arXiv subjects

C. -C. Ngeow

Publications and source records attributed to C. -C. Ngeow.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

SN 2023zaw: the low-energy explosion of an ultra-stripped star

Most stripped-envelope supernova progenitors are thought to be formed through binary interaction, losing hydrogen and/or helium from their outer layers. Ultra-stripped supernovae are an emerging class of transient which are expected to be produced through envelope-stripping by a NS companion. However, relatively few examples are known and the outcomes of such systems can be diverse and are poorly understood at present. Here, we present spectroscopic observations and high-cadence, multi-band photometry of SN 2023zaw, a rapidly evolving supernova with a low ejecta mass discovered in a nearby spiral galaxy at D = 39.7 Mpc. It has significant Milky Way extinction, $E(B-V)_{\rm MW} = 0.21$, and significant (but uncertain) host extinction. Bayesian evidence comparison reveals that nickel is not the only power source and an additional energy source is required to explain our observations. Our models suggest an ejecta mass of $M_{\rm ej} \sim 0.07$ $\rm M_{\odot}$ and a synthesized nickel mass of $M_{\rm Ni} \sim 0.007$ $\rm M_{\odot}$ are required to explain the observations. We find that additional heating from a central engine, or interaction with circumstellar material can power the early light curve.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Discovery of the optical and radio counterpart to the fast X-ray transient EP240315a

Fast X-ray Transients (FXTs) are extragalactic bursts of soft X-rays first identified >10 years ago. Since then, nearly 40 events have been discovered, although almost all of these have been recovered from archival Chandra and XMM-Newton data. To date, optical sky surveys and follow-up searches have not revealed any multi-wavelength counterparts. The Einstein Probe, launched in January 2024, has started surveying the sky in the soft X-ray regime (0.5-4 keV) and will rapidly increase the sample of FXTs discovered in real time. Here, we report the first discovery of both an optical and radio counterpart to a distant FXT, the fourth source publicly released by the Einstein Probe. We discovered a fast-fading optical transient within the 3 arcmin localisation radius of EP240315a with the all-sky optical survey ATLAS, and our follow-up Gemini spectrum provides a redshift, z=4.859+/-0.002. Furthermore, we uncovered a radio counterpart in the S-band (3.0 GHz) with the MeerKAT radio interferometer. The optical (rest-frame UV) and radio luminosities indicate the FXT most likely originates from either a long gamma-ray burst or a relativistic tidal disruption event. This may be a fortuitous early mission detection by the Einstein Probe or may signpost a mode of discovery for high-redshift, high-energy transients through soft X-ray surveys, combined with locating multi-wavelength counterparts.

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arXiv2023

The optical light curve of GRB 221009A: the afterglow and the emerging supernova

We present extensive optical photometry of the afterglow of GRB~221009A. Our data cover $0.9 - 59.9$\,days from the time of \textit{Swift} and \textit{Fermi} GRB detections. Photometry in $rizy$-band filters was collected primarily with Pan-STARRS and supplemented by multiple 1- to 4-meter imaging facilities. We analyzed the Swift X-ray data of the afterglow and found a single decline rate power-law $f(t) \propto t^{-1.556\pm0.002}$ best describes the light curve. In addition to the high foreground Milky Way dust extinction along this line of sight, the data favour additional extinction to consistently model the optical to X-ray flux with optically thin synchrotron emission. We fit the X-ray-derived power-law to the optical light curve and find good agreement with the measured data up to $5-6$\,days. Thereafter we find a flux excess in the $riy$ bands which peaks in the observer frame at $\sim20$\,days. This excess shares similar light curve profiles to the type Ic broad-lined supernovae SN~2016jca and SN~2017iuk once corrected for the GRB redshift of $z=0.151$ and arbitrarily scaled. This may be representative of a supernova emerging from the declining afterglow. We measure rest-frame absolute peak AB magnitudes of $M_g=-19.8\pm0.6$ and $M_r=-19.4\pm0.3$ and $M_z=-20.1\pm0.3$. If this is an SN component, then Bayesian modelling of the excess flux would imply explosion parameters of $M_{\rm ej}=7.1^{+2.4}_{-1.7}$ M$_{\odot}$, $M_{\rm Ni}=1.0^{+0.6}_{-0.4}$ M$_{\odot}$, and $v_{\rm ej}=33,900^{+5,900}_{-5,700} kms^{-1}$, for the ejecta mass, nickel mass and ejecta velocity respectively, inferring an explosion energy of $E_{\rm kin}\simeq 2.6-9.0\times10^{52}$ ergs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

