Maximum Mass Of Neutron Stars Research Articles

The power of binary pulsars in testing Gauss-Bonnet gravity

Binary pulsars are a powerful tool for probing strong gravity that still outperform direct gravitational wave observations in a number of ways due to the remarkable accuracy of the pulsar timing. They can constrain the presence of additional charges of the orbiting neutron stars very precisely, leading to new channels of energy and angular momentum loss, such as scalar dipole radiation. In the present paper, we explore in detail the possibility of constraining different classes of scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity with binary pulsars. Additionally, we updated the existing constraints related to the observed maximum mass of neutron stars. Interestingly, depending on the equation of state, the resulting limits on the theory coupling parameters can outperform the constraints coming from binary merger observations by up to a factor of two, even for so-called Einstein-dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet gravity where neutron stars are often underestimated as relevant theory probes. As an additional merit, precise Bayesian methods are compared with approximate approaches, with the latter showing a very good performance despite their simplicity.

Correlation of the hyperon potential stiffness with hyperon constituents in neutron stars and heavy-ion collisions

The breaking of SU(6) symmetry to a more general flavor SU(3) symmetry could serve as a potential explanation for the “hyperon puzzle” of neutron stars by adjusting the hyperon potentials. Specifically, when the soft relativistic mean-field (RMF) Λ hyperon potentials fall within the domains of chiral SU(3) interactions NLO13 with two-body forces, the maximum mass of neutron stars is expected to be lower than 2.0 M⊙, whereas it can exceed 2.0M⊙ if the RMF Λ hyperon potentials are sufficiently stiff to be consistent with those from chiral SU(3) interactions NLO13 with three-body forces. In our investigation involving these two types of Λ hyperon potentials, we explore how the hyperon yields and flows are affected in heavy-ion collisions. We find that the inclusion of hyperon potentials results in better agreement of the Λ directed flows with data but without clear differentiation in the stiffness of the hyperon potentials. Similarly negligent is the disparity in the rapidity distributions of the Λ collective flows predicted by the stiff and soft hyperon potentials. In contrast, the Λ collective flows beyond the central rapidity region turn out to be sensitive to the stiffness of the RMF equation of state (EOS) with the preference of a soft RMF EOS to a stiff one. Notably, the transverse momentum distributions of Λ hyperon production are sensitive to both the stiffness of the RMF EOS and Λ hyperon potential at high transverse momenta.

Extracting the hyperon-nucleon interaction via collective flows in heavy-ion collisions

The 2-body hyperon-nucleon interaction softens the equation of state of neutron star matter and leads to the maximum mass of neutron star to be 1.3-1.6M⊙, which deviates from the recent observation with the masses of PSR J0348+0432 (2.01±0.04M⊙) and J0740+6620 (2.14−0.09+0.10M⊙). One attempt is to introduce the more repulsive hyperon-nucleon interaction above the saturation density. A phenomenological Λ potential by fitting the 3-body ΛNN results of chiral effective field theory is implemented into the quantum molecular dynamics transport model to solve the ‘hyperon puzzle’ in neutron stars. It is found that the directed and elliptic flows are sensitive to the high-density hyperon-nucleon potentials in collisions of 197Au + 197Au and 124Sn + 124Sn. The influence of the phenomenological potential on the Λ yields, rapidity distributions and transverse momentum spectra is negligible in comparison with the ones calculated by the well-known relativistic mean-field model. The inclusion of the ΛN, ΣN and ΞN potentials leads to the reduction of hyperon production in the midrapidity region. The Λ directed flows and the slope in the midrapidity region are enhanced with the phenomenological potential and more consistent with the STAR data in collisions of 197Au + 197Au at sNN=3 GeV.

