Decimetric type III radio bursts and associated hard X-ray spikes

A detailed comparison is made between hard X-ray spikes and decimetric type III radio bursts for a relatively weak solar flare on 1981 August 6 at 10: 32 UT. The hard X-ray observations were made at energies above 30 keV with the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission and with a balloon-born coarse-imaging spectrometer from Frascati, Italy. The radio data were obtained in the frequency range from 100 to 1000 MHz with the analog and digital instruments from Zürich, Switzerland. All the data sets have a time resolution of 0.1 s or better. The dynamic radio spectrum shows many fast drift type III radio bursts with both normal and reverse slope, while the X-ray time profile contains many well resolved short spikes with durations of 1 s. Some of the X-ray spikes appear to be associated in time with reverse-slop bursts suggesting either that the electron beams producing the radio bursts contain two or three orders of magnitude more fast electrons than has previously been assumed or that the electron beams can trigger or occur in coincidence with the acceleration of additional electrons. One case is presented in which a normal slope radio burst at 600 MHz occurs in coincidence with the peak of an X-ray spike to within 0.1 s. If the coincidence is not merely accidental and if it is meaningful to compare peak times, then the short delay would indicate that the radio signal was at the harmonic and that the electrons producing the radio burst were accelerated at an altitude of 4 × 10⁹ cm. Such a short delay is inconsistent with models invoking cross-field drifts to produce the electron beams that generate type III bursts but it supports the model incorporating a MASER proposed by Sprangle and Vlahos (1983).     

Solar radio bursts of spectral type II,coronal shocks,and optical coronal transients

The association of solar radio bursts of spectral type II and coronal shocks with solar flare ejecta observed in H, the green coronal line, and white-light coronagraphs is examined. Rather than identifying fast-moving optical coronal transients with outward-travelling shock waves that generate type II radio bursts, as has been suggested in some earlier papers, we suggest that, for the most part, such transients should probably be identified with piston-type phenomena well behind the shock. We then discuss a general model, consisting of three main velocity regimes, in which we relate type II radio bursts and coronal shocks to optically-observed ejecta.     

Radio echo and sporadic radiation scattering in the solar corona

Some properties of solar radio bursts observed at the Earth are mainly due to propagation effects in the corona. A radio echo of short-time narrow-band bursts is observed by a decameter radioheliograph on the basis of UTR-2 antenna. Propagation effects are manifested in the marked regular change of the burst intensity-time profile at 25 MHz during a half-rotation of the Sun. A displacement of limb diffuse bursts deep into the solar atmosphere of 1.5 - 2R has been also found during the burst lifetime.     

A model for solar radio pulsations at short centimetric band

In this paper, the observed solar radio pulsations during the bursts at 9.375 GHz are considered to be excited by some plasma instability. Under the condition of the conservation of energy in the wave-particle interaction, the saturation time of plasma instabilities is inversely proportional to the initial radiation intensity, which may explain why the repetition rate of the pulsations is directly proportional to the radio burst flux at 9.375 GHz as well as 15 GHz and 22 GHz. It is also predicted that the energy released in an individual pulse increases with increasing the flux of radio bursts, the modularity of the pulsations decreases with increasing the flux of radio bursts, these predictions are consistent with the statistical results at 9.375 GHz in different events. The energy density of the non-thermal particles in these events is estimated from the properties of pulsation. For the typical values of the ambient plasma density (10⁹ cm^–3) and the ratio between the nonthermal and ambient electrons (10^–4), the order of magnitude of the energy density and the average energy of the nonthermal electrons is 10^–4 erg/cm³ and 10 kev, respectively. It is interesting that there are two branches in a statistical relation between the repetition rate and the radio burst flux in a special event on March 11–17, 1989, which just corresponds to two different orders of magnitude for the quasi-quantized energy released in these five bursts. This result may be explained by the different ratios between the thermal and the nonthermal radiations.     

Radio and soft X-ray evidence for dense non-potential magnetic flux tubes in the solar corona

The source positions of solar radio bursts of spectral types I, III(U) and III(J) and V observed by the Culgoora radioheliograph are found to lie almost radially above soft X-ray loops on pictures taken by the S-056 telescope aboard Skylab. The radio source positions and the X-ray loops occur near magnetic loops on computed potential field maps. However, the magnetic induction required to explain the radio observations is much greater than the computed potential field value at that height. Dense current-carrying magnetic flux tubes emanating from active regions on the Sun and extending to 1.5R above the photosphere provide a satisfactory model for the radio bursts.     

The self absorption of gyro-synchrotron emission in a magnetic dipole field: Microwave impulsive burst and hard X-ray burst

The gyro-synchrotron emission from a model source with a non-uniform magnetic field is computed taking into account the self absorption. This model seems adequate not only to interpret the radio spectrum and its time variation of microwave impulsive bursts but also to solve the discrepancy between the numbers of non-thermal electrons emitting radio burst and those emitting hard X-ray burst.The decrease of flux of radio burst with decreasing frequency at low microwave frequencies is due to the self absorption and/or the thermal gyro-absorption. In this frequency range, the radio source is optically thick even at weak microwave bursts. The weakness of the bursts may be rather due to the small size of the radio source and/or the weakness of the magnetic field than the small number density of the non-thermal electrons.The time variation of the flux of radio burst may be mainly attributed to the variation of source size in a horizontal direction ( direction) instead of the variation of the number density of non-thermal electrons itself, implying that the acceleration region progressively moves in the horizontal direction leaving the non-thermal electrons behind during the increasing phase of the radio burst.     

