arXiv subjects

Projjwal Banerjee

Publications and source records attributed to Projjwal Banerjee.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

HR-GO II: chemical abundances of low-$E$ retrograde dynamically-tagged-groups: Revealing Thamnos as a very metal-poor substructure

Milky Way halo substructures identified in dynamical space are known to suffer from contamination from the Milky Way in-situ stars, which makes their accreted origins uncertain. We present detailed chemical abundances of 35 stars belonging to two sets of dynamically tagged groups, Rg8 and Rg9, to investigate their accreted nature. Both groups are composed of stars with low orbital energy and very retrograde orbits. We find that Rg8 and Rg9 are chemically indistinguishable across all elements, from C to Eu, strongly indicating that they belong to the same structure. The iron-abundance distribution of this low-$E$ retrograde group has a prominent peak at [Fe/H] $\approx-2.1$, revealing that its main population is very metal-poor, and a secondary peak at [Fe/H] $\approx-1.5$, very likely due to contamination from Milky Way in-situ stars. These groups also heavily overlap with the Thamnos substructure in dynamical space, and we thus use them to investigate the chemical properties of Thamnos. The dominant, low-metallicity population provides strong evidence for the ex-situ origin of Thamnos, as well as its very metal-poor nature. We do not see any evidence of an $\alpha$ knee in our sample, which is consistent with previous studies. Comparison with the Cetus-Palca stream in the chemical space shows similar abundance distributions, and thus it suggests that the Thamnos progenitor dwarf galaxy had a truncated star formation history due to its early merger with the Milky Way.

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arXiv2024

Origin of $\alpha$-Poor Very Metal-Poor Stars

Among very metal-poor (VMP) stars, $\alpha$-poor VMP ($\alpha$PVMP) stars that have sub-solar values of ${\rm [X/Fe]}$ for Mg and other $\alpha$ elements are rare and are thought to have been formed from gas polluted by Type 1a supernova (SN 1a). However, recent analyses indicate that pure core-collapse supernova (CCSN) ejecta can also be a likely source. We perform a detailed analysis of 17 $\alpha$PVMP stars by considering six different scenarios relevant to the early Galaxy. We consider a single pair-instability supernova (PISN) and a single CCSN. Additionally, we consider the combination of ejecta from a CCSN with ejecta from another CCSN, a PISN, a near-Chandrasekhar mass (near-${\rm M_{Ch}}$) SN 1a, and a sub-Chandrasekhar mass (sub-${\rm M_{Ch}}$) SN 1a. A clear signature can only be established for sub-${\rm M_{Ch}}$ SN 1a with a near-smoking-gun signature in SDSSJ0018-0939 and a reasonably clear signature in ET0381. The majority ($82\%$) of $\alpha$PVMP stars can be explained by pure CCSN ejecta and do not require any SN 1a contribution. However, the combination of CCSN and sub-${\rm M_{Ch}}$ SN 1a ejecta can also explain most ($76\%$) of $\alpha$PVMP stars. In contrast, the combination of ejecta from CCSN with near-${\rm M_{Ch}}$ SN 1a and PISN can fit $41\%$ and $29\%$ of the stars, respectively. The single PISN scenario is strongly ruled out for all stars. Our results indicate that $\alpha$PVMP stars are equally compatible with pure CCSN ejecta and a combination of CCSN and SN 1a ejecta, with sub-${\rm M_{Ch}}$ SN 1a being roughly twice as frequent as near-${\rm M_{Ch}}$ SN 1a.

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arXiv2024

Can supernova from runaway stars mimic the signs of absorbing `super-virial' gas?

The recent detection of large column density absorption lines from highly ionized gas in a few directions through the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the Milky Way (MW) has been puzzling. The inferred temperature from these absorption lines far exceeds the virial temperature of the MW, and the column densities are also too large to be easily explained. In this paper, we propose a novel idea to explain these observations and claim that they may not have originated from the CGM, but from a totally different type of source, namely, stellar ejecta from supernovae (SNe) above the Galactic disk that happen to lie in the line of sight to the background quasars. About $\sim 20\%$ of massive OB stars (progenitors of core-collapse supernovae) are known to be runaway stars that have high ejection velocities near the Galactic plane and can end up exploding as SNe above the Galactic disk. We show that the associated reverse shock in the supernova remnant in the early non-radiative phase can heat the ejecta to temperatures of $\gtrsim 10^7\,{\rm K}$ and can naturally explain the observed high column density of ions in the observed `super-virial' phase along with $\alpha$-enriched super-solar abundance that is typical of core-collapse supernovae. However, SNe from runaway stars has a covering fraction of $\lesssim 0.7 \%$ and thus can only explain the observations along limited sightlines.

