arXiv subjects

Prasanta Char

Publications and source records attributed to Prasanta Char.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Probing Neutron Star Interiors and the Properties of Cold Ultra-dense Matter with the SKAO

Matter inside neutron stars is compressed to densities several times greater than nuclear saturation density, while maintaining low temperatures and large asymmetries between neutrons and protons. Neutron stars, therefore, provide a unique laboratory for testing physics in environments that cannot be recreated on Earth. To uncover the highly uncertain nature of cold, ultra-dense matter, discovering and monitoring pulsars is essential, and SKAO will play a crucial role in this endeavour. In this chapter, we will present the current state-of-the-art in dense matter physics and dense matter superfluidity, and discuss recent advances in measuring global neutron star properties (masses, moments of inertia, and maximum rotation frequencies) as well as non-global observables (pulsar glitches and free precession). We will specifically highlight how radio observations of isolated neutron stars and those in binaries -- such as those performed with SKAO in the near future -- inform our understanding of ultra-dense physics and address in detail how SKAO's telescopes unprecedented sensitivity, large-scale survey and sub-arraying capabilities will enable novel dense matter constraints. We will also address the potential impact of dark matter and modified gravity models on these constraints and emphasise the role of synergies between SKAO and other facilities, specifically X-ray telescopes and next-generation gravitational wave observatories.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Probing neutron star interiors and the properties of cold ultra-dense matter with the SKAO

Matter inside neutron stars is compressed to densities several times greater than nuclear saturation density, while maintaining low temperatures and large asymmetries between neutrons and protons. Neutron stars, therefore, provide a unique laboratory for testing physics in environments that cannot be recreated on Earth. To uncover the highly uncertain nature of cold, ultra-dense matter, discovering and monitoring pulsars is essential, and the SKA will play a crucial role in this endeavour. In this paper, we will present the current state-of-the-art in dense matter physics and dense matter superfluidity, and discuss recent advances in measuring global neutron star properties (masses, moments of inertia, and maximum rotation frequencies) as well as non-global observables (pulsar glitches and free precession). We will specifically highlight how radio observations of isolated neutron stars and those in binaries -- such as those performed with the SKA in the near future -- inform our understanding of ultra-dense physics and address in detail how SKAO's telescopes unprecedented sensitivity, large-scale survey and sub-arraying capabilities will enable novel dense matter constraints. We will also address the potential impact of dark matter and modified gravity models on these constraints and emphasise the role of synergies between the SKA and other facilities, specifically X-ray telescopes and next-generation gravitational wave observatories.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

ESO Expanding Horizon White Paper: Revealing the properties of matter at supranuclear densities with gravitational waves

Understanding dense matter under extreme conditions is one of the most fundamental puzzles in modern physics. Complex interactions give rise to emergent, collective phenomena. While nuclear experiments and Earth - based colliders provide valuable insights, much of the quantum chromodynamics phase diagram at high density and low temperature remains accessible only through astrophysical observations of neutron stars, neutron star mergers, and stellar collapse. Astronomical observations thus offer a direct window to the physics on subatomic scales with gravitational waves presenting an especially clean channel. Next-generation gravitational - wave observatories, such as the Einstein Telescope, would serve as unparalleled instruments to transform our understanding of neutron star matter. They will enable the detection of up to tens of thousands of binary neutron star and neutron star - black hole mergers per year, a dramatic increase over the few events accessible with current detectors. They will provide an unprecedented precision in probing cold, dense matter during the binary inspiral, exceeding by at least an order of magnitude what current facilities can achieve. Moreover, these observatories will allow us to explore uncharted regimes of dense matter at finite temperatures produced in a subset of neutron star mergers, areas that remain entirely inaccessible to current instruments. Together with multimessenger observations, these measurements will significantly deepen our knowledge of dense nuclear matter.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2025

Systematic study of scalar, vector, and mixed density dependencies in relativistic mean-field descriptions of hyperonic matter in neutron stars

