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The Neutron Star Mass Distribution | | Bulent Kiziltan
; Athanasios Kottas
; Maria De Yoreo
; Stephen E. Thorsett
; | | Date: |
25 Sep 2013 | | Abstract: | In recent years, the number of pulsars with secure mass measurements has
increased to a level that allows us to probe the underlying neutron star (NS)
mass distribution in detail. We critically review the radio pulsar mass
measurements. For the first time, we are able to analyze a sizable population
of NSs with a flexible modeling approach that can effectively accommodate a
skewed underlying distribution and asymmetric measurement errors. We find that
NSs that have evolved through different evolutionary paths reflect distinctive
signatures through dissimilar distribution peak and mass cutoff values. NSs in
double neutron star and neutron star-white dwarf systems show consistent
respective peaks at 1.33 Msun and 1.55 Msun suggesting significant mass
accretion (delta m~0.22 Msun) has occurred during the spin-up phase. The width
of the mass distribution implied by double NS systems is indicative of a tight
initial mass function while the inferred mass range is significantly wider for
NSs that have gone through recycling. We find a mass cutoff at ~2.1 Msun for
NSs with white dwarf companions which establishes a firm lower bound for the
maximum NS mass. This rules out the majority of strange quark and soft equation
of state models as viable configurations for NS matter. The lack of truncation
close to the maximum mass cutoff along with the skewed nature of the inferred
mass distribution both enforce the suggestion that the 2.1 Msun limit is set by
evolutionary constraints rather than nuclear physics or general relativity, and
the existence of rare super-massive NSs is possible. | | Source: | arXiv, 1309.6635 | | Services: | Forum | Review | PDF | Favorites | |
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