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arXiv2024

Origin of LAMOST J1010+2358 Revisited

Signature from Pop III massive stars of $140$--$260\,{\rm M_\odot}$ that end their lives as pair-instability supernovae (PISNe) are expected to be seen in very metal-poor (VMP) stars of ${\rm [Fe/H]}\leq -2$. Although thousands of VMP stars have been discovered, the identification of a VMP star with a PISN signature has been elusive. Recently, the VMP star LAMOST J1010+2358 was claimed to be the first star with a clear PISN signature. A subsequent study showed that ejecta from low-mass core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) can also fit the abundance pattern equally well and additional elements such as C and Al are required to differentiate the two sources. Follow-up observations of LAMOST J1010+2358 by two independent groups were able to detect both C and Al. Additionally, key odd elements such as Na and Sc were also detected whose abundances were found to be higher than the upper limits found in the original detection. We perform a detailed analysis of the newly observed abundance patterns by exploring various possible formation channels for VMP stars. We find that purely low-mass CCSN ejecta as well as the combination of CCSN and Type 1a SN ejecta can provide an excellent fit to the newly observed abundance pattern. Our results confirm earlier analysis that the newly observed abundance pattern is peculiar but has no signatures of PISN.

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arXiv2024

SDSSJ0018-0939: A Clear Signature of Sub-Chandrasekhar Mass Type 1a Supernova

Very metal-poor (VMP) stars (${\rm [Fe/H]}\leq -2$) that have sub-solar values of ${\rm [X/Fe]}$ for $\alpha$ elements such as Mg, Si, and Ca, are referred to as $\alpha$-poor VMP stars. They are quite rare among VMP stars and are thought to have formed from gas enriched predominantly by a single Type Ia supernovae (SN1a) in contrast to most VMP stars which are $\alpha$-enhanced and usually associated with core-collapse supernovae. The observed abundance pattern in such stars can provide a direct way to probe the nucleosynthesis in individual SN1a. Although the abundance patterns in some $\alpha$-poor VMP stars have been shown to be consistent with SN1a ejecta, a clear nucleosynthetic signature for SN1a resulting from the explosion of a near Chandrasekhar mass (near-${\rm M_{Ch}}$) or a sub-Chandrasekhar mass (sub-${\rm M_{Ch}}$) white dwarf, has not been unambiguously detected. We perform a detailed analysis of various formation channels of VMP stars and find that the $\alpha$-poor VMP star SDSSJ0018-0939, which was earlier reported as a star with potential pair-instability supernova origin, provides almost a smoking-gun signature of a sub-${\rm M_{Ch}}$ SN1a resulting from He detonation. We find that compared to other $\alpha$-poor VMP stars that were previously identified with SN1a, SDSSJ0018-0939 is the only star that has a clear and unambiguous signature of SN1a. Interestingly, our results are consistent with constraints on SN1a from recent galactic chemical evolution studies that indicate that sub-${\rm M_{Ch}}$ SN1a account for $\sim 50\hbox{--}75\,\%$ of all SN1a and are possibly the dominant channel in the early Galaxy.

