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S. Khan

Publications and source records attributed to S. Khan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A study of neutrinoless double electron capture in $^{40}$Ca from the AMoRE experiment

The search for neutrinoless double electron capture ($0\nu\mathrm{2EC}$) provides a sensitive probe of lepton-number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. We investigate the $0\nu\mathrm{2EC}$ decay of $^{40}$Ca using cryogenic detectors equipped with metallic magnetic calorimeters in the AMoRE-I experiment. The analysis is based on a physics dataset corresponding to a total exposure of 7.32 kg$\cdot$yr from thirteen $^{40}$Ca$^{100}$MoO$_4$ crystals. No significant excess is observed, and a lower limit on the half-life is obtained as $T^{0\nu}_{1/2} > 1.7 \times 10^{22}$ yr at 90$\%$ confidence level. An improved sensitivity is expected for the upcoming AMoRE-II experiment. These results demonstrate the potential of CaMoO$_4$ detectors to explore rare decay processes beyond the primary $^{100}$Mo $0\nu\beta\beta$ search program.

nucl-ex

Hot Spot Evolution Measured by High-Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy at the National Ignition Facility

Evolution of the hot spot plasma conditions was measured using high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The capsules were filled with DD gas with trace levels of Kr, and had either a high-density-carbon (HDC) ablator or a tungsten (W)-doped HDC ablator. Time-resolved measurement of the Kr He$\beta$ spectra, absolutely calibrated by a simultaneous time-integrated measurement, allows inference of the electron density and temperature through observing Stark broadening and the relative intensities of dielectronic satellites. By matching the calculated hot spot emission using a collisional-radiative code to experimental observations, the hot spot size and areal density are determined. These advanced spectroscopy techniques further reveal the effect of W dopant in the ablator on the hot spot parameters for their improved implosion performance.

physics.plasm-ph

Variability of Sagittarius A* at 3 GHz on minute-scale with MeerKAT

The supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) exhibits temporal and spectral variability across the electromagnetic spectrum. However, variability at radio frequencies below ~ 5 GHz for timescales shorter than a day remains largely unexplored. We investigate the variability of Sgr A* at 2.79 GHz on short timescales (1 min), to probe an under-explored regime of its emission process. Through point-source model fitting in the uv-domain, we analyse the flux density variation of Sgr A* over an 8 h observation. We detect flux variation on a few tens of minute timescale with a modulation index of 6.11 %, a mean flux density of ($827 \pm 0.1_{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 33_{\mathrm{sys}}) \, \mathrm{mJy}$, and a mean spectral slope of $0.08\pm0.03$. Furthermore, we measure the slope of the structure function of the observed light curve as $0.81 \pm 0.05$ with a characteristic timescale of about 120 min. Our study at low radio frequencies is a critical step toward constraining the physical mechanisms that drive Sgr A*'s variable emission and its spectral energy distribution. Our study suggests that variability at centimetre and millimetre wavelengths is likely more closely related than previously thought.

astro-ph.GA

Massive star formation at the Galactic crossroads: Insights from G358.69+0.03 in the Galactic center

We investigated the high-mass star formation activity in a subregion of the Sagittarius E star-forming complex, centered at (l,b) = (358.69 deg, 0.03 deg), where infrared and radio sources trace a prominent U-shaped structure that has not been identified in previous studies. We used radio continuum data from the Global View on Star Formation (GLOSTAR) survey, which is a wide-band radio (4-8 GHz) survey of the Milky Way that combines data from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array and the Effelsberg 100 m telescope. Using BLOBCAT source extraction software, we identified 49 compact radio sources. Based on multiwavelength associations and spectral index estimates, we identified GLOSTAR counterparts to 27 previously confirmed HII regions, detected radio emission from 3 WISE "radio-quiet" candidates, and report 5 new HII region candidates. The derived physical properties indicate that most are relatively evolved HII regions. We find around 50 cold dust clumps, predominantly toward the south and southeast. Mid-infrared flux-ratio maps ([4.5]/[3.6]) show localized shock enhancements along the arc and adjacent clumps, and 15 clumps exhibit SiO emission with broad components indicative of shocks. Together with CO data, the SiO velocity components delineate a continuous (>100 km/s) velocity bridge that links the far dust-lane inflow to the central molecular zone (CMZ) stream. The largest concentration of clumps and compact HII regions lies at this interface. These combined diagnostics favor a scenario in which bar-driven cloud-cloud collision at the far dust-lane-CMZ interface compressed the gas and triggered the observed high-mass star formation.

