On the 2PN periastron precession of the Double Pulsar PSR J0737-3039A/B

Abstract

One of the post-Keplerian (PK) parameters determined in timing analyses of several binary pulsars is the fractional periastron advance per orbit $k^\mathrm{PK}$. Along with other PK parameters, it is used in testing general relativity once it is translated into the periastron precession $\dot\omega^\mathrm{PK}$. It was recently remarked that the periastron $\omega$ of PSR J0737--3039A/B may be used to measure/constrain the moment of inertia of A through the extraction of the general relativistic Lense-Thirring precession $\dot\omega^\mathrm{LT,\,A}\simeq -0.00060^\circ\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$ from the experimentally determined periastron rate $\dot\omega_\mathrm{obs}$ provided that the other post--Newtonian (PN) contributions to $\dot\omega_\mathrm{exp}$ can be accurately modeled. Among them, the 2PN one seems to be of the same order of magnitude of $\dot\omega^\mathrm{LT,\,A}$. An analytical expression of the total 2PN periastron precession $\dot\omega^\mathrm{2PN}$ in terms of the osculating Keplerian orbital elements, valid not only for binary pulsars, is provided elucidating the subtleties implied in correctly calculating it from $k^\mathrm{1PN}+k^\mathrm{2PN}$ and correcting some past errors by the present author. The formula for $\dot\omega^\mathrm{2PN}$ is demonstrated to be equivalent to that obtainable from $k^\mathrm{1PN}+k^\mathrm{2PN}$ by Damour and Sch\"afer expressed in the Damour-Deruelle (DD) parameterization. $\dot\omega^\mathrm{2PN}$ actually depends on the initial orbital phase, hidden in the DD picture, so that $-0.00080^\circ\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1} \leq\dot\omega^\mathrm{2PN}\leq -0.00045^\circ\,\mathrm{\,yr}^{-1}$. A recently released prediction of $\dot\omega^\mathrm{2PN}$ for \psrab\, is discussed.