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Observational constraints on the neutron star mass distribution

L. S. Finn
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Abstract

Radio observations of neutron star binary pulsar systems have constrained strongly the masses of eight neutron stars. Assuming neutron star masses are uniformly distributed between lower and upper bounds $m_l$ and $m_u$, the observations determine with 95\% confidence that $1.01 < m_l/\text{M}_\odot < 1.34$ and $1.43 < m_u/\text{M}_\odot < 1.64$. These limits give observational support to neutron star formation scenarios that suggest that masses should fall predominantly in the range $1.3<m/\text{M}_\odot<1.6$, and will also be important in the interpretation of binary inspiral observations by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory.

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L. S. Finn. 1994-09-22. Observational constraints on the neutron star mass distribution. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.73.1878

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