On the Maximum Mass and Oblateness of Rotating Neutron Stars with Generic Equations of State

A considerable effort has been dedicated recently to the construction of generic equations of state (EOSs) for matter in neutron stars. The advantage of these approaches is that they can provide model-independent information on the interior structure and global properties of neutron stars. Making use of more than 106 generic EOSs, we assess the validity of quasi-universal relations of neutron-star properties for a broad range of rotation rates, from slow rotation up to the mass-shedding limit. In this way, we are able to determine with unprecedented accuracy the quasi-universal maximum-mass ratio between rotating and nonrotating stars and reveal the existence of a new relation for the surface oblateness, i.e., the ratio between the polar and equatorial proper radii. We discuss the impact that our findings have on the imminent detection of new binary neutron-star mergers and how they can be used to set new and more stringent limits on the maximum mass of nonrotating neutron stars, as well as to improve the modeling of the X-ray emission from the surface of rotating stars.

ESPRESSO Observations of Gaia BH1: High-precision Orbital Constraints and no Evidence for an Inner Binary

We present high-precision radial velocity observations of Gaia BH1, the nearest known black hole (BH). The system contains a solar-type G star orbiting a massive dark companion, which could be either a single BH or an inner BH + BH binary. A BH + BH binary is expected in some models where Gaia BH1 formed as a hierarchical triple, which is attractive because they avoid many of the difficulties associated with forming the system through isolated binary evolution. Our observations test the inner binary scenario. We have measured 115 precise RVs of the G star, including 40 from ESPRESSO with a precision of 3–5 m s−1, and 75 from other instruments with a typical precision of 30–100 m s−1. Our observations span 2.33 orbits of the G star and are concentrated near a periastron passage, when perturbations due to an inner binary would be largest. The RVs are well-fit by a Keplerian two-body orbit and show no convincing evidence of an inner binary. Using REBOUND simulations of hierarchical triples with a range of inner periods, mass ratios, eccentricities, and orientations, we show that plausible inner binaries with periods P inner ≳ 1.5 days would have produced larger deviations from a Keplerian orbit than observed. Binaries with P inner ≲ 1.5 days are consistent with the data, but these would merge within a Hubble time and would thus imply fine-tuning. We present updated parameters of Gaia BH1's orbit. The RVs yield a spectroscopic mass function fMBH=3.9358±0.0002M⊙ —about 7000σ above the ∼2.5 M ⊙ maximum neutron star mass. Including the inclination constraint from Gaia astrometry, this implies a BH mass of M BH = 9.27 ± 0.10 M ⊙.

Mass Distribution and Maximum Mass of Neutron Stars: Effects of Orbital Inclination Angle

Matter at ultra-high densities finds a physical realization inside neutron stars. One key property is their maximum mass, which has far-reaching implications for astrophysics and the equation of state of ultra dense matter. In this work, we employ Bayesian analysis to scrutinize the mass distribution and maximum mass threshold of galactic neutron stars. We compare two distinct models to assess the impact of assuming a uniform distribution for the most important quantity, the cosine of orbital inclination angles (i), which has been a common practice in previous analyses. This prevailing assumption yields a maximum mass of 2.25 M⊙ (2.15–3.32 M⊙ within 90% confidence), with a strong peak around the maximum value. However, in the second model, which indirectly includes observational constraints of i, the analysis supports a mass limit of 2.56−0.58+0.87M⊙ (2σ uncertainty), a result that points in the same direction as some recent results gathered from gravitational wave observations, although their statistics are still limited. This work stresses the importance of an accurate treatment of orbital inclination angles, and contributes to the ongoing debate about the maximum neutron star mass, further emphasizing the critical role of uncertainties in the individual neutron star mass determinations.

What constraints can one pose on the maximum mass of neutron stars from multimessenger observations?

