arXiv subjects

Shirin Haque

Publications and source records attributed to Shirin Haque.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A case study of translating sonifications across musical cultures for an educational application

Sonification can be part of educational resources that can be accessible to those who prefer, or require, non-visual learning methods. Furthermore, sonification can contribute to an engaging multi-sensory learning experience, which are known to benefit general learners. Whilst some sonification can be relatively agnostic to musical culture, many sonifications are subject to culturally influenced choices, such as the chosen harmonies, rhythmic structures, and instrumentation. This is important when considering how universally inclusive and relatable sonification-based educational resources will be. Here we present a case study of translating a sonification-based educational show about the Solar System, that was originally designed with influences from Euro-American (Western-classical) music, to be more culturally relevant to the Caribbean region. We describe the motivation, approach, some of the challenges, and the initial feedback of the resulting output of the project. Finally, we provide reflections on the importance of further work exploring how educational sonifications can transcend international borders and musical cultures.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2023

Revisiting Blueshift Interpretation In Light Of Recent Discovery Of Multiple Systems Of Quasars

This study investigates the anomalies associated with redshifts from emission lines in certain quasar candidates and the viability of a blueshift interpretation instead. The sample was taken from the Million Quasars Catalog (MILLIQUAS), representing the unidentified class with a redshift greater than 1. This sample was further constrained to those with spectra available, giving 208 candidates in total. This paper presents results on the sample, with the reported redshifts and the proposed blueshift interpretation. A subset of 38% of the sample was further analyzed using the best redshift interpretation of the emission lines from our analysis, which differed from the reported redshifts, in comparison with the blueshift interpretation. The number of unidentified lines under each interpretation was compared and was found to be statistically different with a P-value < 0.05, with a larger number of unidentified lines under the redshift interpretation. The average spread values were also compared and found to be statistically different with a P-value < 0.05, with blueshift having the smallest spread. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of the analyzed sample, that is 183 quasar candidates, provided an overall better interpretation under the blueshift hypothesis, 9%, which is 19 candidates, had a better interpretation under the redshift hypothesis and 3%, which is 6 candidates, had no identifiable lines. This indicates the importance to consider this possibility as well in light of new discoveries such as the discovery of multiple quasar systems that can lead to ejections, which has implications for the dynamics of quasars and the line of sight.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

Relativistic Effects on Triple Black Holes: Burrau's Problem Revisited

We explore, using numerical simulations, the influence of mass and distance on the evolution of triple black hole systems. Following in the direction of Burrau's famous 3,4,5 problem, black holes are initially placed at the vertices of Pythagorean triangles. Numerical integration of orbits was conducted using relativistic corrections (post-Newtonian) up to the 2.5$^{th}$ order with ARCcode. As a descriptor of the evolution of the systems, the lifetimes, the number of two-body encounters and the number of mergers were all analysed. We found that as the mass unit of the black holes increased there was strong positive correlation with the fraction of mergers (0.9868), strong negative correlation with the average number of two-body encounters (-0.9016) and the average lifetimes of the triple systems decayed exponentially (determination coefficient of 0.9986). Around the mass unit range of 10$^{5.5}$M$_{\odot}$-10$^{5.6}$M$_{\odot}$, there was a transition from escape dominated dynamics to merger dominated dynamics. However, in the mass unit range of 10$^6$ M$_{\odot}$ $-$ 10$^{9}$M$_{\odot}$ with 1 pc distance unit, we find that 25\% of cases resulted in the escape of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) which may be a cause for wandering SMBH's found in some galaxies/galactic merger remnants.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Spitzer Observations of the Predicted Eddington Flare from Blazar OJ 287

Binary black hole (BH) central engine description for the unique blazar OJ 287 predicted that the next secondary BH impact-induced bremsstrahlung flare should peak on 2019 July 31. This prediction was based on detailed general relativistic modeling of the secondary BH trajectory around the primary BH and its accretion disk. The expected flare was termed the Eddington flare to commemorate the centennial celebrations of now-famous solar eclipse observations to test general relativity by Sir Arthur Eddington. We analyze the multi-epoch Spitzer observations of the expected flare between 2019 July 31 and 2019 September 6, as well as baseline observations during 2019 February-March. Observed Spitzer flux density variations during the predicted outburst time display a strong similarity with the observed optical pericenter flare from OJ 287 during 2007 September. The predicted flare appears comparable to the 2007 flare after subtracting the expected higher base-level Spitzer flux densities at 3.55 and 4.49 $μ$m compared to the optical R-band. Comparing the 2019 and 2007 outburst lightcurves and the previously calculated predictions, we find that the Eddington flare arrived within 4 hours of the predicted time. Our Spitzer observations are well consistent with the presence of a nano-Hertz gravitational wave emitting spinning massive binary BH that inspirals along a general relativistic eccentric orbit in OJ 287. These multi-epoch Spitzer observations provide a parametric constraint on the celebrated BH no-hair theorem.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

A Fractal Analysis of Magnetograms within Active Regions

The magnetograms of sixteen Active Regions, observed during June - November 2015, were obtained from the Joint Science Operations Center and used to determine the fractal dimensions of various magnetic field groups. The fields were divided into strong (positive and negative) and weak (positive and negative) groupings. The area-perimeter method was used to determine the fractal dimensions for the umbral and penumbral regions of the magnetograms. The fractal dimensions were found to be 1.79 \pm 0.49 and 1.96 \pm 0.29 for strong and weak magnetic fields respectively. When compared to the umbral and penumbral fractal dimensions determined by (Rajkumar, Haque and Hrudey, 2017) using white light images, an inverse relationship was found, with the umbra showing lower fractal dimensions than the penumbra for the magnetic field groups compared to the intensity images. This directly implies that there is greater complexity in the penumbral magnetic field groupings than the umbral region. This has implications for models that constrain how the magnetic field groups are contained in the cooler umbral regions.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Microbial Life in a Liquid Asphalt Desert

An active microbiota, reaching up to 10 E+7 cells/g, was found to inhabit a naturally occurring asphalt lake characterized by low water activity and elevated temperature. Geochemical and molecular taxonomic approaches revealed novel and deeply branching microbial assemblages mediating anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation, metal respiration and C1 utilization pathways. These results open a window into the origin and adaptive evolution of microbial life within recalcitrant hydrocarbon matrices, and establish the site as a useful analog for the liquid hydrocarbon environments on Saturn's moon Titan.

q-bio.GN↗