Special Events and Activities

All times are listed in Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Saturday, January 3

Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG) Meeting 33

8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 301 D

The Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG) is responsible for soliciting and coordinating community input into the development and execution of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP). It serves as a community-based, interdisciplinary forum for soliciting and coordinating community analysis and input in support of the Exoplanet Exploration Program objectives and of their implications for architecture planning and activity prioritization and for future exploration. It provides findings of analyses to the NASA Astrophysics Division Director. The 33rd meeting will include presentations from leadership from the Habitable Worlds Observatory Mission and the Roman Space Telescope Project, talks on the latest developments from the exoplanet Science Interest Groups, early career scientists will present current research results and more. The open mic session provides an opportunity for attendees to bring suggestions and feedback directly to NASA and ExoPAG leadership.

Includes NExScI update by Jessie Christiansen, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI

Sunday, January 4

NASA Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group (COPAG) Meeting

9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Phoenix Convention Center, 226 B

Meeting of NASA's Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group (COPAG) to discuss science topics and concerns within the community. 

Includes invited talk "Intro to Infrared Science and Technology Interest Group (IR STIG)" by Roberta Paladini, Caltech/IPAC

Co-chair: Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC

NASA Joint Program Analysis Group (PAG)

2 to 6:30 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 301 D

Joint meeting of the three NASA program offices, Physics of the Cosmos, Cosmic Origins and Exoplanet Exploration. The Astrophysics community joins to discuss current topics and interests to the community.

Co-chair & presenter: Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC

Tuesday, January 6

10:15 a.m. Press Conference: News from the High-Redshift Universe

144.01. The ALPINE-CRISTAl-JWST Survey: REsolving the Chemical and Structural Properties of Galaxies 12 Billion Years Ago

Featuring Andreas Faisst, Caltech/IPAC

Thursday, January 8

10:15 a.m. Press Conference: High Redshifts and High Energies

338.08. A Precessing Radio Jet Drives Super-Heated Gas Outflow from a Disk Galaxy

Featuring Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC

Talks, Sessions, and Splinters

All times are listed in Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Monday, January 5

143.04. W43 Main–An Average Massive Star Forming Region in an Extraordinary Galactic Location

10:40 to 10:50 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 221 C

Giant H II (GH II) regions are extreme sites of massive star formation, hosting the largest young OB star clusters within a galaxy. We have been conducting a systematic study of such regions in the Milky Way using mid-infrared imaging data from SOFIA-FORCAST, and here we present the results from our analysis of W43 Main. By combining the 11 to 37 micron SOFIA maps with complementary observations spanning wavelengths from the near-infrared to radio, we investigated the properties of compact sources and dust substructures. Spectral energy distribution fitting of the multi-wavelength photometric data was used to constrain the properties of the compact infrared sources. In total, we identified 20 compact infrared objects, 16 of which we classify as containing massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) or MYSO candidates.

Located at the junction of the Scutum spiral arm and the Galactic Bar, W43 Main occupies a Galactic location and environment where elevated turbulence is expected and has been proposed as a factor influencing star formation. Nevertheless, in the context of our observed GHII region sample, W43 Main has an average Lyman continuum photon rate. Consistent with this, we find that most of the properties we derived from our data--including the highest mass MYSO and the MYSO density – are consistent with the median values found across our GH II region survey. Thus, despite the unusual Galactic environment, we conclude that the present star formation in W43 Main is largely typical of an average GH II region.

James De Buizer, SETI Institute; Wanggi Lim, Caltech/IPAC; James Radomski, Independent Researcher; Nicole Karnath, SSI.

144.01. The ALPINE-CRISTAL-JWST Survey: Resolving the Chemical and Structural Properties of Galaxies 12 Billion Years Ago at z = 5

10 to 10:10 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 228 B

Andreas Faisst, Caltech/IPAC, ALPINE-CRISTAL Collaboration

The Moon and Beyond, Now: Lunch Reception for Missions and Partnerships shaping Near-Term Lunar Science

12:30 to 2 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center 127 A/B/C

All AAS 247 participants are welcome! This lunch reception is designed as an open, informal gathering to precede the Special Session, “The Moon and Beyond, Now: Missions and Partnerships Shaping the Next Five Years.” It will provide an opportunity for invited speakers, contributors, and interested AAS participants to engage in early networking and dialogue ahead of the formal Special Session.

SPHEREx Early Science Results and Community Data Access (Splinter)

1 to 3 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 126 C

SPHEREx, the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, launched in March 2025 and has been releasing data to the community since July. In this session, we will present several early science results, including stellar and brown dwarf spectra, molecular cloud structure, detection of molecules from the 3I/Atlas comet, and maps of dust and line emission features in galaxies. We will also describe how to access the SPHEREx data and archival tools.

Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC; Wanggi Lim, Caltech/IPAC; Patrick Lowrance, Caltech/IPAC

The Moon and Beyond, Now: Missions and Partnerships Shaping the Next Five Years (Special Session)

2 to 3:30 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center 226 C

As lunar exploration surges forward, this special session centers the Moon not as a future destination, but as an essential scientific platform for the present. With the Artemis program gaining momentum, CLPS missions already begun and scaling up, and new public-private models emerging, the question is no longer if we go to the Moon, but how we maximize its potential for scientific return. In particular, our goal is to focus on the near term and what actions can we do now: the next 6 months to 5 years. By shifting focus from long-term aspirations to immediate opportunity, this session aims to galvanize the AAS community around lunar science as an urgent and actionable priority. This session will highlight concrete pathways for near-term lunar science through two parts:

1: Strategic Levers for Lunar Science Now

This panel will convene invited leaders from government agencies across nations (NASA, ESA, JAXA, CSA, etc.), academia, industry actors, and philanthropic organizations, to explore how cross-sector strategies are enabling science at and around the Moon now. Each invited speaker will present a 5 min invited remark; after that, the panel discussion will explore how these sectors are aligning (or need to align) to enable meaningful scientific activity on the Moon now—not decades from now. We will discuss public-private mechanisms, new partnership models, global cooperation under Artemis and international cooperation route, and the evolving role of science policy in driving lunar research. It will also cover shared bottlenecks, funding gaps, infrastructure coordination, and enabling policy.