TESS observations of Cepheid stars: first light results

We present the first analysis of Cepheid stars observed by the TESS space mission in Sectors 1 to 5. Our sample consists of 25 pulsators: ten fundamental mode, three overtone and two double-mode classical Cepheids, plus three Type II and seven anomalous Cepheids. The targets were chosen from fields with different stellar densities, both from the Galactic field and from the Magellanic System. Three targets have 2-minute cadence light curves available by the TESS Science Processing Operations Center: for the rest, we prepared custom light curves from the full-frame images with our own differential photometric FITSH pipeline. Our main goal was to explore the potential and the limitations of TESS concerning the various subtypes of Cepheids. We detected many low amplitude features: weak modulation, period jitter, and timing variations due to light-time effect. We also report signs of non-radial modes and the first discovery of such a mode in an anomalous Cepheid, the overtone star XZ Cet, which we then confirmed with ground-based multicolor photometric measurements. We prepared a custom photometric solution to minimize saturation effects in the bright fundamental-mode classical Cepheid, $β$ Dor with the lightkurve software, and we revealed strong evidence of cycle-to-cycle variations in the star. In several cases, however, fluctuations in the pulsation could not be distinguished from instrumental effects, such as contamination from nearby sources which also varies between sectors. Finally, we discuss how precise light curve shapes will be crucial not only for classification purposes but also to determine physical properties of these stars.

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arXiv2018

SN 2017ens: The Metamorphosis of a Luminous Broad-lined Type Ic Supernova into an SN IIn

We present observations of supernova (SN) 2017ens, discovered by the ATLAS survey and identified as a hot blue object through the GREAT program. The redshift z=0.1086 implies a peak brightness of M_g=-21.1 mag, placing the object within the regime of superluminous supernovae. We observe a dramatic spectral evolution, from initially being blue and featureless, to later developing features similar to those of the broadlined Type Ic SN 1998bw, and finally showing ~2000 km s^-1 wide H-alpha and H-beta emission. Relatively narrow Balmer emission (reminiscent of a SN IIn) is present at all times. We also detect coronal lines, indicative of a dense circumstellar medium. We constrain the progenitor wind velocity to ~50-60 km s^-1 based on P-Cygni profiles, which is far slower than those present in Wolf-Rayet stars. This may suggest that the progenitor passed through a luminous blue variable phase, or that the wind is instead from a binary companion red supergiant star. At late times we see the ~2000 km s^-1 wide H-alpha emission persisting at high luminosity (~3x10^40 erg s^-1) for at least 100 day, perhaps indicative of additional mass loss at high velocities that could have been ejected by a pulsational pair instability.

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arXiv2018

Time-series analyses of Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables in the wide-field variability surveys

We discuss time-series analyses of classical Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds at multiple wavelengths. We adopt the Fourier decomposition method to quantify the structural changes in the light curves of Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables. A quantitative comparison of Cepheid Fourier parameters suggests that the canonical mass-luminosity models that lie towards the red-edge of the instability strip show a greater offset with respect to observations for short-period Cepheids. RR Lyrae models are consistent with observations in most period bins. We use ensemble light curve analysis to predict the physical parameters of observed Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables using machine learning methods. Our preliminary results suggest that the posterior distributions of mass, luminosity, temperature and radius for Cepheids and RR Lyraes can be well-constrained for a given metal abundance, provided a smoother grid of models is adopted in various input physical parameters.

