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Debapriyo Syam

Publications and source records attributed to Debapriyo Syam.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

A Simple Method of Demonstration of Characteristics of Rainbows Using a Glass of Water and a Few Laser Sources

A rainbow is a captivating natural phenomenon resulting from the refraction, dispersion, and reflection of sunlight within water droplets. Traditional classroom demonstrations often focus on qualitative explanations of the formation of rainbows using prisms or water bowls. This study presents a simple experimental approach to analysing the process of rainbow formation through quantitative analysis using a cylindrical glass filled with water, graph paper, and three semiconductor laser sources emitting red, green, and blue light. By measuring the angles of minimum deviation for different wavelengths, we have found that the experimental values closely match the theoretical predictions. This method offers a hands-on, cost-effective approach to enhance students' understanding of the physics behind rainbows.

physics.ed-ph

Study of the effect of electromagnetic damping force on a magnet oscillating near a non-ferromagnetic conducting plate

We have designed an experiment that involves studying the effects of a conducting plate on the motion of an oscillating disc magnet. We have employed the video analysis method by Tracker software to investigate the variation of electromagnetic damping coefficient with distance between the plate and the magnet. This experiment can indeed serve as a valuable educational tool for undergraduate students, covering topics such as damped oscillation, electromagnetic damping, Lenz's law, and eddy currents.

physics.ed-ph

Unexplored aspects of a variational principle in electrostatics

The electrostatic field magnitude can play a role in a variational principle similar to the role of the index of refraction in geometrical optics, allowing the determination of the electric field lines. This was identified in the context of the grounded conducting sphere image problem. Assuming the knowledge of the magnitude of the electric field, in this paper we validate this principle for the general case and explore some of its consequences.

physics.class-ph

A novel method for measurement of the refractive indices of transparent solid media using laser interferometry

A novel method is proposed to measure the refractive indices (RIs) of the materials of different transparent solid state media. To exploit the advantage of non-contact measurement laser beam interferometry is used as an effective technique for this purpose. The RIs of materials are also experimentally determined with the aid of another laser based simple method. The derivations of the working formulae for both the methods are presented. The experimental values of RI of any glass sample found by the different methods are consistent with each other and fall within the range of known values of RI for glass. Both types of experiments can be set up rather easily in an undergraduate laboratory. They can supplement other methods of finding refractive index like, for example, methods based on the use of a spectrometer.

physics.ed-ph

Multifragmentation model for the production of astrophysical strangelets

Determination of baryon number (or mass) distribution of the strangelets, that may fragment out of the warm and excited strange quark matter ejected in the merger of strange stars in compact binary stellar systems in the Galaxy, is attempted here by using a statistical disassembly model. Finite mass of strange quarks is taken into account in the analysis. Resulting charges of the strangelets and the corresponding Coulomb corrections are included to get a plausible size distribution of those strangelets as they are produced in binary stellar mergers thus getting injected in the Galaxy. From this mass distribution of strangelets at their source, an approximate order of magnitude estimate for their possible flux in solar neighborhood is attempted by using a simple diffusion model for their propagation in the Galaxy. Such theoretical estimate is important in view of the ongoing efforts to detect galactic strangelets by recent satellite-borne experiments.

nucl-th

Disassembly model for the production of astrophysical strangelets

Determination of the baryon number (or mass) distribution of the strangelets, that may fragment out of the warm and excited strange quark matter (SQM) ejected in the merger of strange stars (SSs) in compact binary stellar systems of the Galaxy, is attempted by using a statistical disassembly model (SMM). Finite mass of strange quarks is taken into account in the analysis. Strangelet charge and the resulting Coulomb correction are included to get a plausible mass distribution of galactic strangelets at their source.

astro-ph.HE

Strange quark matter in cosmic ray flux and exotic events

There have been several reports of exotic nuclear fragments, with highly unusual charge to mass ratio, in cosmic ray experiments. Although there exist experimental uncertainties which make them, at best, only candidate "exotic" events, it is important to understand what they could be, if they are eventually confirmed. Among other possible explanations, some authors have interpreted them to be lumps of strange quark matter (strangelets). A major problem with such an interpretation is that to reach the earth's surface, they must possess an unusually high penetrability through the terrestrial atmosphere. We show that a recently proposed mechanism for the propagation of strangelets through the earth's atmosphere, together with a proper account of charge capture and ionisation loss, would solve this problem. We also argue that this could lead to viable strategies for definitive detection of strange quark matter in cosmic ray flux using a ground based large area array of passive detectors.

astro-ph

Can cosmic strangelets reach the earth?

The mechanism for the propagation of strangelets with low baryon number through the atmosphere of the Earth has been explored. It has been shown that under suitable initial conditions, such strangelets may indeed reach depths near mountain altitudes with mass numbers and charges close to the observed values in cosmic ray experiments.

hep-ph