arXiv subjects

Alak Ray

Publications and source records attributed to Alak Ray.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

SKAO and Gamma-Ray Synergies

A wide variety of Galactic and extragalactic sources are known to emitradiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including both transient and steady-state phenomena. A few hundred of these sources (~300) have been detected even at the highest energies, in the TeV range. The number of known TeV emitters is expected to increase substantially in the coming years with the operation of current and next-generation Cherenkov detectors, such as the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) and the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). These sources typically exhibit broad, non-thermal, spectral energy distributions. Explaining such emission requires efficient particle acceleration mechanisms (e.g. Fermi processes, shock acceleration) and radiative processes involving magnetic fields (e.g. synchrotron and inverse Compton radiation), often accompanied by polarization signatures. However, the relative contribution of these emission mechanisms and the underlying physical processes are still debated. In this work, we present an overview of the scientific potential arising from the synergy between the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and current and upcoming gamma-ray facilities. Combined observations across these energy bands will provide crucial insights into the physical mechanisms driving emission from GeV-TeV sources of both Galactic and extragalactic origin. These include transient events (e.g. gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, fast radio bursts, tidal disruption events, neutrino and gravitational-wave counterparts), variable sources (e.g. blazars, active galactic nuclei), and steady emitters (e.g. the Galactic centre, supernova remnants, radio galaxies, and galaxy clusters). We discuss the prospects for coordinated SKA-gamma-ray observations, including wide-field surveys, monitoring of variable sources, and target-of-opportunity follow-ups.

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arXiv2020

Type IIP Supernova Progenitors III: Blue to Red Supergiant Ratio in Low Metallicity Models with Convective Overshoot

The distribution of stars in the Hertzsprung Russell diagram (HRD) for a stellar conglomeration represents a snapshot of its evolving stellar population. Some of the supergiant stars may transit the HRD from blue to red and then again to blue during their late evolutionary stages, as exemplified by the progenitor of SN 1987A. Others may transit a given part of the HRD more than twice in a "blue loop" and end up as red supergiants before they explode. Since stars in blue loops spend a considerable part of their lives there, these stages may change the relative number of modeled supergiants in the HRD. Their lifetimes in turn depend upon the initial mass of the star, how convection in its interior is modeled, and how much mass loss takes place during its evolution. The observed ratio of the number of blue to red supergiants and yellow to red supergiants sensitively test the stellar evolution theory. We compare modeled number ratios of these supergiants with observed data from the Large Magellanic Cloud as it has a metallicity very similar to that of the environment of SN 2013ej. We successfully model these by taking into account moderate (exponential) convective overshooting. We explore its effect on the final radius and mass of the star prior to core collapse. The radius differs dramatically with overshoot. These factors controlling pre-supernova structure may affect the post-explosion optical/IR light curves and spectral development.

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arXiv2019

Type IIP Supernova Progenitors II: Stellar Mass and Obscuration by the Dust in the Circumstellar Medium

It has been well established from a variety of observations that red supergiants (RSGs) loose a lot of mass in stellar wind. Dust formed in this emitted gas over a few decades before core-collapse can lead to substantial extinction and obscure the intrinsic luminosity of the progenitor RSG. This may lead to a difficulty in determining the range of progenitor masses that lead to the different classes of supernovae. Even the nearby, well studied supernovae with pre-explosion observations, such as SN 2013ej may suffer from this uncertainty in the progenitor mass. We explore here two different masses proposed for its progenitor. We compute their pre-supernova characteristics using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). We show that a non-rotating star with the initial mass of 26 M$_{\odot}$ would require a considerable amount of circum-stellar medium (A$_V \sim$ 3) to obscure its high luminosity given the observed pre-explosion magnitudes detected by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Such a high value of visual extinction appears to be inconsistent with that derived for SN 2013ej as well as SN 2003gd in the same host galaxy M74. In contrast, the evolutionary models of lower mass (13 M$_{\odot}$) star are easily accommodated within the observed HST magnitudes. Some of the 26 M$_{\odot}$ simulations show luminosity variation in the last few years which could be discriminated by high cadence and multi-band monitoring of supernova candidates in nearby galaxies. We demonstrate that our calculations are well-resolved with adequate zoning and evolutionary time-steps.