We investigate the equation of state (EOS) of hyperonic neutron star (NS) matter within a density-dependent relativistic mean-field (DDRMF) framework. The effects of scalar, vector, and mixed density dependencies in meson-baryon couplings are systematically examined along with alternative forms of the $\rho$-meson coupling. Several meson-nucleon parameter sets are explored here for the first time for neutron stars and compared with the standard DD2 EOS. Most new parameterizations produce stiffer EOSs, leading to neutron stars with larger radii and higher tidal deformabilities. However, the inclusion of $\Lambda$ hyperons softens these EOSs, and the resulting maximum masses still satisfy the two solar mass limits and agree with NICER measurements. These results highlight the importance of exploring alternative density dependencies in constraining dense matter through multi-messenger observations.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2025

Implication of multimessenger observations on the relativistic mean-field equation of state of dense nuclear matter and skin thickness of nuclei

The composition and properties of infinite nuclear matter under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure remain incompletely understood. In this work, we constrain the equation of state (EoS) of nuclear matter - constructed within the framework of the Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) model - by combining results from chiral effective field theory and multimessenger observations of neutron stars. Using the saturation properties of nuclear matter, we generate a wide ensemble of EoS, which are subsequently constrained within a Bayesian framework. The resulting posterior distributions provide tight bounds on both the saturation parameters and the coupling constants of the RMF model. Our results indicate that the GW170817 event and the latest NICER observation favor a relatively soft EoS, leading to lower crust-core transition densities and thinner neutron star crusts. The radius of a $1.4\,M_\odot$ neutron star is tightly constrained to $12.508_{-0.241}^{+0.257}$ km, while the maximum mass reaches $2.174_{-0.123}^{+0.174}\,M_\odot$. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that the $\omega$-$\rho$ coupling, which governs the density dependence of the symmetry energy, becomes increasingly significant under successive astrophysical constraints. Finally, the predicted neutron skin thickness of $^{48}$Ca agrees well with the CREX measurement, whereas that of $^{208}$Pb remains in tension with PREX-II. In contrast to earlier studies, we do not observe a clear correlation between the neutron skin thickness of $^{208}$Pb and the symmetry energy slope parameter $L$.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2025

Properties of neutron stars with hyperons within a generalized relativistic approach

In this work, we study the effects of $\Lambda$-hyperons on neutron star properties employing a generalized relativistic framework for the equation of state (EOS). Different choices for defining the hyperonic couplings with different levels of parametric freedom are discussed. In all models, the predicted NS maximum masses are reduced compared with the purely nucleonic composition as expected. In the case of relating hyperonic couplings via $SU(6)$-symmetry arguments to the nucleonic ones, we find that NS radii for intermediate mass stars are shifted to higher values compared with purely nucleonic stars, in agreement with the existing literature. However, allowing for more freedom for the hyperonic couplings, the effect is strongly reduced, and the distributions in the NS mass-radius plane of models with and without hyperons become very close. We have also investigated how different nucleonic density functionals influence the hyperon matter composition and neutron star properties.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2025

Systematics from NICER Pulse Profiles Drive Uncertainty in Multi-Messenger Inference of the Neutron Star Equation of State

We present new constraints on the neutron star equation of state (EOS) and mass distribution using a unified Bayesian inference framework that incorporates latest NICER measurements, including PSR J0614$-$3329, alongside gravitational wave data, radio pulsar masses, and nuclear theory. By systematically comparing four inference scenarios--varying in the inclusion of PSR J0614$-$3329 and in the pulse profile model used for PSR J0030+0451--we quantify the impact of observational and modeling choices on dense matter inference. We find that pulse profile systematics dominate EOS uncertainties: the choice of hot spot geometry for PSR J0030+0451 leads to significant shifts in the inferred stiffness of the EOS and maximum neutron star mass. In contrast, PSR J0614$-$3329 mildly softens the EOS at low densities, reducing the radius at $1.4\,M_\odot$ by $\sim 100$~m. A Bayesian model comparison yields a Bayes factor of $\log_{10} \mathrm{BF} \approx 1.58$ in favor of the ST+PDT model over PDT-U, providing strong evidence that multi-messenger EOS inference can statistically discriminate between competing NICER pulse profile models. These results highlight the critical role of NICER systematics in dense matter inference and the power of joint analyses in breaking modeling degeneracies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Stellar properties indicating the presence of hyperons in neutron stars

