arXiv subjects

Anshuman Verma

Publications and source records attributed to Anshuman Verma.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Relativistic Oblique Shocks at Finite Temperature: Detachment Angle, Shock Polars, and the Turning Parameter

Oblique shocks are ubiquitous in high-energy astrophysical environments, yet a systematic analytical treatment of how finite upstream temperature influences the maximum deflection angle has been lacking. We address this problem by developing a unified thermodynamic framework based on a novel dimensionless quantity, the turning parameter, which encapsulates the equation of state, upstream Mach number, and thermal state of the flow into a single variable. Starting from the relativistic Rankine-Hugoniot conditions and the Taub adiabat, we derive a compact turning relation and a first-order perturbative expansion in the upstream thermal parameter. We show that any finite upstream temperature monotonically suppresses the maximum deflection angle relative to the cold-fluid limit, implying that cold models systematically overestimate shock attachment. In the combined ultra-thermal and ultra-relativistic limit, the turning parameter saturates to a universal value, yielding an asymptotic detachment angle that depends only on the equation of state. Numerical shock-polar calculations validate the analytical results and reveal a non-monotonic dependence of the detachment angle on the Mach number at intermediate temperatures, arising from the competition between thermal pressure and bulk kinetic energy-a distinctly relativistic thermal effect absent in both the cold and ultra-hot limits. As an illustrative astrophysical application, we apply the framework to the Crab pulsar wind nebula, demonstrating how finite-temperature effects modify the termination-shock morphology and the observed torus geometry.

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arXiv2026

Curvature Effect on the Speed of Sound

The speed of sound refers to the rate at which information travels from one point to another. It is a positive quantity and bounded by causality. It is defined as the rate of change of pressure with respect to the system's density. In this article, we derive a covariant equation for the sound wave and demonstrate how the wave equation is modified in the general relativistic formalism. One can then define an effective speed of sound by attenuating the usual definition of sound speed with the gravitational metric potential. The general relativistic curvature effect is observed to reduce the speed of sound when computed inside a neutron star. This effectively makes the star relatively softer (according to the equation of state). The change in the effective sound speed can be easily visualised if one redefines the non-radial modes in terms of it. The modes do not change, but the space-time curvature reduces the amplitude of the oscillation modes. The formalism is suited for studying astrophysical compact objects.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Modification of the universal relation between mass, radius and nonradial $f$-mode oscillation in proto-neutron stars

Neutron stars are usually assumed to be cold; however, in certain dynamical astrophysical scenarios such as newly born neutron stars or binary star mergers, the temperature effects play a non-negligible role. We systematically derive the equation of state at finite-temperature within a relativistic mean-field hadronic model applicable to such proto-neutron stars. The equation of state so derived considerably affects the mass-radius curve, thereby affecting the nonradial quadruple $f$-mode oscillation frequencies.} Temperature effectively makes the equation of state stiffer at relatively low and intermediate densities, thereby making the star less compact and flattening the mass-radius curve. The $f$-mode frequency for low and intermediate-mass neutron stars decreases with temperature and thus should be easier to detect. The universal relation (connecting $f$-mode frequency, mass, and radius) changes nonlinearly with temperature. The parameters defining the universal relation [$ωM = a(T) \left(\frac{M}{R}\right) + b(T)$] becomes temperature dependent with the coefficients following a parabolic relation with temperature.

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arXiv2025

Probing the Internal Structure of Neutron Stars: A Comparative Analysis of Three Different Classes of Equations of State

Sound speed can be an important tool in unraveling the nature of matter that exists at the cores of neutron stars. In this study, we investigate three major classes of equations of state; monotonous, non-monotonous and discontinuous depending on the nature of the sound speed in neutron stars. The monotonous EoS refers to hadronic models, the non-monotonous refers to the quarkyonic or smooth crossover models and discontinuous refers to discontinuous first-order phase transition models. We generate a large ensemble of EoS for three classes with the model agnostic speed of sound interpolation approach. Our main aim is to check which class of EoS is most favoured by present astrophysical bounds. It is seen that although non-monotonous and discontinuous is favoured thermodynamically, the usual neutron star observations like mass-radius, and f-mode oscillation fail to provide a satisfactory result. The universal relations are also seen to be futile as they show considerable spread and significant overlaps among the different classes. The Bayesian analysis shows slight bias towards the non-monotonous model but fails to provide a decisive answer.