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arXiv2019

Type IIP Supernova Progenitors and their explodability I: Convective Overshoot, Blue Loops and Surface Composition

We present the evolution of massive star progenitors of supernovae of type IIP. We take the example of the nearby and well-studied SN 2013ej. We explore how convective overshoot affects the stellar structure, surface abundances, and effective temperature of massive stars, using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). In particular models with moderate overshoot ($f$ = 0.02 to 0.031) show the presence of blue loops in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram with a red to blue [$log_{10}(T_{eff}/\rm K)$ from $< 3.6$ to $> 4.0$] excursion and transition back to red, during core helium burning phase. Models with overshoot outside this range of $f$ values kept the star in the red supergiant state throughout the post helium ignition phases. The surface CNO abundance shows enrichment post-main-sequence and again around the time when helium is exhausted in core. These evolutionary changes in surface CNO abundance are indistinguishable in the currently available observations due to large observational uncertainties. However, these observations may distinguish between the ratios of surface nitrogen to oxygen at different evolutionary stages of the star. We also compare the effects of convective overshoot on various parameters related to likelihood of explosion of a star as opposed to collapse to a black hole. These parameters are the compactness parameter, M$_4$, and $\mu_4$. Combination $\mu_4 \times $M$_4$, and $\mu_4$ have similar variation with $f$ and both peak out at $f$ = 0.032. We find that all of our 13 M$_{\odot}$ models are likely to explode.

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arXiv2017

Gravitomagnetism and Pulsar Beam Precession near a Kerr Black Hole

A rotating black hole causes the spin-axis of a nearby pulsar to precess due to geodetic and gravitomagnetic frame-dragging effects. The aim of our theoretical work here is to explore how this spin-precession can modify the rate at which pulses are received on earth. Towards this end, we obtain the complete evolution of the beam vectors of pulsars moving on equatorial circular orbits in the Kerr spacetime, relative to asymptotic fixed observers. We proceed to establish that such spin-precession effects can significantly modify observed pulse frequencies and, in specific, we find that the observed pulse frequency rises sharply as the orbit shrinks, potentially providing a new way to locate horizons of Kerr black holes, even if observed for a very short time period. We also discuss implications for detections of sub-millisecond pulsars, pulsar nulling, quasi-periodic oscillations, multiply-peaked pulsar Fourier profiles and how Kerr black holes can potentially be distinguished from naked singularities.

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arXiv2017

Modelling type IIP/IIL supernovae interacting with recent episodic mass ejections from their presupernova stars with MESA & SNEC

We show how dense compact discrete shells of circumstellar gas immediately outside the red supergiants affect the optical light curves of type II-P/II-L SNe taking the example of SN 2013ej. The earlier efforts in the literature had used an artificial circumstellar medium (CSM) stitched to the surface of an evolved star which had not gone through a phase of late-stage heavy mass loss, which in essence, is the source of the CSM to begin with. In contrast we allow enhanced mass loss rate from the modeled star during the $^{16}$O and $^{28}$Si burning stages and construct the CSM from the resulting mass-loss history in a self-consistent way. Once such evolved pre-SN stars are exploded, we find that the models with early interaction between the shock and the dense CSM reproduce the light curves far better than those without that mass loss and hence having no dense, nearby CSM. The required explosion energy for the progenitors with a dense CSM is reduced by almost a factor of two compared to those without the CSM. Our model, with a more realistic CSM profile and presupernova and explosion parameters, fits observed data much better throughout the rise, plateau and radioactive tail phases compared to previous studies. This points to an intermediate class of supernovae between type II-P/II-L and type II-n SNe with the characteristics of simultaneous UV and optical peak, slow decline after peak and a longer plateau.

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arXiv2017

Evolution and Explosion of Massive Stars Leading to IIP-IIL SNe with MESA and SNEC

We show how the dense shells of circumstellar gas immediately outside the red supergiants (RSGs) can affect the early optical light curves of Type II-P SNe taking the example of SN 2013ej. The peak in V, R and I bands, decline rate after peak and plateau length are found to be strongly influenced by the dense CSM formed due to enhanced mass loss during the oxygen and silicon burning stage of the progenitor. We find that the required explosion energy for the progenitors with CSM is reduced by almost a factor of 2.

