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Published Online January 8, 2004
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1094645

Research Articles

Submitted on December 12, 2003
Accepted on December 30, 2003

A Double-Pulsar System: A Rare Laboratory for Relativistic Gravity and Plasma Physics

A. G. Lyne 1*, M. Burgay 2, M. Kramer 1, A. Possenti 3, R. N. Manchester 4, F. Camilo 5, M. A. McLaughlin 1, D. R. Lorimer 1, N. D'Amico 6, B. C. Joshi 7, J. Reynolds 8, P. C. C. Freire 9

1 University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Macclesfield, SK11 9DL, UK.
2 Università degli Studi di Bologna, Dipartimento di Astronomia, via Ranzani 1, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
3 INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Loc. Poggio dei Pini, Strada 54, 09012 Capoterra, Italy; INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
4 Australia Telescope National Facility, CSIRO, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia.
5 Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.
6 INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Loc. Poggio dei Pini, Strada 54, 09012 Capoterra, Italy; Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Dipartimento di Fisica, SP Monserrato-Sestu km 0.7, 09042 Monserrato, Italy.
7 National Centre for Astrophysics, P.O. Bag 3, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, India.
8 ATNF, Parkes Observatory, P.O. Box 276, Parkes, NSW 2870, Australia.
9 NAIC, Arecibo Observatory, HC03 Box 53995, PR 00612, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: agl{at}jb.man.ac.uk.

The clock-like properties of pulsars moving in the gravitational fields of their unseen neutron-star companions have allowed unique tests of general relativity and provided evidence for gravitational radiation. We report here the detection of the 2.8-sec pulsar J0737-3039B as the companion to the 23-ms pulsar J0737-3039A in a highly-relativistic double-neutron-star system, allowing unprecedented tests of fundamental gravitational physics. We observe a short eclipse of J0737-3039A by J0737-3039B and orbital modulation of the flux density and pulse shape of J0737-3039B, probably due to the influence of J0737-3039A's energy flux upon its magnetosphere. These effects will allow us to probe magneto-ionic properties of a pulsar magnetosphere.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Implications of a VLBI Distance to the Double Pulsar J0737-3039A/B.
A. T. Deller, M. Bailes, and S. J. Tingay (2009)
Science 323, 1327-1329
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Relativistic Spin Precession in the Double Pulsar.
R. P. Breton, V. M. Kaspi, M. Kramer, M. A. McLaughlin, M. Lyutikov, S. M. Ransom, I. H. Stairs, R. D. Ferdman, F. Camilo, and A. Possenti (2008)
Science 321, 104-107
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Tests of General Relativity from Timing the Double Pulsar.
M. Kramer, I. H. Stairs, R. N. Manchester, M. A. McLaughlin, A. G. Lyne, R. D. Ferdman, M. Burgay, D. R. Lorimer, A. Possenti, N. D'Amico, et al. (2006)
Science 314, 97-102
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Physics of Neutron Stars.
J. M. Lattimer and M. Prakash (2004)
Science 304, 536-542
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Pulsars in Binary Systems: Probing Binary Stellar Evolution and General Relativity.
I. H. Stairs (2004)
Science 304, 547-552
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)