arXiv subjects

R. Ramesh

Publications and source records attributed to R. Ramesh.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Low frequency radio observations of the `quiet' corona during the descending phase of sunspot cycle 24

We carried out a statistical study of the `quiet' solar corona during the descending phase of the sunspot cycle 24 (i.e. 2015 January - 2019 May) using data obtained with the Gauribidanur RAdioheliograPH (GRAPH) at 53 MHz and 80 MHz simultaneously. Our results show that the equatorial (east-west) diameters of the solar corona at the above two frequencies shrunk steadily. The decrease was found to be due to a gradual reduction in the coronal electron density ($N_{e}$). Independent estimates of $N_{e}$ in the equatorial region of the `background' corona using white-light coronagraph observations indicate a decline consistent with our findings.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Possible Scale Invariant Linear Magnetoresistance in Pyrochlore Iridates Bi$_2$Ir$_2$O$_7$

We report the observation of a linear magnetoresistance in single crystals and epitaxial thin films of the pyrochlore iridate Bi$_2$Ir$_2$O$_7$. The linear magnetoresistance is positive and isotropic at low temperatures, without any sign of saturation up to 35 Tesla. As temperature increases, the linear field dependence gradually evolves to a quadratic field dependence. The temperature and field dependence of magnetoresistance of Bi$_2$Ir$_2$O$_7$ bears strikingly resemblance to the scale invariant magnetoresistance observed in the strange metal phase in high Tc cuprates. However, the residual resistivity of Bi$_2$Ir$_2$O$_7$ is more than two orders of magnitude higher than the curpates. Our results suggest that the correlation between linear magnetoresistance and quantum fluctuations may exist beyond high temperature superconductors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Direct Estimates of the Solar Coronal Magnetic Field Using Contemporaneous Extreme-ultraviolet, Radio, and White-light Observations

We report a solar coronal split-band type II radio burst that was observed on 2016 March 16 with the Gauribidanur Radio Spectro-Polarimeter (GRASP) in the frequency range $\approx$\,90\,-\,50 MHz, and the Gauribidanur RadioheliograPH (GRAPH) at two discrete frequencies, viz. 80 MHz and 53.3 MHz. Observations around the same epoch in extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) and white-light show that the above burst was associated with a flux rope structure and a coronal mass ejection (CME), respectively. The combined height-time plot generated using EUV, radio, and whitelight data suggest that the different observed features (i.e. the flux rope, type II burst and the CME) are all closely associated. We constructed an empirical model for the coronal electron density distribution ($N_{e}(r)$, where $r$ is the heliocentric distance) from the above set of observations themselves and used it to estimate the coronal magnetic field strength ($B$) over the range of $r$ values in which the respective events were observed. The $B$ values are consistent with each other. They vary as $B(r)\,=\,2.61 \times r^{-2.21}$ \textrm{G} in the range $r \approx$\,1.1\,-\,2.2$\rm R_{\odot}$. As far as we know, similar `direct' estimates of $B$ in the near-Sun corona without assuming a model for $N_{e}(r)$, and by combining co-temporal set of observations in two different regions (radio and whitelight) of the electromagnetic spectrum, have rarely been reported. Further, the present work is a novel attempt where the characteristics of a propagating EUV flux rope structure, considered to be the signature of a CME close the Sun, have been used to estimate $B(r)$ in the corresponding distance range.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Automated Detection of Solar Radio Bursts using a Statistical Method

Radio bursts from the solar corona can provide clues to forecast space weather hazards. After recent technology advancements, regular monitoring of radio bursts has increased and large observational data sets are produced. Hence, manual identification and classification of them is a challenging task. In this paper, we describe an algorithm to automatically identify radio bursts from dynamic solar radio spectrograms using a novel statistical method. We used e-CALLISTO radio spectrometer data observed at Gauribidanur observatory near Bangalore in India during 2013 - 2014. We have studied the classifier performance using the receiver operating characteristics. Further, we studied type III bursts observed in the year 2014 and found that $75\%$ of the observed bursts were below 200 MHz. Our analysis shows that the positions of the flare sites which are associated with the type III bursts with upper-frequency cut-off $\gtrsim 200$ MHz originate close to the solar disk center

