arXiv subjects

D. Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to D. Sharma.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Candidate strongly lensed type Ia supernovae in the Zwicky Transient Facility archive

Gravitationally lensed type Ia supernovae (glSNe Ia) are unique astronomical tools that can be used to study cosmological parameters, distributions of dark matter, the astrophysics of the supernovae, and the intervening lensing galaxies themselves. A small number of highly magnified glSNe Ia have been discovered by ground-based telescopes such as the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), but simulations predict that a fainter population may also exist. We present a systematic search for glSNe Ia in the ZTF archive of alerts distributed from June 1 2019 to September 1 2022. Using the AMPEL platform, we developed a pipeline that distinguishes candidate glSNe Ia from other variable sources. Initial cuts were applied to the ZTF alert photometry before forced photometry was obtained for the remaining candidates. Additional cuts were applied to refine the candidates based on their light curve colours, lens galaxy colours, and the resulting parameters from fits to the SALT2 SN Ia template. The candidates were also cross-matched with the DESI spectroscopic catalogue. Seven transients were identified that had an associated galaxy DESI redshift, which we present as glSN Ia candidates. Although superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) cannot be fully rejected as contaminants, two events, ZTF19abpjicm and ZTF22aahmovu, are significantly different from typical SLSNe and their light curves can be modelled as two-image glSN Ia systems. From this two-image modelling, we estimate time delays of 22 $\pm$ 3 and 34 $\pm$ 1 days for the two events, respectively, which suggests that we have uncovered a population of glSNe Ia with longer time delays. The pipeline is currently being applied to the live ZTF alert stream to identify and follow-up future candidates while active, and it could be the foundation for glSNe Ia searches in future surveys, such as the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Spatiotemporal evolution of a self-excited dust density wave in a nanodusty plasma under strong Havnes effect

A broad-spectrum self-excited dust density wave is experimentally studied in a vertically extended nanodusty plasma consisting of in situ grown carbonaceous nanometer sized particles. The nanodusty plasma having high particle density (of the order of 10^12-10^13 m^(-3)) is created with vertical extension up to (40+-0.1) cm and radial extension up to (5+-0.1) cm. The propagation of the self-excited dust density wave under strong Havnes effect is examined over a large axial distance (19+-0.1) cm. Time-resolved Hilbert transformation and Fast Fourier transformation techniques are used to study the spatiotemporal evolution of frequency and wave numbers along three directions from the dust void viz. axial, radial and oblique. The propagation is found to be inhomogeneous throughout the dust cloud. The phase velocity of the wave is estimated to be quite low and decreasing along the direction of propagation. This effect is attributed to the strong reduction of particle charge due to a high Havnes parameter along the propagation direction. By the estimation of average particle charge, ion density and the finite electric field throughout the nanodust cloud, a quantitative analysis of the void formation in nanodusty plasma is presented. New insights are also made regarding wave merging phenomena using time-resolved Hilbert transformation.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

Ultra slow electron holes in collisionless plasmas: stability at high ion temperature

Numerical simulations recover ultra slow electron holes (EH) of electron-acoustic genre propagating stably well below the ion acoustic speed where the ion response disallows any known pure electron perturbation. The reason of stability of EH at high ion temperature ($T_{i}> T_{e}$) is traced to the loss of neutralizing cold ion response. In a background of cold ions, $\theta=T_e/T_i\gg 1$, they have an ion compression that accelerates to jump over a forbidden velocity gap and settle on the high velocity tail of the electron distribution $f_e$, confirming to a recently identified limit of the nonlinear dispersion relation. For $\theta=T_e/T_i \le 1$, however, the warm ions begin to supplement the electron response transforming the ion compression to decompression at the hole location and triggering multiplicity of the scales in trapped electron population which prompts an immediate generalization of the basic EH theory.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Bi2Se3 Topological Insulator

We investigate the ultrafast transient absorption spectrum of Bi2Se3 topological insulator. Bi2Se3 single crystal is grown through conventional solid-state reaction routevia self-flux method. The structural properties have been studied in terms of high-resolution Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD). Detailed Rietveld analysis of PXRD of the crystal showed that sample is crystallized in the rhombohedral crystal structure with a space group of R-3m, and the lattice parameters are a=b=4.14A and c=28.7010A. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) result shows perfectly crystalline structure with layered type morphology which evidenced from surface XRD. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis determined quantitative amounts of the constituent atoms, found to be very close to their stoichiometric ratio. Further the fluence dependent nonlinear behaviour is studied by means of ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. The ultrafast spectroscopy also predicts the capability of this single crystal to generate Terahertz (THz) radiations (T-rays).

