Shock-associated kilometric radio emission and solar metric type II bursts

We present statistics relating shock-associated (SA) kilometric bursts (Cane et al., 1981) to solar metric type II bursts. An SA burst is defined here to be any 1980 kHz emission temporally associated with a reported metric type II burst and not temporally associated with a reported metric type III burst. In this way we extend to lower flux densities and shorter durations the original SA concept of Cane et al. About one quarter of 316 metric type II bursts were not accompanied by any 1980 kHz emission, another quarter were accompanied by emission attributable to preceding or simultaneous type III bursts, and nearly half were associated with SA bursts. We have compared the time profiles of 32 SA bursts with Culgoora Observatory dynamic spectral records of metric type II bursts and find that the SA emission is associated with the most intense and structured part of the metric type II burst. On the other hand, the generally poor correlation found between SA burst profiles and Sagamore Hill Observatory 606 and 2695 MHz flux density profiles suggests that most SA emission is not due to energetic electrons escaping from the microwave emission region. These results support the interpretation that SA bursts are the long wavelength extension of type II burst herringbone emission, which is presumed due to the shock acceleration of electrons.Also: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, U.S.A.     

Recent results of zebra patterns in solar radio bursts

This review covers the most recent experimental results and theoretical research on zebra patterns(ZPs)in solar radio bursts.The basic attention is given to events with new peculiar elements of zebra patterns received over the last few years.All new properties are considered in light of both what was known earlier and new theoretical models.Large-scale ZPs consisting of small-scale fiber bursts could be explained by simultaneous inclusion of two mechanisms when whistler waves"highlight"the levels of double plasma resonance(DPR).A unique fine structure was observed in the event on 2006 December 13: spikes in absorption formed dark ZP stripes against the absorptive type Ⅲ-like bursts.The spikes in absorption can appear in accordance with well known mechanisms of absorptive bursts.The additional injection of fast particles filled the loss-cone(breaking the loss-cone distribution),and the generation of the continuum was quenched at these moments.The maximum absorptive effect occurs at the DPR levels.The parameters of millisecond spikes are determined by small dimensions of the particle beams and local scale heights in the radio source.Thus,the DPR model helps to understand several aspects of unusual elements of ZPs.However,the simultaneous existence of several tens of the DPR levels in the corona is impossible for any realistic profile of the plasma density and magnetic field.Three new theories of ZPs are examined.The formation of eigenmodes of transparency and opacity during the propagation of radio waves through regular coronal inhomogeneities is the most natural and promising mechanism.Two other models(nonlinear periodic space-charge waves and scattering of fast protons on ion-sound harmonics)could happen in large radio bursts.     

Flux-rms relation in solar radio bursts

One recent discovery that provides a strong constraint on the mechanisms of astrophysical activities is the correlation between the flux and the root-mean-squared (rms) variability of X-ray emission. In this work we study the flux-rms relation of solar radio bursts. Four flares observed by the Solar Radio Broadband Spectrometer (SRBS) of China are analyzed. In these flares, fine structures (FSs) emerge at least in one frequency band of SRBS. We find that the flux-rms relation consists of two components. One relates to the non-FS emission and the other to the FS emission. The flux-rms relationship for the non-FS part of the radio bursts is clearly different from that for the FS part. The former shows a curve-like behavior, while the latter shows a dramatic variation. We propose a model to describe the flux-rms relation of the non-FS part. Our results imply that the non-FS part emission could be triggered by some multiplicative processes. On the contrary, multiplicative mechanisms should be excluded from the explanations of FSs in the radio bursts.     

A comparison of type III metric radio bursts and global solar potential field models

We compare evidence of coronal magnetic fields from polarized metric type III radio bursts with (a) global potential field models, (b) direct averages of the observed photospheric magnetic field, and (c) H synoptic charts. The comparison clearly indicates both that the principal aspects of type III burst radiation are understood and that global potential field models are a significantly more accurate representation of coronal magnetic field structure than either the large-scale photospheric field or H synoptic charts.     

