Understanding and improving the timing of PSR J0737-3039B

Understand

The double pulsar (PSR J0737-3039A/B) provides some of the most stringent tests of general relativity (GR) and its alternatives.

• The success of this system in tests of GR is largely due to the high-precision, long-term timing of its recycled-pulsar member, pulsar A.
• On the other hand, pulsar B is a young pulsar that exhibits significant short-term and long-term timing variations due to the electromagnetic-wind interaction with its companion and geodetic precession.
• Improving pulsar B's timing precision is a key step towards improving the precision in a number of GR tests with PSR J0737-3039A/B.