arXiv subjects

A. Aryan

Publications and source records attributed to A. Aryan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Probing a new subclass of llGRB-SN transients: Insights from EP250304a and its associated supernova

With the advent of the Einstein Probe (EP) mission, we are entering a new era in the study of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), enabling the detection of faint, low-luminosity transients that would previously have gone undetected. EP250304a was an event discovered by EP associated with the broad-lined type Ic supernova (SN) SN 2025fhm located at z = 0.2. Despite no gamma-ray emission being detected at the time of the EP trigger, we identify evidence for a relativistic outflow consistent with a GRB-like jet across multiple wavelengths. We present a detailed spectral and photometric analysis of EP250304a/SN 2025fhm, including multi-band light curve modelling performed with the Redback Python package. We find that this event closely resembles low-luminosity GRB-SNe (llGRB-SNe) such as GRB 060218/SN 2006aj, GRB 100316D/SN 2010bh, and GRB 171205A/SN 2017iuk, all of which exhibit early-time emission consistent with a thermal shocked cocoon. These similarities suggest that EP250304A/SN 2025fhm may belong to an emerging subclass of shocked cocoon-dominated llGRB-SNe, representing the low-luminosity end of a broader continuum of engine-driven GRB-SN explosions.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Early Multiwavelength Observations of AT 2026fgk: The Luminous Afterglow to Sub-luminous GRB 260310A, Identified Independently of a Gamma-ray Trigger

The origins of sub-luminous ($L_\mathrm{\gamma,\mathrm{iso}} < 10^{49.5}$\,erg\,s$^{-1}$) gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) associated with broad-lined Type~Ic supernovae (Ic-BL SNe) are poorly understood, in part due to the low discovery rate and faint afterglows. Here we present the identification of the optical afterglow of Fermi-GBM-detected GRB\,260310A (AT\,2026fgk) as a rapidly rising ($>1\,$mag\,d$^{-1}$), red ($g-r=0.4$\,mag) transient using the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observatory, Large Array Survey Telescope, and Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) data streams. We present multiwavelength follow-up observations from the first 50\,days, which reveal that GRB 260310A/AT\,2026fgk was sub-luminous ($L_\mathrm{\gamma,iso}=10^{48.8}\,$erg\,s$^{-1}$); it was the most nearby ($z=0.153$) afterglow identified blindly by an optical survey; and that it is one of the brightest afterglows ever observed at X-ray, optical, and radio (cm to mm) wavelengths. We spectroscopically confirm an underlying Ic-BL SN with properties typical of GRB-SNe ($M_\mathrm{ej}\approx3\,M_\odot$, $E_{\rm K}\approx 10^{52}\,$erg). With basic modeling of the afterglow, including the long optical rise ($\approx10^{3}\,$s), we infer either a low initial Lorentz factor ($\Gamma_0\approx40$) or a slightly off-axis viewing angle ($\lesssim3^\circ$). The host galaxy's mass and star formation rate are similar to the hosts of other sub-luminous GRBs. ZTF's flux-limited survey gives a volumetric rate of AT\,2026fgk-like events of $0.30^{+1.37}_{-0.29}\,$Gpc\,$^{-3}$\,yr$^{-1}$, which is consistent with the on-axis, high luminosity ($L_{\rm \gamma,iso}>10^{49.5}$\,erg\,s$^{-1}$) long-GRB rate. The similarity in the rates strongly constrains the prevalence of low-$\Gamma_0$ bursts and the beaming of the initial relativistic material in GRBs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Light-Curve and Spectral Properties of Type II Supernovae from the ATLAS survey

