Electron Acceleration in the Corona

The series of nine impulsive, highly collimated beams of near-relativistic electrons seen by ACE/EPAM on 26 and 27 June 2004 occurred at a quiet time with respect to solar flare and CME production. However, they were accompanied by decametric type III radio bursts observed by WIND/WAVES, which had progressively higher starting frequencies, suggestive of coronal acceleration. There were no CMEs seen by SOHO/LASCO in association with any of the type III bursts except possibly the first. The energy spectrum of the electrons was soft, typically E^−4.5 but extended up to at least ∼200 keV. We suggest that the source region for these events is in the high corona. We discuss this result in the context of solar electron acceleration at other times.     

Electron Acceleration in Reconnecting Current Sheets

We present the results of charged particle orbit calculations in prescribed electric and magnetic fields motivated by magnetic reconnection models. Due to the presence of a strong guide field, the particle orbits can be calculated in the guiding centre approximation. The electromagnetic fields are chosen to resemble a reconnecting magnetic current sheet with a localised reconnection region. An initially Maxwellian distribution function in the inflow region can develop a beam-like component in the outflow region. Possible implications of these findings for acceleration scenarios in solar flares will be discussed.     

CME Velocity and Acceleration Error Estimates Using the Bootstrap Method

The bootstrap method is used to determine errors of basic attributes of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) visually identified in images obtained by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission’s Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) instruments. The basic parameters of CMEs are stored, among others, in a database known as the SOHO/LASCO CME catalog and are widely employed for many research studies. The basic attributes of CMEs (e.g. velocity and acceleration) are obtained from manually generated height-time plots. The subjective nature of manual measurements introduces random errors that are difficult to quantify. In many studies the impact of such measurement errors is overlooked. In this study we present a new possibility to estimate measurements errors in the basic attributes of CMEs. This approach is a computer-intensive method because it requires repeating the original data analysis procedure several times using replicate datasets. This is also commonly called the bootstrap method in the literature. We show that the bootstrap approach can be used to estimate the errors of the basic attributes of CMEs having moderately large numbers of height-time measurements. The velocity errors are in the vast majority small and depend mostly on the number of height-time points measured for a particular event. In the case of acceleration, the errors are significant, and for more than half of all CMEs, they are larger than the acceleration itself.     

Shock Drift Electron Acceleration in a Wavy Shock Front

It is commonly believed that solar type II bursts are caused by accelerated electrons at a shock front. Holman and Pesses (1983) suggested that electrons creating type II bursts are accelerated by the shock drift mechanism. Zlobec et al. (1993) dealt with a fine structure of type II bursts (herringbones) and suggested a qualitative model where electrons are accelerated by a nearly perpendicular wavy shock front. Using this idea, we developed a model of electron acceleration by such a wavy shock front. Electrons are accelerated by the drift mechanism in the shock layer. Under simplifying assumptions it is possible to obtain an analytical solution of electron motion in the wavy shock front. The calculations show that electrons are rarely reflected more than once at the wavy shock front and that their final energy is mostly 1–3 times the initial one. Their acceleration does not depend significantly on shock spatial parameters. In the present model all electrons are eventually transmitted downstream where they form two downstream beams. Resulting spectral and angular distributions of accelerated electrons are presented and the relevance of the model to the herringbone beams is discussed.     

Solar Impulsive Hard X-Ray Emission and Two-Stage Electron Acceleration

Heating and acceleration of electrons in solar impulsive hard X-ray (HXR) flares are studied according to the two-stage acceleration model developed by Zhang for solar 3He-rich events. It is shown that electrostatic H-cyclotron waves can be excited at a parallel phase velocity less than about the electron thermal velocity and thus can significantly heat the electrons (up to 40 MK) through Landau resonance. The preheated electrons with velocities above a threshold are further accelerated to high energies in the flare-acceleration process. The flare-produced electron spectrum is obtained and shown to be thermal at low energies and power law at high energies. In the non-thermal energy range, the spectrum can be double power law if the spectral power index is energy dependent or related. The electron energy spectrum obtained by this study agrees quantitatively with the result derived from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) HXR observations in the flare of 2002 July 23. The total flux and energy flux of electrons accelerated in the solar flare also agree with the measurements.     

Further Constraints on Electron Acceleration in Solar Noise Storms

We reexamine the energetics of nonthermal-electron acceleration in solar noise storms. A new result is obtained for the minimum nonthermal-electron number density required to produce a Langmuir-wave population of sufficient intensity to power the noise-storm emission. We combine this constraint with the stochastic electron acceleration formalism developed by Subramanian and Becker (2005) to derive a rigorous estimate for the efficiency of the overall noise-storm emission process, beginning with nonthermal-electron acceleration and culminating in the observed radiation. We also calculate separate efficiencies for the electron acceleration–Langmuir wave generation stage and the Langmuir wave–noise-storm production stage. In addition, we obtain a new theoretical estimate for the energy density of the Langmuir waves in noise-storm continuum sources.     