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arXiv2018

Near-infrared observations of OGLE classical and type II Cepheid variables in the LMC

We present results from the Large Magellanic Cloud Near-infrared Synoptic Survey (LMCNISS) for classical and type II Cepheid variables that were identified by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE-III) catalogue. Multiwavelength time-series data for classical Cepheid variables are used to study light-curve structures as a function of period and wavelength. We exploit a sample of $\sim$1400 classical and $\sim$80 type II Cepheid variables to derive Period--Wesenheit relations that combine both optical and near-infrared data. The new Period--Luminosity and Wesenheit relations are used to estimate distances to several Local Group galaxies (using classical Cepheids) and to Galactic globular clusters (using type II Cepheids). By appealing to a statistical framework, we find that fundamental-mode classical Cepheid Period--Luminosity relations are non-linear around 10--18 days at optical and near-IR wavelengths. We also suggest that a non-linear relation provides a better constraint on the Cepheid Period--Luminosity relation in type Ia Supernovae host galaxies, though it has a negligible effect on the systematic uncertainties affecting the local measurement of the Hubble constant.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Multiwavelength light curve analysis of Cepheid variables

We present results from a detailed analysis of theoretical and observed light curves of classical Cepheid variables in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. Theoretical light curves of Cepheid variables are based on non-linear convective hydrodynamical pulsation models and the observational data are taken from the ongoing wide-field variability surveys. The variation in theoretical and observed light curve parameters as a function of period, wavelength and metallicity is used to constrain the input physics to the pulsation models, such as the mass-luminosity relations obeyed by Cepheid variables. We also account for the variation in the convective efficiency as input to the stellar pulsation models and its impact on the theoretical amplitudes and Period-Luminosity relations for Cepheid variables.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

The Dark Energy Survey Image Processing Pipeline

The Dark Energy Survey (DES) is a five-year optical imaging campaign with the goal of understanding the origin of cosmic acceleration. DES performs a 5000 square degree survey of the southern sky in five optical bands (g,r,i,z,Y) to a depth of ~24th magnitude. Contemporaneously, DES performs a deep, time-domain survey in four optical bands (g,r,i,z) over 27 square degrees. DES exposures are processed nightly with an evolving data reduction pipeline and evaluated for image quality to determine if they need to be retaken. Difference imaging and transient source detection are also performed in the time domain component nightly. On a bi-annual basis, DES exposures are reprocessed with a refined pipeline and coadded to maximize imaging depth. Here we describe the DES image processing pipeline in support of DES science, as a reference for users of archival DES data, and as a guide for future astronomical surveys.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2017

Illuminating Gravitational Waves: A Concordant Picture of Photons from a Neutron Star Merger

Merging neutron stars offer an exquisite laboratory for simultaneously studying strong-field gravity and matter in extreme environments. We establish the physical association of an electromagnetic counterpart EM170817 to gravitational waves (GW170817) detected from merging neutron stars. By synthesizing a panchromatic dataset, we demonstrate that merging neutron stars are a long-sought production site forging heavy elements by r-process nucleosynthesis. The weak gamma-rays seen in EM170817 are dissimilar to classical short gamma-ray bursts with ultra-relativistic jets. Instead, we suggest that breakout of a wide-angle, mildly-relativistic cocoon engulfing the jet elegantly explains the low-luminosity gamma-rays, the high-luminosity ultraviolet-optical-infrared and the delayed radio/X-ray emission. We posit that all merging neutron stars may lead to a wide-angle cocoon breakout; sometimes accompanied by a successful jet and sometimes a choked jet.

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arXiv2014

Kepler photometry of RRc stars: peculiar double-mode pulsations and period doubling

We present the analysis of four first overtone RR Lyrae stars observed with the Kepler space telescope, based on data obtained over nearly 2.5yr. All four stars are found to be multiperiodic. The strongest secondary mode with frequency f_2 has an amplitude of a few mmag, 20 - 45 times lower than the main radial mode with frequency f_1. The two oscillations have a period ratio of P_2/P_1 = 0.612 - 0.632 that cannot be reproduced by any two radial modes. Thus, the secondary mode is nonradial. Modes yielding similar period ratios have also recently been discovered in other variables of the RRc and RRd types. These objects form a homogenous group and constitute a new class of multimode RR Lyrae pulsators, analogous to a similar class of multimode classical Cepheids in the Magellanic Clouds. Because a secondary mode with P_2/P_1 ~ 0.61 is found in almost every RRc and RRd star observed from space, this form of multiperiodicity must be common. In all four Kepler RRc stars studied, we find subharmonics of f_2 at ~1/2 f_2 and at ~3/2 f_2. This is a signature of period doubling of the secondary oscillation, and is the first detection of period doubling in RRc stars. The amplitudes and phases of f_2 and its subharmonics are variable on a timescale of 10 - 200d. The dominant radial mode also shows variations on the same timescale, but with much smaller amplitude. In three Kepler RRc stars we detect additional periodicities, with amplitudes below 1mmag, that must correspond to nonradial g-modes. Such modes never before have been observed in RR Lyrae variables.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2012