2: Missions We Can Launch Now

This community-oriented short talks will focus on lunar science missions and concepts that are technologically ready or nearly ready for deployment within the next 6 months to 5 years. We will issue a community-wide call for lightning talks, to showcase feasible, creative lunar science initiatives. Examples include CLPS-enabled mission concepts, interferometric arrays, gravitational waves detectors, low-frequency radio telescopes, or international missions. We aim to showcase mission concepts aligned with CLPS, small landers, cubesats/orbiters, and other flight opportunities already available or emerging, such as early human exploration efforts. We invite contributions from our community working on lunar science concepts that are viable in the near term and hope to catalyze new collaborations across disciplines and sectors.

Session Goals:

• Re-center community attention on the Moon as a viable, near-term science platform.
• Illuminate how multi-sector collaboration can accelerate lunar science.
• Provide a venue for surfacing concrete, fundable lunar mission concepts.
• Connect science teams to implementation pathways via Artemis, CLPS, and other mechanisms.
• Inspire new partnerships and community coordination toward lunar exploration.

Talks in this session:

• 148.02. The Lunar Farside Technosignature and Transients Telescope (LFT3). A Pathfinder for Radio-Quiet Astronomy and SETI from the Moon
• 148.10. THE MARBLE MISSION – Earth as an exoplanet
• 148.03. The LUSTER Mission with Jessie Christiansen, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI
• 148.01. ngRadar: Meter-Scale Radar Imaging of the Lunar Surface and Cislunar Spacecraft from the Ground
• 148.04. MoonLITE: a CLPS lunar optical interferometer for sensitive, milliarcsecond observing
• 148.05. Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA): Advancing the U.S. Priorities in Gravitational-Wave and Lunar Science
• 148.09. Soundcheck: A Pathfinder for the Lunar Gravitational Wave Antenna (LGWA)

The Virtual Observatory in Practice: Impact, Adoption, and the Road Ahead (Splinter)

2 to 3:30 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center 121 B

The Virtual Observatory (VO) framework – developed through the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) – has become central to data discovery, access, and interoperability across nearly all major astronomical archives and observatories. VO standards enable consistent protocols for querying and retrieving images, catalogs, spectra, and metadata across wavelengths, spatial and temporal dimensions, instruments, and facilities. These standards underpin the data infrastructure at many current archives and data centers, including NASA’s MAST, IPAC, and HEASARC; NSF NOIRLab’s Astro Data Lab; the Canadian CADC; ESA archives; CDS, Chandra, Gaia, ALMA, ASTRON, and more. They have been adopted by newly commissioned projects such as Rubin Observatory, SphereX and Euclid, and future projects such as SKA and Roman. VO standards were foundational in shaping the now widely adopted FAIR data principles – making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable – and remain crucial as astronomy transitions to the era of large-scale surveys, AI-driven analysis, and even cross-disciplinary integration.

This session will demonstrate the enduring value of VO standards in enabling science, supporting data center operations, and fostering collaboration. We will highlight successful implementations in both legacy and next-generation missions, and explore emerging challenges and opportunities. With increasing demands on data interoperability and accessibility, it is critical to engage the wider astronomical community – scientists, data providers, and tool developers – in shaping the future of the VO.

Talks in this session:

• The Current State of the Virtual Observatory
• The VO's Scientific Impact by Bruce Berriman, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI
• VO Adoption in New Space Missions: SPHEREx and Roman
• Rubin Observatory and the VO
• Integrating Data and Literature: The Role of ADS

Tuesday, January 6

NASA Active Galactic Nuclei Science Interest Group (Splinter)

9 to 10:30 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 131 A

Meeting of NASA's Active Galactic Nuclei Science Interest Group (AGN SIG) to discuss science topics and concerns within the community.

Co-chair: Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC

Roman Space Telescope Proposal and Science Planning (Splinter)

10 a.m. to noon in Phoenix Convention Center, 121 B

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is currently scheduled to launch no later than May 2027, and as early as September 2026. The recently released Call for Proposals includes support for analyzing the archival data as well as the opportunity to propose for new surveys.

This splinter meeting will equip attendees with the knowledge and resources needed to prepare competitive Roman proposals. Representatives from the Roman project and the Roman Science Centers at IPAC and STScI will provide updates on the implementation of community-defined surveys, available simulations, forthcoming data products, and the proposal process itself.

The session will also highlight essential tools that support understanding the community-defined surveys as well as proposal preparation and science planning. These include the Roman Telescope Proposal System (RTPS), the Astronomer’s Proposal Tool (APT), the Exposure Time Calculator (ETC), the Roman Image Simulator (Roman I-Sim), and the Roman Research Nexus, a powerful platform for collaborative research, data analysis, and community engagement.

230.04. A Spectral Zoo of Brown Dwarfs with SPHEREx

10:30  to 10:40 a.m. in Phoenix Convention Center, 222 B

SPHEREx is the first all-sky infrared survey spectrometer, measuring the entire sky in 102 narrow wavelength channels every 6 months. With its broad wavelength coverage and relatively high signal-to-noise, SPHEREx is uniquely poised to discover and characterize brown dwarfs spanning the entire LTY spectral sequence. We present a preliminary assortment of several dozen brown dwarf spectra spanning 2000 K in effective temperature, alongside model atmosphere fits with metallicity and cloud coverage constraints. We obtain refined luminosities, temperatures, and ages, and show trends of the bulk properties across the L-T transition.

Zafar Rustamkulov, Caltech/IPAC; J. Kirkpatrick, Caltech/IPAC; Rachel Akeson, Caltech/IPAC; Federico Marocco, Caltech/IPAC; Rocio Kiman, California Institute of Technology

263.03. Three Ultra-Faint Dwarfs on the Periphery of M31

2:30 to 2:40 p.m. in Phoenix Convention Center, 227 C

Pisces VII, Pegasus V, and Pegasus W are three recently discovered ultra-faint dwarfs (UFDs) near the edge of the M31 system. In this talk I will present analysis of recent Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging and Very Large Array (VLA) observations of all three galaxies. As expected for UFDs, the VLA observations confirm that all are gas-poor, with stringent limits on their neutral gas content (MHI < 104 Msol). Their stellar populations are resolved with HST and accurate distances to each object were determined via the location of the horizontal branch in their color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). The star formation history of each object was also derived from the CMDs using a new Python version of the SFH fitting code StarFISH. We confirm previous findings for Peg W, that suggest it may have hosted significant star formation within the recent past. While, in contrast to some slightly more massive M31 UFDs, Peg V and Pis VII both appear to have quenched in the ancient past, likely due to cosmic reionization. These findings indicate for the first time that, similar to those around the Milky Way, lower mass UFDs in the vicinity of M31 likely quenched in the ancient past.