Constraints on the Regimes of Electron Acceleration in Solar Flares

Astronomy Letters - Based on the observations of microwave impulsive bursts recorded at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory, we have obtained constraints on the regimes of electron acceleration in solar...     

Observed Weak Electron Beam Discharge Driven Grain Acceleration/Accretion with Implications for Planet Formation

Work presented here addresses the issue of grain accretion, an essential yet poorly understood process in planetary system formation, linking the dynamically modeled steps of temperature-dependent condensation of gases after proto-sun gravitational collapse to coalescence of kilometer-size planetesimals into planets. The mechanism for grain accretion has proven difficult to model dynamically. Here, we attempt to test the thesis that the accretion process is electrostatically-driven by non-uniform charging of grains in a low discharge/weak field environment equivalent to periodic conditions in protoplanetary nebulae during solar discharge events such as flares. We simulate in the laboratory the behavior of grains in relationship to surfaces in such an environment. The nature of the observed disaggregation, repulsion, and acceleration of grains away from initial surfaces, and their reaggregation as coatings on surrounding oppositely charged surfaces, provide an empirical experimental basis for an electrostatically-driven model for grain behavior and accretion. Similar weak discharge processes in the protoplanetary disk solar nebula could give rise to increased grain acceleration and collisional compression induced surface coating, necessary conditions for increased accretion. The frequency, timing, and level of energetic output of the proto-sun would influence the effectiveness of such processes in developing stable aggregates, and the nature of the solar system that would result.     

Electron Acceleration in a Dynamically Evolved Current Sheet Under Solar Coronal Conditions

Electron acceleration in a drastically evolved current sheet under solar coronal conditions is investigated via the combined 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and test-particle approaches. Having a high magnetic Reynolds number (10⁵), the long, thin current sheet is torn into a chain of magnetic islands, which grow in size and coalesce with each other. The acceleration of electrons is explored in three typical evolution phases: when several large magnetic islands are formed (phase 1), two of these islands are approaching each other (phase 2), and almost merging into a “monster” magnetic island (phase 3). The results show that for all three phases electrons with an initial Maxwell distribution evolve into a heavy-tailed distribution and more than 20 % of the electrons can be accelerated higher than 200 keV within 0.1 second and some of them can even be energized up to MeV ranges. The lower-energy electrons are located away from the magnetic separatrices and the higher-energy electrons are inside the magnetic islands. The most energetic electrons have a tendency to be around the outer regions of the magnetic islands or to appear in the small secondary magnetic islands. It is the trapping effect of the magnetic islands and the distributions of E _p that determine the acceleration and spatial distributions of the energetic electrons.     

Electron Acceleration and Transport During the November 5, 1998 Solar Flare At ∼13:34 UT

This paper deals with a detailed analysis of spectral and imaging observations of the November 5, 1998 (Hα 1B, GOES M1.5) flare obtained over a large spectral range, i.e., from hard X-rays to radiometric wavelengths. These observations allowed us to probe electron acceleration and transport over a large range of altitudes that is to say within small-scale (a few 10³ km) and large-scale (a few 10⁵ km) magnetic structures. The observations combined with potential and linear force-free magnetic field extrapolations allow us to show that: (i) Flare energy release and electron acceleration are basically driven by loop–loop interactions at two independent, low lying, null points of the active region magnetic field; (ii) <300 keV hard X-ray-producing electrons are accelerated by a different process (probably DC field acceleration) than relativistic electrons that radiate the microwave emission; and (iii) although there is evidence that hard X-ray and decimetric/metric radio-emitting electrons are produced by the same accelerator, the present observations and analysis did not allow us to find a clear and direct magnetic connection between the hard X-ray emitting region and the radio-emitting sources in the middle corona.     

The Influence of Ion-Acoustic Turbulence on the Electron Acceleration in the Reconnecting Current Sheet

Through solving the single electron equation of motion and the Fokker-Planck equation including the terms of electric field strength and ion-acoustic turbulence, we study the influence of the ion-acoustic wave on the electron acceleration in turbulent reconnecting current sheets. It is shown that the ion-acoustic turbulence which causes plasma heating rather than particle acceleration should be considered. With typical parameter values, the acceleration time scale is around the order of 10^-6 s, the accelerated electrons may have approximately a power-law distribution in the energy range 20 ～100 keV and the spectral index is about 3～10, which is basically consistent with the observed hard X-ray spectra in solar flares.     

Effect of Collisions and Magnetic Convergence on Electron Acceleration and Transport in Reconnecting Twisted Solar Flare Loops

We study a model of particle acceleration coupled with an MHD model of magnetic reconnection in unstable twisted coronal loops. The kink instability leads to the formation of helical currents with strong parallel electric fields resulting in electron acceleration. The motion of electrons in the electric and magnetic fields of the reconnecting loop is investigated using a test-particle approach taking into account collisional scattering. We discuss the effects of Coulomb collisions and magnetic convergence near loop footpoints on the spatial distribution and energy spectra of high-energy electron populations and possible implications on the hard X-ray emission in solar flares.     