astro-ph.GA

Physical Features of Geometrically Deformed Anisotropic Charged Three-dimensional BTZ Black Holes

This work employs the minimal geometric deformation decoupling scheme to derive interior stellar solutions in the background of an electrically charged BTZ ansatz as a seed metric in three dimensions. In this respect, we impose two different equations of state to determine the deformation function and the new material contributions emerging from the additional field source. Furthermore, we describe the finiteness of all thermodynamic quantities of the presented stellar solutions, including the effective thermodynamical quantities, for varying values of the deformation parameter and total electric charge. We explore the new interior astrophysical solutions in three-dimensional gravity by analyzing the charged BTZ metric, admitting circular symmetry through the principles of geometric deformation. This study examines the impact of radial-metric deformation on the charged BTZ geometry and underscores the importance of stellar decoupling within the context of electrically charged dense distributions. It is shown that new physically acceptable solutions by incorporating any known three-dimensional spacetime as the isotropic basis are possible, which in turn enable one to analyze the quantum effects due to low degrees of freedom at lower dimensions.

gr-qc

Exploring the interplay between molecular and ionized gas in HII regions

We aim to constrain the kinetic temperature and H$_2$ volume density of massive star-forming clumps associated with HII regions using multiple para-H$_2$CO transitions. In addition, we investigate the interplay between ionized gas, molecular gas, and dust to probe how massive stars influence their parental clumps. We observed the $J_{K_aK_c}$ transitions of para-H2CO (within its J = 3-2 and 4-3 states) with the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) 12 m submillimeter telescope using the nFLASH230 and SEPIA345 receivers towards a sample of 61 HII regions. Spectral line parameters are derived via multi-component Gaussian fitting, which was then used to constrain the physical conditions determined using PyRADEX, a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) radiative transfer code in combination with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis. The non-LTE analysis yielded kinetic temperatures ($T_{kin}$) ranging from 33.7 K to 265 K and H2 densities (n(H$_2$)) between 0.8 X $10^4$ to 1.05 X $10^7$ cm$^{-3}$, providing a detailed characterization of the dense molecular gas contained in these clumps. In addition to the para-H$_2$CO emission arising from the targeted clump a large fraction (57%) of the sources exhibit multiple para-H$_2$CO components, with the secondary components being characterized by higher $T_{kin}$ and broader linewidths. Investigating the nature of the secondary component revealed its association with supersonic non-thermal motions and turbulent gas. When comparing the physical properties of the molecular gas and dust components with those of the ionizing gas, we find that parameters directly linked to the central high-mass star such as bolometric luminosity and Lyman continuum photon rate, show stronger and more systematic correlations. Emphasizing the role of the central star in governing the interplay between the molecular and ionized gas.(Abridged)

astro-ph.GA

A global view on star formation: The GLOSTAR Galactic plane survey XII. Effelsberg's continuum view and data release

Extended radio continuum emission and its linear polarization play a key role in probing large-scale structures of synchrotron and free-free emission in the Milky Way. Despite the existence of many radio continuum surveys, sensitive and high-angular-resolution single-dish surveys of extended radio continuum emission remain scarce. As part of the GLObal view of STAR formation (GLOSTAR) survey, we will also crucially complement the existing data from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) by addressing the missing zero-spacing gap. Within the framework of the GLOSTAR Galactic plane survey, we performed large-scale radio continuum imaging observations toward the Galactic plane in the range $-2^{\circ}< \ell <60^{\circ}$ and $|b|<1.1^{\circ}$, as well as the Cygnus X region with the Effelsberg 100-m radio telescope. We present the Effelsberg continuum survey at 4.89GHz and 6.82GHz including linear polarization with angular resolutions of 145$^{\prime\prime}$ and 106$^{\prime\prime}$, respectively. The survey has been corrected for missing large-scale emission using available low-angular-resolution surveys. Comparison with previous single-dish surveys indicates that our continuum survey represents the highest-quality single-dish data collected to date at this frequency. More than 90\% of the flux density missed by the VLA D-array data is effectively recovered by the Effelsberg continuum survey. The improved sensitivity and angular resolution of our survey enable reliable mapping of Galactic magnetic field structures, with polarization data that are less affected by depolarization than in previous surveys. The GLOSTAR single-dish continuum data will be released publicly, offering a valuable resource for studying extended objects including HII regions, supernova remnants, diffuse interstellar medium, and Galactic structure. (Abridged)