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arXiv2023

On the Core-Collapse Supernova Explanation for LAMOST J1010+2358

Low-metallicity very massive stars with an initial mass of $\sim 140$--$260\, {\rm M_\odot}$ are expected to end their lives as pair-instability supernovae (PISNe). The abundance pattern resulting from a PISN differs drastically from regular core-collapse supernova (CCSN) models and is expected to be seen in very metal-poor (VMP) stars of ${\rm[Fe/H]}\lesssim -2$. Despite the routine discovery of many VMP stars, the unique abundance pattern expected from PISNe has not been unambiguously detected. The recently discovered VMP star LAMOST J1010+2358, however, shows a peculiar abundance pattern that is remarkably well fit by a PISN, indicating the potential first discovery of a bonafide star born from gas polluted by a PISN. In this paper, we study the detailed nucleosynthesis in a large set of models of CCSN of Pop III and Pop II star of metallicity ${\rm[Fe/H]}=-3$ with masses ranging from $12$--$30\,{\rm M_\odot}$. We find that the observed abundance pattern in LAMOST J1010+2358 can be fit at least equally well by CCSN models of $\sim 12$--$14\,{\rm M_\odot}$ that undergo negligible fallback following the explosion. The best-fit CCSN models provide a fit that is even marginally better than the best-fit PISN model. We conclude the measured abundance pattern in LAMOST J1010+2358 could have originated from a CCSN and therefore cannot be unambiguously identified with a PISN given the set of elements measured in it to date. We identify key elements that need to be measured in future detections in stars like LAMOST J1010+2358 that can differentiate between CCSN and PISN origin.

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arXiv2023

Rapidly Rotating Massive Pop III stars: A Solution for High Carbon Enrichment in CEMP-no Stars

Very metal-poor stars that have $[\text{Fe}/\text{H}]<-2$ and that are enhanced in C relative to Fe ($[\text{C}/\text{Fe}]>+0.7$) but have no enhancement of heavy elements ($[\text{Ba}/\text{Fe}]<0$) are known as carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP-no) stars. These stars are thought to be produced from a gas that was polluted by the supernova (SN) ejecta of the very first generation (Pop III) massive stars. The very high enrichment of C ($A(\text{C})\gtrsim 6$) observed in many of the CEMP-no stars is difficult to explain by current models of SN explosions from massive Pop III stars when a reasonable dilution of the SN ejecta, that is consistent with detailed simulation of metal mixing in minihaloes, is adopted. We explore rapidly rotating Pop III stars that undergo efficient mixing and reach a quasi-chemically homogeneous (QCH) state. We find that QCH stars can eject large amounts of C in the wind and that the resulting dilution of the wind ejecta in the interstellar medium can lead to a C enrichment of $A(\text{C})\lesssim7.75$. The core of QCH stars can produce up to an order of magnitude of more C than non-rotating progenitors of similar mass and the resulting SN can lead to a C enrichment of $A(\text{C})\lesssim7$. Our rapidly rotating massive Pop III stars cover almost the entire range of $A(\text{C})$ observed in CEMP-no stars and are a promising site for explaining the high C enhancement in the early Galaxy. Our work indicates that a substantial fraction of Pop III stars were likely rapid rotators.

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arXiv2022

The Production of Actinides in Neutron Star Mergers

Although the multimessenger detection of the neutron star merger event GW170817 confirmed that mergers are promising sites producing the majority of nature's heavy elements via the rapid neutron-capture process ($r$-process), a number of issues related to the production of translead nuclei -- the actinides -- remain to be answered. In this short review paper, we summarize the general requirements for actinide production in $r$-process and the impact of nuclear physics inputs. We also discuss recent efforts addressing the actinide production in neutron star mergers from different perspectives, including signatures that may be probed by future kilonova and $\gamma$-ray observations, the abundance scattering in metal-poor stars, and constraints put by the presence of short-lived radioactive actinides in the Solar system.

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arXiv2021

Constraints on $R$-process Nucleosynthesis from $^{129}$I and $^{247}$Cm in the Early Solar System

GW170817 has confirmed binary neutron star mergers as one of the sites for rapid neutron capture ($r$) process. However, there are large theoretical and experimental uncertainties associated with the resulting nucleosynthesis calculations and additional sites may be needed to explain all the existing observations. In this regard, abundances of short-lived radioactive isotopes (SLRIs) in the early solar system (ESS), that are synthesized exclusively by $r$-process, can provide independent clues regarding the nature of $r$-process events. In this work, we study the evolution of $r$-process SLRIs $^{129}$I and $^{247}$Cm as well as the corresponding reference isotopes $^{127}$I and $^{235}$U at the Solar location. We consider up to three different sources that have distinct $^{129}$I/$^{247}$Cm production ratios corresponding to the varied $r$-process conditions in different astrophysical scenarios. In contrast to the results found by C\^ot\'e et al. (2021), we find that $^{129}$I and $^{247}$Cm in the ESS do not come entirely from a single major event but get contributions from at least two more minor contributors. This has a dramatic effect on the evolution of the $^{129}$I/$^{247}$Cm ratio, such that the measured ESS value in meteorites may not correspond to that of the "$last$" major $r$-process event. Interestingly, however, we find that the $^{129}$I/$^{247}$Cm ratio, in combination with the observed $^{129}$I/$^{127}$I and $^{247}$Cm/$^{235}$U ratio in the ESS, can still provide important constraints on the properties of proposed $r$-process sources operating in the Milky Way.

