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Description
Spider Systems are compact binary systems composed of a millisecond pulsar and a low-mass companion star. They are known for their cannibalistic nature, in which the pulsar emits relativistic winds that evaporate the companion star, ultimately leading to the observed isolated millisecond pulsars. One way to study how this wind is emitted and interacts with the companion star is through observations of the intrabinary shock -- the region where the incoming donor mass and the pulsar wind collide -- which is visible in X-rays and gamma rays. In this work, we review observations of the intrabinary shock in different Spider Systems and derive various properties from these observations, including the neutron star mass. We find a problematic discrepancy in the neutron star mass estimates derived from gamma-ray observations when compared to those obtained from optical counterparts. We further evaluate the possible causes for this discrepancy [this part is currently in preparation].
