-6, where the BH masses lie far above local…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2026-01-09 Sunmyon Chon , Shingo Hirano , Tomoaki Ishiyama , Seok-Jun Chang , Volker Springel

JWST has revealed a class of numerous, extremely compact sources, with rest-frame red optical/near-infrared (NIR) and blue ultraviolet (UV) colours, nicknamed "little red dots". We present one of the highest signal-to-noise ratio JWST…

Using data from JWST, we analyze the compact sources ("sparkles") located around a remarkable $z_{\rm spec}=1.378$ galaxy (the "Sparkler") that is strongly gravitationally lensed by the $z=0.39$ galaxy cluster SMACS J0723.3-7327. Several of…