Relativistic Spin Precession in the Double Pulsar
Abstract
The double pulsar PSR J0737-3039A/B consists of two neutron stars in a highly relativistic orbit that displays a roughly 30-second eclipse when pulsar A passes behind pulsar B. Describing this eclipse of pulsar A as due to absorption occurring in the magnetosphere of pulsar B, we successfully use a simple geometric model to characterize the observed changing eclipse morphology and to measure the relativistic precession of pulsar B's spin axis around the total orbital angular momentum. This provides a test of general relativity and alternative theories of gravity in the strong-field regime. Our measured relativistic spin precession rate of 4.77 (+0.66,-0.65) degrees per year (68% confidence level) is consistent with that predicted by general relativity within an uncertainty of 13%.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.0807.2644,
title = {Relativistic Spin Precession in the Double Pulsar},
author = {Rene P. Breton and Victoria M. Kaspi and Michael Kramer and Maura A. McLaughlin and Maxim Lyutikov and Scott M. Ransom and Ingrid H. Stairs and Robert D. Ferdman and Fernando Camilo and Andrea Possenti},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0807.2644},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
28 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, 2 movies