Type II supernovae (SNe II) are the most common terminal stellar explosions in the Universe. With SNe now being detected within days after explosion, there is growing evidence that the majority of Type II SNe show signs of interaction with a confined, dense cirumstellar material (CSM) in the first few days post explosion. In this work we aim to bridge the gap between single SN studies showing early-time interaction in their spectra, and the statistical studies of early-time SN light curves, which imply the existence of CSM. We present a sample of 68 Type II SNe with both early photometric data, obtained with the ATLAS survey, and spectroscopic data, obtained with the ePESSTO+ collaboration. A subset of the sample is classified based on the presence or absence of narrow spectral features with electron-scattered broadened wings in the early spectra, indicative of interaction with CSM. We characterise the photometric and spectroscopic properties of the sample by measuring rise times to maximum light, peak magnitudes, decline rates and line velocities. Additionally, we measure the ratio of absorption to emission (a/e) of the H alpha P-Cygni profile. Our analysis reveals that SNe II showing early spectroscopic signs of interaction with CSM decline faster and are brighter than those without. However no difference is found in rise times between the two groups. A clear separation is observed in the a/e ratio: SNe with signs of interaction exhibit lower a/e ratios at all epochs compared to those without. Our results highlight that understanding SN II ejecta-CSM interaction requires large, uniform samples of photometric and spectroscopic data, such as the one presented in this work.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Pan-STARRS follow-up of the gravitational-wave event S250818k and the lightcurve of SN 2025ulz

Kilonovae are the scientifically rich, but observationally elusive, optical transient phenomena associated with compact binary mergers. Only a handful of events have been discovered to date, all through multi-wavelength (gamma ray) and multi-messenger (gravitational wave) signals. Given their scarcity, it is important to maximise the discovery possibility of new kilonova events. To this end, we present our follow-up observations of the gravitational-wave signal, S250818k, a plausible binary neutron star merger at a distance of $237 \pm 62$ Mpc. Pan-STARRS tiled 286 and 318 square degrees (32% and 34% of the 90% sky localisation region) within 3 and 7 days of the GW signal, respectively. ATLAS covered 65% of the skymap within 3 days, but with lower sensitivity. These observations uncovered 47 new transients; however, none were deemed to be linked to S250818k. We undertook an expansive follow-up campaign of AT 2025ulz, the purported counterpart to S250818k. The griz-band lightcurve, combined with our redshift measurement ($z = 0.0849 \pm 0.0003$) all indicate that SN 2025ulz is a SN IIb, and thus not the counterpart to S250818k. We rule out the presence of a AT 2017gfo-like kilonova within $\approx 27$% of the distance posterior sampled by our Pan-STARRS pointings ($\approx 9.1$% across the total 90% three-dimensional sky localisation). We demonstrate that early observations are optimal for probing the distance posterior of the three-dimensional gravitational-wave skymap, and that SN 2025ulz was a plausible kilonova candidate for $\lesssim 5$ days, before ultimately being ruled out.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

EP 250108a/SN 2025kg: Observations of the most nearby Broad-Line Type Ic Supernova following an Einstein Probe Fast X-ray Transient

With a small sample of fast X-ray transients (FXTs) with multi-wavelength counterparts discovered to date, the progenitors of FXTs and their connections to gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and supernovae (SNe) remain ambiguous. Here, we present photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN 2025kg, the supernova counterpart to the FXT EP 250108a. At $z=0.17641$, this is the closest known SN discovered following an Einstein Probe (EP) FXT. We show that SN 2025kg's optical spectra reveal the hallmark features of a broad-lined Type Ic SN. Its light curve evolution and expansion velocities are also comparable to those of GRB-SNe, including SN 1998bw, and several past FXT SNe. We present JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy taken around SN 2025kg's maximum light, and find weak absorption due to He I $\lambda 1.0830, \lambda 2.0581$ $\mu$m and a broad, unidentified feature at $\sim$ 4-4.5 $\mu$m. Further, we observe clear evidence for broadened H$\alpha$ in optical data at 42.5 days that is not detected at other epochs, indicating interaction with hydrogen-rich material. From its light curve, we derive a $^{56}$Ni mass of 0.2 - 0.6 $M_{\odot}$. Together with our companion paper (Eyles-Ferris et al. 2025), our broadband data of EP 250108a/SN 2025kg are consistent with a trapped or low energy ($\lesssim 10^{51}$ ergs) jet-driven explosion from a collapsar with a zero-age main sequence mass of 15-30 $M_{\odot}$. Finally, we show that the sample of EP FXT SNe support past rate estimates that low-luminosity jets seen through FXTs are more common than successful (GRB) jets, and that similar FXT-like signatures are likely present in at least a few percent of the brightest Ic-BL SNe.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Precursor Activity Preceding Interacting Supernovae I: Bridging the Gap with SN 2022mop