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arXiv2020

Astromers: Nuclear Isomers in Astrophysics

We develop a method to compute thermally-mediated transition rates between the ground state and long-lived isomers in nuclei. We also establish criteria delimiting a thermalization temperature above which a nucleus may be considered a single species and below which it must be treated as two separate species: a ground state species, and an astrophysical isomer ("astromer") species. Below the thermalization temperature, the destruction rates dominate the internal transition rates between the ground state and the isomer. If the destruction rates also differ greatly from one another, the nuclear levels fall out of or fail to reach thermal equilibrium. Without thermal equilibrium, there may not be a safe assumption about the distribution of occupation probability among the nuclear levels when computing nuclear reaction rates. In these conditions, the isomer has astrophysical consequences and should be treated a separate astromer species which evolves separately from the ground state in a nucleosynthesis network. We apply our transition rate methods and perform sensitivity studies on a few well-known astromers. We also study transitions in several other isomers of likely astrophysical interest.

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arXiv2020

The chemical signature of jet-driven hypernovae

Hypernovae powered by magnetic jets launched from the surface of rapidly rotating millisecond magnetars are one of the leading models to explain broad-lined Type Ic supernovae (SNe Ic-BL), and have been implicated as an important source of metal enrichment in the early Universe. We investigate the nucleosynthesis in such jet-driven hypernovae using a parameterised, but physically motivated, approach that analytically relates an artificially injected jet energy flux to the power available from the energy in differential rotation in the proto-neutron star. We find ejected $^{56}\mathrm{Ni}$ masses of $0.05\,\mathrm{M}_\odot - 0.45\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ in our most energetic models with explosion energy $>10^{52}\,\mathrm{erg}$. This is in good agreement with the range of observationally inferred values for SNe Ic-BL. The $^{56}\mathrm{Ni}$ is mostly synthesised in the shocked stellar envelope, and is therefore only moderately sensitive to the jet composition. Jets with a high electron fraction $Y_\mathrm{e}=0.5$ eject more $^{56}\mathrm{Ni}$ by a factor of 2 than neutron-rich jets. We can obtain chemical abundance profiles in good agreement with the average chemical signature observed in extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars presumably polluted by hypernova ejecta. Notably, $\mathrm{[Zn/Fe]} \gtrsim 0.5$ is consistently produced in our models. For neutron-rich jets, there is a significant r-process component, and agreement with EMP star abundances in fact requires either a limited contribution from neutron-rich jets or a stronger dilution of r-process material in the interstellar medium than for the slow SN ejecta outside the jet. The high $\mathrm{[C/Fe]}\gtrsim 0.7$ observed in many EMP stars cannot be consistently achieved due to the large mass of iron in the ejecta, however, and remains a challenge for jet-driven hypernovae based on the magneto-rotational mechanism.

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arXiv2020

Neutron Star Mergers as the Main Source of R-process: Natal Kicks And Inside-Out Evolution to The Rescue

Binary neutron star mergers (BNSMs) is currently the most promising source of \textsl{r}-process thanks to the detection of GW170817. The estimated occurring frequency and the amount of mass ejected per merger indicate that BNSMs by itself can account for all the \textsl{r}-process enrichment in the Galaxy. However, the decreasing trend of [Eu/Fe] vs [Fe/H] of disk stars for [Fe/H]$\gtrsim -1$ in the solar neighborhood is inconsistent with the flat trend expected from BNSMs with a standard delay time distribution (DTD) $\propto t^{-1}$. This has led to the suggestion that either additional sources or modification to the DTD of BNSMs is required to match the observations. We investigate the effects of natal kicks received during the birth of neutron star binaries on the chemical evolution of \textsl{r}-process element Eu in the Milky Way by combining the results from the galactic dynamics code \textsc{galpy} with a one-zone Galactic chemical evolution model \textsc{omega}. We show that when key inputs from simulations of the inside-out disk evolution are combined with natal kicks, BNSMs can naturally reproduce the observed decreasing trend of [Eu/Fe] with [Fe/H] in the solar neighborhood without the need for modification to the DTD or additional \textsl{r}-process sources.

