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

C. J. Clark; M. Kerr; E. D. Barr; B. Bhattacharyya; R. P. Breton; P. Bruel; F. Camilo; W. Chen; I. Cognard; H. T. Cromartie; J. Deneva; V. S. Dhillon; L. Guillemot; M. R. Kennedy; M. Kramer; A. G. Lyne; D. Mata Sánchez; L. Nieder; C. Phillips; S. M. Ransom; P. S. Ray; M. S.E. Roberts; J. Roy; D. A. Smith; R. Spiewak; B. W. Stappers; S. Tabassum; G. Theureau; G. Voisin

doi:10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x

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

C. J. Clark
, M. Kerr
, E. D. Barr
, B. Bhattacharyya
, R. P. Breton
, P. Bruel
, F. Camilo
, W. Chen
, I. Cognard
, H. T. Cromartie
, J. Deneva
, V. S. Dhillon
, L. Guillemot
, M. R. Kennedy
, M. Kramer
, A. G. Lyne
, D. Mata Sánchez
, L. Nieder
, C. Phillips
, S. M. Ransom

P. S. Ray, M. S.E. Roberts, J. Roy, D. A. Smith, R. Spiewak, B. W. Stappers, S. Tabassum, G. Theureau, G. Voisin

Max-Planck-Institut fuer Gravitationsphysik
Leibniz Universität Hannover
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics
Space Science Division
Naval Research Laboratory
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
National Centre for Radio Astrophysics India
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory
conventionnée avec l'Université d'Orléans
Observatoire Radioastronomique de Nançay
Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science
George Mason University
Department of Physics and Astronomy
The University of Sheffield
Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias
Optoelectronics Group
University College Cork
Departamento de Astrofisica
Research Unit; CIBERNED and Universidad de La Laguna
University of Virginia
National Radio Astronomy Observatory Socorro
Eureka Scientific, Inc.
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux
Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing
Swinburne University of Technology
New York University - Abu Dhabi
Department of Physics and Astronomy
West Virginia University
LUTH - Laboratoire de l'Univers et de ses Theories

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Reliable neutron star mass measurements are key to determining the equation of state of cold nuclear matter, but such measurements 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. Although 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 (1.81 ± 0.07 solar masses) than inferred from optical light curve modelling.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	451-462
Number of pages	12
Journal	Nature Astronomy
Volume	7
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2023

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Clark, C. J., Kerr, M., Barr, E. D., Bhattacharyya, B., Breton, R. P., Bruel, P., Camilo, F., Chen, W., Cognard, I., Cromartie, H. T., Deneva, J., Dhillon, V. S., Guillemot, L., Kennedy, M. R., Kramer, M., Lyne, A. G., Sánchez, D. M., Nieder, L., Phillips, C., ... Voisin, G. (2023). Neutron star mass estimates from gamma-ray eclipses in spider millisecond pulsar binaries. Nature Astronomy, 7(4), 451-462. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x

@article{0ba56a012fff49d2844777f4d2517d35,

title = "Neutron star mass estimates from gamma-ray eclipses in spider millisecond pulsar binaries",

abstract = "Reliable neutron star mass measurements are key to determining the equation of state of cold nuclear matter, but such measurements 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. Although 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 (1.81 ± 0.07 solar masses) than inferred from optical light curve modelling.",

author = "Clark, \{C. J.\} and M. Kerr and Barr, \{E. D.\} and B. Bhattacharyya and Breton, \{R. P.\} and P. Bruel and F. Camilo and W. Chen and I. Cognard and Cromartie, \{H. T.\} and J. Deneva and Dhillon, \{V. S.\} and L. Guillemot and Kennedy, \{M. R.\} and M. Kramer and Lyne, \{A. G.\} and S{\'a}nchez, \{D. Mata\} and L. Nieder and C. Phillips and Ransom, \{S. M.\} and Ray, \{P. S.\} and Roberts, \{M. S.E.\} and J. Roy and Smith, \{D. A.\} and R. Spiewak and Stappers, \{B. W.\} and S. Tabassum and G. Theureau and G. Voisin",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, The Author(s).",

year = "2023",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "451--462",

journal = "Nature Astronomy",

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Clark, CJ, Kerr, M, Barr, ED, Bhattacharyya, B, Breton, RP, Bruel, P, Camilo, F, Chen, W, Cognard, I, Cromartie, HT, Deneva, J, Dhillon, VS, Guillemot, L, Kennedy, MR, Kramer, M, Lyne, AG, Sánchez, DM, Nieder, L, Phillips, C, Ransom, SM, Ray, PS, Roberts, MSE, Roy, J, Smith, DA, Spiewak, R, Stappers, BW, Tabassum, S, Theureau, G & Voisin, G 2023, 'Neutron star mass estimates from gamma-ray eclipses in spider millisecond pulsar binaries', Nature Astronomy, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 451-462. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x

TY - JOUR

T1 - Neutron star mass estimates from gamma-ray eclipses in spider millisecond pulsar binaries

AU - Clark, C. J.

AU - Kerr, M.

AU - Barr, E. D.

AU - Bhattacharyya, B.

AU - Breton, R. P.

AU - Bruel, P.

AU - Camilo, F.

AU - Chen, W.

AU - Cognard, I.

AU - Cromartie, H. T.

AU - Deneva, J.

AU - Dhillon, V. S.

AU - Guillemot, L.

AU - Kennedy, M. R.

AU - Kramer, M.

AU - Lyne, A. G.

AU - Sánchez, D. Mata

AU - Nieder, L.

AU - Phillips, C.

AU - Ransom, S. M.

AU - Ray, P. S.

AU - Roberts, M. S.E.

AU - Roy, J.

AU - Smith, D. A.

AU - Spiewak, R.

AU - Stappers, B. W.

AU - Tabassum, S.

AU - Theureau, G.

AU - Voisin, G.

PY - 2023/4/1

Y1 - 2023/4/1

N2 - Reliable neutron star mass measurements are key to determining the equation of state of cold nuclear matter, but such measurements 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. Although 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 (1.81 ± 0.07 solar masses) than inferred from optical light curve modelling.

AB - Reliable neutron star mass measurements are key to determining the equation of state of cold nuclear matter, but such measurements 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. Although 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 (1.81 ± 0.07 solar masses) than inferred from optical light curve modelling.

U2 - 10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x

DO - 10.1038/s41550-022-01874-x

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85146881063

SN - 2397-3366

VL - 7

SP - 451

EP - 462

JO - Nature Astronomy

JF - Nature Astronomy

IS - 4

ER -

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

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