Timing Measurements of the Relativistic Binary Pulsar PSR B1913+16

TL;DR

This paper reports over thirty years of timing data on the binary pulsar PSR B1913+16, confirming gravitational radiation predictions of general relativity through precise orbital decay measurements.

Contribution

It provides the most accurate measurements of the pulsar's parameters and orbital decay, confirming gravitational wave emission as predicted by Einstein's theory.

Findings

Orbital period decreasing at 0.997 times the GR prediction

Measured pulsar and companion masses with high precision

Detected a small timing glitch in 2003

Abstract

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 time scales 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, $\mu_{\alpha} = -1.43\pm0.13$, $\mu_{\delta}=-0.70\pm0.13$ mas yr$^{-1}$. The pulsar exhibited a small timing glitch in May 2003, with ${\Delta f}/f=3.7\times10^{-11}$, and a smaller timing peculiarity in mid-1992. A relativistic solution for orbital parameters yields improved mass estimates for the pulsar and its companion, $m_1=1.4398\pm0.0002 \ M_{\sun}$ and $m_2=1.3886\pm0.0002 \ M_{\sun}$. The system's orbital period has been decreasing at a rate $0.997\pm0.002$ 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.