21-year timing of the black-widow pulsar J2051-0827

TL;DR

This study presents a comprehensive 21-year timing analysis of the black-widow pulsar J2051-0827, revealing new short-term variations, a significant change in dispersion measure, and potential stability for inclusion in pulsar timing arrays.

Contribution

It provides the longest dataset for this system, improves bias correction, and detects new short-term variations and dispersion measure changes.

Findings

Detection of short-term timing variations

Measurement of a significant decrease in dispersion measure

Indication of the pulsar entering a stable state

Abstract

Timing results for the black-widow pulsar J2051-0827 are presented, using a 21-year dataset from four European Pulsar Timing Array telescopes and the Parkes radio telescope. This dataset, which is the longest published to date for a black-widow system, allows for an improved analysis that addresses previously unknown biases. While secular variations, as identified in previous analyses, are recovered, short-term variations are detected for the first time. Concurrently, a significant decrease of approx. 2.5x10-3 cm-3 pc in the dispersion measure associated with PSR J2051-0827 is measured for the first time and improvements are also made to estimates of the proper motion. Finally, PSR J2051-0827 is shown to have entered a relatively stable state suggesting the possibility of its eventual inclusion in pulsar timing arrays.