One Day Workshop for Collaboration between IIT Roorkee

and ARIES, Nainital

Date: 17 January 2024 (Wednesday)
Time: 3 pm
Venue: Bose Block, Department of Physics

The title and abstract of the presentations to be made by the ARIES faculties

(1) Dipankar Banerjee (Director) address about ARIES (20 min)

(2) Sun and its implications on the space weather by Vaibhav Pant (20 mins)
Abstract: The Sun serves as the primary source of energy that sustains life on Earth. Its influence
extends far beyond the confines of the solar system, shaping the environment of interplanetary space
and beyond. One of the profound manifestations of the Sun's activity is its impact on space weather—
a complex and dynamic system of conditions in space that can affect the technological infrastructure,
communication systems. At the heart of this interaction is the Sun's atmosphere which is characterized
by intense magnetic fields and a continuous outflow of charged particles known as the solar wind.
Several dynamical phenomena happening at diverse spatio-temporal scales drive space weather. Solar
physics group at ARIES aims to unravel the complexities of solar dynamics and their influence on
space weather, seeking insights that contribute to both our fundamental understanding of the universe.
In this talk, I will outline the research activities of solar physics group in ARIES. I will delve into the
intricate relationship between the Sun and space weather, examining the underlying physical
processes and mechanisms that drive solar activity.

(3) Air Pollution and Climate Change Studies at ARIES by Manish Naja (20 min)
Abstract: Research activities in the Atmospheric Sciences Division are oriented towards a better
understanding of the complex processes (physical, chemical and dynamical) operating in the Earth's
atmosphere. It has state of art instruments for the observations of trace gases (Ozone, CO, NOy, CH4,
NMHCs, CO2, N2O, etc) aerosols (AOD, BC, OC, EC PM2.5), boundary layer meteorology (tower
based). Balloon-borne observations of ozone and meteorological parameters are also being made. A
lidar is being used for vertical distribution observations of aerosols. ARIES has also established a
wind profiling facility (stratospheric troposphere radar at 206.5 MHz) for the vertical wind
observations. In this talk, I will outline the research activities of atmospheric sciences division at
ARIES.

(4) Extragalactic Astronomy at ARIES: Unraveling Mysteries Beyond the Milky

Way by Suvendu Rakshit (20 mins)
Abstract: Extragalactic astronomy research at ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of
Observational Sciences) ventures into the vast cosmic expanse beyond our Milky Way. Our
investigations encompass the formation and growth of supermassive black holes and galaxy
evolution, utilizing cutting-edge observation facilities with high-angular resolution and time-domain
capabilities, both on the ground and in space. This presentation will unveil recent research findings,
shedding light on intricate cosmic phenomena. Additionally, it will showcase the advanced
observation facilities at ARIES, which are integral to our pursuit of understanding the mysteries
inherent in the extragalactic realm.

(5) Investigating the Multi-wavelength Properties of the Transient Objects by

Jagdish Joshi (20 mins)

Abstract: The term "Transient" is often used in Astronomy to describe phenomena that exhibit
changes in brightness or other characteristics over relatively short timescales. Gamma Ray bursts
(GRBs) and Supernova Remnants (SNRs) are such objects and are also actively investigated by the
members of the research group at ARIES. GRBs are known for their intense emission of gamma-ray
radiation in the keV–MeV range. In recent years, GeV to TeV gamma-ray emission has also been
observed in some of the bursts. The end stage of a massive star leads to a catastrophic event termed
a supernova explosion. The remnant of this explosion is known as Supernova Remnant.
The members of the group actively investigate the multiwavelength properties of the above class of
objects. These investigations help us in gaining insights into the properties of the multiwavelength
emitting region, the relativistic nature of the GRB jet, its composition, and progenitors. The emission
is produced by the non-thermal particles, and hence we also gain insights into the energy distribution
among the charged particles and the magnetic field of these systems.

(6) Star formation and evolution in ARIES by Indranil Chattopadhyay (15 mins)
Abstract: This group is dedicated to study the complications of star formation, evolution, internal
structure, extreme physical conditions, and stellar outflows, as well as delving into the study of the
interstellar medium. To support our research at ARIES, we have developed instruments like imagers,
polarimeters, and low-resolution spectrographs integrated as backends for ARIES telescopes.
Additionally, we leverage several national and international facilities across different wavebands to
achieve our research objectives. Currently, we are in the process of developing two new
spectrographs, catering to both low and very high-resolution spectroscopy. In this talk, we will present
the efforts of the ARIES to understand the formation, evolution, and atmospheres of stars at various
stages of their evolution.

(7) Theoretical and numerical studies of relativistic astrophysics by Indranil

Chattopadhyay (5 mins)
Abstract: This group specializes in theoretical and numerical simulations of relativistic matter flow
around compact objects like black hole sand neutron stars. As a build up to the physics, this group
has more than twenty years experience in developing numerical simulation codes in relativistic
hydrodynamics and magneto hydrodynamics