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arXiv2025

Comparison of Equations of State for Neutron Stars with First-Order Phase Transitions: A Qualitative Study

The equation of state is fundamental in describing matter under the extreme conditions characteristic of neutron stars and is central to advancing our understanding of dense matter physics. A critical challenge, however, lies in accurately modelling first-order phase transitions while ensuring thermodynamic consistency and aligning with astrophysical observations. This study explores two frameworks for constructing EoSs with first-order phase transitions: the polytropic interpolation method and the randomized speed-of-sound interpolation approach. It is found that the mass-radius relation and pressure vs. energy density relation are blind towards the thermodynamic consistency check. The polytropic interpolation method can exhibit discontinuities in the chemical potential for first-order phase transition, raising concerns regarding potential causality violations and thermodynamic inconsistencies. In contrast, the speed of sound interpolation approach ensures continuity in the chemical potential, offering a more thermodynamically consistent and reliable framework. Moreover, the sound speed method effectively captures the softer segment of the mass-radius spectrum, a capability not achieved by the consistent piecewise-polytropic approach due to its monotonic stiffness constraints. The speed of sound definition involving number density and chemical potential reveals the thermodynamic inconsistency, making it a more consistent and robust definition. These findings underscore the importance of thermodynamic consistency in EoS construction and highlight the advantages of the randomized speed-of-sound method for modelling phase transitions in dense matter.

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arXiv2024

Effect of Magnetised Discontinuity on Diffusive Shock Acceleration

We investigate the impact of magnetic fields and diffusion mechanisms on the energy spectra of particles accelerated via diffusive shock acceleration. We analyse magnetised shock jump conditions and demonstrate how magnetisation and angular dependence modify upstream and downstream velocities, which enter the transport equation within a Monte Carlo simulation framework. We consider constant, momentum-dependent, and pitch-angle-dependent diffusion coefficients to assess their influence on particle acceleration. Our results show that magnetic fields enhance particle confinement and facilitate more efficient energy gain. In the absence of magnetisation, particle spectra tend to be steeper due to rapid escape and weaker scattering effects, whereas magnetised shocks systematically produce flatter spectra across all diffusion models. Among them, pitch-angle-dependent diffusion leads to the strongest spectral flattening, underscoring its role in sustaining extended acceleration. It is also seen that an increased upstream pressure, associated with enhanced magnetic turbulence, broadens the spectral range by improving particle scattering efficiency and enabling multiple shock crossings. As the shock inclination angle increases, the velocity contrast between upstream and downstream regions diminishes, modulating the spatial extent of the acceleration zone. Notably, pitch-angle-dependent diffusion remains robust under varying shock conditions, ensuring sustained acceleration.

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arXiv2022

The importance of general relativistic shock calculation in the light of neutron star physics

Numerical simulation of hydrodynamic equations forms the central part of solving various modern astrophysical problems. In the case of shocks, one can have either dynamical equations or jump conditions (the conservation equations without any time evolution). The solution of the jump condition in curve space-time is derived and analyzed in detail in the present work. We also derive the Taub adiabat or combustion adiabat equation from the jump condition. We have analyzed both time-like and space-like shocks in the present work. We find that the change in entropy for the weak shocks for curved space-time is small similar to that for flat space-time. We also find that for general relativistic space-like shocks, the Chapman-Jouguet point does not necessarily correspond to the sonic point for downstream matter, unlike the relativistic case. To analyze the shock wave solution for the curved space-time, one needs the information of metric potentials describing the space-time, which for the present work is taken to be a neutron star. We assume that a shock wave is generated at the centre of the star and is propagating outward. As the shock wave is propagating outwards, it combusts nuclear matter to quark matter, and we have a combustion scenario. We find that the general relativistic treatment of shock conditions is necessary to study shocks in neutron stars so that the results are consistent with the solution of the TOV equation while calculating the maximum mass for a given equation of state. We also find that with such general relativistic treatment, the combustion process in neutron stars is always a detonation.

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arXiv2021

General relativistic shocks in connection with neutron stars

Astrophysical shocks are very common and are interesting as they are responsible for particle acceleration in supernovas, blazers, and neutron stars. In this work, we study general relativistic shocks from the frame of the front. We derive the jump conditions and the Taub adiabat equation for both the space-like and time-like shocks. We solve these equations in a neutron star system where the shock is followed by a combustion front which is deconfining hadronic matter to quark matter. The maximum mass of the daughter quark star (generated from the combustion of the parent neutron star) is consistent with the maximum mass limit for the EoS sequence. We find that matter velocities for GR shocks under suitable conditions can break the speed of light limit indicating a very fast combustion process. Also, the matter velocities imply that for space-like shocks the combustion process is most probably a deflagration and for time-like shocks, it is a detonation and can even proceed with velocities that are super-luminous.

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