भारतीय खगोलभौतिकी संस्थान
Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Exploring the Universe since 1786
An Autonomous Institute under the
Department of Science & Technology
Government of India
Research Highlights
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS | IIA
A 1 bit Raw Voltage-recording System for Dedicated Observations of Transients at Low Radio Frequencies
INDRAJIT V. BARVE | Jun 01, 2024
Recently we had reported commissioning of a prototype for pulsar observations at low radio frequencies (<100 MHz) using log-periodic dipole antennas in the Gauribidanur Radio Observatory (≈77°E, 14°N) near Bangalore in India (https://www.iiap.res.in/?q=centers/radio). The aforementioned system (the Gauribidanur Pulsar System) is currently being augmented to directly digitize the radio-frequency signals from the individual antennas in the array. Our initial results using a 1 bit raw voltage-recording system indicate that such a back-end receiver offers distinct advantages like (i) simultaneous observations of any set of desired directions in the sky with multiple offline beams and smaller data rate/volume, and (ii) archival of the observed data with minimal resources for reanalysis in the future, either in the same or a different set of directions in the sky.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS | IIA
Unraveling the kinematic and morphological evolution of the small magellanic cloud
DHANUSH, S. R | Feb 10, 2025
We model the kinematics of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) by analyzing the proper motions (PMs) from Gaia DR3 of nine different stellar populations, including young main-sequence (MS) stars (<2 Gyr), red giant branch stars, red clump stars, red giants with line-of-sight velocities, and three groups of star clusters. This analysis is carried out using a robust Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, to derive up to seven kinematic parameters. We trace the evolution from a nonrotating flattened elliptical system, as mapped by the old population, to a rotating highly stretched disk structure, as denoted by the young MS stars and clusters (<400 Myr). We estimate that the inclination i (∼58°–82°) decreases and the position angle Θ (∼180°–240°) increases with age. We estimate an asymptotic velocity of ∼49–89 km s‑1 with a scale radius of ∼6–9 kpc for the young MS populations, with velocity dispersion of ∼11 km s‑1, suggesting a rotation-supported disk structure. Our models estimate a line-of-sight extension of ∼30 kpc, in agreement with observations. We identify four regions of the SMC showing anomalies in the residual PM: the East Anomaly, the Southeast Anomaly (SEA), the South Anomaly, and the West Anomaly. The SEA appears like an infalling feature and is identified for the first time. The tidal imprints observed in the residual PM of the SMC suggest that its evolution is considerably shaped by the recent interaction with the Large Magellanic Cloud.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS | IIA
An accreting supermassive black hole buried in a faint dwarf galaxy
MOUSUMI DAS | Sep 10, 2024
In the last decade, there have been several discoveries of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in dwarf galaxies including an AGN in an ultracompact dwarf galaxy with a black hole mass >106 Me. However, finding a supermassive black hole (SMBH) in a dwarf low surface brightness (LSB) galaxy is rare. We report the discovery of a Seyfert type 2 class AGN that is associated with a nuclear SMBH of mass ∼6.5 × 106 Me in a dwarf LSB galaxy (μ0,r > 23.8 mag arcsec−2) that we denote by MJ0818+2257. The galaxy was previously thought to be an outlying emission blob around the large spiral galaxy LEDA 1678924. In our current analysis, which includes the detection of the optical counterpart of MJ0818+2257, we study its ionized gas kinematics and find that the dynamical mass within the ionized gas disk is ∼5.3 × 109 Me. This is comparable to its stellar mass, which is ∼3 × 109 Me, and suggests that MJ0818+2257 is moderately dark matter dominated within the stellar disk. The SMBH-mass-togalaxy-stellar-mass ratio is MBH/M(*) > 0.022, which is high compared to disk galaxies. Our detection of an SMBH in a bulgeless LSB dwarf galaxy raises questions about the growth of SMBHs in low-luminosity galaxies and suggests the possibility of detecting heavy seed black holes from early epochs in LSB dwarf galaxies in the low-redshift Universe.
Press Releases
PRESS RELEASES | SCOPE
A new method to reliably estimate Helium abundance in the Sun
SCOPE | Apr 24, 2025
Since Helium does not produce any observable spectral lines from the visible surface, or the photosphere, of the Sun, its abundance has usually been estimated through indirect means. In a recent study, the abundance of Helium in our Sun has been estimated accurately using the Magnesium and Carbon features in the observed high-resolution spectrum of the Sun.
This is based on the paper titled "Helium Abundance of the Sun: A Spectroscopic Analysis", by Satyajeet Moharana, B. P. Hema, and Gajendra Pandey, 2024, Astrophysical Journal, 974, 2.
Press release by PIB published here.
Press release issued by DST here.
Download the paper from here.
PRESS RELEASES | SCOPE
Scientists Chart the Sun's Subsurface Weather Patterns Tied to Its 11-Year Activity Cycle
SCOPE | Apr 29, 2025
An international team of solar physicists has unveiled new insights into the dynamic "inner weather" of the Sun—plasma currents just beneath its surface that pulse in step with its 11-year sunspot cycle. In a study published on the 22nd of April 2025, in the The Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Stanford University (USA), and the National Solar Observatory (NSO, USA) have traced how these hidden flows shift over time, potentially reshaping our understanding of how the Sun's interior connects to its outer magnetic behavior, which has far-reaching influence on space weather and Earth.
This is based on the paper titled "Solar Cycle Variations in Meridional Flows and Rotational Shear within the Sun's Near-surface Shear Layer", by Anisha Sen, S. P. Rajaguru, Abhinav Govindan Iyer, Ruizhu Chen, Junwei Zhao, and Shukur Kholikov, 2025, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 984, 1.
Press release by PIB published here.
Press release issued by DST here.
Download the paper from here.
PRESS RELEASES | SCOPE
IIA Bengaluru scientists discover a new kind of Stellar Chemistry
SCOPE | Jun 19, 2025
Far away in the Ophiuchus Constellation, a peculiar star named A980, 25800 light years away, is rewriting what we know about stellar chemistry. Researchers have uncovered a cosmic twist -- this mysterious star that belongs to a rare class called Extreme Helium (EHe) stars, carries surprisingly high amount of germanium—a metallic element never before observed in this type of star.
This is based on the paper titled "Detection of Enhanced Germanium in a New Cool Extreme Helium Star A980: Insights and Implications", by Ajay Kumar Saini and Gajendra Pandey, 2025, The Astrophysical Journal, 979, 239.
Press release by PIB published here.
Press release issued by DST here.
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IIA offers a vigorous programme of graduate studies that forms a vital component of research & training. The programme is overseen by the board of graduate studies. The Institute is also a major partner in the Joint Astronomy Programme (JAP), organized by the Indian Institute of Science.
Admissions
PhD applications may be submitted through the IIA PhD online applications portal in May. After the initial screening, shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in June. The final list of selected candidates will be announced in July, followed by the commencement of the programme in August. .
Research Fields
Solar Studies
Studies of the Sun and solar system have been the longest pursued discipline at IIA. Members of the group conduct theoretical, numerical modeling, and observational studies in solar physics.
Stars & Galaxies
Research interests of the group members range from exoplanets, star formation, stellar evolution, end states of stars, Interstellar medium, the milky way Galaxy, nearby galaxies, active galaxies and time domain astronomy.
Theory
Members of the theoretical Astrophysics group work on a broad range of topics such as black hole astrophysics, pulsars, exoplanets, astrophysical turbulence & magnetic fields, MHD, cosmology and early universe.
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