I am a theoretical physicist, working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, India. I work in nuclear astrophysics. My primary research focus is on neutron stars, binary neutron star mergers, gravitational waves and machine learning applications in astrophysics. You can explore this website to learn about my academic timeline, research interests, and research group.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics and Astronomy, Nuclear and High Energy Physics
50
Scopus Publications
622
Scholar Citations
14
Scholar h-index
19
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Imprints of non-symmetric dark matter haloes on magnetars: a two-fluid perspective Asit Karan, Anil Kumar, Monika Sinha, Ritam Mallick Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2025 In this study, we investigate the impact of dark matter on the structure and deformation of magnetars. We assume a perturbative approach for the magnetic field deformation and that the dark matter only interacts gravitationally with hadronic matter. Assuming that dark matter is significantly softer than hadronic matter, we find that the magnetic field can affect dark matter through the deformation of space–time. The number of stars having a dark matter halo outside the visible surface of the star increases with an increase in dark matter fraction and the stiffness of the dark matter equation of state. As the magnetic field deforms the stars from sphericity, we can have a situation where we have a non-symmetric dark matter halo outside the star. The deformation of the dark matter halo gives rise to the discrepancies in the observed period P (and period derivative $\\dot{P}$) and gravitational wave signatures. The observed visible surfaces predict a lower period and gravitational wave strain than that with a dark matter halo. This can have interesting observational gravitational signatures unique to magnetars having a dark matter halo.
The prospect of confining the equation of state of neutron stars with future mass and radius measurements Asim Kumar Saha, Ritam Mallick European Physical Journal C, 2025 Simultaneous measurement of mass and radius with high precision is essential to unravelling the equation of state of matter at the core of neutron stars. Measurement of massive pulsars indicates that they have to be stiff at low densities. In this work, an ensemble of agnostically constructed equations of state was studied for the mass-radius measurement. The radius of neutron stars obtained from the ensemble was confined within a 10.5–14.5 km bound. Among the NICER measurements, PSR J0437–4715 provides the most stringent constraint on the equation of state. It was found that the detection of stars with smaller radii would prefer a softer equation of state, and the detection of stars with larger radii would prefer a stiffer equation of state. However, irrespective of the detection of stars with a smaller or larger radius, the sound speed peak indicates that stars are likely to have a smooth phase transition at a few times saturation densities, and the matter at the core may not be pure conformal quark matter. A better precision of the radius measurement drastically increases the chances of constraining the equation of state. The equation of state would be more effectively constrained if the measurement of large-radius stars with high precision were to happen. Precise radius measurements of neutron stars with smaller radii provide limited constraints on the equation of state over the density range relevant to neutron stars, largely independent of the stellar mass. Also, measurements for different masses are necessary to constrain the equation of state at all density ranges relevant to neutron stars.
Probing the Internal Structure of Neutron Stars: A Comparative Analysis of Three Different Classes of Equations of State Anshuman Verma, Asim Kumar Saha, Tuhin Malik, Ritam Mallick Astrophysical Journal, 2025 Sound speed can be an important tool in unravelling the nature of matter at the cores of neutron stars. In this study, we investigate three major classes of equations of state: monotonic, nonmonotonic, and discontinuous, depending on the nature of the sound speed in neutron stars. The monotonic equation of state refers to hadronic models, the nonmonotonic refers to the quarkyonic or smooth crossover models, and discontinuous refers to the first-order phase transition models. We generate a large ensemble of equations of state for three classes with the model-agnostic speed of sound interpolation approach. Further, we find the Bayesian posterior distribution employing the recent astrophysical and gravitational wave constraints. Our main aim is to identify which class of equation of state is most favored by present astrophysical and gravitational wave bounds. The analysis with posterior distribution fails to provide a satisfactory result with the usual neutron star observations like mass–radius and f-mode oscillations. Universal relations are seen as not being really universal, as they show considerable spread and significant overlaps among the different classes. The Bayesian evidence also fails to provide definitive discrimination between the models, though the astrophysical data slightly favors the nonmonotonic equation of state, while the particular gravitational-wave constraints favor the monotonic one.
