title: Measurement of gravitational spin-orbit coupling in a binary-pulsar system.
abstract: In relativistic gravity, a spinning pulsar will precess as it orbits a compact companion star. We have measured the effect of such precession on the average shape and polarization of the radiation from PSR B1534+12. We have also detected, with limited precision, special-relativistic aberration of the revolving pulsar beam due to orbital motion. Our observations fix the system geometry, including the misalignment between the spin and orbital angular momenta, and yield a measurement of the precession time scale consistent with the predictions of general relativity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada. stairs@astro.ubc.ca
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Stairs
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Thorsett
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arzoumanian