Type Ib supernova Master OT J120451.50+265946.6: radio emitting shock with inhomogeneities crossing through a dense shell

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.