Comparison of Equations of State for Neutron Stars with First-order Phase Transitions: A Qualitative Study Anshuman Verma, Asim Kumar Saha, Ritam Mallick Astrophysical Journal, 2025 The equation of state is fundamental in describing matter under the extreme conditions characteristic of neutron stars and is central to advancing our understanding of dense matter physics. A critical challenge, however, lies in accurately modeling first-order phase transitions while ensuring thermodynamic consistency and aligning with astrophysical observations. This study explores two frameworks for constructing equations of states with first-order phase transitions: the polytropic interpolation method and the randomized speed-of-sound interpolation approach. It is found that the mass–radius relation and pressure versus energy density relation are blind toward the thermodynamic consistency check. The polytropic interpolation method can exhibit discontinuities in the chemical potential for first-order phase transition, raising concerns regarding potential causality violations and thermodynamic inconsistencies. In contrast, the speed of sound interpolation approach ensures continuity in the chemical potential, offering a more thermodynamically consistent and reliable framework. Moreover, the sound speed method effectively captures the softer segment of the mass–radius spectrum, having an early phase transition, a capability not achieved by the consistent piecewise-polytropic approach due to its monotonic stiffness constraints. The speed of sound definition involving number density and chemical potential reveals the thermodynamic inconsistency, making it a more consistent and robust definition. The sound speed interpolation method also generated a sufficient number of twins, which the piecewise method failed. These findings underscore the importance of thermodynamic consistency in the equation of state construction and highlight the advantages of the randomized speed-of-sound method for modeling phase transitions in dense matter.
Analyzing the speed of sound in neutron star with machine learning Sagnik Chatterjee, Harsha Sudhakaran, Ritam Mallick European Physical Journal C, 2024 Matter properties at the intermediate densities are still unknown to us. In this work, we use a neural network approach to study matter at intermediate densities to analyze the variation of the speed of sound and the measure of trace anomaly considering astrophysical constraints of mass–radius measurement of 18 neutron stars. Our numerical results show that there is a sharp rise in the speed of sound just beyond the saturation energy density. It attains a peak around 3–4 times the saturation energy density and, after that, decreases. This hints towards the appearance of new degrees of freedom and smooth transition from hadronic matter in massive stars. The trace anomaly is maximum at low density (surface of the stars) and decreases as we reach high density. It approaches zero and can even be slightly negative at the centre of massive stars. It has a negative trough beyond the maximal central densities of neutron stars. The change in sign of the trace anomaly hints towards a near-conformal matter at the centre of neutron stars, which may not necessarily be conformal quark matter.
Deciphering accretion-dri v en starquak es in recycled millisecond pulsars using gravitational waves Sagnik Chatterjee, Kamal Krishna Nath, Ritam Mallick Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2024 Recycled millisecond pulsars are susceptible to starquakes as they are continuously accreting matter from their binary companion. A starquake happens when the rotational frequency of the star crosses its breaking frequency. In this study, we perform a model analysis of an accreting neutron star suffering a starquake. We analyse two models: a spherical star with accreting mountains and a deformed star with accreting mountains. We find that as the star crosses the breaking frequency and suffers a starquake, there is a sudden change in the continuous gravitational wave signal arriving from it. The amplitude of the gravitational wave signal increases suddenly both for the spherical and deformed star. For the spherical star, the accreting matter entirely dictates the amplitude of the gravitational wave. For the deformed star, both the accreting matter and the deformation from spherical symmetry play a significant role in determining the amplitude of the gravitational wave signal. This sudden change in the continuous gravitational wave signal in recycled millisecond pulsars can be a unique signature for such pulsars undergoing a starquake.