Michael Jones, Caltech/IPAC; David Sand, University of Arizona; Paul Bennet, Space Telescope Science Institute; Denija Crnojevic, University of Tampa; Amandine Doliva-Dolinsky, University of Surrey; Catherine Fielder, University of Arizona; Laura Hunter, Dartmouth College; Ananthan Karunakaran, University of Toronto; Burcin Mutlu-Pakdil, Dartmouth College; Deepthi Prabhu, University of Arizona; Kristine Spekkens, Queen's University in Canada; Dennis Zaritsky, University of Arizona.

Wednesday, January 7

338.08. A Precessing Radio Jet Drives Super-heated Gas Outflow From a Disk Galaxy

10 to 11:30 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center 230

To reproduce observed galaxy properties, cosmological simulations require that massive galaxies experience feedback from active galactic nucleus, which regulates star formation within those galaxies. However, constraining the energetics and timescales of these feedback processes has been challenging due partially to the multi-scale, multiphase nature of the impacted gaseous medium. In this talk, I will present results from our recently accepted Science paper that reports the discovery of a galactic-scale outflow driven by a precessing, low-power radio jet in an early-merger, active disc galaxy VV 340a. Through a study combining optical, infrared, submillimeter and radio observations, we report the first observation of a S-shaped kiloparsec jet driving massive super-heated gas in an outflow, the most extended and coherent of coronal gas structures known to date. Our multi-faceted analysis demonstrated the radio jet as the origin of the galactic-scale outflows, and that the outflow is substantially reducing the gas depletion timescale. The star formation history of VV 340a reflects the likely impact of AGN feedback from the radio jet.

Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC; Hajar Aziz, University of California, Riverside; Archana Aravindan, University of California, Riverside; Raymond Remigio, University of California, Irvine; Gabriela Canalizo, University of California, Riverside; Justin Kader, University of California, Irvine; Yiqing Song, ESO; Jeffrey Rich, Carnegie Observatories; Rosalie McGurk, W. M. Keck Observatory

330.x From Interstellar Ices to ExoKuiper Belts

10 to 11:30 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center 222 C

Session Chair: Wanggi Lim, Caltech/IPAC

Co-Chair and Co-Organizer: Roberta Paladini, Caltech/IPAC

Talks in this session: 

330.01. Spatial Heterodyne Interferometric Molecular Cloud Observer (SHIMCO): Target Selection and Modeling

330.03. Correlations Between Extinction Features Across Wavelength Scales: Realizing DIBs as Chemical Tracers

330.04. A Database of JWST Ice Absorption Spectra

330.05. Debris Disks in the Far-Infrarered with POEMM and PRIMA

330.06. JWST 1-18 micron High-Precision Extinction Curve for the Pre-Stellar Core L942-2  by Roberta Paladini, Caltech/IPAC

330.07. Tracing the Evolution of Planetary Origins with NASA's POEMM Mission

330.08. Characterizing Water Ice in ExoKuiper Belts with POEMM

338.03. Lighting Up the Early Universe: Constraining the Ionizing Budget of Dwarf Galaxies at Cosmic Noon

10:20 to 10:30 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center 224 A

JWST continues to uncover faint galaxies from the epoch of reionization (EoR), yet it remains uncertain whether low-mass, faint galaxies or their brighter counterparts were the primary drivers of this process. To investigate this, we measure the ionizing photon production efficiency (ξion) of dwarf galaxies to estimate their contribution to the ionizing photon budget. By leveraging gravitational lensing, we extend previous ξion measurements to include very faint galaxies (MUV~ -14). Moreover, JWST’s Grism spectroscopy allows for unbiased sample selection. Our analysis is part of a Cycle 3 JWST archival program which utilizes the ERS data targeting the Abell 2744 cluster. From this dataset, we have identified 148 lensed galaxies at 0.5 < z < 2.3, all with robust detections in both H-alpha and UV continuum (SNR > 3 for each). We analyze how ξion varies with galaxy properties such as stellar mass and UV luminosity to assess whether dwarf galaxies are particularly efficient at producing ionizing photons. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for models of cosmic reionization and highlight JWST’s powerful infrared spectroscopy for enabling unbiased studies of faint galaxy populations.

Keunho Kim, Caltech/IPAC; Anahita Alavi, Caltech/IPAC; Peter Watson, INAF-OAPd; James Colbert, Caltech; Vihang Mehta, Caltech/IPAC; Takahiro Morishita, Caltech/IPAC; Brian Siana, UC Riverside; Zahra Sattari, Caltech/IPAC; Harry Teplitz, Caltech/IPAC; Xin Wang, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS)

The PRobe Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) Mission Concept Special Session

2 to 3:30 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center 224 B

PRIMA (PRobe Infrared Mission for Astrophysics) is a far-infrared probe mission concept in Phase A for NASA’s call for Astrophysics Explorers (APEX). PRIMA’s cryogenic design and highly sensitive detectors enable unprecedented far-infrared science. PRIMA’s PI science focuses on the astrochemical signatures of planet formation, the co-evolution of galaxies and their supermassive black holes across cosmic time, and measuring the formation and buildup of galaxies, heavy elements, and interstellar dust from cosmic noon to today.

With at least 75% of its observing time available for General Observer (GO) science, PRIMA will be a community mission and is designed to address a wide range of astrophysics. In this special session, we invite the astronomical community to come learn about this mission concept, share their ideas for GO programs, and help make this mission their own. The special session will feature two talks from PRIMA team members describing an overview of PRIMA, its science goals and capabilities. The majority of the session will be devoted to talks highlighting community-led GO science cases for volume 2 of our GO book (120 total submissions, with ~430 unique authors from 34 countries). We will have 4-6 community GO science talks. We hope to welcome posters from all members of the community and aim to have the poster session be a time for community engagement and conversation.