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arXiv2016

Explosive and radio-selected Transients: Transient Astronomy with SKA and its Precursors

With the high sensitivity and wide-field coverage of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), large samples of explosive transients are expected to be discovered. Radio wavelengths, especially in commensal survey mode, are particularly well suited for uncovering the complex transient phenomena. This is because observations at radio wavelengths may suffer less obscuration than in other bands (e.g. optical/IR or X-rays) due to dust absorption. At the same time, multiwaveband information often provides critical source classification rapidly than possible with only radio band data. Therefore, multiwaveband observational efforts with wide fields of view will be the key to progress of transients astronomy from the middle 2020s offering unprecedented deep images and high spatial and spectral resolutions. Radio observations of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) with SKA will uncover not only much fainter bursts and verifying claims of sensitivity limited population versus intrinsically dim GRBs, they will also unravel the enigmatic population of orphan afterglows. The supernova rate problem caused by dust extinction in optical bands is expected to be lifted in the SKA era. In addition, the debate of single degenerate scenario versus double degenerate scenario will be put to rest for the progenitors of thermonuclear supernovae, since highly sensitive measurements will lead to very accurate mass loss estimation in these supernovae. One also expects to detect gravitationally lensed supernovae in far away Universe in the SKA bands. Radio counterparts of the gravitational waves are likely to become a reality once SKA comes online. In addition, SKA is likely to discover various new kinds of transients.

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arXiv2016

Low frequency radio observations of SN 2011dh and the evolution of its post-shock plasma properties

We present late time, low frequency observations of SN 2011dh made using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). Our observations at $325\ \rm MHz$, $610\ \rm MHz$ and $1280\ \rm MHz$ conducted between $93-421\ \rm days$ after the explosion supplement the millimeter and centimeter wave observations conducted between $4-15 \ \rm days$ after explosion using the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) and extensive radio observations ($ 1.0-36.5\ \rm GHz$) conducted between $16-93\ \rm days$ after explosion using Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). We fit a synchrotron self absorption model (SSA) to the $610\ \rm MHz$ and $1280\ \rm MHz$ radio light curves. We use it to determine the radius ($R_{\rm p}$) and magnetic field ($B_{\rm p}$) at $173$ \& $323$ days after the explosion. A comparison of the peak radio luminosity $L_{\rm op}$, with the product of the peak frequency $\nu_{\rm p}$ and time to peak $t_{\rm p}$ shows that the supernova evolves between the epochs of CARMA, JVLA and GMRT observations. It shows a general slowing down of the expansion speed of the radio emitting region on a timescale of several hundred days during which the shock is propagating through a circumstellar medium set up by a wind with a constant mass loss parameter, $\dot M/v_{\rm w}$. We derive the mass loss parameter ($A_{\star}$) based on $610\ \rm MHz$ and $1280\ \rm MHz$ radio light curves, which are found to be consistent with each other within error limits.

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arXiv2015

Inferring the composition of super-Jupiter mass companions of pulsars with radio line spectroscopy

We propose using radio line spectroscopy to detect molecular absorption lines (such as OH at 1.6-1.7 GHz) before and after the total eclipse of black widow (BW) and other short orbital period binary pulsars with low mass companions. The companion in such a binary may be ablated away by energetic particles and high energy radiation produced by the pulsar wind. The observations will probe the eclipsing wind being ablated by the pulsar and constrain the nature of the companion and its surroundings. Maser emission from the interstellar medium stimulated by a pulsar beam might also be detected from the intrabinary medium. The short temporal resolution allowed by the millisecond pulsars can probe this medium with the high angular resolution of the pulsar beam.

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arXiv2015

Probing Final Stages of Stellar Evolution with X-Ray Observations of SN 2013ej

Massive stars shape their surroundings with mass loss from winds during their lifetimes. Fast ejecta from supernovae, from these massive stars, shocks this circumstellar medium. Emission generated by this interaction provides a window into the final stages of stellar evolution, by probing the history of mass loss from the progenitor. Here we use Chandra and Swift x-ray observations of the type II-P/L SN 2013ej to probe the history of mass loss from its progenitor. We model the observed x-rays as emission from both heated circumstellar matter and supernova ejecta. The circumstellar density profile probed by the supernova shock reveals a history of steady mass loss during the final 400 years. The inferred mass loss rate of $3 \times 10^{-6} {\rm \; M_\odot \; yr^{-1}}$ points back to a 14 $M_\odot$ progenitor. Soon after the explosion we find significant absorption of reverse shock emission by a cooling shell. The column depth of this shell observed in absorption provides an independent and consistent measurement of the circumstellar density seen in emission. We also determine the efficiency of cosmic ray acceleration from x-rays produced by Inverse Compton scattering of optical photons by relativistic electrons. Only about 1 percent of the thermal energy is used to accelerate electrons. Our x-ray observations and modeling provides stringent tests for models of massive stellar evolution and micro-physics of shocks.

