Post-Newtonian arrival-time analysis for a pulsar in a binary system

The post-Newtonian timing model for a binary pulsar that was used by Weisberg and Taylor (1984) to make the first observations of post-Newtonian timing effects in PSR 1913 + 16 is presented. The analysis corrects problems with the earlier model of Epstein (1977), which prevented consistent fittings to binary pulsar timing data. Detection of post-Newtonian timing effects in PSR 1913 + 16 consistent with the relativistic two-point-mass model of the system provides powerful, independent evidence that the observed decrease of the pulsar's orbital period is due to the emission of gravitational radiation. 12 references