Over the past two decades, an increasing number of transients have shown luminous activity at their explosion sites weeks to years before an interacting supernova (SN) is observed. For some objects, this pre-SN activity is typically linked to large-scale mass-loss events preceding core collapse, yet its triggering mechanism and the underlying explosion process remain uncertain. We present SN 2022mop, which was initially observed in August 2022, exhibiting nebular emission, including [O I], Mg I], and [Ca II], resembling the late-time (~200 days post-explosion) spectrum of a stripped-envelope SN (SESN) from a progenitor with M[ZAMS] < 18 Msun. SN 2022mop shows strong (~ 1 mag) repeating undulations in its light curve, suggesting late-time interaction. In mid-2024, the transient re-brightened for several months before a Type IIn SN (r[peak] = -18.2 mag) was observed in December 2024, closely resembling the evolution of SN 2009ip. By triangulating both transients using Pan-STARRS images, we determine that both transients are coincident within approximately 3 parsecs. Given the environment, the chance alignment of two isolated SNe is unlikely. We propose a merger-burst scenario: a compact object formed in 2022, is kicked into an eccentric orbit, interacts with its hydrogen-rich companion over subsequent months, and ultimately merges, triggering a Type IIn SN-like transient.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Extremely luminous optical afterglow of an energetic gamma-ray burst GRB 230204B

Robotic telescope networks play an important role in capturing early and bright optical afterglows, providing critical insights into the energetics and emission mechanisms of GRBs. In this study, we analyze GRB 230204B, an exceptionally energetic and multi-pulsed long GRB, detected by the Fermi GBM and MAXI detectors, with an isotropic equivalent gamma-ray energy exceeding 10$^{54}$ erg. Time-resolved spectral analysis reveals a transition in the prompt emission from hard (sub-photospheric dominated) spectra during early pulses to softer (synchrotron radiation dominated) spectra in later pulses, indicative of a hybrid jet composition. We report the discovery and characterization of the optical afterglow using the MASTER and BOOTES robotic telescope networks, which enabled rapid follow-up observations starting at $\sim$1.3 ks post-burst. The optical luminosity at this time was exceptionally high, surpassing that of many other optically bright GRBs, such as GRB 990123, GRB 080319B, etc. This places the burst among the most luminous optical GRBs observed to date. Long-term radio observations extending to 335 days post-burst were conducted with the ATCA. Multi-wavelength modeling was conducted using an external ISM forward-shock top-hat jet model with \sw{afterglowpy}. The results reveal a narrow and highly collimated jet with a circumburst density of $n_{0} \sim$ 28.12 cm$^{-3}$, kinetic energy $E_{\rm K} \sim$ 4.18 $\times 10^{55}$ erg, and a relatively low value of $\epsilon_{B}$ = 2.14 $\times 10^{-6}$, indicating shock-compression of magnetic field in the surrounding interstellar medium. We constrained a low radiative efficiency of $\sim$ 4.3 \%. This study highlights the indispensable contribution of robotic networks to early afterglow observations and advances our understanding of GRB 230204B unique characteristics and underlying jet physics.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Identification of the optical counterpart of the fast X-ray transient EP240414a