ABSTRACT The maximum mass of neutron stars (MTOV) plays a crucial role in understanding their equation of state (EoS). Previous studies have used the measurements for the compactness of massive pulsars and the tidal deformability of neutron stars in binary neutron star (BNS) mergers to constrain the EoS and thus the MTOV. The discovery of the most massive pulsar, PSR J0952−0607, with a mass $\sim 2.35\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$, has provided a valuable lower limit for MTOV. Another efficient method to constrain MTOV is by examining the type of central remnant formed after a BNS merger. Gravitational wave (GW) data can provide the total mass of the system, while accompanying electromagnetic signals can help infer the remnant type. In this study, we combine all the previous constraints and utilize the observational facts that about 24 per cent of the short gamma-ray bursts are followed by an X-ray internal plateau, which indicate that roughly this fraction of BNS mergers yield supermassive neutron stars, to perform (Markov Chain) Monte Carlo simulations. These simulations allow us to explore the probability density distribution of MTOV and other parameters related to BNS mergers. Our findings suggest that MTOV is likely around $2.49\!-\!2.52\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$, with an uncertainty range of approximately [$-0.16$, $0.15\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$] ([$-0.28$, $0.26\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$]) at 1σ (2σ) confidence level. Furthermore, we examine the type of merger remnants in specific events like GW170817 and GW190425 to further constrain MTOV and other relevant parameters, which can help to understand the physical processes involved in BNS mergers.

Nonparametric Model for the Equations of State of a Neutron Star from Deep Neural Network

It is of great interest to understand the equation of state (EOS) of the neutron star, whose core includes highly dense matter. However, there are large uncertainties in the theoretical predictions for the EOS of a neutron star. It is useful to develop a new framework, which is flexible enough to consider the systematic error in theoretical predictions and to use them as a best guess at the same time. We employ a deep neural network to perform a nonparametric fit of the EOS of a neutron star using currently available data. In this framework, the Gaussian process is applied to represent the EOSs and the training set data required to close physical solutions. Our model is constructed under the assumption that the true EOS of a neutron star is a perturbation of the relativistic mean-field model prediction. We fit the EOSs of neutron star using two different example data sets, which can satisfy the latest constraints from the massive neutron stars, NICER, and the gravitational wave of the binary neutron stars. Given our assumptions, we find that a maximum neutron star mass is or at the 95% confidence level from two different example data sets. It implies that the 1.4M ⊙ radius is or km. These results are consistent with results from previous studies using similar priors. It has demonstrated the recovery of the EOS of NS using a nonparametric model.

Spanning the full range of neutron star properties within a microscopic description

The high-density behavior of nuclear matter is analyzed within a relativistic mean-field description with non-linear meson interactions. To assess the model parameters and their output, a Bayesian inference technique is used. The Bayesian setup is limited only by a few nuclear saturation properties, the neutron star maximum mass larger than 2 M$_\odot$, and the low-density pure neutron matter equation of state (EOS) produced by an accurate N$^3$LO calculation in chiral effective field theory. Depending on the strength of the non-linear scalar vector field contribution, we have found three distinct classes of EOSs, each one correlated to different star properties distributions. If the non-linear vector field contribution is absent, the gravitational maximum mass and the sound velocity at high densities are the greatest. However, it also gives the smallest speed of sound at densities below three times saturation density. On the other hand, models with the strongest non-linear vector field contribution predict the largest radii and tidal deformabilities for 1.4 M$_\odot$ stars, together with the smallest mass for the onset of the nucleonic direct Urca processes and the smallest central baryonic densities for the maximum mass configuration. These models have the largest speed of sound below three times saturation density, but the smallest at high densities, in particular, above four times saturation density the speed of sound decreases approaching approximately $\sqrt{0.4}c$ at the center of the maximum mass star. On the contrary, a weak non-linear vector contribution gives a monotonically increasing speed of sound. A 2.75 M$_\odot$ NS maximum mass was obtained in the tail of the posterior with a weak non-linear vector field interaction. We found that pQCD favors models with a large non-linear vector field contribution or hyperons.