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arXiv2015

SN 2013ej - A type IIL supernova with weak signs of interaction

We present optical photometric and spectroscopic observations of supernova 2013ej. It is one of the brightest type II supernovae exploded in a nearby ($\sim 10$ Mpc) galaxy NGC 628. The light curve characteristics are similar to type II SNe, but with a relatively shorter ($ \sim85 $ day) and steeper ($ \sim1.7 $ mag (100 d)$^{-1} $ in V) plateau phase. The SN shows a large drop of 2.4 mag in V band brightness during plateau to nebular transition. The absolute ultraviolet (UV) light curves are identical to SN 2012aw, showing a similar UV plateau trend extending up to 85 days. The radioactive $^{56}$Ni mass estimated from the tail luminosity is $ 0.02 $M$_{\odot}$ which is significantly lower than typical type IIP SNe. The characteristics of spectral features and evolution of line velocities indicate that SN 2013ej is a type II event. However, light curve characteristics and some spectroscopic features provide strong support in classifying it as a type IIL event. A detailed SYNOW modelling of spectra indicates the presence of some high velocity components in H$\alpha$ and H$\beta$ profiles, implying possible ejecta-CSM interaction. The nebular phase spectrum shows an unusual notch in the H$\alpha$ emission which may indicate bipolar distribution of $^{56}$Ni. Modelling of the bolometric light curve yields a progenitor mass of $ \sim14 $M$_{\odot}$ and a radius of $ \sim450 $R$_{\odot}$, with a total explosion energy of $ \sim2.3\times10^{51} $ erg.

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arXiv2014

A Missing-Link in the Supernova-GRB Connection: The Case of SN 2012ap

Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are characterized by ultra-relativistic outflows, while supernovae are generally characterized by non-relativistic ejecta. GRB afterglows decelerate rapidly usually within days, because their low-mass ejecta rapidly sweep up a comparatively larger mass of circumstellar material. However supernovae, with heavy ejecta, can be in nearly free expansion for centuries. Supernovae were thought to have non-relativistic outflows except for few relativistic ones accompanied by GRBs. This clear division was blurred by SN 2009bb, the first supernova with a relativistic outflow without an observed GRB. Yet the ejecta from SN 2009bb was baryon loaded, and in nearly-free expansion for a year, unlike GRBs. We report the first supernova discovered without a GRB, but with rapidly decelerating mildly relativistic ejecta, SN 2012ap. We discovered a bright and rapidly evolving radio counterpart driven by the circumstellar interaction of the relativistic ejecta. However, we did not find any coincident GRB with an isotropic fluence of more than a sixth of the fluence from GRB 980425. This shows for the first time that central engines in type Ic supernovae, even without an observed GRB, can produce both relativistic and rapidly decelerating outflows like GRBs.

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arXiv2014

Detecting gravitational waves from the galactic center with Pulsar Timing

Black holes orbiting the Super Massive Black Hole (SMBH) Sgr A* in the Milky-way galaxy center (GC) generate gravitational waves. The spectrum, due to stars and black holes, is continuous below 40 nHz while individual BHs within about 200 AU of the central SMBH stick out in the spectrum at higher frequencies. The GWs can be detected by timing radio pulsars within a few parsecs of this region. Future observations with the Square Kilometer Array of such pulsars with sufficient timing accuracy may be sensitive to signals from intermediate mass BHs (IMBH) in a 3 year observation baseline. The recent detection of radio pulsations from the magnetar SGR J1745-29 very near the GC opens up the possibilities of detecting millisecond pulsars (which can be used as probes of the GWs) through lines of sight with only moderate pulse and angular broadening due to scattering.