Fast X-ray transients (FXTs) are extragalactic bursts of X-rays first identified in archival X-ray data, and now routinely discovered by the Einstein Probe in real time, which is continuously surveying the night sky in the soft ($0.5 - 4$ keV) X-ray regime. In this Letter, we report the discovery of the second optical counterpart (AT2024gsa) to an FXT (EP240414a). EP240414a is located at a projected radial separation of 27 kpc from its likely host galaxy at $z = 0.4018 \pm 0.0010$. The optical light curve of AT2024gsa displays three distinct components. The initial decay from our first observation is followed by a re-brightening episode, displaying a rapid rise in luminosity to an absolute magnitude of $M_r \sim -21$ after two rest-frame days. While the early optical luminosity and decline rate is similar to luminous fast blue optical transients, the colour temperature of AT2024gsa is distinctly red and we show that the peak flux is inconsistent with a thermal origin. The third component peaks at $M_i \sim -19$ at $\gtrsim 16$ rest-frame days post-FXT, and is compatible with an emerging supernova. We fit the $riz$-band data with a series of power laws and find that the decaying components are in agreement with gamma-ray burst afterglow models, and that the re-brightening may originate from refreshed shocks. By considering EP240414a in context with all previously reported known-redshift FXT events, we propose that Einstein Probe FXT discoveries may predominantly result from (high-redshift) gamma-ray bursts, and thus appear to be distinct from the previously discovered lower redshift, lower luminosity population of FXTs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

SN 2023tsz: A helium-interaction driven supernova in a very low-mass galaxy

SN 2023tsz is a Type Ibn supernova (SNe Ibn) discovered in an extremely low-mass host. SNe Ibn are an uncommon subtype of stripped-envelope core-collapse SNe. They are characterised by narrow helium emission lines in their spectra and are believed to originate from the collapse of massive Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, though their progenitor systems still remain poorly understood. In terms of energetics and spectrophotometric evolution, SN 2023tsz is largely a typical example of the class, although line profile asymmetries in the nebular phase are seen, which may indicate the presence of dust formation or unshocked circumstellar material. Intriguingly, SN 2023tsz is located in an extraordinarily low-mass host galaxy that is in the 2nd percentile for SESN host masses and star formation rates (SFR). The host has a radius of 1.0 kpc, a $g$-band absolute magnitude of $-12.73$, and an estimated metallicity of $\log(Z_{*}/Z_{\odot}$) = $-1.56$. The SFR and metallicity of the host galaxy raise questions about the progenitor of SN 2023tsz. The low SFR suggests that a star with sufficient mass to evolve into a WR would be uncommon in this galaxy. Further, the very low-metallicity is a challenge for single stellar evolution to enable H and He stripping of the progenitor and produce a SN Ibn explosion. The host galaxy of SN 2023tsz adds another piece to the ongoing puzzle of SNe Ibn progenitors, and demonstrates that they can occur in hosts too faint to be observed in contemporary sky surveys at a more typical SN Ibn redshift.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Prompt and afterglow analysis of the Fermi-LAT detected GRB 230812B

Prompt emission of GRB 230812B stands out as one of the most luminous events observed by both the Fermi-GBM and LAT. Prompt emission spectral analysis (both time-integrated and resolved) of this burst supports an additional thermal component together with a non-thermal, indicating the hybrid jet composition. The spectral parameters alpha, Ep, and kT of the best-fit Band+Blackbody model show a tacking behaviour with the intensity. Further, the low energy afterglow emission is consistent with the synchrotron emission from the external forward shock in the ISM medium. LAT detected very high energy emission (VHE) deviating from the synchrotron mechanism, possibly originating from the Lorentz boosting of prompt emission photons by accelerated electrons in the external shock via Inverse Compton (IC) or Synchrotron Self Compton (SSC) emission mechanisms. The comparison of the prompt and afterglow emission properties of this burst revealed that, unlike the bright prompt emission, the afterglow of GRB 230812B is fainter than the other SN-detected bright bursts (GRB 130427A and GRB 171010A) at a similar redshift.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

An Intermediate Luminosity GRB 210210A: The early onset of the external forward shock in the X-ray?