Energy of solar noise-storm radio bursts

Solar noise storms (NS) are analyzed by an algorithm which separates a random signal into pulses. The burst duration distribution is shown to be inversely proportional to the squared duration of bursts. The distribution ordinates are proportional to the average pulse repetition frequency, and the distribution maximum corresponds to the limiting pulse duration equal to 0.4–0.6 s. The aggregate lifetime of all short-lasting bursts is approximately equal to the aggregate lifetime of bursts of any other duration. The energy of short-lasting bursts with a duration of 0.2–0.4 s is five times smaller than the energy of longer bursts, and it constitutes only 2–5 percent of the energy of the NS burst component. The power of bursts increases as their duration changes from 0.2 to 1.2 s until it reaches some limit at a duration of 1.2–1.4 s. The power of longer bursts remains almost unchanged up to the end of the investigated duration interval (up to durations of 300 s). Solar burst chains can be some superposition of short-lasting bursts on one longer burst. Thus, the burst energy measurements do not support the widespread point of view that solar noise storms consist of short-lasting type I bursts.     

On the spatial directivity of solar radio bursts

In this paper, a new method of estimating the spatial directivity (in the form of center-to-limb variation) of microwave burst emission is proposed and derived. Estimations of radioemission directivity values vs observation frequency are obtained. Results are compared to the radio source model using an inhomogeneous magnetic field, source size and particle density, and show a high degree of agreement. Values of model parameters from earlier estimations are confirmed.     

Correlation of solar decimetric radio bursts with X-ray flares

Several hundred radio bursts in the decimetric wavelength range (300–1000 MHz) have been compared with simultaneous soft and hard X-ray emission. Long lasting (type IV) radio events have been excluded. The association of decimetric emission with hard X-rays has been found to be surprisingly high (48%). The association rate increases with bandwidth, duration, number of structural elements, and maximum frequency. Type III-like bursts are observed up to the upper limit of the observed band. This demonstrates that the corona is transparent up to densities of about 10¹⁰ cm^–3, contrary to previous assumptions. This can only be explained in an inhomogeneous corona with the radio source being located in a dense structure. The short decimetric bursts generally occur during the impulsive phase, i.e. simultaneously with hard X-rays. The times of maximum flux are well correlated (within 2 s). The HXR emission lasts 4 times longer then the radio emission in the average. This work finds a close relationship between decimetric and HXR emission with sufficient statistics offering additional information on the flare process.     

The association of solar radio bursts with auroral streams

Slow drift (Type II) radio bursts from the sun are believed to be caused by a primary disturbance moving outward through the solar atmosphere with a velocity of about 1000 km/sec. Analysis of the 2 years, 1956 October 1 through 1958 September 30, over the sunspot maximum shows that 45 per cent of these bursts are associated with the subsequent occurrence of terrestrial auroræ and magnetic storms. The mean delay between the radio bursts and the terrestrial disturbances is 33 hr, which is in good accord with the velocity for the disturbing source as deduced from the radio data. Investigation of the properties of the individual slow drift bursts and their association with other solar radio and optical phenomena reveals no completely conclusive criteria to explain why only 45 per cent of the bursts are geomagnetically important. The geomagnetic effects are enhanced, however, if the bursts occur near the equinoxes and if they are accompanied by a flare o'f importance 2 or 3, or by continuum (Type IV) radiation.

In the reverse association, with radio data available for an average 14 hr daily, it is shown that at least 60 per cent of magnetic storms are preceded, within 4 days, by a slow drift burst.     

The high-frequency characteristics of solar radio bursts

We compare the millimeter, microwave, and soft X-ray emission from a number of solar flares in order to determine the properties of the high-frequency radio emission of flares. The millimeter observations use a sensitive interferometer at 86 GHz which offers much better sensitivity and spatial resolution than most previous high-frequency observations. We find a number of important results for these flares: (i) the 86 GHz emission onset appears often to be delayed with respect to the microwave onset; (ii) even in large flares the millimeter-wavelength emission can arise in sources of only a few arc sec dimension; (iii) the millimeter emission in the impulsive phase does not correlate with the soft X-ray emission, and thus is unlikely to contain any significant thermal bremsstrahlung component; and (iv) the electron energy distributions implied by the millimeter observations are much flatter (spectral indices of 2.5 to 3.6) than is usual for microwave or hard X-ray observations.     

