TIMING MEASUREMENTS OF THE RELATIVISTIC BINARY PULSAR PSR B1913+16

By J. Weisberg, D. Nice, Joseph H. Taylor. 2010

344 citations recorded by the source corpus.

We present results of more than three decades of timing measurements of the first known binary pulsar, PSR B1913+16. Like most other pulsars, its rotational behavior over such long timescales is significantly affected by small-scale irregularities not explicitly accounted for in a deterministic model. Nevertheless, the physically important astrometric, spin, and orbital parameters are well determined and well decoupled from the timing noise. We have determined a significant result for proper motion, μα = −1.43 ± 0.13, μδ = −0.70 ± 0.13 mas yr−1. The pulsar exhibited a small timing glitch in 2003 May, with Δf/f = 3.7 × 10−11, and a smaller timing peculiarity in mid-1992. A relativistic solution for orbital parameters yields improved mass estimates for the pulsar and its companion, m1 = 1.4398 ± 0.0002 M☉ and m2 = 1.3886 ± 0.0002 M☉. The system's orbital period has been decreasing at a rate 0.997 ± 0.002 times that predicted as a result of gravitational radiation damping in general relativity. As we have shown before, this result provides conclusive evidence for the existence of gravitational radiation as predicted by Einstein's theory.

Subfields: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Oceanography

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/60eb2b97d8c1b0126e2e0870aec04b3fdb41bb52

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Astronomy and Astrophysics

In Oceanography

Citations in the corpus

RELATIVISTIC MEASUREMENTS FROM TIMING THE BINARY PULSAR PSR B1913+16 (2016, background): “These are quite similar to those given in Weisberg et al. (2010), except that our longer post-glitch baseline made it clear that the previously discovered glitch at MJD ≈ 52770 is better modeled with the addition of a change in spin frequency derivative, ∆ḟ .”
A new route towards merging massive black holes (2016, background): “Various double neutron star systems have also been found, most importantly the Hulse-Taylor system (Hulse & Taylor 1975; Weisberg et al. 2010) and more recently the double pulsar PSR J0737-3039 (Burgay et al. 2003; Kramer et al. 2006), whose orbital decay has unambiguously confirmed Einstein’s…”
THE NANOGRAV NINE-YEAR DATA SET: OBSERVATIONS, ARRIVAL TIME MEASUREMENTS, AND ANALYSIS OF 37 MILLISECOND PULSARS (2015, background): “…in such binary systems serves as compelling indirect evidence of gravitational radiation, as the observed orbital decay rates match the expected rates due to loss of energy and angular momentum via emission of gravitational waves (Kramer et al. 2006; Weisberg et al. 2010; Fonseca et al. 2014).”
On the nature and evolution of the unique binary pulsar J1903+0327 (2010, background): “Precise mass measurements for components of double neutron star systems range from 1.25M⊙ Kramer et al. (2006) to 1.44M⊙ Weisberg et al. (2010); this shows that a large majority of NSs form with masses near the Chandrasekhar limit Lorimer (2008).”
Formation of Double Neutron Star Systems (2017, background): “PSR B1913+16 The Hulse-Taylor pulsar (Hulse & Taylor 1975; Kramer 1998; Weisberg et al. 2010) is an unusual case since this DNS system must have been accompanied by a rather large kick during the second SN explosion (e.g. Cordes & Wasserman 1984; Burrows & Woosley 1986; Wex et al. 2000; Willems et…”
ON THE MASS DISTRIBUTION AND BIRTH MASSES OF NEUTRON STARS (2012, neutral): “Weisberg et al. 2010; 7.”