Effects of onset of phase transition on binary neutron star mergers Shamim Haque, Ritam Mallick, Shashikesh K Thakur Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2024 Quantum Chromodynamics predicts phase transition from hadronic matter to quark matter at high density, which is highly probable in astrophysical systems like binary neutron star mergers. To explore the critical density where such phase transition can occur, we performed numerical relativity simulations of binary neutron star mergers with various masses (equal and unequal binaries). We aim to understand the effect of the onset of phase transition on the merger dynamics and gravitational wave spectra. We generated a set of equations of states by agnostically changing the onset of phase transition, having the hadronic matter part and quark matter part fixed. This particular arrangement of the equation of states explores the scenario of mergers where mixed phases of matter are achieved before or during the merger. Under these circumstances, if the matter properties with hadronic and quark degrees differ significantly, it is reflected in the stability of the final merger product for the intermediate mass binary. We performed a case study on mixed species merger, where one of the binary companions is hybrid star. If quark matter appears at low densities, we observe significant change in post-merger gravitational wave analysis in terms of higher peak frequencies and post-merger frequencies in power spectral density. We report indications expressed as spikes in phase difference plots at merger time for mixed mergers. We found that the expression of phase transition in post-merger gravitational wave signals is more significant for unequal mass binary than for equal mass binary having the same total baryonic mass.
Models of hyperstars and hybrid stars S. Schramm, V. Dexheimer, R. Mallick, R. Negreiros 14th Marcel Grossman Meeting on Recent Developments in Theoretical and Experimental General Relativity Astrophysics and Relativistic Field Theories Proceedings, 2018
A geometric physics-informed machine learning inference for the neutron star maximum mass and the inverse problem R Mukherjee, R Mallick arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.18191 , 2026 2026
The favoured twin: on the dynamical response of twin stars to perturbations S Haque, L Rezzolla, R Mallick arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.02654 , 2026 2026
Investigating Twin Star Equation of States in Light of Recent Astrophysical Observations S Haque, A Shinde, AK Saha, T Malik, R Mallick arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.16674 , 2026 2026
Curvature Effect on the Speed of Sound A Verma, AK Saha, R Mallick arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.11005 , 2026 2026
The role of PSR J0614-3329 in defining the high-density matter at Neutron star cores AK Saha, T Malik, R Mallick arXiv preprint arXiv:2512.24729 , 2025 2025
Imprints of non-symmetric dark matter haloes on magnetars: a two-fluid perspective A Karan, A Kumar, M Sinha, R Mallick Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 543 (1), 83-94 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
The prospect of confining the equation of state of neutron stars with future mass and radius measurements AK Saha, R Mallick The European Physical Journal C 85 (9), 937 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Probing the Internal Structure of Neutron Stars: A Comparative Analysis of Three Different Classes of Equations of State A Verma, AK Saha, T Malik, R Mallick The Astrophysical Journal 988 (2), 258 , 2025 2025 Citations: 7
Neutron star physics in the multi-messenger era R Mallick, D Tripathi, AK Saha, S Haque Journal of Subatomic Particles and Cosmology, 100114 , 2025 2025
Comparison of equations of state for neutron stars with first-order phase transitions: A qualitative study A Verma, AK Saha, R Mallick The Astrophysical Journal 985 (1), 1 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Analyzing the dense matter equation of states in the light of the compact object HESS J1731-347 S Tewari, S Chatterjee, D Kumar, R Mallick Physical Review D 111 (10), 103009 , 2025 2025 Citations: 12
Determining non-symmetric dark matter halo around magnetars with two fluid approach R Mallick, A Kumar, M Sinha arXiv e-prints, arXiv: 2505.16359 , 2025 2025
Modification of the universal relation between mass, radius, and nonradial -mode oscillation in proto-neutron stars D Kumar, A Karan, A Verma, H Mishra, R Mallick Physical Review C 111 (5), 055805 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Evidence of Phase Transition from Binary Neutron Star Merger S Chatterjee, S Haque, KK Nath, R Mallick, R Nandi arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.23047 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Analyzing the speed of sound in neutron star with machine learning S Chatterjee, H Sudhakaran, R Mallick The European Physical Journal C 84 (12), 1291 , 2024 2024 Citations: 25