We have analyzed the prompt and afterglow characteristics of the intermediate luminosity burst ``GRB 210210A". Our prompt emission analysis indicates that GRB 210210A is among the softest long GRBs detected by the Swift-BAT. The time-integrated prompt emission spectrum of GRB 210210A is aptly described by a power law function with an exponential cutoff. The spectral peak energy (E$_{p,z}$) in rest-frame and the E$_{\rm \gamma, iso}$ for this GRB marginally satisfy the 2$\sigma$ Amati correlation, a common feature observed in low/intermediate luminosity GRBs. Notably, an early bump is observed in the Swift-XRT light curve (a rare feature); the optical afterglow light curve, on the other hand, appears to follow a power law decay. However, due to the lack of sufficient early optical observations, we cannot completely rule out the possibility of an early bump in the optical light curve. For the bump observed in the early X-ray light curve, we calculated parameters such as peak time, rise time, decay time, and bulk Lorentz factor ($\Gamma_{0}$ $\sim$ 156), which perfectly satisfy the correlation between the parameters of the onset of the afterglow in GRBs. Both the optical and X-ray (including our observations) light curves exhibit a chromatic break in the late afterglow. Based on the prompt and afterglow parameters, we confirm that the intermediate luminosity GRB 210210A favors a collapsar scenario and is possibly powered by a magnetar.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Massive stars exploding in a He-rich circumstellar medium $-$ X. Flash spectral features in the Type Ibn SN 2019cj and observations of SN 2018jmt

We present optical and near-infrared observations of two Type Ibn supernovae (SNe), SN 2018jmt and SN 2019cj. Their light curves have rise times of about 10 days, reaching an absolute peak magnitude of $M_g$(SN 2018jmt) = $-$19.07 $\pm$ 0.37 and $M_V$(SN 2019cj) = $-$18.94 $\pm$ 0.19 mag, respectively. The early-time spectra of SN 2018jmt are dominated by a blue continuum, accompanied by narrow (600$-$1000 km~s$^{-1}$) He I lines with P-Cygni profile. At later epochs, the spectra become more similar to those of the prototypical SN Ibn 2006jc. At early phases, the spectra of SN 2019cj show flash ionisation emission lines of C III, N III and He II superposed on a blue continuum. These features disappear after a few days, and then the spectra of SN 2019cj evolve similarly to those of SN 2018jmt. The spectra indicate that the two SNe exploded within a He-rich circumstellar medium (CSM) lost by the progenitors a short time before the explosion. We model the light curves of the two SNe Ibn to constrain the progenitor and the explosion parameters. The ejecta masses are consistent with either that expected for a canonical SN Ib ($\sim$ 2 M$_{\odot}$) or those from a massive WR star ($>$ $\sim$ 4 M$_{\odot}$), with the kinetic energy on the order of $10^{51}$ erg. The lower limit on the ejecta mass ($>$ $\sim$ 2 M$_{\odot}$) argues against a scenario involving a relatively low-mass progenitor (e.g., $M_{ZAMS}$ $\sim$ 10 M$_{\odot}$). We set a conservative upper limit of $\sim$0.1 M$_{\odot}$ for the $^{56}$Ni masses in both SNe. From the light curve modelling, we determine a two-zone CSM distribution, with an inner, flat CSM component, and an outer CSM with a steeper density profile. The physical properties of SN 2018jmt and SN 2019cj are consistent with those expected from the core collapse of relatively massive, stripped-envelope (SE) stars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

A detailed time-resolved and energy-resolved spectro-polarimetric study of bright GRBs detected by AstroSat CZTI in its first year of operation

