arXiv subjects

S. Mandal

Publications and source records attributed to S. Mandal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Fast and periodic propagating disturbances along coronal loops detected with EUI on board Solar Orbiter

Recent high-resolution observations from the Solar Orbiter mission can help detect the indirect signatures of heating at the smallest scales. In this work we measure the properties and investigate the physical origin of propagating disturbances (PDs) in the intensity at the smallest resolvable scales with Solar Orbiter/EUI along coronal loops. We used two sequences of EUI/HRIEUV at high spatial (down to 125 km per pixel) and temporal resolutions (5 s of cadence). We placed slits along 13 active region (AR) coronal loops. We measured the plane-of-sky (PoS) velocities and the intensity perturbation damping along the slits of PDs. We also measured the periodicity of PDs in one slit by using a Fourier analysis. We report the detection of PDs that have high PoS velocities ranging between 500 and 2000 km/s (which we call "fast" PDs). They are only visible in the upper part of the coronal loops. The intensity increase associated with these fast PDs is on the order of 4\% to 8\% of the HRIEUV intensity, and we measured little to no damping of their intensity with distance. We also measured a peak in the Fourier power spectra at 2 min above the 95\% confidence limit that is associated with fast PDs. The fast PDs are detected in the same coronal loops as PDs with a lower PoS velocity (70 to 90 kms/s), which we refer to as "slow" PDs. Unlike the fast PDs, these slow PDs are only visible in the lower part of the coronal loop, and they show clear intensity damping. Slow PDs show properties consistent with slow magneto-acoustic modes or upflows. On the other hand, fast PDs cannot be explained by slow magneto-acoustic modes. Instead, they show properties consistent with fast flows induced by magnetic reconnection, current sheet generated by propagating transverse oscillations, and fast magnetohydrodynamics modes or Alfv\'en waves.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Charging-up and reverse charging-up phenomena in a double-mask triple GEM detector

The Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors are widely used in high-energy physics (HEP) experiments as tracking devices because of their excellent position resolution and to handle high particle rates capability. Charging-up effect is a well known phenomenon in GEM detectors because of the presence of the dielectric medium -- Kapton in the foil. Charging-up of GEM foil takes place when it is exposed to high radiation after application of high voltage. A new phenomenon of reverse charging-up, a complementary behaviour is also observed when the irradiation rate is reduced, where the gain relaxes gradually towards its initial value. In this study, the charging-up and reverse charging-up effects are investigated for a double-mask triple GEM chamber operated with an Argon and Carbon dioxide (70/30) gas mixture. The measurements provide a detailed understanding of the gain variation under irradiation and its stabilisation behaviour. The experimental setup, methodology and results are presented in this article.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Long-term stability study of single-mask triple GEM detector: impact of continuous irradiation

A study has been carried out to evaluate the performance stability of Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) chamber prototypes in the laboratory using $^{55}$Fe radiation source with Argon and CO$_2$ gas mixture. This research focuses on the characterisation of the GEM detector's gain, efficiency (count rate with radioactive source), and energy resolution under varying operational conditions. A patch on the detector has been subjected to continuous and absolutely uninterrupted radiation for about 98 days. The gain and energy resolution of the detector are measured along with the ambient parameters temperature (t), pressure (p) and relative humidity (RH). In addition to that, the long-term behaviour of the count rate with a strong radioactive source are also studied. This work is very relevant for Micro Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGD) such as GEM before installing on large experiment. The experimental setup, methodology, and results are presented in this article.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Small-scale impulsive EUV emission enhancements along network loops

Network loops are a common feature in the quiet Sun. The physical processes sustaining their energy budget is still under discussion. We rely on a multi-instrumental (Solar Orbiter/EUI, Solar Orbiter/PHI, IRIS) observation of a six hours quiet Sun region to measure the dynamics and the possible magnetic drivers of impulsive EUV emission enhancements along network loops. We report the detection of small-scale impulsive EUV emission enhancements with EUI/HRIEUV in three network loops. We selected four EUV emission enhancements to measure their plane-of-sky velocities in HRIEUV; their Doppler velocities in the line (log Si iv T = 4.8) with IRIS ; their possible relation to small-scale flux emergence and fluctuation in one of the loop footpoint. The plane-of-sky velocities of the four EUV emission enhancements have a component that seem to appear almost instantaneously along the loop (more than 220 km/s) ; and two of them had a co-temporal component with a PoS velocity of up to , starting near one of the loop footpoint. In one case, we measured with IRIS a co-temporal intensity increase in the line associated with Doppler velocities down to and up to along the line of sight. Finally, we found evidence of small-scale (8E16 Mx) mixed polarity field emergence and fluctuation near one of the loop footpoint. We concluded that the fast component on the plane-of-sky are consistent with a thermal transfer or supersonic plasma flows, while the slower component is consistent with plasma flows. A possible physical origin for these EUV emission enhancements would be magnetic reconnection driven by either photospheric motion of the loop footpoints or by the reconnection of the loop with small-scale magnetic bipoles.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Sliding Charge Density Wave observed through Band Structure