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Dissipation scale lengths of density turbulence in the inner solar wind

Knowing the lengthscales at which turbulent fluctuations dissipate is key to understanding the nature of weakly compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. We use radio wavelength interferometric imaging observations which measure the extent to which distant cosmic sources observed against the inner solar wind are scatter-broadened. We interpret these observations to determine that the dissipation scales of solar wind density turbulence at heliocentric distances of 2.5 -- 20.27 $R_{\odot}$ range from $\approx$ 13500 to 520 m. Our estimates from $\approx$ 10--20 $R_{\odot}$ suggest that the dissipation scale corresponds to the proton gyroradius. They are relevant to in-situ observations to be made by the Parker Solar Probe, and are expected to enhance our understanding of solar wind acceleration.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Energy distribution of solar flare events

Observational evidence of the braiding of magnetic field lines has been reported. The magnetic reconnection within the loop (nanoflares) and with other loops (microflares) disentangle the field. The coronal field then reorganizes itself to attain a force-free field configuration. We have evaluated the power law index of the energy distribution $f(E)=f_0 E^{-α}$ by using a model of relaxation incorporating different profile functions of winding number distribution $f(w)$ based on braided topologies. We study the radio signatures that occur in the solar corona using the radio data obtained from the Gauribidanur Radio Observatory (IIA) and extract the power law index by using the Statistic-sensitive nonlinear iterative peak clipping (SNIP) algorithm. We see that the power law index obtained from the model is in good agreement with the calculated value from the radio data observation.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

Strength of the Solar Coronal Magnetic field - A Comparison of Independent Estimates Using Contemporaneous Radio and White-light Observations

We estimated the coronal magnetic field strength ($B$) during the 23 July 2016 coronal mass ejection (CME) event using i) the flux rope structure of the CME in the whitelight coronagraph images and ii) the band splitting in the associated type {\sc II} burst. No models were assumed for the coronal electron density ($N(r)$) used in the estimation.The results obtained using the above two independent methods correspond to different heliocentric distances ($r$) in the range $\approx$\,2.5\,--\,4.5$\rm R_{\odot}$, but they show excellent consistency and could be fitted with a single power-law distribution of the type $B(r)=5.7r^{-2.6}$ \textrm{G}, which is applicable in the aforementioned distance range. The power law index i.e. $-2.6$) is in good agreement with the results obtained in previous studies by different methods.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

Turbulent density fluctuations and proton heating rate in the solar wind from 9-20~R_{\odot}

We obtain scatter broadened images of the Crab Nebula at 80 MHz as it transits through the inner solar wind in June 2016 and 2017. These images are anisotropic, with the major axis oriented perpendicular to the radially outward coronal magnetic field. Using these data, we deduce that the density modulation index (δN_e/N_e) caused by turbulent density fluctuations in the solar wind ranges from 1.9 \times 10^{-3} to 7.7 \times 10^{-3} between 9-20 R_{\odot}. We also find that the heating rate of solar wind protons at these distances ranges from 2.2 \times 10^{-13} to 1.0 \times 10^{-11} ~erg~cm^{-3}~s^{-1}. On two occasions, the line of sight intercepted a coronal streamer. We find that the presence of the streamer approximately doubles the thickness of the scattering screen.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

Full Electroresistance Modulation in a Mixed-Phase Metallic Alloy

We report a giant, ~22%, electroresistance modulation for a metallic alloy above room temperature. It is achieved by a small electric field of 2 kV/cm via piezoelectric strain-mediated magnetoelectric coupling and the resulting magnetic phase transition in epitaxial FeRh/BaTiO3 heterostructures. This work presents detailed experimental evidence for an isothermal magnetic phase transition driven by tetragonality modulation in FeRh thin films, which is in contrast to the large volume expansion in the conventional temperature-driven magnetic phase transition in FeRh. Moreover, all the experimental results in this work illustrate FeRh as a mixed-phase model system well similar to phase-separated colossal magnetoresistance systems with phase instability therein.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Electric-field Induced Reversible Switching of the Magnetic Easy-axis in Co/BiFeO3/SrRuO3/SrTiO3 Heterostructures