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arXiv2019

Dynamical Relics of the Ancient Galactic Halo

We search for dynamical substructures in the LAMOST DR3 very metal-poor (VMP) star catalog. After cross-matching with Gaia DR2, there are 3300 VMP stars with available high-quality astrometric information that have halo-like kinematics. We apply a method based on self-organizing maps to find groups clustered in the 4D space of orbital energy and angular momentum. We identify 57 dynamically tagged groups, which we label DTG-1 to DTG-57. Most of them belong to existing substructures in the nearby halo, such as the $Gaia$ Sausage or Sequoia. The stream identified by Helmi et al. is recovered, but the two disjoint portions of the substructure have distinct dynamical properties. The very retrograde substructure Rg5 found previously by Myeong et al. is also retrieved. We report 6 new DTGs with highly retrograde orbits, 2 with very prograde orbits, and 12 with polar orbits. By mapping other datasets (APOGEE halo stars, and catalogs of r-process-enhanced and CEMP stars) onto the trained neuron map, we can associate stars with detailed chemical abundances to the DTGs, and look for associations with chemically peculiar stars. The highly eccentric $Gaia$ Sausage groups contain representatives both of debris from the satellite itself (which is $\alpha$-poor) and the Splashed Disk, sent up into eccentric halo orbits from the encounter (and is $\alpha$-rich). The new prograde substructures also appear to be associated with the Splashed Disk. The DTGs belonging to the $Gaia$ Sausage host two relatively metal-rich $r$-II stars and six CEMP stars in different sub-classes, consistent with the idea that the $Gaia$ Sausage progenitor is a massive dwarf galaxy. Rg5 is dynamically associated with two highly $r$-process-enhanced stars with [Fe/H] $\sim -$3. This finding indicates that its progenitor might be an ultra-faint dwarf galaxy that has experienced $r$-process enrichment from neutron star mergers.

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arXiv2019

New \textsl{s}-process Mechanism in Rapidly-Rotating Massive Pop II Stars

We report a new mechanism for the \textsl{s} in rotating massive metal-poor stars. Our models show that above a critical rotation speed, such stars evolve in a quasi-chemically-homogeneous fashion, which gives rise to a prolific \textsl{s}-process. Rotation-induced mixing results in primary production of $^{13}$C, which subsequently makes neutrons via $^{13}\mathrm{C}(\alpha,\mathrm{n})^{16}\mathrm{O}$ during core He burning. Neutron capture can last up to $\sim 10^{13}\,\mathrm{s}$ ($\sim 3\times 10^{5}$~yr) with the peak central neutron density ranging from $\sim10^7$ to $10^{8}\,\mathrm{cm}^{-3}$. Depending on the rotation speed and the mass loss rate, a strong \textsl{s} can occur with production of elements up to Bi for progenitors with initial metallicities of $[Z]\lesssim -1.5$. This result suggests that rapidly-rotating massive metal-poor stars are likely the first site for the main \textsl{s}-process. We find that these stars can potentially explain the early onset of the \textsl{s}-process and some of the carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP-\textsl{s} and CEMP-\textsl{r/s}) stars with strong enrichment attributed to the \textsl{s} or a mixture of the \textsl{r}-process and the \textsl{s}-process.