An incommensurate CDW may have the ability to slide, i.e., to generate an excess of current when the system is submitted to an external field. Sliding phenomenon is closely related to deformation of the periodic lattice distortion associated to the CDW. In principle, however, the sliding state can also be observed through the band structure. Here we show that broken symmetry in k-space is observed by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARPES) in the sliding regime of TbTe$_3$, which could be consistent with theoretical predictions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

A precision apparatus for high harmonic spectroscopy in bulk solids

High harmonic generation (HHG) in solids has emerged as a powerful spectroscopic method for resolving ultrafast electron dynamics and band structure properties across a wide range of materials. However, quantitative HHG studies require instrumentation capable of delivering stable driving fields, precise crystal alignment, and broadband detection spanning the UV to the extreme ultraviolet (EUV). Here we present an integrated apparatus engineered specifically for high-accuracy, field-strength and orientation-dependent HHG measurements in bulk solids. The system incorporates dispersion-neutral intensity-control for few-cycle pulses, a vacuum HHG module with sub-micrometer and sub-degree sample positioning, and an imaging assembly that stabilizes the focal spot position and enables spatial filtering of the emitted harmonics. A synchronized dual-spectrometer scheme provides simultaneous UV/VUV and EUV radiation detection, while absolute electric field calibration is achieved through gas-phase attosecond streaking. Together, these capabilities establish a versatile and quantitatively reliable platform for solid-state HHG spectroscopy. The methodology is broadly adaptable to various laser sources and material classes, and supports future efforts aimed at reconstructing valence-electron potentials, tracking strong-field dynamics, and mapping electronic structure with sub-cycle temporal resolution.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Exciton-Polariton hybrid skin-topological states

The non Hermitian skin effect, where bulk states accumulate at system boundaries, challenges the conventional bulk boundary correspondence. Here we propose a scheme to realize hybrid skin topological states in exciton polariton honeycomb lattices by introducing sublattice dependent gain and loss. This non Hermiticity couples with the intrinsic topological edge modes, leading to relocalization of edge states. We show two distinct regimes: hybrid skin Chern states with switchable localization controlled by TE TM splitting , and hybrid skin antichiral states which preserves the spin polarized property. Our results bridge polariton spin physics and non-Hermitian topology, opening routes toward controllable non reciprocal and spin polarized transport.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Deciphering the dynamics of the light-induced phase transition in VO$_2$

Vanadium dioxide (VO$_2$) is central in the study of ultrafast photoinduced insulator-to-metal phase transitions in strongly correlated materials, and a primary candidate for next-generation light-driven devices. However, the physical mechanism underlying its phase transition remains unresolved. Here, we use single-cycle light transients to perform phase-resolved ultrafast spectroscopy on VO$_2$ crystals. Our experiments reveal two processes: a structural transformation from the insulating monoclinic M1-VO$_2$ phase to the excited metallic rutile R*-VO$_2$ phase, followed by electron thermalization and relaxation dynamics intrinsic to the newly formed excited metallic phase.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Long-lived coronal loops in solar active regions

Coronal loops are plasma structures in the solar atmosphere with temperatures reaching millions of Kelvin, shaped and sustained by the magnetic field. However, their morphology and fundamental nature remain subjects of debate. By studying their cross-sectional properties and how they change along the loop and in time, we can understand their magnetic structure and heating mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the cross-sectional intensity profiles, both spatially and temporally, of two unique coronal loops, observed in the periphery of two distinct active regions by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI/HRI$_{\rm EUV}$) on board the Solar Orbiter spacecraft. The main results of this study are 1. The lifetimes of these two loops (loop1 > 120 min \& loop2 > 50 min) are longer than the typical timescales of radiative cooling and thermal conduction. 2. Their widths determined by the FWHM of the single Gaussian fit to the cross-axis intensity profiles are greater than 6-7 pixels of EUI/HRI$_{\rm EUV}$, indicating that the loop cross-section is uniformly filled on well-resolvable scales. 3. These loops exhibited an almost constant width, both spatially and temporally (width for loop1 is 2.1 $\pm$ 0.4 Mm and for loop2 is 1.3 $\pm$ 0.2 Mm), indicating that they are stable non-expanding structures. 4. We present observational evidence that the one of the loops (loop2) is not braided, which strongly suggests that the non-expanding nature of this multi-stranded loop along its length cannot be attributed to the twist of the magnetic field lines. In conclusion, we find that these coronal loops are long, stable, multi-stranded, non-expanding structures with a uniform cross-section that persist in the corona for an unusually extended duration. This not only challenges our current understanding of the structure of the coronal magnetic field but also raises critical questions about the mechanisms

