Science· 2013Q1
A Massive Pulsar in a Compact Relativistic Binary
- 3,860citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2013year
Short summary
A 2.01 solar mass pulsar in a 2.46-hour orbit with a white dwarf provides the first test of general relativity in a strong-field regime, with observed orbital decay matching GR predictions.
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Key points
- Discovery of a 2.01 ± 0.04 M⊙ pulsar in a 2.46-hour orbit with a 0.172 ± 0.003 M⊙ white dwarf.
- The system is a sensitive laboratory for testing strong-field gravity, a regime previously untested.
- Observed orbital decay agrees with General Relativity (GR) predictions.
- Supports the use of GR-based templates for ground-based gravitational wave detectors.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Many physically motivated extensions to general relativity (GR) predict substantial deviations in the properties of spacetime surrounding massive neutron stars. We report the measurement of a 2.01 ± 0.04 solar mass (M⊙) pulsar in a 2.46-hour orbit with a 0.172 ± 0.003 M⊙ white dwarf. The high pulsar mass and the compact orbit make this system a sensitive laboratory of a previously untested strong-field gravity regime. Thus far, the observed orbital decay agrees with GR, supporting its validity even for the extreme conditions present in the system. The resulting constraints on deviations support the use of GR-based templates for ground-based gravitational wave detectors. Additionally, the system strengthens recent constraints on the properties of dense matter and provides insight to binary stellar astrophysics and pulsar recycling.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science, 2013 · DOI ↗
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Field: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy and AstrophysicsPhysics and Astronomy