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Journal Article

Neutron star mass estimates from gamma-ray eclipses in spider millisecond pulsar binaries

MPS-Authors
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Clark,  C. J.
Observational Relativity and Cosmology, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

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Nieder,  L.
Observational Relativity and Cosmology, AEI-Hannover, MPI for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Society;

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2301.10995.pdf
(Preprint), 937KB

s41550-022-01874-x.pdf
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Citation

Clark, C. J., Kerr, M., Barr, E. D., Bhattacharyya, B., Breton, R. P., Bruel, P., et al. (2023). Neutron star mass estimates from gamma-ray eclipses in spider millisecond pulsar binaries. Nature Astronomy, 2023. doi:10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000C-833A-F
Abstract
Reliable neutron star mass measurements are key to determining the
equation-of-state of cold nuclear matter, but these are rare. "Black Widows"
and "Redbacks" are compact binaries consisting of millisecond pulsars and
semi-degenerate companion stars. Spectroscopy of the optically bright
companions can determine their radial velocities, providing
inclination-dependent pulsar mass estimates. While inclinations can be inferred
from subtle features in optical light curves, such estimates may be
systematically biased due to incomplete heating models and poorly-understood
variability. Using data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope, we have searched
for gamma-ray eclipses from 49 spider systems, discovering significant eclipses
in 7 systems, including the prototypical black widow PSR B1957$+$20. Gamma-ray
eclipses require direct occultation of the pulsar by the companion, and so the
detection, or significant exclusion, of a gamma-ray eclipse strictly limits the
binary inclination angle, providing new robust, model-independent pulsar mass
constraints. For PSR B1957$+$20, the eclipse implies a much lighter pulsar
($M_{\rm psr} = 1.81 \pm 0.07\,M_{\odot}$) than inferred from optical light
curve modelling.