A Model for the Flaring Radio Emission in the Double Pulsar System J0737-3039

The binary J0737-3039 A & B includes two pulsars in a highly relativisticorbit. The pulsed radio flux from pulsar B brightens considerably during twoportions of each orbit. This phenomenon cannot be naturally triggered by theillumination of $\gamma$-rays or X-rays from pulsar A or the bow shock aroundpulsar B. Instead, we explain these periodic flares quantitatively as episodesduring which pairs from pulsar A's wind flow into the open field line region ofpulsar B and emit curvature radiation at radio frequencies within an altitudeof $\sim 10^8$ cm. The radio photons then travel through B's magnetosphere andeventually reach the observer on the other side of the pulsar. Our modelrequires that A's wind be anisotropic and that B's spin axis be somewhatmisaligned relative to the orbital angular momentum. We estimate the expected$\gamma$-ray and X-ray emission from the system.Comment: ApJ Letters, in pres