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arXiv2019

Finding the remnants of the Milky Way's last neutron star mergers

The discovery of a binary neutron star merger (NSM) through both its gravitational wave and electromagnetic emission has revealed these events to be key sites of r-process nucleosynthesis. Here, we evaluate the prospects of finding the remnants of Galactic NSMs by detecting the gamma-ray decay lines from their radioactive r-process ejecta. We find that $^{126}$Sn, which has several lines in the energy range 415-695 keV and resides close to the second r-process peak, is the most promising isotope, because of its half-life $t_{1/2}=2.30(14)\times 10^{5}$ yr being comparable to the ages of recent NSMs. Using a Monte Carlo procedure, we predict that multiple remnants are detectable as individual sources by next-generation gamma-ray telescopes which achieve sub-MeV line sensitivities of $\sim 10^{-8}$-$10^{-6}$ $\gamma$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. However, given the unknown locations of the remnants, the most promising search strategy is a systematic survey of the Galactic plane and bulge extending to high Galactic latitudes. Individual known supernova remnants which may be mis-classified NSM remnants could also be targeted, especially those located outside the Galactic plane. Detection of a moderate sample of Galactic NSM remnants would provide important clues to unresolved issues such as the production of actinides in NSMs, properties of merging NS binaries, and even help distinguish them from rare supernovae as current Galactic r-process sources. We also investigate the diffuse flux from longer-lived nuclei (e.g. $^{182}$Hf) that could in principle trace the Galactic spatial distribution of NSMs over longer timescales, but find that the detection of the diffuse flux appears challenging even with next-generation telescopes.

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arXiv2019

The Detailed Science Case for the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer, 2019 edition

(Abridged) The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE) is an end-to-end science platform for the design, execution and scientific exploitation of spectroscopic surveys. It will unveil the composition and dynamics of the faint Universe and impact nearly every field of astrophysics across all spatial scales, from individual stars to the largest scale structures in the Universe. Major pillars in the science program for MSE include (i) the ultimate Gaia follow-up facility for understanding the chemistry and dynamics of the distant Milky Way, including the outer disk and faint stellar halo at high spectral resolution (ii) galaxy formation and evolution at cosmic noon, via the type of revolutionary surveys that have occurred in the nearby Universe, but now conducted at the peak of the star formation history of the Universe (iii) derivation of the mass of the neutrino and insights into inflationary physics through a cosmological redshift survey that probes a large volume of the Universe with a high galaxy density. MSE is positioned to become a critical hub in the emerging international network of front-line astronomical facilities, with scientific capabilities that naturally complement and extend the scientific power of Gaia, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the Square Kilometer Array, Euclid, WFIRST, the 30m telescopes and many more.

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arXiv2018

StarGO: A New Method to Identify the Galactic Origins of Halo Stars

We develop a new method StarGO (Stars' Galactic Origin) to identify the galactic origins of halo stars using their kinematics. Our method is based on self-organizing map (SOM), which is one of the most popular unsupervised learning algorithms. StarGO combines SOM with a novel adaptive group identification algorithm with essentially no free parameters. In order to evaluate our model, we build a synthetic stellar halo from mergers of nine satellites in the Milky Way. We construct the mock catalogue by extracting a heliocentric volume of 10 kpc from our simulations and assigning expected observational uncertainties corresponding to bright stars from Gaia DR2 and LAMOST DR5. We compare the results from StarGO against that from a Friends-of-Friends (FoF) based method in the space of orbital energy and angular momentum. We show that StarGO is able to systematically identify more satellites and achieve higher number fraction of identified stars for most of the satellites within the extracted volume. When applied to data from Gaia DR2, StarGO will enable us to reveal the origins of the inner stellar halo in unprecedented detail.

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arXiv2018

$s$-Process in Massive Carbon-Enhanced Metal-Poor Stars

Observations suggest that the interstellar medium (ISM) might have been highly enriched in carbon at very early times. We explore nucleosynthesis in massive carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars of $12$--$40\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ formed from such an ISM with ${\rm [Fe]}\leq-2$. We find substantial production of elements heavier than Fe, mostly up to Sr, by the weak \textsl{s}-process in stars with initial abundances of ${\rm [CNO]}\gtrsim-1.5$. Even heavier elements, up to Ba, can be produced for ${\rm [CNO]}\gtrsim-0.5$. The efficiency of this \textsl{s}-process is sensitive to the initial enhancement of C (or more generally, CNO) and mass of the star, with the yield increasing approximately linearly with the initial Fe abundance. The \textsl{s}-process in CEMP stars of $\gtrsim 20 \,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ with ${\rm [CNO]}\gtrsim -1.5$ can be an important source for heavy elements in the Early Galaxy.

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