Long-Term Variations in the Pulse Emission from PSR J0737-3039B

Analysis of 20 months of observations at the Parkes radio telescope shows secular changes in the pulsed emission from J0737-3039B, the 2.77 s pulsar of the double-pulsar system. Pulse profiles are becoming single-peaked in both bright phases of the orbital modulation, although there is no clear variation in overall pulse width. The shape of the orbital modulation is also varying systematically, with both bright phases shrinking in longitude by ~7° yr-1. However, the combined span of the two bright phases is relatively constant, and together they are shifting to higher longitudes at a rate of ~3° yr-1. We discuss the possible contributions of geodetic precession and periastron advance to the observed variations.