A new interpretation of Giant radio pulses from the Crab pulsar

TL;DR

This paper investigates the 2010 Crab pulsar flare, linking it to magnetic reconnection near the light cylinder and analyzing its impact on giant radio pulses through observations with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope.

Contribution

It offers a new interpretation of giant radio pulses as connected to magnetic energy release during the pulsar flare event.

Findings

Reconnection zones near the light cylinder release energy during flares.

The 2010 flare likely reduced magnetic energy in reconnection zones.

Giant radio pulses are influenced by the energetic changes in these zones.

Abstract

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.