Jet Structure Research Articles

Study on the key parameters of ice particle air jet ejector structure

Existing ice particle jet surface treatment technology is prone to ice particle adhesion during application, significantly affecting surface treatment efficiency. Based on the basic structure of the jet pump, the ice particle air jet surface treatment technology is proposed for the instant preparation and utilization of ice particles, solving the problem of ice particle adhesion and clogging. To achieve efficient utilization of ice particles and high-speed jetting, an integrated jet structure for ice particle ejection and acceleration was developed. The influence of the working nozzle position (Ld), expansion ratio (n), and acceleration nozzle diameter ratio (Dn) length-to-diameter ratio (Ln) on the ice particle ejection and acceleration was systematically studied. The structural parameters of the ejector were determined using the impact kinetic energy of ice particles as the comprehensive evaluation index, and the surface treatment test was conducted to verify the results. The study shows that under 2 MPa air pressure, the ejector nozzle parameters of n = 1.5, Dn = 4.0, Ld = 4, and Ln = 0 mm can effectively eject and accelerate the ice particles. The aluminum alloy plate depainting test obtained a larger paint removal radius and resulted in a smoother aluminum alloy plate surface, reducing the surface roughness from 3.194 ± 0.489 μm to 1.156 ± 0.136 μm. The immediate preparation and utilization of ice particles solved the problems of adhesion and storage in the engineering application of ice particle air jet technology, providing a feasible technical method in the field of material surface treatment.

Characterizing the γ-Ray Emission from FR0 Radio Galaxies

FR0 galaxies constitute the most abundant jet population in the local Universe. With their compact jet structure, they are broadband photon emitters and have been proposed as multimessenger sources. Recently, these sources have been detected for the first time in γ rays. Using a revised FR0 catalog, we confirm that the FR0 population as a whole are γ-ray emitters, and we also identify two significant sources. For the first time, we find a correlation between the 5 GHz core radio luminosity and γ-ray luminosity in the 1–800 GeV band, having a 4.8σ statistical significance. This is clear evidence that the jet emission mechanism is similar in nature for FR0s and the well-studied canonical FR (FRI and FRII) radio galaxies. Furthermore, we perform broadband spectral energy distribution modeling for the significantly detected sources as well as the subthreshold source population using a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. Within the maximum jet power budget, our modeling shows that the detected γ rays from the jet can be explained as inverse Compton photons. To explain the multiwavelength observations for these galaxies, the modeling results stipulate a low bulk Lorentz factor and a jet composition far from equipartition, with the particle energy density dominating over the magnetic field energy density.

Multiple jets in a rotating annulus model with an imposed azimuthal magnetic field

Zonal flows driven by rotation and convection are found commonly within astrophysical and geophysical bodies. Multiple jets are most famously observed on the surface of Jupiter, with prograde and retrograde zonal flows making up part of its banded structure of zones and belts. Non-magnetic studies of convection in a rotating annulus model have previously been shown to produce multiple jet structures, similar to those observed in atmospheres of giant planets such as Jupiter. These giant planets have strong magnetic fields which impact on convection in the electrically conducting regions of their atmospheres. Therefore the effect of a magnetic field on the multiple jet solutions of the annulus model is of astrophysical interest. In this work we impose a uniform azimuthal magnetic field to the annulus model and vary its strength and other control parameters to determine the parameter space where multiple jets exist. Zonal flows and multiple jet solutions are found at weak magnetic field strength and, indeed, the magnetic field can promote the production of these features. Simulations with a weak magnetic field or no magnetic field are also found to match well with the Rhines scaling theory. For cases with multiple jets, a strong inertial force must be present, combined with either a weak Lorentz force, or a Lorentz force entering the main balance with increased contributions from the viscous force. At strong magnetic field strengths two regimes are found. For weak magnetic diffusion zonal flows can be retained, albeit without the multiple jet structure. For larger magnetic diffusion non-axisymmetric solutions without clear bands are found. In these regimes, the Lorentz force appears in the primary balance of forces and zonal flows are only retained at strong driving when inertia is able to also enter the balance at leading order.

