Pennsylvania State University ยท Compact Object Astrophysics
Sanika Khadkikar
Fourth Year Graduate Student
About Me
Hi! I’m Sanika S. Khadkikar, an Edward M. Frymoyer and Edward A. & Rosemary A. Mebus Fellow at The Pennsylvania State University, working in the Parameter Estimation at the eXtreme (PAX) group. I study neutron stars and the extreme physics they probe. My research focuses on identifying and reducing biases in gravitational-wave, X-ray, and gamma-ray observations, and combining these signals to better constrain the neutron star equation of state. More broadly, I’m interested in what determines the mass at which a neutron star collapses into a black hole, and what that threshold reveals about the phase structure of dense matter and the production of heavy elements across the universe. I love talking about science, neutron stars especially, so if any of this resonates with your interests, please reach out. I’m always happy to explore new collaborations.
Research Questions
- How do prior assumptions and pipeline choices shape equation-of-state inference from gravitational-wave observations of binary neutron stars?
- At what maximum mass does a neutron star collapse into a black hole, and what does this threshold reveal about the phase structure of dense matter?
- How can we combine gravitational-wave, X-ray, and gamma-ray observations to reduce systematic biases and jointly constrain the neutron star equation of state?
- What do neutron star merger signals tell us about the production of heavy elements across the universe?
- Can dark matter admixtures in neutron stars leave detectable imprints in gravitational-wave waveforms?