090077

PSR J2215+5135 appears to be one of the heaviest neutron stars known. However the precise mass depends on the model-dependent measurement of the orbital inclination. Our project constrains this value in two ways by measuring the structure of the orbital X-ray light curve peaks caused by relativistic particles in the intrabinary shock and by obtaining a clear ultraviolet light curve of the pulsar.s heated companion. The measurements also probe the shock geometry flaring activity and particle acceleration and test whether the pulsar can complete evaporate of its companion before it spins down. [truncated! Please see actual data for full text]