On The Existence of Planets Around the Pulsar PSR B0329+54

TL;DR

This study analyzes pulsar timing data over several decades, providing evidence for a planet orbiting PSR B0329+54 with a 27.8-year period and 2 Earth masses, while refuting the existence of a second proposed planet.

Contribution

It presents new timing measurements and confirms the existence of a planet around PSR B0329+54, offering detailed orbital parameters and challenging previous claims of a second planet.

Findings

Detected a planet with a 27.8-year orbit and 2 Earth masses.

Refuted the existence of a second planet with a 3-year orbit.

Derived updated astrometric and rotational parameters.

Abstract

Results of timing measurements of the pulsar PSR B0329+54 obtained in 1968--2012 using the Big Scanning Antenna of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (at 102 and 111 MHz), the DSS 13 and DSS 14 telescopes of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2388 MHz), and the 64 m telescope of the Kalyazin Radio Astronomy Observatory (610 MHz) are presented. The astrometric and rotational parameters of the pulsar are derived at a new epoch. Periodic variations in the barycentric timing residuals have been found, which can be explained by the presence of a planet orbiting the pulsar, with an orbital period $P_{1}$ = 27.8 yr, mass \textit{$m_{c}$}sin\textit{i} = 2$M_{\oplus}$, and orbital semi-major axis $a$ = 10.26 AU. The results of this study do not confirm existence of a proposed second planet with orbital period $P_{2}$ = 3 yr.