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Profile Changes in the Binary Pulsar PSR 1913+16

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2017

J. M. Weisberg  and
J. H. Taylor
J. M. Weisberg
Affiliation:
Physics and Astronomy Department, Carleton College
J. H. Taylor
Affiliation:
Joseph Henry Laboratories and Physics Department, Princeton University

Abstract

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According to general relativity, the spin axis of binary pulsar PSR 1913+16 should precess at a rate of 1.21 degrees per year. This precession will cause the pulse profile to change as our line of sight samples different pulsar latitudes. In order to search for this phenomenon, we have carefully monitored the pulse profile at 1408 MHz for 8.5 years. The ratio of flux density of the first to second pulse component has declined at a rate of approximately 1.65% per year, with some evidence of a steeper decrease over the past three years. We have detected no evidence for a change in the separation of the two components. We discuss the nature of the pulsar emission region in light of these results.

Type
Part V X-ray, γ-ray and millisecond pulsars
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 128: Magnetospheric structure and emission mechanisms of radio pulsars , 1992 , pp. 214 - 216
Copyright
Copyright © United States Naval Observatory 1992

References

1 There is much disagreement on the shape of pulsar beams. Narayan and Vivekanand (1983) found evidence for elongation in latitude (R > 1), particularly for shorter-period pulsars like PSR 1913+16. Other analyses suggest circular conical beams (Lyne and Manchester 1988) or even elongation in the longitude direction (Radhakrishnan and Ran kin 1990, Biggs 1990b).