Bayesian inference of the dense matter equation of state built upon covariant density functionals

A modified version of the density dependent covariant density functional model proposed in [T. Malik, M. Ferreira, B. K. Agrawal and C. Provid\^encia, ApJ 930, 17 (2022)] is employed in a Bayesian analysis to determine the equation of state (EOS) of dense matter with nucleonic degrees of freedom. Various constraints from nuclear physics and microscopic calculations of pure neutron matter (PNM) along with a lower bound on the maximum mass of neutron stars (NSs) are imposed on the EOS models to investigate the effectiveness of progressive incorporation of the constraints, their compatibility as well as correlations among parameters of nuclear matter and properties of NSs. Our results include the different roles played by pressure and energy per particle of PNM in constraining the isovector behavior of nuclear matter; tension with the values of Dirac effective mass extracted from spin-orbit splitting; correlations between the radius of the canonical mass NS and second and third order coefficients in the Taylor expansion of energy per particle as a function of density; correlation between the central pressure of the maximum mass configuration and Dirac effective mass of the nucleon at saturation. For some of our models the tail of the NS maximum mass reaches $2.7~\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$, which means that the secondary object in GW190814 could have been a NS.

Bayesian refinement of covariant energy density functionals

The last five years have seen remarkable progress in our quest to determine the equation of state of neutron rich matter. Recent advances across the theoretical, experimental, and observational landscape have been incorporated in a Bayesian framework to refine existing covariant energy density functionals previously calibrated by the properties of finite nuclei. In particular, constraints on the maximum neutron star mass from pulsar timing, on stellar radii from the NICER mission, on tidal deformabilities from the LIGO-Virgo collaboration, and on the dynamics of pure neutron matter as predicted from chiral effective field theories have resulted in significant refinements to the models, particularly to those predicting a stiff symmetry energy. Still, even after these improvements, we find it challenging to reproduce simultaneously the neutron skin thickness of both $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ recently reported by the PREX/CREX collaboration.

Search for a Black Hole Binary in Gaia DR3 Astrometric Binary Stars with Spectroscopic Data

We report the discovery of a candidate binary system consisting of a black hole (BH) and a red giant branch star in Gaia DR3. This binary system was discovered from 64,108 binary solutions for which both astrometric and spectroscopic data are available. For this system, the astrometric and spectroscopic solutions are consistent with each other, making this system a confident candidate of a BH binary. The primary (visible) star in this system, Gaia DR3 5870569352746779008, is a red giant branch star whose mass is quite uncertain. Fortunately, despite the uncertainty of the primary’s mass, we can estimate the mass of the secondary (dark) object in this system to be >5.68 M ⊙ with a probability of 99%, based on the orbital parameters. The mass of the secondary object is much larger than the maximum neutron star mass (∼2.0 M ⊙), which indicates that the secondary object is likely a BH. We argue that, if this dark object is not a BH, this system must be a more exotic system, in which the primary red giant branch star orbits around a quadruple star system (or a higher-order multiple-star system) whose total mass is more than 5.68 M ⊙. If this is a genuine BH binary, this has the longest period (1352.22 ± 45.81 days) among those discovered so far. As our conclusion entirely relies on Gaia DR3 data, independent confirmation with follow-up observations (e.g., long-term time-series spectra) is desired.

Effect of color superconductivity on the mass of hybrid neutron stars in an effective model with perturbative QCD asymptotics