Prospect of unraveling the first-order phase transition in neutron stars with and modes P Thakur, S Chatterjee, KK Nath, R Mallick Physical Review D 110 (10), 103045 , 2024 2024 Citations: 15
Causality for first-order phase transition and its implication on the maximum mass of neutron stars R Mallick arXiv preprint arXiv:2410.21877 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Deciphering accretion-driven starquakes in recycled millisecond pulsars using gravitational waves S Chatterjee, KK Nath, R Mallick Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 534 (1), 97-106 , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Effects of onset of phase transition on binary neutron star mergers S Haque, R Mallick, SK Thakur Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 527 (4), 11575-11586 , 2024 2024 Citations: 21
Effect of relativistic equation of state and diffusion coefficient on diffusive shock acceleration A Verma, S Chandna, R Mallick arXiv preprint arXiv:2401.08969 , 2024 2024
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Conversion of a neutron star to a strange star: A two-step process A Bhattacharyya, SK Ghosh, PS Joarder, R Mallick, S Raha Physical Review C—Nuclear Physics 74 (6), 065804 , 2006 2006 Citations: 96
Deformation of a magnetized neutron star R Mallick, S Schramm Physical Review C 89 (4), 045805 , 2014 2014 Citations: 84
Maximum mass of a hybrid star having a mixed-phase region based on constraints set by the pulsar PSR J1614-2230 R Mallick Physical Review C—Nuclear Physics 87 (2), 025804 , 2013 2013 Citations: 32
Dynamical phase transition in neutron stars R Prasad, R Mallick The Astrophysical Journal 859 (1), 57 , 2018 2018 Citations: 28
Analyzing the speed of sound in neutron star with machine learning S Chatterjee, H Sudhakaran, R Mallick The European Physical Journal C 84 (12), 1291 , 2024 2024 Citations: 25
Phase transitions in neutron star and magnetars and their connection with high energetic bursts in astrophysics R Mallick, PK Sahu Nuclear Physics A 921, 96-113 , 2014 2014 Citations: 23
General relativistic effects on the conversion of nuclear to two-flavor quark matter in compact stars A Bhattacharyya, SK Ghosh, R Mallick, S Raha Physical Review C—Nuclear Physics 76 (5), 052801 , 2007 2007 Citations: 22
Effects of onset of phase transition on binary neutron star mergers S Haque, R Mallick, SK Thakur Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 527 (4), 11575-11586 , 2024 2024 Citations: 21
Possible conversion of a neutron star to a quark star in the presence of high magnetic field R Mallick, M Sinha Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 414 (3), 2702-2708 , 2011 2011 Citations: 21
Nonequilibrium phase transition in compact stars through a violent shock I Mishustin, R Mallick, R Nandi, L Satarov Physical Review C 91 (5), 055806 , 2015 2015 Citations: 20
Gravitational wave signature from phase transition of a combusting neutron star to quark star R Mallick, S Singh, P R Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 507 (1), 1318-1328 , 2021 2021 Citations: 19
Gravitational Waves from the Phase Transition of NS to QS R Prasad, R Mallick The Astrophysical Journal 893 (2), 151 , 2020 2020 Citations: 17
Prospect of unraveling the first-order phase transition in neutron stars with and modes P Thakur, S Chatterjee, KK Nath, R Mallick Physical Review D 110 (10), 103045 , 2024 2024 Citations: 15
Combustion adiabat and the maximum mass of a quark star R Mallick, M Irfan Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 485 (1), 577-585 , 2019 2019 Citations: 15
Analyzing the dense matter equation of states in the light of the compact object HESS J1731-347 S Tewari, S Chatterjee, D Kumar, R Mallick Physical Review D 111 (10), 103009 , 2025 2025 Citations: 12
I-Love-Q relations for a generic family of neutron star equations of state KK Nath, R Mallick, S Chatterjee Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 524 (1), 1438-1447 , 2023 2023 Citations: 12
On the possibility of rho-meson condensation in neutron stars R Mallick, S Schramm, V Dexheimer, A Bhattacharyya Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 449 (2), 1347-1351 , 2015 2015 Citations: 11
Spin-down induced quark-hadron phase transition in cold isolated neutron stars R Prasad, R Mallick Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 516 (1), 1127-1136 , 2022 2022 Citations: 10
General Relativistic effect on the energy deposition rate for neutrino pair annihilation above the equatorial plane along the symmetry axis near a rotating neutron star R Mallick, A Bhattacharyya, SK Ghosh, S Raha International Journal of Modern Physics E 22 (02), 1350008 , 2013 2013 Citations: 10
Maximum mass of hybrid star formed via shock-induced phase transition in cold neutron stars R Mallick, S Singh, R Nandi Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 503 (4), 4829-4837 , 2021 2021 Citations: 9