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Stability study of GEM chamber using radioactive source

Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) is a cutting edge Micro Pattern Gaseous detector (MPGD) technology suitable as tracking device in high rate Heavy-Ion (HI) experiments for their good spatial resolution and most importantly high rate handling capability. The performance studies including the detector efficiency, gain, energy resolution and also the stability study under high radiation are most important aspects, to be investigated before using the detector in any experiment. In this work, all of the above mentioned aspects are investigated using a 55Fe X-ray source for a single mask triple GEM chamber prototype operated with premixed Argon/CO2 (Ar/CO2) gas mixture in 70/30 volume ratio. In this article, particularly the stability in efficiency using a radioactive source is discussed in detail.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Relaxation dynamics in excited helium nanodroplets probed with high resolution, time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy

Superfluid helium nanodroplets are often considered as transparent and chemically inert nanometer-sized cryo-matrices for high-resolution or time-resolved spectroscopy of embedded molecules and clusters. On the other hand, when the helium nanodroplets are resonantly excited with XUV radiation, a multitude of ultrafast processes are initiated, such as relaxation into metastable states, formation of nanoscopic bubbles or excimers, and autoionization channels generating low-energy free electrons. Here, we discuss the full spectrum of ultrafast relaxation processes observed when helium nanodroplets are electronically excited. In particular, we perform an in-depth study of the relaxation dynamics occurring in the lowest 1s2s and 1s2p droplet bands using high resolution, time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The simplified excitation scheme and improved resolution allow us to identify the relaxation into metastable triplet and excimer states even when exciting below the droplets' autoionization threshold, unobserved in previous studies.

physics.atm-clus↗

arXiv2025

The Non-Uniform Expansion of the Crab Nebula

We present extensive proper motion measurements of the Crab Nebula made from Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope MegaPrime/MegaCam images taken in 2007, 2016, and 2019. A total of 19974 proper motion vectors with uncertainty $<10$\,mas\,yr$^{-1}$ located over the majority of the Crab Nebula are used to map the supernova remnant's two-dimensional expansion properties that reflect the dynamics of the original explosion, acceleration of ejecta imparted by spin-down energy from the pulsar, and interaction between the ejecta and surrounding cicumstellar material (CSM). The average convergence date we derive is 1105.5 $\pm$ 0.5 CE, which is 15-35 yr earlier compared to most previous estimates. We find that it varies as a function of position angle around the nebula, with the earliest date and smallest proper motions measured along the equator defined by the east and west bays. The lower acceleration of material along the equatorial plane may be indicative of the supernova's interaction with a disk-like CSM geometry. Comparing our measurements to previous analytical solutions of the Crab's expansion and our own numerical simulation using the moving mesh hydrodynamics code \texttt{Sprout}, we conclude that the ejecta have relaxed closer to homologous expansion than expected for the commonly adopted pulsar spindown age of $\tau \sim 700$ yr and a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) still evolving inside the flat part of the ejecta density profile. These findings provide further evidence that the PWN has broken out of the inner flat part of the supernova ejecta density profile and has experienced ``blowout''.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Stereoscopic observations reveal coherent morphology and evolution of solar coronal loops

Coronal loops generally trace magnetic lines of force in the upper solar atmosphere. Understanding the loop morphology and its temporal evolution has implications for coronal heating models that rely on plasma heating due to reconnection at current sheets. Simultaneous observations of coronal loops from multiple vantage points are best suited for this purpose. Here, we report a stereoscopic analysis of coronal loops in an active region based on observations from the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager on board the Solar Orbiter Spacecraft and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Our stereoscopic analysis reveals that coronal loops have nearly circular cross-sectional widths and that they exhibit temporally coherent intensity variations along their lengths on timescales of around 30\,minutes. Results suggest that coronal loops can be best represented as three-dimensional monolithic or coherent plasma bundles that outline magnetic field lines. Therefore, at least on the scales resolved by Solar Orbiter, it is unlikely that coronal loops are manifestations of emission from the randomly aligned wrinkles in two-dimensional plasma sheets along the line-of-sight as proposed in the `coronal veil' hypothesis.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2024

Performance study of a bakelite RPC prototype built by new technique of linseed oil coating

Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) is one of the most commonly used detectors in high energy physics experiments for triggering and tracking because of its good efficiency ($\textgreater$~90\%) and time resolution ($\sim$~1-2~ns). Generally, bakelite which is one of the most commonly used materials as electrode plates in RPC, sometimes suffers from surface roughness issues. If the surface is not smooth, the probability of micro discharges and spurious pulses increase, which leads to the deterioration in the performance of the detector. We have developed a new method of linseed oil coating for the bakelite based detectors to avoid the surface roughness issue. The detector is characterised with Tetrafluoroethane (R134a) based gas mixture. The detector is also tested with a high rate of gamma radiation environment in the laboratory for the radiation hardness test. The detailed measurement procedure and test results are presented in this article.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

