Paper detail

A new interpretation of Giant radio pulses from the Crab pulsar

The Crab pulsar experienced a major flare in 2010 as observed by Fermi LAT. Observations by the Hubble Space Telescope indicate that the flare was accompanied by a structural change in the anvil region of the Crab Nebula. In the framework of a photometric analysis we reconstruct the energetics of this event. Reconnection zones near the light cylinder are expected to release energy by accelerating beams of electrons, leading to flares of varying amplitude. In this case the major flare would have reduced the magnetic energy stored in the reconnection zones, and would thus have had an impact on the properties of the giant radio flares presumably originating from these regions. We test this scenario by observing giant radio pulses with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope.