The Mass and Radius of the Neutron Star in EXO 1745-248

TL;DR

This study measures the mass and radius of the neutron star in EXO 1745-248 using X-ray burst data and cluster distance, providing constraints that favor specific nuclear equations of state.

Contribution

It introduces a method combining spectroscopic burst data and cluster distance to precisely determine neutron star properties.

Findings

Neutron star mass around 1.4 solar masses and radius about 11 km.

Alternative solution with 1.7 solar masses and 9 km radius.

Results favor nucleonic equations of state with low symmetry energy dependence.

Abstract

Bursting X-ray binaries in globular clusters are ideal sources for measuring neutron star masses and radii, and hence, for determining the equation of state of cold, ultradense matter. We use time-resolved spectroscopic data from EXO 1745-248 during thermonuclear bursts that show strong evidence for photospheric radius expansion to measure the Eddington flux and the apparent surface area of the neutron star. We combine this with the recent measurement of the distance to the globular cluster Terzan 5, where this source resides, to measure the neutron star mass and radius. We find tightly constrained pairs of values for the mass and radius, which are centered around M=1.4 M_sun and R=11 km or around M=1.7 M_sun and R=9 km. These values favor nucleonic equations of state with symmetry energy that is relatively low and has a weak dependence on density.