astro-ph.GA

Laser-driven bunch compression for ultrashort free-electron laser pulses

Generation of ultrashort X-ray pulses in a free-electron laser relies on high-density electron bunches with a precisely adjusted current and energy distribution. To this end, robust and flexible electron bunch manipulation techniques are required that allow a high degree of control over the phase space density of the bunch. This paper reports on the demonstration of ultrashort current spikes with femtosecond duration, created by compressing an electron bunch after a laser-induced energy modulation with linearly varying envelope. This scheme is implemented at the free-electron laser FLASH, where the energy modulation is created early in the linear accelerator before the bunch is accelerated to its final energy. Formation of the spikes is observed in measurements of the longitudinal phase space density. It is demonstrated that, in conjunction with conventional compression techniques, this laser-based scheme allows to create two spikes with variable temporal separation. Therefore, the demonstrated compression scheme shows great potential of enabling flexible ultrashort single- and double-pulse operation modes of free-electron lasers.

physics.acc-ph

Faint absorption of the ground state hyperfine-splitting transitions of hydroxyl at 18 cm in the Galactic Disk

The interstellar hydride hydroxyl (OH) is a potential tracer of CO-dark molecular gas. We present new absorption line observations of OH at 18-cm wavelength towards four continuum sources. We compare these to the [CII] line at 1.9 THz obtained with SOFIA, observations of the neutral atomic hydrogen 21 cm line with the VLA, and CO lines obtained with APEX. We trace OH over a large range of molecular hydrogen column densities, and derive OH abundances with respect to molecular and total hydrogen column densities. Increased sensitivity and spectral resolution allowed us to detect weak and narrow features. We identify only one OH absorption component out of 23 without CO counterpart, yet several with intermediate molecular gas fractions. A potential association of [CII] 158 mu m emission with an OH absorption component is seen toward one sightline. Our results confirm that OH absorption traces molecular gas across diffuse and dense environments of the interstellar medium. At the sensitivity limits of the present observations our detection of only one CO-dark molecular gas feature appears in agreement with previous studies. We conclude that if OH absorption was to be used as a CO-dark molecular gas tracer, deeper observations or stronger background targets are necessary to unveil its full potential as a CO-dark molecular gas tracer, and yet it will never be an exclusive tracer of CO-dark molecular gas. For OH hyperfine-splitting transitions in the vicinity of photodissociation regions in W43-South, we detect a spectral and spatial offset between the peak of the inversion of the OH 1612 MHz line and the absorption of the OH 1720 MHz line on the one hand, and the absorption of the OH main lines on the other hand, which provides additional constraints on the interpretation of the OH 18 cm line signatures typical of HII regions.

astro-ph.GA

SCOTCH III: Complete search for Hypercompact HII regions in the fourth quadrant

We present high-frequency (18-24 GHz) radio continuum observations towards 335 methanol masers, excellent signposts for young, embedded high-mass protostars. These complete the search for hypercompact HII (HCHII) regions towards young high-mass star-forming clumps within the fourth quadrant of the Galactic plane. HCHII regions are the earliest observable signatures of radio continuum emission from high-mass stars ionizing their surroundings, though their rarity and short lifetimes make them challenging to study. We have observed methanol maser sites at 20-arcsec resolution and identified 121 discrete high-frequency radio sources. Of these, 42 compact sources are embedded in dense clumps and coincide with methanol masers, making them as excellent HCHII region candidates. These sources were followed up at higher resolution (0.5-arcsec) for confirmation. We constructed spectral energy distributions across 5-24 GHz to determine their physical properties, fitting either a simple HII region model or a power-law as needed. This analysis identified 20 HCHII regions, 9 intermediate objects, 3 UCHII regions, and 3 radio jet candidates. Combining these results with previous findings, the SCOTCH survey has identified 33 HCHII regions, 15 intermediate objects, 9 UCHII regions, and 4 radio jet candidates, tripling the known number of HCHII regions. Eleven of these sources remain optically thick at 24 GHz. This survey provides a valuable sample of the youngest HII regions and insights into early massive star formation.