We describe distinctive stellar features indicating the presence of hyperons in neutron stars as compared to purely nucleonic systems. A strongly negative curvature of the mass-radius relation $R(M)$ is characteristic of hyperons, which can be determined from measurements of neutron stars with three different masses. Similarly, a reduced second derivative of the tidal deformability as function of mass \lambda(M) points to hyperonic degrees of freedom in NS matter. The slopes of such curves R(M) and \lambda(M) can distinguish a hyperonic equation of state from purely nucleonic models if they appear increased (decreased for \lambda(M)) relative to the maximum mass of neutron stars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Structural response of neutron stars to rapid rotation and its impact on the braking index

Pulsars are rotating neutron stars that are observed to be slowing down, implying a loss of their rotational energy. There can be several different physical mechanisms involved in their spin-down process. The properties of fast-rotating pulsars depend on the nature of the neutron star matter, which can also affect the spin-down mechanisms. In this work, we examine three different physical phenomena contributing to the spin-down: magnetic dipole radiation, gravitational mass quadrupole radiation due to the ``mountain" formation, gravitational mass current quadrupole radiation or the r-modes, and calculate the expressions for the braking indices due to all of them. We have also considered the implications of the uncertainties of the equation of the state of neutron star matter and rapid rotation on the braking indices corresponding to the aforementioned processes and their combinations. In all cases, the rapid rotation results in a departure of the braking index from the standard values when the rotational effects are ignored. If generated with a saturation amplitude within the range of $10^{-4} - 10^{-1}$, the r-mode oscillations dominate the spin-down of millisecond pulsars. Moreover, we explore the braking index in the context of millisecond magnetars. We also study the effects of different choices of baryon mass on the braking indices.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

The Science of the Einstein Telescope

Einstein Telescope (ET) is the European project for a gravitational-wave (GW) observatory of third-generation. In this paper we present a comprehensive discussion of its science objectives, providing state-of-the-art predictions for the capabilities of ET in both geometries currently under consideration, a single-site triangular configuration or two L-shaped detectors. We discuss the impact that ET will have on domains as broad and diverse as fundamental physics, cosmology, early Universe, astrophysics of compact objects, physics of matter in extreme conditions, and dynamics of stellar collapse. We discuss how the study of extreme astrophysical events will be enhanced by multi-messenger observations. We highlight the ET synergies with ground-based and space-borne GW observatories, including multi-band investigations of the same sources, improved parameter estimation, and complementary information on astrophysical or cosmological mechanisms obtained combining observations from different frequency bands. We present advancements in waveform modeling dedicated to third-generation observatories, along with open tools developed within the ET Collaboration for assessing the scientific potentials of different detector configurations. We finally discuss the data analysis challenges posed by third-generation observatories, which will enable access to large populations of sources and provide unprecedented precision.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Exploring the limits of nucleonic metamodelling using different relativistic density functionals

In this work, we explore two classes of density dependent relativistic mean-field models, their predictions of proton fractions at high densities and neutron star structure. We have used a metamodelling approach to these relativistic density functionals. We have generated a large ensemble of models with these classes and then applied constraints from theoretical and experimental nuclear physics and astrophysical observations. We find that both models produce similar equations of state and neutron star mass-radius sequences. But, their underlying compositions, denoted by the proton fraction in this case, are vastly different. This reinstates previous findings that information on composition gets masqueraded in $β$-equilibrium. Additional observations of non-equilibrium phenomena are necessary to pin it down.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Gauge-invariant perturbations of relativistic non-perfect fluids in spherical spacetime