Long gamma-ray burst light curves as the result of a common stochastic pulse--avalanche process

The complexity and variety exhibited by the light curves of long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) enclose a wealth of information that has not yet been fully deciphered. Despite the tremendous advance in the knowledge of the energetics, structure, and composition of the relativistic jet that results from the core collapse of the progenitor star, the nature of the inner engine, how it powers the relativistic outflow, and the dissipation mechanisms remain open issues. A promising way to gain insights is describing GRB light curves as the result of a common stochastic process. In the Burst And Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) era, a stochastic pulse avalanche model was proposed and tested through the comparison of ensemble-average properties of simulated and real light curves. Here our aim was to revive and further test this model. We applied it to two independent datasets, BATSE and Swift /BAT, through a machine learning approach: the model parameters are optimised using a genetic algorithm. The average properties were successfully reproduced. Notwithstanding the different populations and passbands of both datasets, the corresponding optimal parameters are interestingly similar. In particular, for both sets the dynamics appear to be close to a critical state, which is key to reproducing the observed variety of time profiles. Our results propel the avalanche character in a critical regime as a key trait of the energy release in GRB engines, which underpins some kind of instability.

Aerodynamic characteristics of the retro propulsion landing burn of vertically landing launchers

In the frame of the European funded H2020 project RETALT (retro propulsion-assisted landing technologies), the unsteady aerodynamics of vertically descending and landing launchers have been investigated. In this paper, experimental data of the landing burn tested in the Vertical Free-Jet Facility Cologne at DLR in Cologne are presented. The landing burn was simulated with a cold gas jet of pressurized air opposing the wind tunnel free stream. Tests with several jet conditions were compared to results without active jet. Proper orthogonal decomposition of schlieren recordings and spectral analyses of their time histories are performed and are compared to frequencies in pressure measurements. Dominant frequencies were found, which are strongest at Mach 0.8. Especially, a Strouhal number of 0.2 was found to be most dominant. The intensity of the dominant frequencies can be lowered if the engine is active. The normalized root mean square pressure fluctuations are between 0.1 and 0.3 during the landing maneuver. Additionally, the steady flow features scale well with the ambient pressure ratio and the momentum flux ratio. The unsteady flow field dynamics of the subsonic retro propulsion flow field can likely be linked to large-scale turbulent structures in the supersonic jet, triggering large-scale pressure fluctuations and altering the overall flow field.

Under-expanded jet and diffusion characteristics for small-hole leakage of hydrogen-blended natural gas in high-pressure pipelines

Hydrogen blending in natural gas pipelines is an economical method of hydrogen transportation, but it can increase explosion risks from leakages. Current leakage models struggle to capture under-expanded jet structures near leakage holes due to limited computational resources and cannot accurately describe explosion hazardous distances of subsequent diffusion. A two-stage model for simulating the leakage of hydrogen-blended natural gas (HBNG) pipelines is introduced, comprising jet and diffusion models. The source strength determined in the jet model serves as the inlet boundary condition for the subsequent diffusion model. The results show that considering the under-expanded jet structure can more accurately reflect the pressure fluctuation changes near the leakage hole, particularly at the location of the Mach disc, xm. The pressure at the 10xm section of the jet region stabilizes at atmospheric pressure and utilizing this value as the inlet boundary for the diffusion model prevents supersonic and oscillatory regions. Subsequently, the impact of pipeline operating pressure, leakage hole diameter, and hydrogen blending ratio (HBR) on the far-field diffusion characteristics is analyzed. Notably, the leakage hole diameter has a more pronounced effect on the explosion hazardous distance compared to other factors. This research provides insights for the prevention and management of HBNG leakage accidents.

Numerical analysis of heat transfer and fluid flow structures of jet impingement on a flat plate with different shapes of roughness elements

Jet impingement is a heat transfer technique utilized in different applications in industry. It is used for cooling the turbine blade and the combustor wall because of its high cooling rate. The heat transfer (HT) and flow structure of a circular air-impinging jet over a flat target plate with a circular row of 48 roughness elements are numerically investigated using renormalization group k–ε turbulence model. Different shapes of roughness elements, namely cylindrical roughness elements (CREs), droplet roughness elements (DREs), and hemispherical roughness elements (HREs), are examined. The effects of Reynolds number changed from 7,000 to 35,000, and the roughness elements location relative to jet diameter ( s / d ) of 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 at a constant jet-to-target plate distance ( H / d ) of 2 are studied. Temperature distribution, local Nusselt number ( Nu ), average Nusselt number (Nuavg ), average Nusselt number ratio (Nuavg,r ), velocity distribution, turbulence kinetic energy, streamline contours, and static pressure ( p ) over the roughness elements are evaluated and discussed. The results showed that the existence of roughness elements has a significant effect on the thermal and hydraulic characteristics. The Nuavg,r for the CREs, DREs, and HREs is up to 1.61, 2.02, and 1.2, respectively. All roughness element shapes increase the flow velocity in the narrow area between the elements and increase the wetted area. CREs augment the HT rates by increasing the turbulence intensity, while DREs reduce the drag force effects.

