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Published Online September 14, 2006
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1132305

Research Articles

Submitted on July 10, 2006
Accepted on September 7, 2006

Tests of General Relativity from Timing the Double Pulsar

M. Kramer 1*, I. H. Stairs 2, R. N. Manchester 3, M. A. McLaughlin 4, A. G. Lyne 1, R. D. Ferdman 2, M. Burgay 5, D. R. Lorimer 4, A. Possenti 5, N. D'Amico 6, J. M. Sarkissian 3, G. B. Hobbs 3, J. E. Reynolds 3, P. C. C. Freire 7, F. Camilo 8

1 University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Macclesfield, SK11 9DL, UK.
2 Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada.
3 Australia Telescope National Facility, CSIRO, P.O. Box 76, Epping NSW 1710, Australia.
4 University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Macclesfield, SK11 9DL, UK; Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA.
5 INAF-Osservatorio Astronomica di Cagliari, Loc. Poggio dei Pini, Strada 54, 09012 Capoterra, Italy.
6 INAF-Osservatorio Astronomica di Cagliari, Loc. Poggio dei Pini, Strada 54, 09012 Capoterra, Italy; Universita' degli Studi di Cagliari, Dipartimento di Fisica, SP Monserrato-Sestu km 0.7, 09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy.
7 NAIC, Arecibo Observatory, HC03 Box 53995, PR 00612, USA.
8 Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
M. Kramer , E-mail: mkramer{at}jb.man.ac.uk

The double pulsar system, PSR J0737-3039A/B, is unique in that both neutron stars are detectable as radio pulsars. This, combined with significantly higher mean orbital velocities and accelerations when compared to other binary pulsars, suggested that the system would become the best available testbed for general relativity and alternative theories of gravity in the strong-field regime. Here we report on precision timing observations taken over the 2.5 years since its discovery and present four independent strong-field tests of general relativity. Use of the theory-independent mass ratio of the two stars makes these tests uniquely different from earlier studies. By measuring relativistic corrections to the Keplerian description of the orbital motion, we find that the "post-Keplerian" parameter s agrees with the value predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity within an uncertainty of 0.05%, the most precise test yet obtained. We also show that the transverse velocity of the system's center of mass is extremely small. Combined with the system's location near the Sun, this result suggests that future tests of gravitational theories with the double pulsar will supersede the best current Solar-system tests. It also implies that the second-born pulsar may have formed differently to the usually assumed core-collapse of a helium star.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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Implications of a VLBI Distance to the Double Pulsar J0737-3039A/B.
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Relativistic Spin Precession in the Double Pulsar.
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)