We present here the results of the timing of PSR B1516+02B, a 7.95‐ms pulsar in a binary system with a ∼0.17M companion and an orbital period of 6.85 days located in the globular cluster M5. The eccentricity of the orbit (e = 0.14) has allowed a measurement of the rate of advance of periastron: ω̇ = (0.0136±0.0004)° yr−1. It is very likely that the periastron advance is due to the effects of general relativity; the total mass of the binary system is (2.14±0.08)M. The small measured mass function implies, in a statistical sense, that a very large fraction of this total mass is contained in the pulsar: Mp = (1.95−0.12+0.09)M (68% probability); there is a 5% probability that the mass of this object is below 1.68M. With the possible exception of PSR J1748–2021B, this is the largest neutron star mass measured to date. When combined with similar measurements made previously for Terzan 5 I and J, we can exclude, in a statistical sense, the “soft” equations of state for dense neutron matter, implying that matter at the center of a neutron star is highly incompressible. We also discuss a possible anti‐correlation between spin period and pulsar mass, and discuss its possible significance in terms of the formation mechanisms of millisecond pulsars.

This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.