An Experimental Investigation On The Effect Of Laser Energy Deposition In An Over-Expanded Jet

The shock train structure of a supersonic over-expanded jet is the product of the interaction between the jet flow at the nozzle exit and the ambient environment. Although the effect of flow disturbances on the performance of the supersonic inlets has been studied in detail, a limited understanding of the shock train dynamics subject to flow disturbances is available for over-expanded jets. This experimental investigation focuses on understanding the influence of perturbations due to short-duration energy deposition on the shock train structure and its dynamics in an axisymmetric over-expanded Mach 2.52 jet. The flow is perturbed by laser-induced breakdown, creating a shock wave and a high-temperature plasma zone in the shock train. A high-speed self-aligning focusing schlieren system is used to visualize the flow structure variations by measuring the shock angles and Mach disk height and width to characterize the shock train dynamics and the flow structure recovery process. The response of jet flow to the perturbation at the nozzle exit and the pre-reflection point is found to be similar, however, the response of the supersonic jet to the post-reflection energy deposition is significantly different. The damping ratio for the pre-reflection point and nozzle exit cases found are nearly constant for all scenarios whereas it is linearly dependent on the jet chamber pressure for the post-reflection cases. The frequency of the oscillations is found to be the same for all cases and irrespective of the chamber pressure, laser energy, and deposition location, approximately 10 kHz. The transition from Mach to regular reflection and vice versa are observed at a chamber pressure of Pc = 689 kPa. Any perturbation to the shock structure of a supersonic over-expanding jet at close to the steady-state bifurcation condition between Mach and regular reflection will exhibit Mach-to-regular transition or vice versa.

PIV And Schlieren Measurements Of A Linear Plug Nozzle Jet Interacting With External Flow

Plug nozzles represent a promising concept as part of a propulsion system for space launchers. The ability to adapt the nozzle jet to the ambient pressure level improves thrust performance in overexpanded operating conditions compared to conventional bell nozzles. In this study, the dynamics of a jet flow of a cold air plug nozzle model are investigated by means of PIV and high-speed schlieren measurements. For a fixed nozzle pressure ratio, the jet flow is studied in an externalouter flow environment with sub-, trans-, and supersonic Mach numbers. The effect of plug truncation is analyzed as well. It is found that the outer Mach number strongly influences the flow pattern, local velocity magnitudes and aerodynamic modes. The frequency and dominance of vortex shedding and jet screeching modes are found to be highly dependent on the Mach number of the surrounding flow. A truncated plug introduces local accelerations in its base wake region, causing an increased shock strength in the jet structure. In addition,it causes severe periodic fluctuations in the flow that are transmitted to the shear layer and induce acoustic wave emissions. The impact of the plug length on the flow dynamics has been seen to decrease with increasing outer Mach number.

Resolving Flow Structures Inside Three Dimensional Packed Beds With Gas Flow By Ray Tracing Particle Image Velocimetry

Two different configurations are investigated in this study by ray tracing Particle Image Velocimetry to access the interior of different spherical packing structures. Configuration 1 consists of a regular bidisperse packed bed of 10mm and 40mm spheres based on a body-centered cubic arrangement. Ray tracing Particle Image Velocimetry was performed behind two spheres in the 40mm layer for particle Reynolds numbers from 200 to 700. The averaged velocity flow fields show the jet structures according to the pores between the underlying smaller spheres and the influence of the large spheres. Since ray-tracing Particle Image Velocimetry suffers from experimental and numerical limitations, planar 2D Particle Image Velocimetry measurements are performed to obtain spatially highly resolved validation data in the optically accessible void pores. These measurements were performed at different height positions in the bed showcasing that similar flow fields appear in the different pores. Configuration 2 deals with the jet flow (Re=5900) around an individual sphere, part of a body-centred cubic arrangement of d=40mm spheres. The emphasis lays on the temporally resolved snapshot data of the turbulent jet flow obtained by ray tracing Particle Image velocimetry. Data obtained from both configurations is used for a comprehensive discussion of the chances and challenges of ray tracing Particle Image Velocimetry. Limitations appear on the experimental side, like generation of depth of field, illumination and reflections, sufficient measurement signal, and accuracy of the geometry, but also on the numerical side, like the reproduction of the geometry, material properties, and real-world conditions. Since all these phenomena are interlinked, performing the ray tracing method in more complex systems is questionable.