astro-ph.GA

SOFIA FIFI-LS spectroscopy of DR21 Main: energetics of the spatially-resolved outflow from a high-mass protostar

Massive star formation is associated with energetic processes that may influence the physics and chemistry of parental molecular clouds and impact galaxy evolution. The high-mass protostar DR21 Main in Cygnus X possesses one of the largest and most luminous outflows ever detected in the Galaxy, but the origin of its structure and driving mechanisms is still debated. Our aim is to spatially resolve the far-infrared line emission from DR21 Main and to investigate the gas physical conditions, energetics, and current mass loss rates along its outflow. Far-infrared SOFIA FIFI-LS spectra covering selected high-J CO lines, OH, [O I], [CII] and [O III] lines are analyzed across the almost full extent of the DR21 Main outflow using 2.00' x 3.75' mosaic. The spatial extent of far-infrared emission follows closely the well-known outflow direction of DR21 Main in case of high-J CO, [O I] 63.18 um, and the OH line at 163.13 um. On the contrary, the emission from the [C II] 157.74 um and [O I] 145.53 um lines arises mostly from the eastern part of the outflow, and it is likely linked with a photodissociation region. Comparison of non-LTE radiative transfer models with the observed [O I] line ratios suggest H2 densities of ~10^5 cm^(-3) in the western part of the outflow and ~10^4 cm^(-3) in the East. Such densities are consistent with the predictions of UV-irradiated non-dissociative shock models for the observed ratios of CO and [O I] along the DR21 Main. Main outflow. Assuming that the bulk of emission arises in shocks, the outflow power of DR21 Main of 4.3-4.8x10^2 Lsol and the mass-loss rate of 3.3-3.7x10^(-3) Msol/yr are determined. Observations provide strong support for its origin in outflow shocks, and the stratification of physical conditions along the outflow. The total line cooling provides additional evidence that DR21 Main drives one of the most energetic outflows in the Milky Way.

astro-ph.GA

Charged Fuzzy Dark Matter Black Holes

We investigate the impact of fuzzy dark matter (FDM) on supermassive black holes (SMBHs) characterized by a spherical charge distribution. This work introduces a new class of spherically symmetric, self-gravitational relativistic charged models for FDM haloes, using the Einasto density model. This study enables the dark matter (DM) to appear as the matter ingredient, which constructs the black hole and extends the non-commutative mini black hole stellar solutions. By considering the charged anisotropic energy-momentum tensor with an equation of state (EoS) $p_{r}=-\rho$, we explore various black hole solutions for different values of the Einasto index and mass parameter. Our approach suggests that the central density of the resulting black hole model mimics the usual de Sitter core. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility of constructing a charged self-gravitational droplet by replacing the above-mentioned EoS with a non-local one. However, under these circumstances, the radial pressure is observed to be negative. Ultimately, we consider various possibilities of constructing DM black holes, featuring intermediate masses that could evolve into galaxies. Consequently, some of these theoretical models have the potential to replace the usual black hole solutions of the galactic core. Simultaneously, these models are physically beneficial for being comprised of the fundamental matter component of the cosmos. Due to the outcomes of this paper, we would be able to study the connection between BH and DM by formulating stable stellar structures featuring fuzzy mass distributions derived from the Einasto distribution of DM halos.