The Blanco Cosmology Survey: Data Acquisition, Processing, Calibration, Quality Diagnostics and Data Release

The Blanco Cosmology Survey (BCS) is a 60 night imaging survey of $\sim$80 deg$^2$ of the southern sky located in two fields: ($α$,$δ$)= (5 hr, $-55^{\circ}$) and (23 hr, $-55^{\circ}$). The survey was carried out between 2005 and 2008 in $griz$ bands with the Mosaic2 imager on the Blanco 4m telescope. The primary aim of the BCS survey is to provide the data required to optically confirm and measure photometric redshifts for Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect selected galaxy clusters from the South Pole Telescope and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope. We process and calibrate the BCS data, carrying out PSF corrected model fitting photometry for all detected objects. The median 10$σ$ galaxy (point source) depths over the survey in $griz$ are approximately 23.3 (23.9), 23.4 (24.0), 23.0 (23.6) and 21.3 (22.1), respectively. The astrometric accuracy relative to the USNO-B survey is $\sim45$ milli-arcsec. We calibrate our absolute photometry using the stellar locus in $grizJ$ bands, and thus our absolute photometric scale derives from 2MASS which has $\sim2$% accuracy. The scatter of stars about the stellar locus indicates a systematics floor in the relative stellar photometric scatter in $griz$ that is $\sim$1.9%, $\sim$2.2%, $\sim$2.7% and$\sim$2.7%, respectively. A simple cut in the AstrOmatic star-galaxy classifier {\tt spread\_model} produces a star sample with good spatial uniformity. We use the resulting photometric catalogs to calibrate photometric redshifts for the survey and demonstrate scatter $δz/(1+z)=0.054$ with an outlier fraction $η<5$% to $z\sim1$. We highlight some selected science results to date and provide a full description of the released data products.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The complex case of V445 Lyr observed with Kepler: Two Blazhko modulations, a non-radial mode, possible triple mode RR Lyrae pulsation, and more

Rapid and strong changes in the Blazhko modulation of RR Lyrae stars, as they have recently been detected in high precision satellite data, have become a crucial topic in finding an explanation of the long-standing mystery of the Blazhko effect. We present here an analysis of the most extreme case detected so far, the RRab star V445 Lyr (KIC 6186029) which was observed with the Kepler space mission. V445 Lyr shows very strong cycle-to-cycle changes in its Blazhko modulation, which are caused both by a secondary long-term modulation period as well as irregular variations. In addition to the complex Blazhko modulation, V445 Lyr also shows a rich spectrum of additional peaks in the frequency range between the fundamental pulsation and the first harmonic. Among those peaks, the second radial overtone could be identified, which, combined with a metallicity estimate of [Fe/H]=-2.0 dex from spectroscopy, allowed to constrain the mass (0.55-0.65 M_sun) and luminosity (40-50 L_sun) of V445 Lyr through theoretical Petersen diagrams. A non-radial mode as well as possibly the first overtone are also excited. Furthermore, V445 Lyr shows signs of the period doubling phenomenon and a long term period change. A detailed Fourier analysis along with a study of the O-C variation of V445 Lyr is presented, and the origin of the additional peaks and possible causes of the changes in the Blazhko modulation are discussed. The results are then put into context with those of the only other star with a variable Blazhko effect for which a long enough set of high precision continuous satellite data has been published so far, the CoRoT star 105288363.

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arXiv2011

Synthetic Cepheid Period-Luminosity & Period-Color Relations in Spitzer's IRAC Bands

The mid-infrared period-luminosity (P-L) relation for Cepheids will be important in the JWST era, as it holds the promise of deriving the Hubble constant within 2% accuracy. We present the synthetic P-L and period-color (P-C) relations, derived from a series of stellar pulsation models with varying helium and metallicity abundance, in the Spitzer IRAC bands. Selected synthetic P-L and P-C relations were compared to the empirical relations derived from Galactic and Large Magellanic Cloud Cepheids. We also present the empirical P-L relations based on the latest distance measurements using infrared surface brightness techniques.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