Harmonic components of decametric solar radio bursts

Type-IIIb, IIId, and III solar decametric radio bursts, being distinguished by the typical negative drift rate of their dynamic spectra, are compared. Observational data were obtained with a UTR-2 antenna during the period 1973–1982. During the analysis of the bursts of all these spectral varieties, the frequency drift time (drift delay) was measured in the ranges 25 to 12.5 MHz, 25 to 20 MHz, and 12.5 to 10 MHz. Durations of type-III bursts were determined at the harmonically-related frequencies of 25 and 12.5 MHz; radio source locations were also used.It is shown that these decametric bursts are distinctly divided into two groups: (1)type-IIIb chains of simple stria bursts and also normal type-III storm bursts observed at central regions constitute a group of events with a fast drifting spectrum; (2) type-III bursts from type-IIIb-III pairs and the limb variant of normal III bursts, as well as peculiar type-IIId chains of diffuse striae and related chains with an echo component, constitute a second group of events with comparatively slow drift rates.The first group of the phenomena is associated with the fundamental F frequency and the second one, with the harmonic H of the coronal plasma frequency. The results of the present investigation agree well with earlier conclusions on the harmonic origin of decametric chains and type-III bursts. Measurements of drift delays in narrow frequency ranges, an octave apart, as well as type-III burst durations at harmonically-related frequencies confirm the existence of both F and H components in the solar radiation. The essential result of 10 years of decametric observations is that the frequency drift rates and durations are rather stable parameters for the various type-III bursts and stria-burst chains. The stability characterizes some unspecified conditions of burst generation in the middle corona.     

Wide-band average spectra of solar radio bursts

Peak flux spectra of solar radio bursts in a wide frequency band have been statistically determined for different morphological types of bursts, for various ranges of magnetic field of the burst-associated sunspots and also for the bursts occurring in the central and limb region of the solar disk. Important results obtained are: (i) The generalised spectra have two peaks, one near to meter-wave and the other in the centimeter-wave region, the former peak being more pronounced than the latter; (ii) identical spectral shape is observed for the great and impulsive types and also for GRF and PBI types of bursts; (iii) the radio emission intensity is relatively higher in the central part than that in the limb part of the solar disk for frequencies 1–10 GHz, while the reverse is true for frequencies 0.245–1 GHz and 10–35 GHz; (iv) the optical depth of the absorbing layer above the source of a burst is found to be the same for meter to centimeter-wavelength bursts, implying that the radio sources in this wide band have uniform characteristics with respect to optical thickness; (v) in case of simultaneous emission in the dekameter to X-ray band, most of the decimetric bursts are seen to be very prompt and coincident with the associated flare's starting time. The interpretations of the obtained spectra give an insight into the possible generation mechanisms, pointing to the location of the source region in the solar atmosphere.     

Herringbone bursts associated with type II solar radio emission

We report detailed observations of the herringbone (HB) fine structure on type II solar radio bursts. Data from the Culgoora radiospectrograph, radiometer and radioheliograph are analyzed. We determine the characteristic spectral profiles, frequency drift rates and exciter velocities, fluxes, source sizes, brightness temperatures, and polarizations of individual HB bursts. Correlations between individual bursts within the characteristic groups of bursts and the properties of the associated type II bursts are examined. Our data are compatible with HB bursts being radiation at multiples of the plasma frequency generated by electron streams accelerated by the type II shock. We conclude that HB bursts are physically distinct phenomena from type II and type III bursts, differing significantly in emission processes and/or source conditions; this conclusion indicates that many of the presently available theoretical ideas for HB bursts are incorrect.Now at: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, U.S.A.Now at Anglo-Australian Observatory, Sydney, Australia.     