The radiation mechanism underlying the prompt emission remains unresolved and can be resolved using a systematic and uniform time-resolved spectro-polarimetric study. In this paper, we investigated the spectral, temporal, and polarimetric characteristics of five bright GRBs using archival data from AstroSat CZTI, Swift BAT, and Fermi GBM. These bright GRBs were detected by CZTI in its first year of operation, and their average polarization characteristics have been published in Chattopadhyay et al. (2022). In the present work, we examined the time-resolved (in 100-600 keV) and energy-resolved polarization measurements of these GRBs with an improved polarimetric technique such as increasing the effective area and bandwidth (by using data from low-gain pixels), using an improved event selection logic to reduce noise in the double events and extend the spectral bandwidth. In addition, we also separately carried out detailed time-resolved spectral analyses of these GRBs using empirical and physical synchrotron models. By these improved time-resolved and energy-resolved spectral and polarimetric studies (not fully coupled spectro-polarimetric fitting), we could pin down the elusive prompt emission mechanism of these GRBs. Our spectro-polarimetric analysis reveals that GRB 160623A, GRB 160703A, and GRB 160821A have Poynting flux-dominated jets. On the other hand, GRB 160325A and GRB 160802A have baryonic-dominated jets with mild magnetization. Furthermore, we observe a rapid change in polarization angle by $\sim$ 90 degrees within the main pulse of very bright GRB 160821A, consistent with our previous results. Our study suggests that the jet composition of GRBs may exhibit a wide range of magnetization, which can be revealed by utilizing spectro-polarimetric investigations of the bright GRBs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Revealing characteristics of dark GRB 150309A: dust extinguished or high-z?

Dark GRBs constitute a significant fraction of the GRB population. In this paper, we present the multiwavelength analysis of an intense two-episodic GRB 150309A observed early on to ~114 days post-burst. Despite the strong gamma-ray emission, no optical afterglow was detected for this burst. However, we discovered near-infrared afterglow ($K_{\rm S}$-band), ~5.2 hours post burst, with the CIRCE instrument mounted at the 10.4m GTC. We used Fermi observations of GRB 150309A to understand the prompt emission mechanisms and jet composition. We performed the early optical observations using the BOOTES robotic telescope and late-time afterglow observations using the GTC. A potential faint host galaxy is also detected at optical wavelength using the GTC. We modelled the potential host galaxy of GRB 150309A in order to explore the environment of the burst. The time-resolved spectral analysis of Fermi data indicates a hybrid jet composition consisting of a matter-dominated fireball and magnetic-dominated Poynting flux. GTC observations of the afterglow revealed that the counterpart of GRB 150309A was very red, with H-$K_{\rm S}$ > 2.1 mag (95 $\%$ confidence). The red counterpart was not discovered in any bluer filters of Swift UVOT, indicative of high redshift origin. This possibility was discarded based on multiple arguments, such as spectral analysis of X-ray afterglow constrain z < 4.15 and a moderate redshift value obtained using spectral energy distribution modelling of the potential galaxy. The broadband afterglow SED implies a very dusty host galaxy with deeply embedded GRB (suggesting $A_{\rm V}$ $\gtrsim$ 35 mag). The environment of GRB 150309A demands a high extinction towards the line of sight, demanding dust obscuration is the most probable origin of optical darkness and the very red afterglow of GRB 150309A. This result makes GRB 150309A the highest extinguished GRB known to date.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Prompt emission and early optical afterglow of VHE detected GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C: onset of the external forward shock

