Time: 14:15-15:00.

Place: R92.

Title: Spider pulsars and the quest for the most massive neutron stars.

Host: Department of Physics, NTNU.

Abstract: A new population of neutron stars has emerged in our Galaxy during the last 15 years: compact binary millisecond pulsars, also known as "spiders". These are rapidly rotating neutron stars in compact orbits with low-mass companion stars. I will review the status and results of pulsar research in the Astrophysics and Particle Physics group at NTNU, based on recent multi-wavelength observations (from radio to gamma-rays), theoretical models and numerical simulations. I will also review the neutron star mass distribution in light of this growing spider population, focusing on the most massive neutron stars. The maximum mass that a neutron star can support before collapsing into a black hole has important implications for nuclear physics. Optical studies of spider pulsars suggest that this maximum mass is more than 2.3 times higher than that of the Sun.