Astrophysical compact objects are usually studied using a perfect fluid model. However, in astrophysical processes out-of-equilibrium, dissipative effects become important to describe the dynamics of the system. In this work, we obtain gauge-invariant non-spherical perturbations of a self-gravitating non-perfect fluid in spherical spacetime. We use the Gerlach-Sengupta formalism to work with gauge-invariant metric perturbations, and the Gundlach-Mart\'in-Garc\'ia approach to transform the equations of tensor perturbations into scalar equations. We calculate the dynamics of the dissipative contributions, e.g., viscosity and heat flux, using the M\"uller-Israel-Stewart equations in the gauge-invariant formalism. We obtain a set of field equations for the evolution of matter and metric perturbations in the polar and axial sectors. Specifically, in the former we find two wave equations sourced by the anisotropic contributions, and the evolution of all matter perturbations for radiative modes ($l\geq 2$). In the axial sector, we find one wave equation coupled to the evolution of matter perturbations. Finally, we comment on the contribution of dissipative effects in the lower-order multipoles ($l=0,1$) for both sectors.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Compact object of HESS J1731-347 and its implication on neutron star matter

In this work, we investigate the impact of the possibility of a small, subsolar mass compact star, such as the recently reported central compact object of HESS J1731-347, on the equation of state (EOS) of neutron stars. We have used a hybrid approach to the nuclear EOS developed recently where the matter around nuclear saturation density is described by a parametric expansion in terms of nuclear empirical parameters and represented in an agnostic way at higher density using piecewise polytropes. We have incorporated the inputs provided by the latest neutron skin measurement experiments from PREX-II and CREX, simultaneous mass-radius measurements of pulsars PSR J0030+0451 and PSR J0740+6620, and the gravitational wave events GW170817 and GW190425. The main results of the study show the effect of HESS J1731-347 on the nuclear parameters and neutron star observables. Our analysis yields the slope of symmetry energy $L=45.71^{+38.18}_{-22.11}$ MeV, the radius of a $1.4 M_\odot$ star, $R_{1.4}=12.18^{+0.71}_{-0.88}$ km, and the maximum mass of a static star, $M_{\rm max}= 2.14^{+0.26}_{-0.17} M_\odot$ within $90\%$ confidence interval, respectively.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Tests of General Relativity with GW230529: a neutron star merging with a lower mass-gap compact object

On May 29, 2023, the LIGO Livingston observatory detected the gravitational-wave signal GW230529_181500 from the merger of a neutron star with a lower mass-gap compact object. Its long inspiral signal provides a unique opportunity to test general relativity (GR) in a parameter space previously unexplored by strong-field tests. In this work, we performed parameterized inspiral tests of GR with GW230529_181500. Specifically, we search for deviations in the frequency-domain GW phase by allowing for agnostic corrections to the post-Newtonian coefficients. We performed tests with the Flexible Theory Independent and Test Infrastructure For General Relativity frameworks using several quasicircular waveform models that capture different physical effects (higher modes, spins, tides). We find that the signal is consistent with GR for all deviation parameters. Assuming the primary object is a black hole, we obtain particularly tight constraints on the dipole radiation at $-1$PN order of $|\delta\hat{\varphi}_{-2}| \lesssim 8 \times 10^{-5}$, which is a factor $\sim17$ times more stringent than previous bounds from the neutron star--black hole merger GW200115_042309, as well as on the 0.5PN and 1PN deviation parameters. We discuss some challenges that arise when analyzing this signal, namely biases due to correlations with tidal effects and the degeneracy between the 0PN deviation parameter and the chirp mass. To illustrate the importance of GW230529_181500 for tests of GR, we mapped the agnostic $-1$PN results to a class of Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet (ESGB) theories of gravity. We also conducted an analysis probing the specific phase deviation expected in ESGB theory and obtain an upper bound on the Gauss-Bonnet coupling of $\ell_{\rm GB} \lesssim 0.51~\rm{M}_\odot$ ($\sqrt{\alpha_{\rm GB}} \lesssim 0.28$ km), which is better than any previously reported constraint.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Generalised description of Neutron Star matter with nucleonic Relativistic Density Functional