Global climate modeling of the Jupiter troposphere and effect of dry and moist convection on jets

Aims. The atmosphere of Jupiter is characterized by banded jets, including an equatorial super-rotating jet, by an intense moist con-vective activity, and by perturbations exerted by vortices, waves, and turbulence. Even after space exploration missions to Jupiter and detailed numerical modeling of Jupiter, questions remain about the mechanisms underlying the banded jets and the role played by dry and moist convection in maintaining these jets. Methods. We report three-dimensional simulations of the Jupiter weather layer using a global climate model (GCM) called Jupiter-DYNAMICO, which couples hydrodynamical integrations on an icosahedral grid with detailed radiative transfer computations. We added a thermal plume model for Jupiter that emulates the effect of mixing of heat, momentum, and tracers by dry and moist convec-tive plumes that are left unresolved in the GCM mesh spacing with a physics-based approach. Results. Our Jupiter-DYNAMICO global climate simulations show that the large-scale Jovian flow, in particular the jet structure, could be highly sensitive to the water abundance in the troposphere and that an abundance threshold exists at which equatorial super-rotation develops. In contrast to our dry (or weakly moist) simulations, simulations that include the observed amount of tropospheric water exhibit a clear-cut super-rotating eastward jet at the equator and a dozen eastward mid-latitude jets that do not migrate poleward. The magnitudes agree with the observations. The convective activity simulated by our thermal plume model is weaker in the equatorial regions than in mid to high latitudes, as indicated by lightning observations. Regardless of whether they are dry or moist, our simulations exhibit the observed inverse energy cascade from small (eddies) to large scales (jets) in a zonostrophic regime.

Dust properties and their variations in comet C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS)

Context. We analyze the results of photometric monitoring of comet C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS) from December 2015 until January 2016 obtained within B, V, and R Johnson–Cousins filters. Aims. The main objective is to investigate the dust coma and to obtain the physical characteristics of its dust particles. Methods. We analyzed our observations using model-agglomerated debris particles, and we constrained the microphysical properties of the dust in comet C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS) on the pre-outburst and post-outburst epochs. Moreover, we applied a geometrical model to the images processed by digital filters to estimate the rotational period of the nucleus. Results. Our campaign revealed a sharp increase in the comet brightness on January 1, 2016. The B − V and V − R colors calculated within an aperture size of 17 000 km appear to be mostly red, except for the outburst date. The dust production (A f ρ proxy) and normalized spectral gradient S′ (B − R) dramatically changed on January 2 as compared to what was seen in December 2015. According to this model, the C/2013 X1 coma was populated by 70% organic-matter particles by volume and by two types of silicate particles together, constituting the other 30%. One type of silicate particles was composed of Mg-rich silicates, whereas the other type was composed of both Mg-rich and Fe-poor silicates. Using the geometrical model, we estimate the nucleus rotational period to be (24.02 ± 0.02) h. We interpret the observed coma morphology by two jet structures, one structure that formed by the near-pole active area at a latitude of (85+5−3)°, and the other structure formed by an active area at a latitude of (+40 ± 5)°.

Constraining Possible γ-Ray Burst Emission from GW230529 Using Swift-BAT and Fermi-GBM

GW230529 is the first compact binary coalescence detected by the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA collaboration with at least one component mass confidently in the lower mass gap, corresponding to the range 3–5 M ⊙. If interpreted as a neutron star–black hole merger, this event has the most symmetric mass ratio detected so far and therefore has a relatively high probability of producing electromagnetic (EM) emission. However, no EM counterpart has been reported. At the merger time t 0, Swift-BAT and Fermi-GBM together covered 100% of the sky. Performing a targeted search in a time window [t 0 − 20 s, t 0 + 20 s], we report no detection by the Swift-BAT and Fermi-GBM instruments. Combining the position-dependent γ-ray flux upper limits and the gravitational-wave posterior distribution of luminosity distance, sky localization, and inclination angle of the binary, we derive constraints on the characteristic luminosity and structure of the jet possibly launched during the merger. Assuming a top-hat jet structure, we exclude at 90% credibility the presence of a jet that has at the same time an on-axis isotropic luminosity ≳1048 erg s−1 in the bolometric band 1 keV–10 MeV and a jet opening angle ≳15°. Similar constraints are derived by testing other assumptions about the jet structure profile. Excluding GRB 170817A, the luminosity upper limits derived here are below the luminosity of any GRB observed so far.

