Stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars represent extremes in gravity, density, and
magnetic fields. They therefore serve as key objects in the study of multiple frontiers of …

We review the formation and evolution of compact binary stars consisting of white dwarfs
(WDs), neutron stars (NSs), and black holes (BHs). Mergings of compact-star binaries are …

Aims. During the last~ 50 years, the population of black hole candidates in X-ray binaries
has increased considerably, with 59 Galactic objects being detected in transient low-mass X …

With the advent of more sensitive all-sky instruments, the transient universe is being probed
in greater depth than ever before. Taking advantage of available resources, we have …

We use dynamical mass measurements of 16 black holes in transient low-mass X-ray
binaries to infer the stellar black hole mass distribution in the parent population. We find that …

The era of large transient surveys, gravitational-wave observatories, and multi-messenger
astronomy has opened up new possibilities for our understanding of the evolution and final …

We compare evolutionary predictions of double compact object merger rate densities with
initial and forthcoming LIGO/Virgo upper limits. We find that:(i) Due to the cosmological …

ABSTRACT Using the Very Long Baseline Array, we have measured a trigonometric
parallax for the microquasar GRS 1915+ 105, which contains a black hole and a K-giant …

We use very long baseline interferometry to measure the proper motions of three black hole
X-ray binaries (BHXBs). Using these results together with data from the literature and Gaia …

We discuss the method, and potential systematic effects therein, used for measuring the
mass of stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries. We restrict our discussion to the method …