The Maximum Mass of a Neutron Star

We consider the possibility that gravitational energy may play a local as well as global role in the behavior of matter in strong gravitational fields. A particular idealized equation, suggested as representing uniform energy density in general relativity, is examined, and its stability with respect to oscillatory and convective perturbations shown to be consistent with general relativistic hydrodynamics, subject to a new physical effect predicted for the behavior of fluids moving in strong fields. We calculate from this idealized equation the mass of a non-rotating neutron star, obtaining a maximum surface redshift ofz=2.48 and a maximum core mass of 9.79 ρ{₁₄/^-1/2} MΘ. This compares withz=2.00 and 11.4 ρ{₁₄/^-1/2} MΘ for a Schwarzschild star (ρ=const.) and 6.8 ρ{₁₄/^-1/2} MΘ for a ‘causal’ star (dP/dρ≤1).