Observation of sequential three-body dissociation of camphor molecule -- a native frame approach

The three-body dissociation dynamics of the dicationic camphor molecule (C$_{10}$H$_{16}$O$^{2+}$) resulting from Auger decay are investigated using soft X-ray synchrotron radiation. A photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence (PEPIPICO) method, a combination of a velocity map imaging (VMI) spectrometer and a time-of-flight (ToF) spectrometer is employed to measure the 3D momenta of ions detected in coincidence. The ion mass spectra and the ion-ion coincidence map at photon energies of 287.9 eV (below the C 1s ionization potential) and 292.4 eV (above the C 1s ionization potential for skeletal carbon) reveal that fragmentation depends on the final dicationic state rather than the initial excitation. Using the native frame method, three new fragmentation channels are discussed; (1) CH$_2$CO$^+$ + C$_7$H$_{11}^+$ + CH$_3$, (2) CH$_3^+$ + C$_7$H$_{11}^+$ + CH$_2$CO, and (3) C$_2$H$_5^+$ + C$_6$H$_9^+$ + CH$_2$CO. The dominating nature of sequential decay with deferred charge separation is clearly evidenced in all three channels. The results are discussed based on the experimental angular distributions and momenta distributions, corroborated by geometry optimization of the ground, monocationic, and dicationic camphor molecule.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Investigation of the stability in the performance of triple GEM detectors for High Energy Physics experiments

Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) is one of the mostly used gaseous detectors in the High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments. GEMs are widely used as tracking devices due to their high-rate handling capability and good position resolution. An initiative is taken to study the stability in performance of the GEM chamber prototypes in the laboratory using external radiation for different Argon based gas mixtures. The effect of ambient parameters on the gain and energy resolution are studied. Very recently some behavioural changes in the performance of a SM GEM chamber is observed. The details of the experimental setup, methodology and results are reported here.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2023

Disordered ground state in the spin-orbit coupled $J_{\rm eff}= 1/2$ cobalt-based metal-organic framework magnet with orthogonal spin dimers

We present the magnetic properties of a strongly spin-orbit coupled quantum dimer magnet based on Co$^{2+}$. The metal-organic framework compound Co$_2$(BDC)$_2$(DPTTZ)$_2$$\cdot$DMF features Co$^{2+}$ dimers arranged nearly orthogonal to each other, similar to the Shastry-Sutherland lattice. Our assessment based on the magnetization and heat capacity experiments reveals that the magnetic properties at low temperatures can be described by an effective $J_{\rm eff} = 1/2$ Kramers doublet and the ground state is a singlet with a tiny spin gap. Although the magnetic susceptibility could be analyzed in terms of the interacting dimer model with an isotropic intradimer coupling $J_0/k_{\rm B} \simeq 7.6$ K, this model fails to reproduce the shape of magnetization isotherm and heat capacity data. A model of isolated spin dimers with the anisotropic exchange couplings $J_{xy} \simeq 3.5$ K and $J_{z} \simeq 11$ K provides an adequate description to the magnetic susceptibility, magnetization isotherm, and heat capacity data at low temperatures. Interestingly, no field-induced quantum phase phase is detected down to 100~mK around the critical field of gap closing, suggesting the absence of Bose-Einstein condensation of triplons and establishing isolated dimers with a negligible interdimer coupling.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Fleeting Small-scale Surface Magnetic Fields Build the Quiet-Sun Corona

Arch-like loop structures filled with million Kelvin hot plasma form the building blocks of the quiet-Sun corona. Both high-resolution observations and magnetoconvection simulations show the ubiquitous presence of magnetic fields on the solar surface on small spatial scales of $\sim$100\,km. However, the question of how exactly these quiet-Sun coronal loops originate from the photosphere and how the magnetic energy from the surface is channeled to heat the overlying atmosphere is a long-standing puzzle. Here we report high-resolution photospheric magnetic field and coronal data acquired during the second science perihelion of Solar Orbiter that reveal a highly dynamic magnetic landscape underlying the observed quiet-Sun corona. We found that coronal loops often connect to surface regions that harbor fleeting weaker, mixed-polarity magnetic field patches structured on small spatial scales, and that coronal disturbances could emerge from these areas. We suggest that weaker magnetic fields with fluxes as low as $10^{15}$\,Mx and/or those that evolve on timescales less than 5\,minutes, are crucial to understand the coronal structuring and dynamics.

astro-ph.SR↗