The effective cold quark matter model by Alford, Braby, Paris, and Reddy (ABPR) is used as a tool for discussing the effect of the size of the pairing gap in three-flavor (CFL) quark matter on the maximum mass of hybrid neutron stars (NSs). This equation of state (EOS) has three parameters which we suggest to determine by comparison with a nonlocal Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (nlNJL) model of quark matter in the nonperturbative domain. We show that due to the momentum dependence of the pairing which is induced by the nonlocality of the interaction, the effective gap parameter in the EOS model is well approximated by a constant value depending on the diquark coupling strength in the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model Lagrangian. For the parameter ${a}_{4}=1--2{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}/\ensuremath{\pi}$ a constant value below about 0.4 is needed to explain hybrid stars with ${\mathrm{M}}_{\mathrm{max}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}2.0{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$, which would translate to an effective constant ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}\ensuremath{\sim}1$. The matching point with a running coupling at the 1-loop $\ensuremath{\beta}$ function level is found to lie outside the range of chemical potentials accessible in NS interiors. A dictionary is provided for translating the free parameters of the nlNJL model to those of the ABPR model. Both models are shown to be equivalent in the nonperturbative domain but the latter one allows to quantify the transition to the asymptotic behavior in accordance with perturbative QCD. We provide constraints on parameter sets that fulfill the $2{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ mass constraint for hybrid NSs, as well as the low tidal deformability constraint from GW170817 by a softening of the EOS on the hybrid NS branch with an early onset of deconfinement at ${\mathrm{M}}_{\text{onset}}<1.4{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$. We find that the effective constant pairing gap should be around 100 MeV but not exceed values of about 130 MeV because a further increase of the gap would entail a softening of the EOS and contradict the $2{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ mass constraint.

Population of Merging Compact Binaries Inferred Using Gravitational Waves through GWTC-3

We report on the population properties of compact binary mergers inferred from gravitational-wave observations of these systems during the first three LIGO-Virgo observing runs. The Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog 3 (GWTC-3) contains signals consistent with three classes of binary mergers: binary black hole, binary neutron star, and neutron star–black hole mergers. We infer the binary neutron star merger rate to be between 10 and 1700 Gpc−3 yr−1 and the neutron star–black hole merger rate to be between 7.8 and 140 Gpc−3 yr−1, assuming a constant rate density in the comoving frame and taking the union of 90% credible intervals for methods used in this work. We infer the binary black hole merger rate, allowing for evolution with redshift, to be between 17.9 and 44 Gpc−3 yr−1 at a fiducial redshift (z=0.2). The rate of binary black hole mergers is observed to increase with redshift at a rate proportional to (1+z)κ with κ=2.9−1.8+1.7 for z≲1. Using both binary neutron star and neutron star–black hole binaries, we obtain a broad, relatively flat neutron star mass distribution extending from 1.2−0.2+0.1 to 2.0−0.3+0.3M⊙. We confidently determine that the merger rate as a function of mass sharply declines after the expected maximum neutron star mass, but cannot yet confirm or rule out the existence of a lower mass gap between neutron stars and black holes. We also find the binary black hole mass distribution has localized over- and underdensities relative to a power-law distribution, with peaks emerging at chirp masses of 8.3−0.5+0.3 and 27.9−1.8+1.9M⊙. While we continue to find that the mass distribution of a binary’s more massive component strongly decreases as a function of primary mass, we observe no evidence of a strongly suppressed merger rate above approximately 60M⊙, which would indicate the presence of a upper mass gap. Observed black hole spins are small, with half of spin magnitudes below χi≈0.25. While the majority of spins are preferentially aligned with the orbital angular momentum, we infer evidence of antialigned spins among the binary population. We observe an increase in spin magnitude for systems with more unequal-mass ratio. We also observe evidence of misalignment of spins relative to the orbital angular momentum.22 MoreReceived 4 February 2022Revised 28 October 2022Accepted 19 December 2022DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.13.011048Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.Published by the American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasGravitational wave sourcesGravitational wavesTechniquesGravitational wave detectionGravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics

An Overview of Compact Star Populations and Some of Its Open Problems

The study of compact object populations has come a long way since the determination of the mass of the Hulse–Taylor pulsar, and we now count on more than 150 known Galactic neutron stars and black hole masses, as well as another 180 objects from binary mergers detected from gravitational-waves by the Ligo–Virgo–KAGRA Collaboration. With a growing understanding of the variety of systems that host these objects, their formation, evolution and frequency, we are now in a position to evaluate the statistical nature of these populations, their properties, parameter correlations and long-standing problems, such as the maximum mass of neutron stars and the black hole lower mass gap, to a reasonable level of statistical significance. Here, we give an overview of the evolution and current state of the field and point to some of its standing issues. We focus on Galactic black holes, and offer an updated catalog of 35 black hole masses and orbital parameters, as well as a standardized procedure for dealing with uncertainties.

The Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation: deduction from the original papers and the first estimate of the maximum mass of neutron stars

A existência de estrelas de nêutrons foi conjecturada pouco tempo após a descoberta dessas partículas, e logo tornou-se claro que a física newtoniana era inadequada para se estudar tais estrelas. O problema foi inicialmente abordado por Richard C. Tolman, cujos resultados foram utilizados por J. Robert Oppenheimer e George M. Volkoff para a dedução do que se conhece como equação de Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff (TOV). Esta representa o equilíbrio hidrostático de uma esfera de fluido perfeito no regime relativístico e, ao ser combinada a uma equação de estado apropriada, produz um modelo matemático para estrelas de nêutrons. Este artigo apresenta a dedução da equação TOV de forma detalhada e didática, desde a resolução das equações de Einstein da relatividade geral (RG) até a aplicação ao caso em que a estrela é composta por um gás de Fermi de nêutrons degenerados, deduzindo-se daí que há uma massa máxima possível para tais objetos. Embora atualmente se saiba que o modelo de gás de Fermi seja por si só inadequado nessa situação, a análise é interessante do ponto de vista histórico e didático, pois consiste em um exemplo relativamente simples de aplicação de uma equação de estado aos cálculos da estrutura de estrelas de nêutrons.

Impact of large-mass constraints on the properties of neutron stars

ABSTRACT The maximum mass of a non-rotating neutron star, MTOV, plays a very important role in deciphering the structure and composition of neutron stars and in revealing the equation of state (EOS) of nuclear matter. Although with a large-error bar, the recent mass estimate for the black-widow binary pulsar PSR J0952–0607, i.e. M = 2.35 ± 0.17 M⊙, provides the strongest lower bound on MTOV and suggests that neutron stars with very large masses can, in principle, be observed. Adopting an agnostic modelling of the EOS, we study the impact that large masses have on the neutron-star properties. In particular, we show that assuming $M_{\rm TOV}\gtrsim 2.35\, {\rm M_\odot}$ constrains tightly the behaviour of the pressure as a function of the energy density and moves the lower bounds for the stellar radii to values that are significantly larger than those constrained by the NICER measurements, rendering the latter ineffective in constraining the EOS. We also provide updated analytic expressions for the lower bound on the binary tidal deformability in terms of the chirp mass and show how larger bounds on MTOV lead to tighter constraints for this quantity. In addition, we point out a novel quasi-universal relation for the pressure profile inside neutron stars that is only weakly dependent on the EOS and the maximum-mass constraint. Finally, we study how the sound speed and the conformal anomaly are distributed inside neutron stars and show how these quantities depend on the imposed maximum-mass constraints.

GW170817 4.5 Yr After Merger: Dynamical Ejecta Afterglow Constraints

GW170817 is the first binary neutron star (NS) merger detected in gravitational waves (GWs) and photons, and so far remains the only GW event of its class with a definitive electromagnetic counterpart. Radio emission from the structured jet associated with GW170817 has faded below the sensitivity achievable via deep radio observations with the most sensitive radio arrays currently in operation. Hence, we now have the opportunity to probe the radio re-brightening that some models predict, which should emerge at late times from the interaction of the dynamically stripped merger ejecta with the interstellar medium. Here we present the latest results from our deep radio observations of the GW170817 field with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), 4.5 yr after the merger. Our new data at 3 GHz do not show any compelling evidence for emission in excess to the tail of the jet afterglow (<3.3 μJy), confirming our previous results. We thus set new constraints on the dynamical ejecta afterglow models. These constraints favor single-speed ejecta with energies ≲1050 erg (for an ejecta speed of β 0 = 0.5), or steeper energy–speed distributions of the kilonova ejecta. Our results also suggest larger values of the cold, nonrotating maximum NS mass in equal-mass scenarios. However, without a detection of the dynamical ejecta afterglow, obtaining precise constraints on the NS equation of state remains challenging.