Electric-field (E-field) control of magnetism enabled by multiferroics has the potential to revolutionize the landscape of present memory devices plagued with high energy dissipation. To date, this E-field controlled multiferroic scheme at room temperature has only been demonstrated using BiFeO3 (BFO) films grown on DyScO3 (refs 1 and 2), a unique and expensive substrate, which gives rise to a particular ferroelectric domain pattern in BFO. Here, we demonstrate reversible E-field-induced switching of the magnetic state of the Co layer in Co/BFO (001) thin film heterostructures fabricated on SrTiO3 substrates. The angular dependence of the coercivity and the remanent magnetization of the Co layer indicates that its easy axis reversibly switches by 45° back and forth between the (100) and the (110) crystallographic directions of SrTiO3 as a result of alternating application of positive and negative voltage pulses on BFO. The coercivity of the Co layer exhibits a hysteretic behavior between two states as a function of voltage. To explain the observation, we have also measured the exact canting angle of the antiferromagnetic G-type domain in BFO films for the first time using neutron diffraction. These results suggest a pathway to integrating BFO-based devices on Si wafers for implementing low power consumption and non-volatile magnetoelectronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Low frequency observations of transient quasi-periodic radio emission from the solar atmosphere

We report low frequency observations of the quasi-periodic, circularly polarized, harmonic type III radio bursts whose associated sunspot active regions were located close to the solar limb. The measured periodicity of the bursts at 80 MHz was $\approx$ 5.2 s and their average degree of circular polarization ($dcp$) was $\approx 0.12$. We calculated the associated magnetic field $B$ : (1) using the empirical relationship between the $dcp$ and $B$ for the harmonic type III emission, and (2) from the observed quasi-periodicity of the bursts. Both the methods result in $B \approx$ 4.2 G at the location of the 80 MHz plasma level (radial distance $r \approx 1.3~\rm R_{\odot}$) in the active region corona.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2016

An estimate of the magnetic field strength associated with a solar coronal mass ejection from low frequency radio observations

We report ground based, low frequency heliograph (80 MHz), spectral (85-35 MHz) and polarimeter (80 and 40 MHz) observations of drifting, non-thermal radio continuum associated with the `halo' coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred in the solar atmosphere on 2013 March 15. The magnetic field strengths ($B$) near the radio source were estimated to be $B \approx 2.2 \pm 0.4$ G at 80 MHz and $B \approx 1.4 \pm 0.2$ G at 40 MHz. The corresponding radial distances ($r$) are $r \approx 1.9~R_{\odot}$ (80 MHz) and $r \approx 2.2~R_{\odot}$ (40 MHz).

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2016

Design and performance of a low frequency cross-polarized log-periodic dipole antenna

We report the design and performance of a cross-polarized log-periodic dipole (CLPD) antenna for observations of polarized radio emission from the solar corona at low frequencies. The measured isolation between the two mutually orthogonal log periodic dipole antennas was as low as $\approx$ -43 dBm in the 65-95 MHz range. We carried out observations of the solar corona at 80 MHz with the above CLPD and successfully recorded circularly polarized emission.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2016

Amplitude of solar wind density turbulence from 10--45 $R_{\odot}$

We report on the amplitude of the density turbulence spectrum ($C_{N}^{2}$) and the density modulation index ($δN/N$) in the solar wind between $10$ and $45 R_{\odot}$. We derive these quantities using a structure function that is observationally constrained by occultation observations of the Crab nebula made in 2011 and 2013 and similar observations published earlier. We use the most general form of the structure function, together with currently used prescriptions for the inner/dissipation scale of the turbulence spectrum. Our work yields a comprehensive picture of a) the manner in which $C_{N}^{2}$ and $δN/N$ vary with heliocentric distance in the solar wind and b) of the solar cycle dependence of these quantities.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2016