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arXiv2013

Electron Cooling in a Young Radio Supernova: SN 2012aw

We present the radio observations and modeling of an optically bright Type II-P supernova (SN), SN 2012aw which exploded in the nearby galaxy Messier 95 (M95) at a distance of $10\ \rm Mpc$. The spectral index values calculated using $C$, $X$ & $K$ bands are smaller than the expected values for optically thin regime. During this time the optical bolometric light curve stays in the plateau phase. We interpret the low spectral index values to be a result of electron cooling. On the basis of comparison between Compton cooling timescale and Synchrotron cooling timescale we find that inverse Compton cooling process dominates over synchrotron cooling process. We therefore model the radio emission as synchrotron emission from a relativistic electron population with a high energy cutoff. The cutoff is determined by comparing the electron cooling time scale $t_{cool}$ and the acceleration time scale $\tilde t_{acc}$. We constrain the mass loss rate in the wind ($\dot M\sim 1.9\times10^{-6}\ \rm M_{\odot}yr^{-1}$) and the equipartition factor between relativistic electrons and the magnetic field ($\tilde \alpha=\epsilon_e/\epsilon_B\sim 1.12\times10^2$) through our modeling of radio emission. Although the time of explosion is fairly well constrained by optical observations within about $2\ \rm days$, we explore the effect of varying the time of explosion to best fit the radio light curves. The best fit is obtained for the explosion date as 2012 March 15.3 UT.

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arXiv2013

The progenitor of SN 2011ja: Clues from circumstellar interaction

Massive stars, possibly red supergiants, which retain extended hydrogen envelopes until core collapse, produce Type II Plateau (IIP) supernovae. The ejecta from these explosions shock the circumstellar matter originating from the mass loss of the progenitor during the final phases of its life. This interaction accelerates particles to relativistic energies which then lose energy via synchrotron radiation in the shock-amplified magnetic fields and inverse Compton scattering against optical photons from the supernova. These processes produce different signatures in the radio and X-ray part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Observed together, they allow us to break the degeneracy between shock acceleration and magnetic field amplification. In this work we use X-rays observations from the Chandra and radio observations from the ATCA to study the relative importance of processes which accelerate particles and those which amplify magnetic fields in producing the non-thermal radiation from SN 2011ja. We use radio observations to constrain the explosion date. Multiple Chandra observations allow us to probe the history of variable mass loss from the progenitor. The ejecta expands into a low density bubble followed by interaction with a higher density wind from a red supergiant consistent with ZAMS mass greater than 16 solar masses. Our results suggest that a fraction of type IIP supernovae may interact with circumstellar media set up by non-steady winds.

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arXiv2012

X-Ray emission from SN 2004dj: A Tale of Two Shocks

Type IIP (Plateau) Supernovae are the most commonly observed variety of core collapse events. They have been detected in a wide range of wavelengths from radio, through optical to X-rays. The standard picture of a type IIP supernova has the blastwave interacting with the progenitor's circumstellar matter to produce a hot region bounded by a forward and a reverse shock. This region is thought to be responsible for most of the X-ray and radio emission from these objects. Yet the origin of X-rays from these supernovae is not well understood quantitatively. The relative contributions of particle acceleration and magnetic field amplification in generating the X-ray and radio emission need to be determined. In this work we analyze archival Chandra observations of SN 2004dj, the nearest supernova since SN 1987A, along with published radio and optical information. We determine the pre-explosion mass loss rate, blastwave velocity, electron acceleration and magnetic field amplification efficiencies. We find that a greater fraction of the thermal energy goes into accelerating electrons than into amplifying magnetic fields. We conclude that the X-ray emission arises out of a combination of inverse Compton scattering by non-thermal electrons accelerated in the forward shock and thermal emission from supernova ejecta heated by the reverse shock.

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arXiv2011

Mapping the Galactic Center with Gravitational Wave Measurements using Pulsar Timing

We examine the nHz gravitational wave (GW) foreground of stars and black holes (BHs) orbiting SgrA* in the Galactic Center. A cusp of stars and BHs generates a continuous GW spectrum below 40 nHz; individual BHs within 1 mpc to SgrA* stick out in the spectrum at higher GW frequencies. The GWs and gravitational near-field effects can be resolved by timing pulsars within a few pc of this region. Observations with the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) may be especially sensitive to intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) in this region, if present. A 100ns-10mus timing accuracy is sufficient to detect BHs of mass 1000 Msun with pulsars at distance 0.1-1 pc in a 3 yr observation baseline. Unlike electromagnetic imaging techniques, the prospects for resolving individual objects through GW measurements improve closer to SgrA*, even if the number density of objects increases inwards steeply. Scattering by the interstellar medium will pose the biggest challenge for such observations.

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