We present a detailed prompt emission and early optical afterglow analysis of the two very high energy (VHE) detected bursts GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C, and their comparison with a subset of similar bursts. Time-resolved spectral analysis of multi-structured GRB 201216C using the Bayesian binning algorithm revealed that during the entire duration of the burst, the low energy spectral index ($\alpha_{\rm pt}$) remained below the limit of the synchrotron line of death. However, statistically some of the bins supported the additional thermal component. Additionally, the evolution of spectral parameters showed that both peak energy (Ep) and $\alpha_{\rm pt}$ tracked the flux. These results were further strengthened using the values of the physical parameters obtained by synchrotron modeling of the data. Our earliest optical observations of both bursts using FRAM-ORM and BOOTES robotic telescopes displayed a smooth bump in their early optical light curves, consistent with the onset of the afterglow due to synchrotron emission from an external forward shock. Using the observed optical peak, we constrained the initial bulk Lorentz factors of GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C to $\Gamma_0$ = 204 and $\Gamma_0$ = 310, respectively. The present early optical observations are the earliest known observations constraining outflow parameters and our analysis indicate that VHE-detected bursts could have a diverse range of observed luminosity within the detectable redshift range of present VHE facilities.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

A nearby long gamma-ray burst from a merger of compact objects

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are flashes of high-energy radiation arising from energetic cosmic explosions. Bursts of long (>2 s) duration are produced by the core-collapse of massive stars, those of short (< 2 s) duration by the merger of two neutron stars (NSs). A third class of events with hybrid high-energy properties was identified, but never conclusively linked to a stellar progenitor. The lack of bright supernovae rules out typical core-collapse explosions, but their distance scales prevent sensitive searches for direct signatures of a progenitor system. Only tentative evidence for a kilonova has been presented. Here we report observations of the exceptionally bright GRB211211A that classify it as a hybrid event and constrain its distance scale to only 346 Mpc. Our measurements indicate that its lower-energy (from ultraviolet to near-infrared) counterpart is powered by a luminous (~1E42 erg/s) kilonova possibly formed in the ejecta of a compact binary merger.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Horizons: Nuclear Astrophysics in the 2020s and Beyond

Nuclear Astrophysics is a field at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics, which seeks to understand the nuclear engines of astronomical objects and the origin of the chemical elements. This white paper summarizes progress and status of the field, the new open questions that have emerged, and the tremendous scientific opportunities that have opened up with major advances in capabilities across an ever growing number of disciplines and subfields that need to be integrated. We take a holistic view of the field discussing the unique challenges and opportunities in nuclear astrophysics in regards to science, diversity, education, and the interdisciplinarity and breadth of the field. Clearly nuclear astrophysics is a dynamic field with a bright future that is entering a new era of discovery opportunities.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2022

Multi-wavelength study of the luminous GRB 210619B observed with Fermi and ASIM

We report on detailed multi-wavelength observations and analysis of the very bright and long GRB 210619B, detected by the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) installed on the International Space Station (ISS) and the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on-board the Fermi mission. Our main goal is to understand the radiation mechanisms and jet composition of GRB 210619B. With a measured redshift of $z$ = 1.937, we find that GRB 210619B falls within the 10 most luminous bursts observed by Fermi so far. The energy-resolved prompt emission light curve of GRB 210619B exhibits an extremely bright hard emission pulse followed by softer/longer emission pulses. The low-energy photon indices ($\alpha_{\rm pt}$) values obtained using the time-resolved spectral analysis of the burst suggest a transition between the thermal (during harder pulse) to non-thermal (during softer pulse) outflow. We examine the correlation between spectral parameters and find that both peak energy and $\alpha_{\rm pt}$ exhibit the flux tracking pattern. The late time broadband photometric dataset can be explained within the framework of the external forward shock model with $\nu_m$ $< \nu_c$ $< \nu_{x}$ (where $\nu_m$, $\nu_c$, and $\nu_{x}$ are the synchrotron peak, cooling-break, and X-ray frequencies, respectively) spectral regime supporting a rarely observed hard electron energy index ($p<$ 2). We find moderate values of host extinction of E(B-V) = 0.14 $\pm$ 0.01 mag for the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) extinction law. In addition, we also report late-time optical observations with the 10.4 m GTC placing deep upper limits for the host galaxy ($z$=1.937), favouring a faint, dwarf host for the burst.

astro-ph.HE↗