Revealing the Hidden Structural Phases of FeRh

${\it Ab}$ ${\it initio}$ electronic structure calculations reveal that tetragonal distortion has a dramatic effect on the relative stability of the various magnetic structures (C-, A-, G-, A$'$-AFM, and FM) of FeRh giving rise to a wide range of novel stable/metastable structures and magnetic phase transitions between these states. We predict that the ${\it cubic}$ G-AFM structure, which was believed thus far to be the ground state, is metastable and that the ${\it tetragonally}$ expanded G-AFM is the stable structure. The low energy barrier separating these states suggests phase coexistence at room temperature. We propose a novel A$'$-AFM phase to be the ${\it global}$ ground state among all magnetic phases which arises from the strain-induced tuning of the exchange interactions. The results elucidate the underlying mechanism for the recent experimental findings of electric-field control of magnetic phase transition driven via tetragonal strain. The novel magnetic phase transitions open interesting prospects for exploiting strain engineering for the next-generation memory devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

An invisible non-volatile solid-state memory

Information technologies require entangling data stability with encryption for a next generation of secure data storage. Current magnetic memories, ranging from low-density stripes up to high-density hard drives, can ultimately be detected using routinely available probes or manipulated by external magnetic perturbations. Antiferromagnetic resistors feature unrivalled robustness but the stable resistive states reported scarcely differ by more than a fraction of a percent at room temperature. Here we show that the metamagnetic (ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic) transition in intermetallic Fe0.50Rh0.50 can be electrically controlled in a magnetoelectric heterostructure to reveal or cloak a given ferromagnetic state. From an aligned ferromagnetic phase, magnetic states are frozen into the antiferromagnetic phase by the application of an electric field, thus eliminating the stray field and likewise making it insensitive to external magnetic field. Application of a reverse electric field reverts the antiferromagnetic state to the original ferromagnetic state. Our work demonstrates the building blocks of a feasible, extremely stable, non-volatile, electrically addressable, low-energy dissipation, magnetoelectric multiferroic memory.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2016

Strain-induced nonsymmorphic symmetry breaking and removal of Dirac semimetallic nodal line in an orthoperovskite iridate

By using a combination of heteroepitaxial growth, structure refinement based on synchrotron x-ray diffraction and first-principles calculations, we show that the symmetry-protected Dirac line nodes in the topological semimetallic perovskite SrIrO3 can be lifted simply by applying epitaxial constraints. In particular, the Dirac gap opens without breaking the Pbnm mirror symmetry. In virtue of a symmetry-breaking analysis, we demonstrate that the original symmetry protection is related to the n-glide operation, which can be selectively broken by different heteroepitaxial structures. This symmetry protection renders the nodal line a nonsymmorphic Dirac semimetallic state. The results highlight the vital role of crystal symmetry in spin-orbit-coupled correlated oxides and provide a foundation for experimental realization of topological insulators in iridate-based heterostructures.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Ambipolar Transport and Magneto-resistance Crossover in a Mott Insulator, Sr$_{2}$IrO$_{4}$

Electric field effect (EFE) controlled magnetoelectric transport in thin films of undoped and La-doped Sr$_{2}$IrO$_{4}$ (SIO) were investigated under the action of ionic liquid gating. Despite large carrier density modulation, the temperature dependent resistance measurements exhibit insulating behavior in chemically and EFE doped samples with the band filling up to 10\%. The ambipolar transport across the Mott gap is demonstrated by EFE tuning of the activation energy. Further, we observe a crossover from a negative magnetoresistance (MR) at high temperatures to positive MR at low temperatures. The crossover temperature was around $\sim$80-90 K, irrespective of the filling. This temperature and magnetic field dependent crossover is qualitatively associated with a change in the conduction mechanism from Mott to Coulomb gap mediated variable range hopping (VRH). This explains the origin of robust insulating ground state of SIO in electrical transport studies and highlights the importance of disorder and Coulombic interaction on electrical properties of SIO.

cond-mat.str-el↗