354.05. Searching for Habitable Exoplanets with Relative Astrometry (SHERA); SMEx Mission Concept: Science Objectives

2:50 to 3:00 p.m. Phoenix Convention Center 230

SHERA (Searching for Habitable Exoplanets with Relative Astrometry) is a Small Explorer mission concept to search for Earth-like planets. SHERA will search the habitable zones of nearby Sun-like stars in intermediate separation (20-200 au) binary pairs for small planets, relying on the relative astrometry between the two stars and novel diffractive pupil technology to achieve sub-microarcsecond astrometric precision over a three-year mission. The mission has three science objectives, outlined in this talk: (1) search for rocky planets in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars in nearby binary systems, (2) test whether stellar binarity suppresses planet formation across the solar system terrestrial zone (0.3-1.5 au) and (3) characterize the 3D architectures of nearby binary systems with planets by combining relative astrometry with radial velocity data.

Jessie Christiansen, Caltech/IPAC-NASA Exoplanet Science Institute; SHERA Science Team.

354.06. Searching for Habitable Exoplanets with Relative Astrometry (SHERA); SMEx Mission Concept: Target Star Selection and Characterization

3 to 3:10 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center 230

SHERA (Searching for Habitable Exoplanets with Relative Astrometry) is a NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) mission concept designed to survey a sample of bright, nearby, Sun-like binary stars with sub-microarcsecond astrometry using diffractive pupil technology in order to detect small exoplanets. Constraints on the size of the primary mirror, field of view, survey pointing constraints, projected astrometric accuracy performance, projected sensitivity to planetary companions, and survey duration, led to a down selection to 14 target stars in 7 binary systems. The target stars include the primary and secondary components in the following d<20pc binary systems: Alpha Cen, 61 Cyg, 70 Oph, 36 Oph, Xi Boo, p Eri, and HR 2667/2668. The systems are also prime targets for direct imaging surveys for exoEarths and other exoplanets with the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). The projected performance of SHERA would enable the detection of temperate, rocky exoplanets orbiting Alpha Cen A (Rigil Kentaurus) and B (Toliman), and dynamically detect and measure the mass of the imaged exoplanet candidate Alpha Cen Ab. We summarize the state of knowledge of these bright, nearby, G/K-type binary stars, and the SHERA team's efforts to improve our pre-mission knowledge of their stellar parameters and orbits. Accurate measurements of the orbital motion now will greatly improve the precision of the orbital parameters and masses of any planets discovered in each binary system.

Eric Mamajek, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Catherine Clark, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI; Jessie Christiansen, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI; Yiting Li, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Michael Meyer, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Juliette Becker, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Eduardo Bendek, NASA Ames Research Center; Pierre Kervella, Observatoire de Paris; Cullen Blake, University of Pennsylvania; Ruslan Belikov, NASA Ames Research Center; Charles Beichman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI; Alex Davis, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Alyssa Jankowski, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Kaitlin Kratter, University of Arizona; Eric Nielsen, New Mexico State University; William Roberson, New Mexico State University; Armen Tokadjian, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; Peter Tuthill, The University of Sydney; Gautam Vasisht, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Institute of Technology

354.08. Searching for Habitable Exoplanets with Relative Astrometry (SHERA); SMEx Mission Concept: Orbit-Fitting Methodology

3:20 to 3:30 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center 230

SHERA is a proposed space mission that will use microarcsecond astrometry of nearby binary systems to detect S-type Earth-analog planets (habitable zone planets with masses as low as 1 Earth mass). SHERA will measure the reflex motion of one binary component due to orbiting planets, but is only sensitive to this motion in the direction of the other star. The unique form and high precision (~1 microarcsecond) of SHERA data means special care is required in detecting planets and extracting their orbital parameters. We introduce a specialized SHERA orbit-fitting pipeline that is able to detect and characterize planets using these data and present a preliminary sensitivity analysis using simulated data from the alpha Centauri AB system. We demonstrate that this pipeline is able to accurately recover simulated planets, their orbital parameters, and masses for injected planets down to ~1 Earth mass orbiting in the habitable zone of both alpha Cen A and alpha Cen B.

William Roberson, New Mexico State University; Eric Nielsen, New Mexico State University; Jessie Christiansen, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI; Gautam Vasisht, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Eric Mamajek, NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program, JPL; Eduardo Bendek, NASA Ames Research Center; Pierre Kervella, Observatoire de Paris; Juliette Becker, University of Wisconsin; Cullen Blake, University of Pennsylvania; Ruslan Belikov, NASA Ames Research Center; Charles Beichman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI; Catherine Clark, Caltech/IPAC-NExScI; Kaitlin Kratter, University of Arizona; Yiting Li, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Michael Meyer, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Armen Tokadjian, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Peter Tuthill, The University of Sydney.

Infrared Science and Technology Interest Group (Splinter)

3:30 to 5 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center Room 231 A/B/C

Meeting of NASA's Infrared Science and Technology Interest Group (IR STIG) to discuss science topics and concerns within the community.

Co-chair: Roberta Paladini, Caltech/IPAC

Thursday, January 8

Preparing for Time Domain Science with the Roman Space Telescope (Special Session)

10 to 11:30 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center 226 C

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to revolutionize time-domain astrophysics (TDA) with its combination of wide-field imaging coverage and infrared sensitivity (~27.5 mag AB). Roman will be capable of discovering Galactic and Extragalactic transients and variables such as the electromagnetic counterparts of neutron star mergers (kilonovae), stellar mergers, tidal disruption events (TDEs), and supernovae. With its launch no later than May 2027, now is the ideal time for the community to prepare for time-domain science with Roman.

In order to enable time-domain science for the Roman astronomical community, the Roman Alerts Promptly from Image Differencing (RAPID) Project Infrastructure Team will provide the following four services:

• Rapid image-differencing of every new Roman Wide Field Instrument science image
• A public alert stream of transient and variable candidates from Roman difference images
• Photometry for every Roman transient source observed more than once in same filter (light curves)
• Forced photometry service at any sky location in available Roman data

The highest priority of RAPID is to generate and disseminate low-latency alerts from image differencing for every Roman imaging observation to enable timely multi-wavelength follow-up.