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2018

First Performance Results Of The PIP2IT MEBT 200 Ohm Kicker Prototype

The PIP-II project is a program to upgrade the Fermilab accelerator complex. The PIP-II linac includes a 2.1 MeV Medium Energy Beam Transport (MEBT) section that incorporates a unique chopping system to perform arbitrary, bunch-by-bunch removal of 162.5 MHz structured beam. The MEBT chopping system will consist of two identical kickers working together and a beam absorber. One design of two having been proposed has been a 200 Ohm characteristic impedance traveling wave dual-helix kicker driven with custom designed high-speed switches. This paper reports on the first performance results of one prototype kicker built, installed and tested with beam at the PIP-II Injector Test (PIP2IT) facility. The helix deflector design details are discussed. The electrical performance of the high-speed switch driver operating at 500 V bias is presented. Tests performed were chopping beam at 81.25 MHz for microseconds as well as with a truly arbitrary pattern for 550 $\mu$s bursts having a 45 MHz average switching rate and repeating at 20 Hz.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2018

Low Level RF Control for the PIP-II Accelerator

The PIP-II accelerator is a proposed upgrade to the Fermilab accelerator complex that will replace the existing, 400 MeV room temperature LINAC with an 800 MeV superconducting LINAC. Part of this upgrade includes a new injection scheme into the booster that levies tight requirements on the LLRF control system for the cavities. In this paper we discuss the challenges of the PIP-II accelerator and the present status of the LLRF system for this project.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2016

Observation of spatio-temporal pattern in magnetised rf plasmas

We address an experimental observation of pattern formation in a magnetised rf plasma. The experiments are carried out in a electrically grounded aluminium chamber which is housed inside a rotatable superconducting magnetic coil. The plasma is formed by applying a rf voltage in parallel plate electrodes in push-pull mode under the background of argon gas. The time evolution of plasma intensity shows that a homogeneous plasma breaks into several concentric radial spatiotemoral bright and dark rings. These rings propagate radially at considerably low pressure and a constant magnetic field. These patterns are observed to trap small dust particles/grains in their potential. Exploiting this property of the patterns, a novel technique to measure the electric field associated with the patterns is described. The resulting estimates of the corresponding field intensity are presented. At other specific discharge parameters the plasma shows a range of special type of characteristic structures observed in certain other chemical, mechanical and biological systems.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2015

Analytical Benchmarks for Precision Particle Tracking in Electric and Magnetic Rings

A set of analytical benchmarks for tracking programs is required for precision storage ring experiments. To determine the accuracy of precision tracking programs in electric and magnetic rings, a variety of analytical estimates of particle and spin dynamics in the rings were developed and compared to the numerical results of tracking simulations. Initial discrepancies in the comparisons indicated the need for improvement of several of the analytical estimates. As an example, we found that the fourth-order Runge-Kutta/Predictor-Corrector method was slow but accurate, and that it passed all the benchmarks it was tested against, often to the sub-part per billion level. Thus, high precision analytical estimates and tracking programs based on fourth-order Runge-Kutta/Predictor-Corrector integration can be used to benchmark faster tracking programs for accuracy.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2011

Design, Construction, Operation and Performance of a Hadron Blind Detector for the PHENIX Experiment

A Hadron Blind Detector (HBD) has been developed, constructed and successfully operated within the PHENIX detector at RHIC. The HBD is a Cherenkov detector operated with pure CF4. It has a 50 cm long radiator directly coupled in a window- less configuration to a readout element consisting of a triple GEM stack, with a CsI photocathode evaporated on the top surface of the top GEM and pad readout at the bottom of the stack. This paper gives a comprehensive account of the construction, operation and in-beam performance of the detector.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2009

ICT in Universities of the Western Himalayan Region in India: Status, Performance- An Assessment

The present paper describes a live project study carried out for the universities located in the western Himalayan region of India in the year 2009. The objective of this study is to undertake the task of assessment regarding initiative, utilization of ICT resources, its performance and impact in these higher educational institutions/universities. In order to answer these, initially basic four- tier framework was prepared. Followed by a questionnaire containing different ICT components 18 different groups like vision, planning, implementation, ICT infrastructure and related activities exhibiting performance. Primary data in the form of feedback on the five point scale, of the questionnaire, was gathered from six universities of the region. A simple statistical analysis was undertaken using weighted mean, to assess the ICT initiative, status and performance of various universities. In the process, a question related to Performance Indicator was identified from each group, whose Coefficient of Correlation was calculated. This study suggests that a progressive vision, planning and initiative regarding academic syllabi, ICT infrastructure, used in training the skilled human resource, is going to have a favourable impact through actual placement, research and play a dominant role at the National and International level.

cs.CY↗