On the origin of solar metric type II bursts

The vast majority of solar flares are not associated with metric Type II radio bursts. For example, for the period February 1980–July 1982, corresponding to the first two and one-half years of the Solar Maximum Mission, 95% of the 2500 flares with peak >25 keV count rates >100 c s^–1lacked associated Type II emission. Even the 360 largest flares, i.e., those having >25 keV peak count rates >1000 c s^–1, had a Type II association rate of only 24%. The lack of a close correlation between flare size and Type II occurrence implies the need for a 'special condition' that distinguishes flares that are accompanied by metric Type II radio bursts from those of comparable size that are not. The leading candidates for this special condition are: (1) an unusually low Alfvén speed in the flaring region; and (2) fast material motion. We present evidence based on SMM and GOES X-ray data and Solwind coronagraph data that argues against the first of these hypotheses and supports the second. Type II bursts linked to flares within 30° of the solar limb are well associated (64%; 49/76) with fast (>400 km s^–1) coronal mass ejections (CMEs); for Type II flares within 15° of the limb, the association rate is 79% (30/38). An examination of the characteristics of 'non-CME' flares associated with Type IIs does not support the flare-initiated blast wave picture that has been proposed for these events and suggests instead that CMEs may have escaped detection. While the degree of Type II–CME association increases with flare size, there are notable cases of small Type II flares whose outstanding attribute is a fast CME. Thus we argue that metric Type II bursts (as well as the Moreton waves and kilometric Type II bursts that may accompany them) have their root cause in fast coronal mass ejections.     

A study of type V solar radio bursts

A model for the solar Type V event is developed. This model assumes that the basic difference between Type III and Type V bursts is the evolution of the electron beam. For a Type V this beam rapidly elongates, so that it takes progressively longer times to pass higher plasma levels. Physical process influencing the beam development, including Coulomb collisions, non-linear interactions with Langmuir waves and wave-particle scattering from various hydromagnetic wave modes is discussed. The model is compared with previously derived models and with observations.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

The solar elongation distribution of low-frequency radio bursts

Over 500 days of low-frequency (<1 MHz) radio observations from the IMP-6 spacecraft have been accumulated to produce a two-dimensional map (frequency vs elongation) of solar type III burst occurrences. This map indicates that most solar bursts in this frequency range are observed at the second harmonic of the plasma frequency rather than the fundamental. The map also shows that the solar wind electron density varies as R ^?γ , where γ can be somewhat less than 2 to perhaps 3 or higher.     

A study of Type V solar radio bursts

Results of an observational study of Type V bursts are presented. Observations were made using the C.S.I.R.O. radioheliograph at Culgoora. Source parameters studied included flux evolution, polarization, size, shape, position, motions and brightness temperature at 160, 80 and 43 MHz. Comparisons of source characteristics observed at different frequencies are made.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

A review of solar type III radio bursts

Solar type III radio bursts are an important diagnostic tool in the understanding of solar accelerated electron beams. They are a signature of propagating beams of nonthermal electrons in the solar atmosphere and the solar system. Consequently, they provide information on electron acceleration and transport, and the conditions of the background ambient plasma they travel through. We review the observational properties of type III bursts with an emphasis on recent results and how each property can help identify attributes of electron beams and the ambient background plasma. We also review some of the theoretical aspects of type III radio bursts and cover a number of numerical efforts that simulate electron beam transport through the solar corona and the heliosphere.     

Frequency separation in structure of solar continuum radio bursts

A plot of frequency separation in fine structure in solar continuum radio bursts against emission frequency indicates that the frequency structure cannot represent local proton plasma frequency modulation. However, the observations are consistent with the interpretation of the frequency structure as harmonics of the local electron cyclotron frequency and lead to reasonable estimates of the ratio between magnetic and kinetic pressures in stable coronal magnetic field configurations producing continuum radio sources.     

Type III solar radio bursts and the fundamental-harmonic hypothesis

The observational evidence is reviewed for the occurrence of type III solar radio bursts in pairs with frequency ratio two to one. We show that the observations can be explained under the hypothesis that there is a tendency for a type III burst to be followed by a second burst within approximately one second. This explanation leads to fewer difficulties than the hypothesis that type III bursts occur in pairs, one member being emitted at the fundamental of the local coronal plasma frequency, the other at its second harmonic. We conclude that in general, type III bursts are emitted at the second harmonic of the plasma frequency and that type III theories should account for this and only under very special circumstances (which are rare) for the emission at the fundamental and the second harmonic.