Euv Observations of a Macrospicule: Evidence for Solar Wind Acceleration?

We present a unique observation of a macrospicule, recorded in extreme ultraviolet light on 11 April 1996, using the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The observation was made by chance as part of a daily, large-area mapping sequence. Although the feature has some characteristics of the class of events which have become known as X-ray jets, we argue that the feature observed here is a macrospicule. This being the case, the observation demonstrates several new features of macrospicule observation. Emission is detected from the macrospicule to temperatures of 1 million degrees. In addition, some footpoint structure is detected at the root of the macrospicule, and the edges or sides of the macrospicule appear brighter than the central regions. A velocity analysis shows high speed flows within the macrospicule. Velocities are seen to increase with altitude until a plateau is achieved. Coincident with this, there is evidence for emission line narrowing. The significance of these observations for solar wind acceleration processes is discussed.     

Coronal mass ejections: Acceleration and surface associations

The fact that eruptive-prominence associated coronal mass ejection events may be accelerated over significant heights and times in the corona complicates the determination of possible surface or low coronal associations. A specific example of one such eruptive-prominence associated event, that observed in both the inner and outer solar corona on August 5, 1980, is used to illustrate the magnitude of the uncertainty of determining an onset time of the ejection. It is noted that such uncertainties may influence statistically-determined associations.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation     

中等质量黑洞活动星系核的射电连续谱研究:总结与展望

中等质量黑洞活动星系核(intermediate mass black hole active galactic nuclei, IMBH AGN)是指中心黑洞大约在10²M⊙¹0⁶M⊙质量范围的活动星系核。关于近邻宇宙中IMBH AGN的研究,对于理解高红移类星体中的超大质量黑洞起源(即"种子黑洞问题")、低频引力波源等基本问题有着重要意义。得益于近20年来大规模光学光谱巡天的发展,已发现近邻宇宙中的宽线IMBH AGN的数目超过500个。对于这些光学选IMBH AGN,基于VLA FIRST巡天数据,针对小样本或个源的专门射电连续谱观测,已取得不少结果。从射电形态、连续谱谱型、射电功率和射电噪度、黑洞吸积基本面这四个方面,详细地介绍了目前IMBH AGN射电连续谱研究的进展。并且,分别面向当前正在开展的几个SKA探路者大规模连续谱巡天项目,以及大约10年后运行的SKA (至少是SKA一期),展望了IMBH AGN领域将来可以进行研究的科学目标。     

Electron Excitation Rates in the Solar Corona for non-Maxwellian Electron Distributions

The influence of electron non-Maxwellian distributions (power and -distribution) on the electron excitation rate in the solar corona is demonstrated. It is shown that the deviations in electron excitation rate are sufficient to affect intensities of spectral lines. As an example the diagnostics of a power-law distribution are demonstrated for a simplified calculation of the resonance lines of Fexxiv, Fexxv and Fexxvi. The results can be used in diagnosing solar flare plasmas, where the deviations of the electron distribution from a Maxwellian distribution can be large.     

On the Exospheric Approach for the Solar Wind Acceleration

We present the basics of the exospheric models of the solar wind acceleration. In these models the plasma is assumed fully collisionless above a typical altitude in the corona. The solar wind is accelerated by the interplanetary electrostatic potential which is needed to warrant the equality of the proton and electron fluxes. These models suggest that the fast wind emanating from the polar regions could be due to the presence of non-thermal electron distributions in the corona. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Topical Issues for Particle Acceleration Mechanisms in Astrophysical Shocks

Particle acceleration at plasma shocks appears to be ubiquitous in the universe, spanning systems in the heliosphere, supernova remnants, and relativistic jets in distant active galaxies and gamma-ray bursts. This review addresses some of the key issues for shock acceleration theory that require resolution in order to propel our understanding of particle energization in astrophysical environments. These include magnetic field amplification in shock ramps, the non-linear hydrodynamic interplay between thermal ions and their extremely energetic counterparts possessing ultrarelativistic energies, and the ability to inject and accelerate electrons in both non-relativistic and relativistic shocks. Recent observational developments that impact these issues are summarized. While these topics are currently being probed by astrophysicists using numerical simulations, they are also ripe for investigation in laboratory experiments, which potentially can provide valuable insights into the physics of cosmic shocks.     

Vertical Scale Parameter Estimates for 48 Non-edge-on Spiral Galaxies

In the first paper of this series, we directly studied the mathematical forms, symmetry of spiral structure, and the projection of galactic discs on the images, and measured the pitch angles of the spiral arms and inclination angles of the galactic discs for 60 spiral galaxies. In this second paper, we estimate the vertical scale parameters of 48 non-edge-on spiral galaxies based on the method proposed by Peng et al. and on the results given in Paper Ⅰ. As we know, for edge-on disc galaxies we can obtain the vertical scale parameter from the photometry, once a mathematical form is specified for the vertical light distribution. For non-edgeon galaxies, some other methods have to be used. The statistical result was that the vertical scale parameter is comparable for edge-on and non-edge-on galaxies, although it is obtained from two very different methods.