A PULSAR, THE HELIOSPHERE, AND PIONEER 10 - PROBABLE MIMICKING OF A PLANET OF PSR B1257+12 BY SOLAR ROTATION

Doppler data generated with the Pioneer 10 spacecraft's radio carrier wave between 1987 and 1995 show a 25.3-day periodicity which is relate d to the solar rotation. The timing data of the pulsar PSR B1257+12 al so show a periodicity of 25.34 days, which has been explained as a sig nature of the pulsar's barycentric motion in response to the existence of a small moon-like object. However, because PSR B1257+12 is located close to the ecliptic and because the timing variations are in the ra nge of microseconds, it is likely that the pulsar signal is affected b y the same mechanism acting on the Pioneer 10 Doppler data. Hence, the hypothesized inner planet around PSR B1257+12 is probably an artifact of the heliosphere.