Precision Timing of PSR J0437–4715: An Accurate Pulsar Distance, a High Pulsar Mass, and a Limit on the Variation of Newton’s Gravitational Constant

J. P. W. Verbiest; M. Bailes; W. van Straten; G. B. Hobbs; R. T. Edwards; R. N. Manchester; N. D. R. Bhat; J. M. Sarkissian; B. A. Jacoby; S. R. Kulkarni

doi:10.1086/529576

Precision Timing of PSR J0437–4715: An Accurate Pulsar Distance, a High Pulsar Mass, and a Limit on the Variation of Newton's Gravitational Constant

J. P. W. Verbiest^1,2, M. Bailes¹, W. van Straten¹, G. B. Hobbs², R. T. Edwards², R. N. Manchester², N. D. R. Bhat¹, J. M. Sarkissian², B. A. Jacoby³, and S. R. Kulkarni⁴

© 2008. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 679, Number 1 Citation J. P. W. Verbiest et al 2008 ApJ 679 675 DOI 10.1086/529576

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¹ Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218 Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia

² Australia Telescope National Facility-CSIRO, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia

³ Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20375

⁴ Robinson Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Mail Code 105-24, Caltech Optical Observatories, Pasadena, CA 91125

Dates

Received 2007 October 4
Accepted 2008 January 16

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Abstract

Analysis of 10 years of high-precision timing data on the millisecond pulsar PSR J0437–4715 has resulted in a model-independent kinematic distance based on an apparent orbital period derivative, dot P _b , determined at the 1.5% level of precision (D_k = 157.0 ± 2.4 pc), making it one of the most accurate stellar distance estimates published to date. The discrepancy between this measurement and a previously published parallax distance estimate is attributed to errors in the DE200 solar system ephemerides. The precise measurement of dot P _b allows a limit on the variation of Newton's gravitational constant, |Ġ/G| ⩽ 23 × 10⁻¹² yr⁻¹. We also constrain any anomalous acceleration along the line of sight to the pulsar to |a_☉/c| ⩽ 1.5 × 10⁻¹⁸ s⁻¹ at 95% confidence, and derive a pulsar mass, m_psr = 1.76 ± 0.20 M_☉, one of the highest estimates so far obtained.

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