Experimental and numerical studies of the processes of spraying coal-water slurries with pneumatic nozzle

The article presents the results of spraying tests of highly viscous coal-water slurries with a pneumatic nozzle and numerical studies of the structure of the gas-drop jet. An increase in the viscosity of coal-water slurries was ensured by introducing a third component into its composition – industrial waste (pyrogenetic liquid). The moderate effect of the slurry viscosity on the average droplet size of coal-water slurries in the jet is due to the high efficiency of the aerodynamic characteristics of the pneumatic nozzle. Introduction of pyrogenetic liquid in the amount of 20 % by weight into the composition of coal-water slurry significantly increases its viscosity. The value of the surface tension of such a slurry is more than doubled. The increase in the average droplet size was no more than 25 % when pyrogenetic liquid content in the composition of coal-water slurry was over 10 % by weight. The average droplet size of coal-water slurries varied in the range from 180 to 210 microns in the study area of gas droplet jet. The results of experimental and numerical studies have shown good convergence. High air velocities at short distances from the nozzle ensure high crushing efficiency of the jet of coal-water slurry. The breakdown of the boundary layer of the liquid from the periphery of the droplets of coal-water slurries and its subsequent destruction was observed at short distances from the nozzle. The values of the Weber number were 100<We<350. At considerable distances from the nozzle (more than 0.5 m), droplets of coal-water slurries were subjected to vibrational crushing (We<50).

The Impact of an Antarctic Circumpolar Current Meander on Air‐Sea Interaction and Water Subduction

AbstractStanding meanders along the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) have been shown to be regions of elevated eddy variability, meridional heat transport, and vertical exchange. In this study, we investigate the influence of a standing meander south of Australia on air‐sea heat fluxes, upper ocean structure, and subduction in the 1/10° ACCESS‐OM2 ocean‐sea ice model forced by the JRA55 atmospheric reanalysis. We track the model's Subantarctic and Polar Fronts based on their jet and water mass structure, and produce composites of thermodynamical and dynamical properties of the meander in relaxed and flexed states. The standing meander induces trough‐to‐crest variations in surface heat flux, mixed layer depth (MLD), wind stress curl, vertical velocity, and subduction. At the crests, the ocean loses heat and the mixed layer is deeper; at the troughs, the ocean gains heat and the mixed layer is shallower. Wind stress curl, vertical velocity, and subduction change sign on entering and exiting crests and troughs. Vertical velocity due to the curvature of the meander is an order of magnitude larger than Ekman vertical velocity. The poleward excursion of Polar Front meander crests extends subduction to Antarctic Intermediate Water density classes. Finally, flexing of the meander enhances both air‐sea exchange and vertical velocity. The results show that standing meanders of the ACC influence the distribution and magnitude of air‐sea fluxes of heat and momentum and exchange between the surface and interior ocean.

Numerical simulation study of cavitation characteristics of jet hydrofoil surface

To mitigate the adverse effects of cavitation on the performance degradation and chemical corrosion of hydraulic machines, a jet hydrofoil physical model based on the structure of a guide vane model of a high-pressure mixed-flow hydraulic turbine was established. A density correction turbulence model based on filters was adopted to numerically simulate the cavitation characteristics on the surface of the jet hydrofoil. The results demonstrate that when the jet speed is 12 m/s and the jet angle is −15°, the scheme exhibits the best cavitation suppression effect among all combinations of jet angles and speeds. Cavities near the jet structure are prematurely collapsed after being pressurized, and the cavitation suppression effect in the low-pressure area at the trailing edge is also satisfactory. The time-averaged bubble volume fraction reaches its minimum at 2.17%, with the time-averaged bubble volume fraction being 27.3% of the prototype hydrofoil. At flow speeds of 2.4 m/s and 7.2 m/s, small-angle jet fluid accumulated will stick to the closed cavities on the surface of the hydrofoil and cause them to rupture, while the jet fluid at the jet angle of 60° and speeds of 7.2 m/s and 12 m/s will directly cut off the bubbles.