Ground-Based BVRI Follow-Up Observations of the Cepheid V1154 Cyg in Kepler's Field

The almost un-interrupted observations from Kepler Space Telescope can be used to search for Earth-size and larger planets around other stars, as well as for stellar variability and asteroseismological study. However, the Kepler's observations are carried out with a single broad-band filter, and ground-based follow-up observations are needed to complement Kepler's light curves to fully characterize the properties of the target stars. Here we present ground-based optical (BVRI) followup observations of V1154 Cyg, the only Cepheid in the Kepler field of view, and deriving basic properties of this star.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

The serendipitous observation of a gravitationally lensed galaxy at z = 0.9057 from the Blanco Cosmology Survey: The Elliot Arc

We report on the serendipitous discovery in the Blanco Cosmology Survey (BCS) imaging data of a z = 0.9057 galaxy that is being strongly lensed by a massive galaxy cluster at a redshift of z=0.3838. The lens (BCS J2352-5452) was discovered while examining i- and z-band images being acquired in October 2006 during a BCS observing run. Follow-up spectroscopic observations with the GMOS instrument on the Gemini South 8m telescope confirmed the lensing nature of this system. Using weak plus strong lensing, velocity dispersion, cluster richness N_200, and fitting to an NFW cluster mass density profile, we have made three independent estimates of the mass M_200 which are all very consistent with each other. The combination of the results from the three methods gives M_200 = (5.1 +- 1.3) x 10^14 M_Sun, which is fully consistent with the individual measurements. The final NFW concentration c_200 from the combined fit is c_200 = 5.4(+1.4 -1.1). We have compared our measurements of M_200 and c_200 with predictions for (a) clusters from Lambda_CDM simulations, (b) lensing selected clusters from simulations, and (c) a real sample of cluster lenses. We find that we are most compatible with the predictions for Lambda_CDM simulations for lensing clusters, and we see no evidence based on this one system for an increased concentration compared to Lambda_CDM. Finally, using the flux measured from the [OII]3727 line we have determined the star formation rate (SFR) of the source galaxy and find it to be rather modest given the assumed lens magnification.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

A Multiband Study of the Galaxy Populations of the First Four Sunyaev--Zeldovich Effect selected Galaxy Clusters

We present first results of an examination of the optical properties of the galaxy populations in SZE selected galaxy clusters. Using clusters selected by the South Pole Telescope survey and deep multiband optical data from the Blanco Cosmology Survey, we measure the radial profile, the luminosity function, the blue fraction and the halo occupation number of the galaxy populations of these four clusters with redshifts ranging from 0.3 to 1. Our goal is to understand whether there are differences among the galaxy populations of these SZE selected clusters and previously studied clusters selected in the optical and the X-ray. The radial distributions of galaxies in the four systems are consistent with NFW profiles with a galaxy concentration of 3 to 6. We show that the characteristic luminosities in $griz$ bands are consistent with passively evolving populations emerging from a single burst at redshift $z=3$. The faint end power law slope of the luminosity function is found to be on average $α\approx -1.2$ in griz. Halo occupation numbers (to $m^*+2$) for these systems appear to be consistent with those based on X-ray selected clusters. The blue fraction estimated to $0.36L^*$, for the three lower redshift systems, suggests an increase with redshift, although with the current sample the uncertainties are still large. Overall, this pilot study of the first four clusters provides no evidence that the galaxy populations in these systems differ significantly from those in previously studied cluster populations selected in the X-ray or the optical.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Cepheid investigations using the Kepler space telescope

We report results of initial work done on selected candidate Cepheids to be observed with the Kepler space telescope. Prior to the launch 40 candidates were selected from previous surveys and databases. The analysis of the first 322 days of Kepler photometry, and recent ground-based follow-up multicolour photometry and spectroscopy allowed us to confirm that one of these stars, V1154 Cyg (KIC 7548061), is indeed a 4.9-d Cepheid. Using the phase lag method we show that this star pulsates in the fundamental mode. New radial velocity data are consistent with previous measurements, suggesting that a long-period binary component is unlikely. No evidence is seen in the ultra-precise, nearly uninterrupted Kepler photometry for nonradial or stochastically excited modes at the micromagnitude level. The other candidates are not Cepheids but an interesting mix of possible spotted stars, eclipsing systems and flare stars.

astro-ph.SR↗