Supernova theory has struggled to explain the lightest known neutron star candidate with an accurate mass determination, the $1.174\mathrm{ M}_\odot$ companion in the eccentric compact binary system J0453+1559. To improve the theoretical lower limit for neutron star birth masses, we perform 3D supernova simulations for five stellar models close to the minimum mass for iron core collapse. We obtain a record-low neutron star mass of $1.192\mathrm{ M}_\odot$ and a substantial kick of $\mathord{ \sim} 100\,\mathrm{ km}\,\mathrm{ s}^{ -1}$. Given residual uncertainties in stellar evolution, a neutron star origin for the $1.174\mathrm{ M}_\odot$ object remains plausible.
Categories: astro-ph.HE astro-ph.SR gr-qc