gr-qc

Completely Deformed Complexity-free Anisotropic Fluid Sphere

In this work, we investigate the emergence of compact, anisotropic stellar structures through the gravitational decoupling scheme within the framework of complete geometric deformation. The study introduces a novel synthesis of two independent techniques, namely the zero-complexity factor and density-like constraints, applied simultaneously to determine the deformation functions. This dual implementation represents a new methodological step in stellar modeling, as it allows us to explicitly control the role of anisotropy and complexity in the internal structure of self-gravitating objects. Starting from a chosen metric ansatz as a seed solution, we demonstrate that the zero-complexity condition captures the gravitational response of compact matter in a fully tractable form. The complete deformation procedure then yields two new physically viable anisotropic solutions, passing all standard stability and energy condition tests. Our results show, for the first time, that the direction of energy transfer between the seed sector and the decoupled source is uniquely governed by the deformation parameter, providing direct physical insight into the coupling between known and generic gravitational fields. Furthermore, we find that anisotropy plays a decisive role in the stability criteria of these stars, highlighting its nontrivial influence on realistic stellar evolution. These results offer a new perspective on the modeling of high-density stellar interiors and open a pathway for extending gravitational decoupling analyses to more complex astrophysical scenarios.

gr-qc

Imprints of dark matter on the structural properties of minimally deformed compact stars

In this manuscript, we investigate the possibility of constructing anisotropic dark matter compact stars motivated by the Einasto density profile. This work develops analytical solutions for an anisotropic fluid sphere within the framework of the well-known Adler-Finch-Skea metric. This toy model incorporates an anisotropic fluid distribution that includes a dark matter component. We use the minimal geometric deformation scheme within the framework of gravitational decoupling to incorporate anisotropy into the pressure profile of the stellar system. In this context, we model the temporal constituent of the $\Theta$-field sector to characterize the contribution of dark matter within the gravitational matter source. We present an alternative approach to studying anisotropic self-gravitating structures. This approach incorporates additional field sources arising from gravitational decoupling, which act as the dark component. We explicitly verify whether the proposed model satisfies all the requirements for describing realistic compact structures in detail. We conclude that the modeling of the Einasto density model with the Adler-Finch-Skea metric gives rise to the formation of well-behaved and viable astrophysical results that can be employed to model the dark matter stellar configurations.

gr-qc

A global view on star formation: The GLOSTAR Galactic plane survey. XI. Radio source catalog IV: $2^\circ < \ell < 28^\circ$, $36^\circ < \ell < 60^\circ$ and $|b| < 1^\circ$

The GLOSTAR survey studies star formation with the VLA and the Effelsberg 100m telescope in the Galactic plane (-2d<l<60d; |b|<1d) and the Cygnus X region with unprecedented sensitivity in both flux density (~50uJy/beam) and the capability of detecting emission with angular scales in the range from 1" to the largest radio structures in the Galaxy. We provide a complete GLOSTAR-VLA D-configuration radio source catalog for the covered part of the Galactic disk. A catalog for the pilot region (28d<l<36d) has been published in a previous paper and here we present the complementary catalog for the area within 2d<l<28d, 36d<l<60d and |b|<1d. Observations were taken with the VLA in a 4-8GHz band to image 100 degrees$^2$ of the inner Galactic disk at a reference frequency of 5.8GHz, using 260h of telescope time. We determined spectral indices inside the observed band and in the frequency range 1.4-5.8GHz by complementing our results with those from the THOR survey (1-2GHz). The final images have an angular resolution of 18" and an average sensitivity of 123uJy/beam. The sensitivity is better (~60uJy/beam) in areas free of extended emission. The Galactic disk catalog presented in this work, consists of 11211 radio sources. Of these, 1965 are known large-scale structure sources such as star-forming region complexes, well-known SNRs, SNR candidates or parts thereof. The remaining 9227 are discrete individual sources. Source parameters, namely flux densities, sizes, spectral indices, and classifications are reported. We identify 769 HII region candidates, 359 are newly classified as such. The mean value of spectral indices of 225 HII regions is 0.14$\pm$0.02, consistent with most of them emitting optically thin thermal radio emission. Combining our results with the previously published catalog of the pilot region, the final GLOSTAR-VLA D-configuration catalog contains 12981 radio sources.

