The Evolution of PSR J0737-3039B and a Model for Relativistic Spin Precession

TL;DR

This paper studies the changes in radio emission from pulsar B in the PSR J0737-3039 system over five years, attributing the evolution to relativistic spin precession and proposing a model with an elliptical beam shape.

Contribution

It introduces a relativistic spin precession model with an elliptical beam to explain pulse profile evolution in the double pulsar system.

Findings

Pulse profile evolved from single to double peak.

Flux density decreased by 0.177 mJy/yr.

Model with elliptical beam fits profile changes but not flux decrease.

Abstract

We present the evolution of the radio emission from the 2.8-s pulsar of the double pulsar system PSR J0737-3039A/B. We provide an update on the Burgay et al. (2005) analysis by describing the changes in the pulse profile and flux density over five years of observations, culminating in the B pulsar's radio disappearance in 2008 March. Over this time, the flux density decreases by 0.177 mJy/yr at the brightest orbital phases and the pulse profile evolves from a single to a double peak, with a separation rate of 2.6 deg/yr. The pulse profile changes are most likely caused by relativistic spin precession, but can not be easily explained with a circular hollow-cone beam as in the model of Clifton & Weisberg (2008). Relativistic spin precession, coupled with an elliptical beam, can model the pulse profile evolution well. This particular beam shape predicts geometrical parameters for the two bright orbital phases which are consistent and similar to those derived by Breton et al. (2008). However, the observed decrease in flux over time and B's eventual disappearance cannot be easily explained by the model and may be due to the changing influence of A on B.