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Science 25 July 2003:
Vol. 301. no. 5632, pp. 493 - 495
DOI: 10.1126/science.1084919
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Reports

Enhanced Optical Emission During Crab Giant Radio Pulses

A. Shearer,1* B. Stappers,2,3 P. O'Connor,1 A. Golden,1 R. Strom,2,3 M. Redfern,1 O. Ryan1

We detected a correlation between optical and giant radio pulse emission from the Crab pulsar. Optical pulses coincident with the giant radio pulses were on average 3% brighter than those coincident with normal radio pulses. Combined with the lack of any other pulse profile changes, this result indicates that both the giant radio pulses and the increased optical emission are linked to an increase in the electron-positron plasma density.

1 National University of Ireland, Galway, Newcastle Road, Galway, Ireland. 2 Stichting ASTRON, 7990 AA Dwingeloo, Netherlands. 3 Sterrenkundig Instituut "Anton Pannekoek," 1098 SJ Amsterdam, Netherlands.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: andy.shearer{at}nuigalway.ie

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)