In this session, we will showcase prototypes of the RAPID services and products and engage with the AAS attendees to prepare for time-domain science with Roman. We will also seek community feedback to encourage a wide representation of science interests to utilize RAPID services. The session will include talks and demos from the RAPID team and invited speakers followed by a panel discussion.

Talks in this session:

• 424.01. Enabling Time-Domain Science for Roman with RAPID with Jacob Jencson, Caltech/IPAC
• 424.02. From Bogus to Real: Foundations for Subclassification in Roman RAPID
• 424.03. Roman hIgh-redshift transient SciencE (RISE): Enabling a Non-Cosmology Time-Domain Program with Schuyler Van Dyk, Caltech/IPAC; Ben Rusholme, Caltech/IPAC; Jacob Jencson Caltech/IPAC, Ryan Lau, Caltech/IPAC
• Perspective from an Alert Broker on Roman
• Panel Discussion

The Euclid Mission: Science with Quick Data Release 1 and Plans for the Future (Special Session)

10 to 11:30 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center 225 B

Euclid is an ESA mission with NASA participation to study the geometry and nature of the dark Universe. Euclid launched on 1 July 2023. During its 6 year mission, Euclid will survey about 14,000 sq. deg. of extragalactic sky and obtain images in the optical (530-920nm band) and near-infrared (Y,J,H), together with slitless grism spectra (1206nm-1892nm, R~480). Euclid data will be made public to the international community after a proprietary period. Quick Data Release 1 (Q1; 63 sq. deg.) data became public on March 19, 2025, and the first year of data will be released in Data Release 1 (DR1; almost 2000 sq. deg.) in 2026. Data will be available from the ESA’s Euclid Archive System and from the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA). In this session, we will give an overview of Euclid mission status and the science results from Q1. We will discuss the opportunities and science potential for archival research with public Euclid data, and the plans for future data releases.

Session Chair: Harry Teplitz, Caltech/IPAC

Talks in this session:

• 425.01. US Opportunities for Euclid Research
• 425.02. A Comprehensive Survey of Dwarf Galaxies and Star Clusters with Euclid
• 425.03. Galaxy Zoo Tidal Tales: Tracing Tidal Features in Euclid Galaxy Mergers
• 425.04. Polar-Structure Galaxies in Euclid Q1: A First Look
• 425.05. DeepDISC: Deep Learning-Based Classifications and Photometric Redshifts for Euclid Quick Data Release in Deep Field North
• 425.06. The roadmap for producing Rubin/Euclid derived data products
• 425.07. The Complementary Euclid Archive at IRSA by Vandana Desai, Caltech/IPAC

SPHEREx Early Science Results and Community Data Access (Splinter)

1  to 3 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 126 C

SPHEREx, the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, launched in March 2025 and has been releasing data to the community since July. In this session, we will present several early science results, including stellar and brown dwarf spectra, molecular cloud structure, detection of molecules from the 3I/Atlas comet, and maps of dust and line emission features in galaxies. We will also describe how to access the SPHEREx data and archival tools.

Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC; Wanggi Lim, Caltech/IPAC; Patrick Lowrance, Caltech/IPAC

338.08. A Precessing Radio Jet Drives Super-heated Gas Outflow From a Disk Galaxy

10 to 11:30 a.m., Phoenix Convention Center 230

To reproduce observed galaxy properties, cosmological simulations require that massive galaxies experience feedback from active galactic nucleus, which regulates star formation within those galaxies. However, constraining the energetics and timescales of these feedback processes has been challenging due partially to the multi-scale, multiphase nature of the impacted gaseous medium. In this talk, I will present results from our recently accepted Science paper that reports the discovery of a galactic-scale outflow driven by a precessing, low-power radio jet in an early-merger, active disc galaxy VV 340a. Through a study combining optical, infrared, submillimeter and radio observations, we report the first observation of a S-shaped kiloparsec jet driving massive super-heated gas in an outflow, the most extended and coherent of coronal gas structures known to date. Our multi-faceted analysis demonstrated the radio jet as the origin of the galactic-scale outflows, and that the outflow is substantially reducing the gas depletion timescale. The star formation history of VV 340a reflects the likely impact of AGN feedback from the radio jet.

Vivian U, Caltech/IPAC; Hajar Aziz, University of California, Riverside; Archana Aravindan, University of California, Riverside; Raymond Remigio, University of California, Irvine; Gabriela Canalizo, University of California, Riverside; Justin Kader, University of California, Irvine; Yiqing Song, ESO; Jeffrey Rich, Carnegie Observatories; Rosalie McGurk, W. M. Keck Observatory

461.x Dust 

2 to 3:30 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center 232 A

Session Chair: Roberta Paladini, Caltech/IPAC

Talks in this session: 

461.01. Artificial Planetary Torus

461.02D. The Curious Case of RT Vir: Developing New Tools for DUSTY Modeling, Motivated by a Stellar Outlier

461.03. How Well Does SED Fitting Measure Dust Masses in Galaxies?

461.04D. New Observations of Extragalactic Anomalous Microwave Emission with the VLA 

Starstruck Spectra: Using the Pandora SmallSat Mission to Disentangle Planetary Spectra and Stellar Contamination

3:10 to 3:20 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 224 A

JWST has revolutionized exoplanet spectroscopy by providing spectra of unprecedented precision, enabling detailed studies of atmospheric composition and structure. However, this precision also tests the limits of current models and the impact of confounding signals such as stellar surface heterogeneity. These stellar effects can distort the observed planetary spectral features, making robust atmospheric inferences challenging. To ensure the reliability of JWST results, we need complementary observations that directly measure and constrain these stellar contributions.

This talk will highlight the upcoming NASA Pandora SmallSat mission (launching early 2026) and its synergy with JWST. Pandora will obtain simultaneous spectra of exoplanets and their host stars, uniquely capturing both the stellar variability and planetary transmission spectrum. This observational capability will allow us to disentangle stellar contamination from planetary signals and to derive reliable constraints on both star and planet simultaneously. When combined with JWST's high-precision, broad-wavelength atmospheric data, Pandora's stellar characterization will provide empirical corrections for stellar contamination in exoplanet spectra. Working together, JWST and Pandora will enable the robust characterization of planets around active stars; a crucial step toward understanding planetary formation, atmospheric evolution, and the diversity of worlds now emerging from JWST observations.

Starstruck Spectra: Using the Pandora SmallSat Mission to Disentangle Planetary Spectra and Stellar Contamination

3:10 to 3:20 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 224 A

JWST has revolutionized exoplanet spectroscopy by providing spectra of unprecedented precision, enabling detailed studies of atmospheric composition and structure. However, this precision also tests the limits of current models and the impact of confounding signals such as stellar surface heterogeneity. These stellar effects can distort the observed planetary spectral features, making robust atmospheric inferences challenging. To ensure the reliability of JWST results, we need complementary observations that directly measure and constrain these stellar contributions.

This talk will highlight the upcoming NASA Pandora SmallSat mission (launching early 2026) and its synergy with JWST. Pandora will obtain simultaneous spectra of exoplanets and their host stars, uniquely capturing both the stellar variability and planetary transmission spectrum. This observational capability will allow us to disentangle stellar contamination from planetary signals and to derive reliable constraints on both star and planet simultaneously. When combined with JWST's high-precision, broad-wavelength atmospheric data, Pandora's stellar characterization will provide empirical corrections for stellar contamination in exoplanet spectra. Working together, JWST and Pandora will enable the robust characterization of planets around active stars; a crucial step toward understanding planetary formation, atmospheric evolution, and the diversity of worlds now emerging from JWST observations.

Workshops

All times listed in Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Sunday, January 4

Preparing for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: Working in the Roman Research Nexus

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 221 C

Student and Early Career Professional Development Workshop: How to Conference Successfully

Euclid Quick Release 1 (Q1) Data Access and Exploration Workshop

2 to 4 p.m., Phoenix Convention Center, 121 A

Curious about Euclid Space Telescope data but not sure where to start? This workshop offers an introduction to the Euclid Q1 data release, including available data products and data access. You will work through Python Jupyter notebooks with hands-on exercises designed to help you understand how to use Euclid data for your science. The session will also introduce the NASA Fornax initiative, show how it can be used to access Euclid data, and provide further hands-on experience.

Presentations:

2:00 to 2:10 p.m.: Euclid Tutorial Notebooks by Tiffany Meshkat, Caltech/IPAC

2:10 to 2:20 p.m.: Euclid Archive at IRSA & Fornax: The NASA Astrophysics Science  Platform by Vandana Desai, Caltech/IPAC

Posters/iPosters

All times are listed in Mountain Standard Time (MST). iPosters are located in Exhibit Hall B/C/D.

Monday, January 5

102.02. Interactive Astronomy Visualization in Python with Firefly

9 to 10 a.m.

The Firefly Python client extends Firefly’s web-based, interactive visualization framework directly into Python workflows. Within a Python session or Jupyter notebook, astronomers can query archives, load local FITS or Parquet files, and interactively explore images, tables, and spectra. Firefly’s Python interface enables exploratory data analysis (EDA) in the environment where data science happens, providing WCS-aware images, linked plots and tables, and catalog overlays with just a few lines of code.

115.06. Studying Exoplanet Atmospheres from the Moon: The LUSTER Mission

9  to 10 a.m.

The LUSTER (LUnar-based Survey for Time-domain Exploration and Research) mission is advancing the technology and science investigations of a lunar-based telescope, featuring a 20-cm aperture with detectors efficient in the Near UV (center ~315 nm) and the visible (center ~520 nm). The telescope will be stationed on an upcoming NASA-sponsored robotic lunar lander via the CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) program, scheduled for launch in the late 2020’s. The payload will deliver exoplanet transit photometry that will allow for the characterization of their atmospheres by distinguishing between hazes, clouds, and metallicity content. This will be accomplished with transit enabled planet radius measurements of ~20 exoplanets in both the Near UV and visible thus allowing for the determination the spectral slope. In addition to providing constraints on atmospheric models when combined with data at longer wavelengths, this data can facilitate the selection of the most suitable, non-haze dominated targets for follow-up with JWST. Exoplanet atmospheres encompass one of three of the science goals for this mission, with the other two involving studies of comets and asteroids including NEAs (see iPoster by A. Graykowski). This iPoster will review the design and capabilities a lunar-based telescope, how the exoplanet science goals will be accomplished and what considerations need to be made when designing an observing program from the moon. We will also discuss the potential for future telescopes in this unique location given NASA’s consistent interest in advancing lunar exploration and infrastructure.

Angelle Tanner, Mississippi State University; Tabetha Boyajian, Louisiana State University; Jon Morse, BoldlyGo Enterprises, LLC; Ahmad Sohani, Louisiana State University; Matthew Penny, Louisiana State University; Franck Marchis, SETI Institute & Unistellar; Ariel Graykowski, SETI Institute; Ian Crossfield, KU (University of Kansas); Jessie Christiansen, Caltech/IPAC-NASA Exoplanet Science Institute

Tuesday, January 6

214.06. Dust Evolution in Collapsing Molecular Core L694-2

With NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we obtained infrared spectra from 1-18 μm for three stars behind collapsing prestellar core L694-2. These spectra probe dust in different environments of the molecular core, with visual extinctions ranging from 10-30 magnitudes. After constraining the spectral types of the background stars, we derived high spectral resolution dust extinction laws and carefully accounted for errors. We present our observed spectra and extinction laws for L694-2. We then discuss implications for dust characteristics and evolution at this very early stage of star formation.

Tracy Huard, University of Maryland, College Park; Ava Lee Allen, University of Maryland, College Park; Laurie Chu, NSF's NOIRLab; Roberta Paladini, Caltech/IPAC; Adwin Boogert, University of Hawaii.

217.04. Star Finders: Assembling a Multi-Wavelength Catalog of Young Stellar Objects in Serpens Main

9 to 10 a.m.