In this work, we propose a meta-modelling technique to nuclear matter on the basis of a relativistic density functional with density-dependent couplings. Identical density dependence for the couplings both in the isoscalar and isovector sectors is employed. We vary the coupling parameters of the model to capture the uncertainties of the empirical nuclear matter parameters at saturation. Then, we construct a large ensemble of unified equations of state in a consistent manner both for clusterized and uniform matter in $β$-equilibrium at zero temperature. Finally, we calculate neutron star properties to check the consistency with astrophysical observations within a Bayesian framework. Out of the different sets of astrophysical data employed, constraint on tidal deformability from the GW170817 event was found to be the most stringent in the posteriors of different neutron star properties explored in the present study. We demonstrate in detail the impact of the isovector incompressibility ($K_{sym}$) on high-density matter that leads to a considerable variation in the composition of neutron star matter. A couple of selected models with extreme values of $K_{sym}$, which satisfy various modern nuclear physics and neutron star astrophysics constraints, are uploaded in the \textsc{CompOSE} \cite{Typel:2013rza} database for use by the community.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2023

Stability and instability of strange dwarfs

More than 20 years ago, Glendenning, Kettner and Weber proposed the existence of stable white dwarfs with a core of strange quark matter. More recently, by studying radial modes, Alford, Harris and Sachdeva concluded instead that those objects are unstable. We aim to clarify this issue. We investigate the stability of these objects by looking at their radial oscillations while incorporating boundary conditions at the quark-hadron interface, corresponding to either a rapid or a slow conversion of hadrons into quarks. Our analysis shows that objects of this type are stable if the star is not strongly perturbed, and ordinary matter cannot transform into strange quark matter because of the Coulomb barrier separating the two components. On the other hand, ordinary matter can be transformed into strange quark matter if the star undergoes a violent process, as in the preliminary stages of a type Ia supernova, and this causes the system to become unstable and to collapse into a strange quark star. In this way, accretion-induced collapse of strange dwarfs can be facilitated, and km-sized objects with subsolar masses can be produced.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

Radial Oscillations of Neutron Stars with Antikaon Condensate

In this article, we study the neutron stars with antikaon condensates and their radial oscillations. We incorporate the antikaons $(K^-,\bar{K}^0)$ within a relativistic mean field theory with density dependent couplings. A transition to the kaon condensed phase is treated as a second order phase transition for different possible antikaon optical potentials. Then, we solve the structure equations of stars and calculate the fundamental and higher order frequencies of their radial pulsations. We study the eigenfunctions of different radial modes for a $2M_\odot$ star with equations of state having different potential depths of antikaons. We also study the large frequency separations for the $2M_\odot$ star. We find distinct features of the appearances of antikaons on the eigenfunctions. The shape of the eigenfunctions corresponding to the radial perturbations is affected due to the appearance of the antikaons, but for the pressure perturbation, the shape remains unchanged.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2021

GW190814: On the properties of the secondary component of the binary

We show that the odds of the mass-gap (secondary) object in GW190814 being a neutron star (NS) improve if one allows for a stiff high-density equation of state (EoS) or a large spin. Since its mass is $\in (2.50,2.67) M_{\odot}$, establishing its true nature will make it either the heaviest NS or the lightest black hole (BH), and can have far-reaching implications on NS EoS and compact object formation channels. When limiting oneself to the NS hypothesis, we deduce the secondary's properties by using a Bayesian framework with a hybrid EoS formulation that employs a parabolic expansion-based nuclear empirical parameterization around the nuclear saturation density augmented by a generic 3-segment piecewise polytrope (PP) model at higher densities and combining a variety of astrophysical observations. For the slow-rotation scenario, GW190814 implies a very stiff EoS and a stringent constraint on the EoS specially in the high-density region. On the other hand assuming the secondary object is a rapidly rotating NS, we constrain its rotational frequency to be $f=1170^{+389}_{-495}$ Hz, within a $90\%$ confidence interval. In this scenario, the secondary object in GW190814 would qualify as the fastest rotating NS ever observed. However, for this scenario to be viable, rotational instabilities would have to be suppressed both during formation and the subsequent evolution until merger, otherwise the secondary of GW190814 is more likely to be a BH.

astro-ph.HE↗