A non-accreting neutron star and δ Scuti candidate revealed by asteroseismological modelling and radial velocity measurements

SZ Lyn is an astrometric binary consisting of a δ Scuti star and an unseen component. The two stars around each other in an almost circular orbit (e=0.186) with a period of about 3.32 years. We aim to explore the physical properties of the two components using the radial velocity method and asteroseismology. Our results show that the δ Scuti variable is a post-main sequence star with a helium core (MHe= 0.1671+0.0028-0.0045 M_ and RHe= 0.1414+0.0035-0.0020 R_) surrounded by a burning hydrogen shell; its fundamental parameters is accurately calculated to be M=1.82+0.04-0.02 M_, R=2.91+0.02-0.02 R_, L=17.07+1.28-2.61 L_, and Xc=0.078+0.021-0.004; the mass of the invisible object is thus estimated to be Mco=1.68 +0.62-0.60 M_. Combined with the low-resolution LAMOST spectrum, we suggest that the unseen object is an neutron star candidate. Our work demonstrates the methodology of using the radial velocity method and asteroseismology to detect the compact object in such an astrometric binary.