Inferring the Neutron Star Maximum Mass and Lower Mass Gap in Neutron Star–Black Hole Systems with Spin

Gravitational-wave (GW) detections of merging neutron star–black hole (NSBH) systems probe astrophysical neutron star (NS) and black hole (BH) mass distributions, especially at the transition between NS and BH masses. Of particular interest are the maximum NS mass, minimum BH mass, and potential mass gap between them. While previous GW population analyses assumed all NSs obey the same maximum mass, if rapidly spinning NSs exist, they can extend to larger maximum masses than nonspinning NSs. In fact, several authors have proposed that the ∼2.6 M ⊙ object in the event GW190814—either the most massive NS or least massive BH observed to date—is a rapidly spinning NS. We therefore infer the NSBH mass distribution jointly with the NS spin distribution, modeling the NS maximum mass as a function of spin. Using four LIGO–Virgo NSBH events including GW190814, if we assume that the NS spin distribution is uniformly distributed up to the maximum (breakup) spin, we infer the maximum nonspinning NS mass is (90% credibility), while assuming only nonspinning NSs, the NS maximum mass must be >2.53 M ⊙ (90% credibility). The data support the mass gap’s existence, with a minimum BH mass at . With future observations, under simplified assumptions, 150 NSBH events may constrain the maximum nonspinning NS mass to ±0.02 M ⊙, and we may even measure the relation between the NS spin and maximum mass entirely from GW data. If rapidly rotating NSs exist, their spins and masses must be modeled simultaneously to avoid biasing the NS maximum mass.

Relativistic mean field model parametrizations in the light of GW170817, GW190814, and PSR J0740+6620

Three parametrizations DOPS1, DOPS2, and DOPS3 (named after the Department of Physics Shimla) of the relativistic mean field model have been proposed with the inclusion of all possible self and mixed interactions between the scalar-isoscalar ($\ensuremath{\sigma}$), vector-isoscalar ($\ensuremath{\omega}$), and vector-isovector ($\ensuremath{\rho}$) mesons up to quartic order. The generated parameter sets are in harmony with the finite and bulk nuclear matter properties. A set of equations of state (EOSs) composed of pure hadronic (nucleonic) matter and nucleonic with quark matter (hybrid EOSs) for superdense hadron-quark matter in $\ensuremath{\beta}$ equilibrium is obtained. The quark matter phase is calculated by using the three-flavor Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. The maximum mass of a nonrotating neutron star with DOPS1 parametrization is found to be around $2.6M\ensuremath{\bigodot}$ for the pure nucleonic matter, which satisfies the recent gravitational wave analysis of GW190814 [Abbott et al., Astrophys. J. Lett. 896, L44 (2020)] with possible maximum mass constraint indicating that the secondary component of GW190814 could be a nonrotating heaviest neutron star composed of pure nucleonic matter. EOSs computed with the DOPS2 and DOPS3 parametrizations satisfy the x-ray observational data [Steiner et al., Astrophys. J. 722, 33 (2010)] and the recent observations of GW170817 maximum mass constraint of a stable nonrotating neutron star in the range $2.01\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04--2.16\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03M\ensuremath{\bigodot}$ [Rezzolla et al., Astrophys. J. Lett. 852, L25 (2018)] and also in good agreement with constraints on mass and radius measurement for PSR $\mathrm{J}0740+6620$ (NICER) [Riley et al., Astrophys. J. Lett. 918, L27 (2021); Miller et al., Astrophys. J. Lett. 918, L28 (2021)]. The hybrid EOSs obtained with the NJL model also satisfy astrophysical constraints on the maximum mass of a neutron star from PSR J1614-2230 [Demorest et al., Nature (London) 467, 1081 (2010)]. We also present the results for dimensionless tidal deformability, $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ which are consistent with the waveform models analysis of GW170817.