astro-ph.GA

Development of MMC-based lithium molybdate cryogenic calorimeters for AMoRE-II

The AMoRE collaboration searches for neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{100}$Mo using molybdate scintillating crystals via low temperature thermal calorimetric detection. The early phases of the experiment, AMoRE-pilot and AMoRE-I, have demonstrated competitive discovery potential. Presently, the AMoRE-II experiment, featuring a large detector array with about 90 kg of $^{100}$Mo isotope, is under construction. This paper discusses the baseline design and characterization of the lithium molybdate cryogenic calorimeters to be used in the AMoRE-II detector modules. The results from prototype setups that incorporate new housing structures and two different crystal masses (316 g and 517 - 521 g), operated at 10 mK temperature, show energy resolutions (FWHM) of 7.55 - 8.82 keV at the 2.615 MeV $^{208}$Tl $\gamma$ line, and effective light detection of 0.79 - 0.96 keV/MeV. The simultaneous heat and light detection enables clear separation of alpha particles with a discrimination power of 12.37 - 19.50 at the energy region around $^6$Li(n, $\alpha$)$^3$H with Q-value = 4.785 MeV. Promising detector performances were demonstrated at temperatures as high as 30 mK, which relaxes the temperature constraints for operating the large AMoRE-II array.

physics.ins-det

Role of Complexity on the Minimal Deformation of Black Holes

We investigate spherically symmetric classes of anisotropic solutions within the realm of a schematic gravitational decoupling scheme, primarily decoupling through minimal geometric deformation, applied to non-rotating, ultra-compact, self-gravitational fluid distributions. In this respect, we employ the minimal complexity factor scheme to generate physically realistic models for anisotropic matter distributions, using a well-behaved model. The zero-complexity factor condition enables us to determine the deformation function for solving the decoupled system. We explore all the structure-defining scalar variables, such as density inhomogeneity, strong energy condition, density homogeneity, and the complexity factor (an alloy of density inhomogeneity and pressure anisotropy) for the decoupling constant ranging between $0$ and $1$. We observe that the anisotropy vanishes when the coupling constant is set to unity. This finding holds significance as it implies that, in the context of a zero-complexity factor approach, an anisotropic matter distribution becomes perfect without requiring any isotropy requirements. This work effectively explored the impact of complexity on the composition of self-gravitational stellar distributions. This effective approach enables the development of new, physically realistic isotropic stellar models for anisotropic matter distributions. Additionally, our findings indicate that the complexity factor in static, spherically symmetric self-gravitational objects can significantly affect the nature of the matter distribution within these systems. It is concluded that the minimally deformed Durgapal-IV model features an increasing pressure profile, and the local anisotropy of pressure vanishes throughout the model under complexity-free conditions.

gr-qc

A global view on star formation: The GLOSTAR Galactic plane survey X. Galactic HII region catalog using radio recombination lines

Studies of Galactic HII regions are of crucial importance for studying star formation and the evolution of the interstellar medium. Gaining an insight into their physical characteristics contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of these phenomena. The GLOSTAR project aims to provide a GLObal view on STAR formation in the Milky Way by performing an unbiased and sensitive survey. This is achieved by using the extremely wideband (4{-}8 GHz) C-band receiver of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array and the Effelsberg 100 m telescope. Using radio recombination lines observed in the GLOSTAR survey with the VLA in D-configuration with a typical line sensitivity of 1{\sigma} {\sim} 3.0 mJy beam{^-1} at {\sim} 5 km s{^-1} and an angular resolution of 25", we cataloged 244 individual Galactic HII regions and derived their physical properties. We examined the mid-infrared (MIR) morphology of these HII regions and find that a significant portion of them exhibit a bubble-like morphology in the GLIMPSE 8 {\mu}m emission. We also searched for associations with the dust continuum and sources of methanol maser emission, other tracers of young stellar objects, and find that 48\% and 14\% of our HII regions, respectively, are coextensive with those. We measured the electron temperature for a large sample of HII regions within Galactocentric distances spanning from 1.6 to 13.1 kpc and derived the Galactic electron temperature gradient as {\sim} 372 {\pm} 28 K kpc{^-1} with an intercept of 4248 {\pm} 161 K, which is consistent with previous studies.

astro-ph.GA