We present radio observations of Type Ib supernova (SN) Master OT J120451.50+265946.6. Our low-frequency Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) data, taken when the SN was in the optically thick phase for observed frequencies, reveal inhomogeneities in the structure of the radio-emitting region. The high-frequency Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array data indicate that the shock is crossing through a dense shell between similar to 47 and similar to 87 days. The data >= 100 days onward are reasonably well fit with the inhomogeneous synchrotron self-absorption model. Our model predicts that the inhomogeneities should smooth out at late times. Low-frequency GMRT observations at late epochs will test this prediction. Our findings suggest the importance of obtaining well-sampled wide-band radio data in order to understand the intricate nature of the radio emission from young supernovae.

We perform hydrodynamical simulations of the interaction between supernova (SN) ejecta and circumstellar medium (CSM) for SN 1993J and SN 2011dh, and calculate the radio and X-ray emissions expected from the shocked gas at late epochs (t). Considering the ejecta structure from multi-group radiation hydrodynamics simulation, we find that the observed rapid drop in radio and X-ray light curves of SN 1993J at t > 3000 days may be due to a change in the mass-loss rate ((M)over dot) similar to 6500 yr prior to the explosion of the SN. The exact epoch scales inversely with the assumed wind velocity of nu(w) = 10 km s(-1). The progenitor of this SN very likely belonged to a binary system, where, during its evolution, the primary had transferred material to the secondary. It is argued in this paper that the change in (M)over dot can happen because of a change in the mass accretion efficiency (eta) of the companion star. It is possible that before similar to 6500. (nu(w)/10 km s(-1))(-1) yr prior to the explosion, eta was high, and thus the CSM was tenuous, which causes the late-time downturn in fluxes. In the case of SN. 2011dh, the late-time evolution is found to be consistent with a wind medium with (M)over dot/nu(w) = 4 x 10(-6) M-circle dot yr(-1)/10 km s(-1). It is difficult from our analysis to predict whether the progenitor of this SN had a binary companion; however, if future observations show a similar decrease in radio and X-ray fluxes, then this would give strong support to a scenario where both SNe had undergone a similar kind of binary evolution before explosion.

GW170817 was the first gravitational-wave detection of a binary neutron-star merger(1). It was accompanied by radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum and localized(2) to the galaxy NGC 4993 at a distance of 40 megaparsecs. It has been proposed that the observed gamma-ray, X-ray and radio emission is due to an ultra-relativistic jet being launched during the merger (and successfully breaking out of the surrounding material), directed away from our line of sight (off-axis)(3-6). The presence of such a jet is predicted from models that posit neutron-star mergers as the drivers of short hard-gamma-ray bursts(7,8). Here we report that the radio light curve of GW170817 has no direct signature of the afterglow of an off-axis jet. Although we cannot completely rule out the existence of a jet directed away from the line of sight, the observed gamma-ray emission could not have originated from such a jet. Instead, the radio data require the existence of a mildly relativistic wide-angle outflow moving towards us. This outflow could be the high-velocity tail of the neutron-rich material that was ejected dynamically during the merger, or a cocoon of material that breaks out when a jet launched during the merger transfers its energy to the dynamical ejecta. Because the cocoon model explains the radio light curve of GW170817, as well as the gamma-ray and X-ray emission (and possibly also the ultraviolet and optical emission)(9-15), it is the model that is most consistent with the observational data. Cocoons may be a ubiquitous phenomenon produced in neutron-star mergers, giving rise to a hitherto unidentified population of radio, ultraviolet, X-ray and gamma-ray transients in the local Universe.

In a supernova explosion, the ejecta interacting with the surrounding circumstellar medium ( CSM) give rise to variety of radiation. Since CSM is created from the mass loss from the progenitor, it carries footprints of the late time evolution of the star. This is one of the unique ways to get a handle on the nature of the progenitor system. Here, I will focus mainly on the supernovae ( SNe) exploding in dense environments, a.k.a. Type IIn SNe. Radio and X-ray emission from this class of SNe have revealed important modifications in their radiation properties, due to the presence of high density CSM. Forward shock dominance in the X-ray emission, internal free-free absorption of the radio emission, episodic or non-steady mass loss rate, and asymmetry in the explosion seem to be common properties of this class of SNe.

We present radio observations and modeling of one of the nearest and brightest Type IIP supernova SN 2004dj exploded in the galaxy NGC 2403 at a distance of similar to 3.5 Mpc. Our observations span a wide frequency and temporal range of 0.24-43 GHz and similar to 1 day to 12 years since the discovery. We model the radio light curves and spectra with the synchrotron emission. We estimate the mass-loss rate of the progenitor star to be (M)over dot similar to 1 x 10(-6) M-circle dot yr(-1) for a wind speed of 10 km s(-1). We calculate the radio spectral indices using 1.06, 1.40, 5.00, and 8.46 GHz flux density measurements at multiple epochs. We witness steepening in the spectral index values for an extended period predominantly at higher frequencies. We explain this as a signature of electron cooling happening at the supernova shock in the plateau phase of the supernova. We estimate the cooling timescales for inverse Compton cooling and synchrotron cooling and find that inverse Compton cooling is the dominant cooling process.