Serpens Main is a well-known, extensively studied star-forming region 1-2 million years old and 415 parsecs away (Rebull et al. 2014 and references therein) (NASA, 2018). There is a wealth of literature about Serpens with over 1,100 journal articles written since 1974. About 100 of the most recent have published lists of candidate or confirmed young stellar objects (YSOs). Researchers have identified YSOs within Serpens using multiwavelength data. However, to the best of our knowledge, no one has yet combined all of the most recent multi-wavelength data into a single comprehensive catalog of YSOs in Serpens Main. It is useful to assemble a catalog of known or suspected YSOs in this region since YSOVAR (time series data in Spitzer IRAC-1&2), SPHEREx, and Roman data are either currently available or will be available in the future. We have begun to assemble such a catalog by merging large catalogs and literature-identified YSOs/candidate YSOs in Serpens Main. We have merged Gaia, PanSTARRS, SDSS, UKIDSS, 2MASS

NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) participants supervised by Luisa Rebull, Caltech/IPAC:  Ace Schwarz, The Shipley School; Aaron Carmichael, The Shipley School; Iris Hoffmann, The Shipley School; Olivia Lindsay, The Shipley School; Ava MacDermaid, The Shipley School; Ben Neiman, The Shipley School; Milo Nottonson, The Shipley School; Ella Weiner, The Shipley School; Eliana Yee, The Shipley School; Sophia Lindsay, The Shipley School.

220.01. Stellar Rotation Within the Beta Pictoris Moving Group Using TESS Lightcurves

9 to 10 a.m.

The Beta Pictoris Moving Group (BPMG) is a nearby (~50 pc), young (~23 Myr) stellar association at a stage where circumstellar disks have largely dissipated and stellar angular momentum is actively evolving. We compiled archival photometric data from Gaia, 2MASS, WISE, and other surveys to construct spectral energy distributions, color-magnitude diagrams, and color-color diagrams for BPMG members. Using time-domain photometry from TESS, Kepler, ZTF, and ASAS-SN, we extracted and analyzed light curves using Python, IDL, and Infrared Science Archive (IRSA) web-based tools to measure stellar rotation periods and characterize variability across a wide range of spectral types.Together, these diagnostics enable a comprehensive examination of rotation, infrared excess, and youth indicators within the moving group. By comparing BPMG with other young associations and clusters, we place its members in the broader context of stellar angular momentum evolution and disk dispersal during a critical transition toward the m

NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) participants supervised by Luisa Rebull, Caltech/IPAC:  Clayton Edwards, Chicago Public Schools; Jeff Benter, Tri-Valley High School; Steve Jones, FCS Innovation Academy; Eden Pfahler, Falmouth High School; Kyle Benter, Le Roy High School; Ellery Hurliman, Tri-Valley High School; Connor Lund, Falmouth High school; Jad Meliani, FCS Innovation Academy; Evan Otis, FCS Innovation Academy; Sam Seymour, Falmouth High school; Hayden Shine, Tri-Valley High School; Sara Tennent, Falmouth High school; Ryan Werthman, Falmouth High school; Laura Wilkinson, Tri-Valley High School.

275.02. High Resolution Extinction Laws: Tracking Dust with Star Formation

5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

We present infrared spectra of nine background stars obtained with NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) behind three isolated, dense molecular cores in different evolutionary stages of stellar formation: B68, L694-2, and B335. The CO bandhead features detected in the IRTF spectra from 2.3-2.5 microns enabled us to constrain the spectral types of these background stars. Extinction laws may then be derived from our spectra to characterize the dust along each line of sight by comparing to previously published laws. Since our spectra probe dust in low to high density regions in each core, as well as environments from quiescent to recent protostar formation, they provide insights for our understanding of dust grain evolution within a core and during star formation. We will discuss the first results of our study of dust in these environments.

Ava Lee Allen, University of Maryland, College Park; Tracy L. Huard, University of Maryland, College Park; Laurie Chu, NSF's NOIRLab; Roberta Paladini, Caltech/IPAC; Adwin Boogert, University of Hawaii.

Wednesday, January 7

370.06. PRIMA's Science Data Center at IPAC

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

PRIMA is a 1.8-m diameter, cryogenically-cooled, far-infrared observatory concept for the community in the 2030 decade. PRIMA includes both a sensitive wideband spectrometer, FIRESS, and a multi-band spectrophotometric imager/polarimeter, PRIMAger. PRIMA’s sensitivity unlocks the potential of the far-infrared to advance astrophysics across a broad range of topics spanning from galaxy and dust evolution in the early Universe to the formation of planets and planetary atmospheres. IPAC, at Caltech, is the Science Data Center (SDC) for PRIMA. The SDC processes all PI and GO science data through an automated science data pipeline and delivers the data to the PRIMA archive at the InfraRed Science Archive (IRSA) for the community. IPAC is responsible for developing, operating, and maintaining the PRIMA science pipeline. In this poster we will describe the basic processing steps, data flow, and expected data products from the PRIMA science data pipeline.

Lee Armus, Caltech/IPAC; David Imel, Caltech/IPAC; Klaus Pontoppidan, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The Euclid Mission: Science with Quick Data Release 1 and Plans for the Future

5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Posters in this session:

• 367.01. Euclid Study of a Dwarf Ring Galaxy
• 367.02. Star Clusters Around Local Group Dwarf Galaxy NGC 7822: Spectroscopic Follow-up of Euclid Imaging with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager
• 367.03. Decomposing Components of the Extragalactic Background Light Using Multi-Band Intensity Mapping Cross-Correlations