Analysis of the effect of jet channel structure on the temperature uniformity of tempered glass

The air jet nozzle structure has a significant impact on the heat transfer uniformity and cooling rate of glass during the glass tempering process, and there is a lack of research on the discrepancy of different jet structures. The effects of double air knife, single air knife structures, and air hole structures on the cooling performance of glass in air-cooled tempering were investigated using numerical simulation and simplified analytical models. The calculated results are in agreement with the experimental results. The results show that the DK structure has a significant effect on improving the overall heat exchange performance of the glass, with lower surface temperatures for the same quenching time. The temperature inhomogeneities of DK, SK, and AH structures in the glass axial direction were 2.09%, 2.53%, and 3.33%, respectively, and the heat transfer uniformity of the DK structure was significantly better than the latter two. In comparison to the AH structure, the average heat transfer coefficients of the DK and SK structures increased by approximately 17.82% and 8.13%, respectively, while the heat transfer rates increased by approximately 7.05% and 4.51%. The study further improves the insufficiency of glass tempering research and provides theoretical guidance for the actual production of tempered glass.

Flow and Aeroacoustic Characteristics of Underexpanded Supersonic Jets Exhausting from a Conical Converging Nozzle

Ensuring the safety of space flights and solving the problems of reducing acoustic loads during the launch of space vehicles requires not only the development of new technical systems for launch complexes, but also methods for the numerical simulation of fluid and aeroacoustic fields generated by supersonic jets. The growing regulations for space vehicle noise also explain the interest in developing models and techniques that anticipate flow and the aeroacoustic characteristics of supersonic jets. Together with integral techniques for computing far-field noise, development of relevant mathematical models and implementation of numerical tools, the concepts of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational aeroacoustics (CAA) are covered. The noise generated by a supersonic underexpanded jet is used to illustrate the capabilities of current numerical modelling and simulation tools. The jet structure, flow properties, and aeroacoustic quantities are affected by the nozzle pressure ratio. The outcomes of numerical simulation are contrasted with existing experimental and computational data. The available numerical modelling and simulation tools facilitate the development of novel computational methods and methodologies for challenges in CFD and CAA, in addition to solving research and engineering problems.

Measurement of jet substructure in boosted tt¯ events with the ATLAS detector using 140 fb−1 of 13 TeV pp collisions

Measurements of the substructure of top-quark jets are presented, using 140 fb−1 of 13 TeV pp collision data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Top-quark jets reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with a radius parameter R=1.0 are selected in top-quark pair (tt¯) events where one top quark decays semileptonically and the other hadronically, or where both top quarks decay hadronically. The top-quark jets are required to have transverse momentum pT&gt;350 GeV, yielding large samples of data events with jet pT values between 350 and 600 GeV. One- and two-dimensional differential cross sections for eight substructure variables, defined using only the charged components of the jets, are measured in a particle-level phase space by correcting for the smearing and acceptance effects induced by the detector. The differential cross sections are compared with the predictions of several Monte Carlo simulations in which top-quark pair-production quantum chromodynamic matrix-element calculations at next-to-leading-order precision in the strong coupling constant αS are passed to leading-order parton shower and hadronization generators. The Monte Carlo predictions for measures of the broadness, and also the two-body structure, of the top-quark jets are found to be in good agreement with the measurements, while variables sensitive to the three-body structure of the top-quark jets exhibit some tension with the measured distributions. © 2024 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration 2024 CERN

A fast-cadenced search for gamma-ray burst orphan afterglows with the Deeper, Wider, Faster programme

ABSTRACT The relativistic outflows that produce long gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) can be described by a structured jet model where prompt $\gamma$-ray emission is restricted to a narrow region in the jet’s core. Viewing the jet off-axis from the core, a population of afterglows without an associated GRB detection can be predicted. In this work, we conduct an archival search for these ‘orphan’ afterglows (OAs) with minute-cadence, deep ($g\sim 23$) data from the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) taken as part of the Deeper, Wider, Faster programme (DWF). We introduce a method to select fast-evolving OA candidates within DWF data that comprises a machine learning model, based on a realistic synthetic population of OAs. Using this classifier, we recover 51 OA candidates. Of these candidates, 42 are likely flare events from M-class stars. The remaining nine possess quiescent, coincident sources in archival data with angular profiles consistent with a star and are inconsistent with the expected population of LGRB host galaxies. We therefore conclude that these are likely Galactic events. We calculate an upper limit on the rate of OAs down to $g\lt 22$ AB mag of 7.46 deg$^{-2}$yr$^{-1}$ using our criteria and constrain possible jet structures. We also place an upper limit of the characteristic angle between the $\gamma$-ray-emitting region and the jet’s half-opening angle. For a smooth power law and a power law with core jet model, respectively, these values are $58.3^{\circ }$ and $56.6^{\circ }$, for a power-law index of 0.8 and $75.3^{\circ }$ and $76.8^{\circ }$ for a power-law index of 1.2.