370.10. Design and Estimated Performance of the FIRESS Spectrometer for PRIMA

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

The Far-Infrared Enhanced Survey Spectrometer (FIRESS) provides 24-235 micron spectroscopic capability for the Probe Mission for Far-Infrared Astrophysics (RPIMA). FIRESS uses four slit-fed, 1st-order grating spectrometer modules feeding arrays of kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs). Each band covers a 1:1.8 spectral range, so the four band cover the full range instantaneously, including small overlap at band edges, permitting measurement of fine-structure and PAH transitions in galaxies at all redshifts. The base grating modules are optimized for detection, not resolving transitions; they provide R>85 everywhere, with median value R of 140. Each FIRESS slits has a length corresponding to 24 spatial pixels, and each band delivers the dispersed spectrum to a 24 (spatial) by 84 (spectra) pixel array of kinetic inductance detectors. Point sources will be chopped along the slit with the steering mirror to remove low-frequency detector noise, subtract the background, and provide half-pixel spectral sampling given the hexagonally-packed array. FIRESS will also use the steering mirror and/or the motion of the entire observatory to map by scanning, in a manner similar to that used on Herschel and Planck. For high-resolution spectroscopy, a Fourier-transform interferometer module (FTM) is engaged to process the light between the telescope and the grating modules. In this hi-res mode, the FTM splits the light, interferes it with itself after a phase delay between the two arm, and recombines it before delivering it to the FIRESS slits. In hi-res mode, FIRESS achieves R up to 4,400 x (112 microns / lambda) across the full FIRESS band, allowing extraction of faint HD rotational transitions and water lines in protoplanetary disks, with sensitivity limited by the photon noise in each narrow FIRESS grating channel band (R>85). With the cold PRIMA telescope and sensitive detectors, the observing speed of FIRESS in all modes is factor of thousands or more greater than that of previous far-IR platforms. In this contribution we provide an overview of the instrument, its observing modes, and expected sensitivities.

Current theoretical modeling of the accretion disks around supermassive black holes (SMBH) at the center of galaxies, known as active galactic nuclei (AGN), does not match well to that determined by observations. A way to measure the unresolved accretion disk size is through reverberation mapping (RM) of short timeframe variable AGN. Unfortunately, there is a very small sample size of candidate AGN with known short-term variability. These objects have short period emission events where variations in high energy light close to the SMBH travel outward and are absorbed at larger radii of the accretion disk and re-emitted at longer wavelengths. The time delay between initial detection of these short wavelength variations and their later detections at longer wavelengths provide a way to measure the span of the accretion disk. Measuring the size of the accretion disk can be used to derive its luminosity so the AGN can then be used as a standard candle. This in turn can be used to determine the Hubble constant over the vast distances over which the AGN can be observed. This project looked for short-term variable AGN that exist as background sources in the Young Stellar Object VARiability survey (YSOVAR) conducted by the Spitzer Space Telescope of multiple star forming regions. Potential AGN from multiple fields of YSOVAR data were first selected by color ([3.6]-[4.5]>0.4) and then by magnitude (m3.6>14). Approximately 30 potential short-term variable AGN were identified. These sources have the potential to provide reliable candidates for the follow-up reverberation mapping to help determine the physical dimensions of the accretion region around an SMBH.

NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) participants supervised by Varoujan Gorjian, JPL, Caltech/IPAC:  Meredith Cullen, UMS-Wright Preparatory School; Varoujan Gorjian, JPL/Caltech; Benjamin Senson, Madison College and MMSD Planetarium; Lauren Albin, Young Harris College and O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium; Kevin Molohon, NITARP-Champlin Park High School; Cooper Buchman, UMS-Wright Preparatory School; Khandro Butler, UMS-Wright Preparatory School; Emma Marmande, UMS-Wright Preparatory School; Allen Moore, UMS-Wright Preparatory School; Samuel Williams, UMS-Wright Preparatory School; Asyn Su, Asheville School

NITARP and IRSA: Authentic Classroom Research Tools, Lessons, and Impact (iPoster Session)

9 to 10 a.m.

Posters in this session:

403.01: Student and Teachers as Scientists: The Impact of Authentic Research Experiences 

403.02: From Young Stars to Active Galaxies: Development of Foundational Lessons for Authentic Astronomy Research

403.03: Easy Next Gen Astronomy Visualization

403.04: Photometry Catalog Integration in a Python Framework for Spectral Energy Distribution Construction and Young Stellar Object Classification

403.05: From NITARP Experience to Community Practice

403.06: NITARP Influences Multiple Generations, Communities, and Careers

403.07: Stellar Life Cycles: Improved Methods of Education

443.10. Dust Evolution in Dense Infrared Dark Clouds

1 to 2 p.m.

Understanding how dust evolves in the earliest phases of massive cluster formation remains a major observational challenge due to the extreme densities and high extinction of infrared dark clouds. We present a study of dust evolution in such environments, where direct measurements of dust properties have been largely inaccessible. Multi-wavelength extinction analysis reveals significant spatial variations in dust opacity and the sub-millimeter spectral index β, indicating that the opacity law flattens in the coldest and most compact regions. To interpret these trends, we use the OpTool dust modeling framework to generate theoretical opacity curves and fit them to the observations by varying grain size distribution, ice mantle thickness, and chemical composition. The resulting fits provide spatially resolved maps of dust properties, revealing evidence for grain coagulation and ice mantle growth - processes that dominate the earliest stages of massive protocluster evolution.

443.40. Gas Dynamics, Excitation, and a Potential AGN Outflow in ESO 148-IG002 Revealed by JWST MIRI

1 to 2 p.m.

Ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) emit exceptional amounts of infrared radiation. Previous studies with the Spitzer Space Telescope have determined that enhanced star formation and active galactic nuclei (AGN) are the main causes of such emission. ULIRGs at z < 0.1 are dust obscured galaxy merger systems or merger remnant systems, making infrared spectral features important probes for understanding late star formation in galaxies and merger phase gas kinematics. James Webb Space Telescope’s medium resolution spectrograph aboard the Mid Infrared Instrument allows us to spatially probe the mid-infrared dust and gas spectral features of the low redshift ULIRG, ESO 148-IG002, for the first time. We identify morphologically consistent broad components in fine structure lines, including Ne II, Ne III, Ne V, and S IV, with well-defined blue-shifted and red-shifted components that support the presence of an ionized phase AGN outflow. Additionally, we apply mid-IR line diagnostic maps to spatially characterize the AGN contribution to the infrared luminosity. This work aims to improve our understanding of the infrared emission sources of nearby ULIRGs by further developing gas and dust diagnostics to distinguish between pure starburst and AGN driven effects.

Joahan Castaneda Jaimes, Caltech/IPAC; Lee Armus, Caltech/IPAC; Jeffrey Rich, Carnegie Observatories