1–4 GHz type II-like radio bursts and pinch processes near the transition region

Analyzing 205 radio bursts observed by the Ondejov radiospectrograph in the 1–4 GHz frequency range during 1992 and 1993, we found 6 examples of type II-like radio bursts coinciding with impulsive phases of solar flares. These bursts were interpreted as radio manifestations of MHD (shock) waves generated during impulsive phases of flares in the vicinity of the transition region. Assuming a magnetic-field perturbation origin of these waves, we studied pinch processes in the current sheet near the transition region. In the 2-D MHD numerical model of this current sheet we demonstrated that 2-D pinch processes induced by radiative losses can trigger the impulsive phase of some flares and so generate the observed high-frequency type II-like radio bursts.     

Positions and motions of solar bursts at decameter wavelengths

The positions and motions of solar bursts in the range 20 to 60 MHz have been measured by the means of a sweep-frequency grating interferometer with angular resolution of 5 arc at 60 MHz decreasing to 15 arc at 20 MHz. The positional characteristics of the decameter wavelength bursts are discussed in terms of the commonly accepted theories of the origin of radio bursts from plasma and synchrotron radiations.     

Hα observations of the August 12, 1975 type III-RS bursts

We present H filtergram observations of a number of the Type III-RS (reverse slope) bursts that occurred on August 12, 1975. Solar radio emission was peculiar on that date in that a large number, and proportion, of the usually rare reverse slope bursts were observed (Tarnstrom and Zehntner, 1975). We show that the radio bursts coincide in time with a homologous set of H flares located at the limbward edge of spot group Mt. Wilson 19598. We propose a model in which the reverse slope bursts are the downward branches of U bursts, whose upward branches are hidden behind the coronal density enhancement over the spot group.     

Studies on metric–decimetric Type II bursts in relation to soft X-ray flares

The relationship between metric type II radio bursts and soft X-ray (SXR) flares is studied. Type II bursts are highly associated with SXR flares. The duration and drift rate of type II bursts are found to depend on the duration, asymmetry in duration (ratio of rise time to duration), as well as on the peak flux of SXR bursts. Important results obtained are: (i) the durations of type II bursts are linearly correlated with the durations of associated SXR bursts in case of long-lived events (duration >40 min), whereas in short-lived flares such a correlation is not found, (ii) the durations of type II bursts do not depend upon the SXR peak flux, (iii) more durable type II radio bursts are correlated with more symmetric SXR bursts, (iv) average drift rates of type II bursts are larger in the events associated with more powerful and more symmetric SXR bursts.     

Solar microwave bursts recorded at 2.84 GHz with millisecond time resolution

A millisecond recorder for solar observation at 2.84 GHz was put to work in 1981. From April 1981 to September 1982 it recorded 250spike pulse events, which are here listed together with information on the associated solar flares, hard X-ray bursts and radio bursts. In defining these spike events, particular attention has been paid to ensure the reliability of the recorded data. Statistical analysis of the data has given some interesting results. The spike pulses have shorter duration and higher flux density than were previously known, and the basic units of the spike pulse events are single spike pulses crowded together forming separate clusters. Many spike pulses observed are not yet resolved at 1 ms. Fast spike pulse events are closely correlated with complex magnetic field regions, and are often accompanied by hard X-ray bursts and fast drifting radio bursts. Some such events showed no correspondence with the radio bursts at the same frequency, 2.84 GHz, but corresponded to those occurring at dm and short cm wavelengths. Some theoretical investigations of the spike phonomena have been carried out, the details of which will be discussed elsewhere.     

The relation between the surges and solar radio emission

The 120 limb surges which have been observed by means of Wrocaw Observatory coronagraph from September 1966 to November 1977 are investigated. The evolution of surges was compared with the radio data during the surges. A correlation between radio bursts and the surges was found, particularly with chains of type I radio bursts, which is the first reliable correlation found of these bursts with non-radio events. The type I correlation only applied for surges without accompanying flare, of which 43% are correlated with this type of radio emission. In 23 of 30 associated events the start of a surge coincided within 5 minutes with the start or an enhancement of the type I storm. If flares were present, the association was not significant.We also compared the maximum height reached by a surge with the frequencies of the radio bursts emitted at the same time and the maximum velocity of the rising surge with the frequency drift of type I chains. No such a correlation was however found.We discuss the possibility that surges are the result of a sudden energy input into the chromosphere related to the type I source in the corona.     

Evidence for a common origin of the electrons responsible for the impulsive X-ray and type III radio bursts

Observations of impulsive solar flare X-rays 10 keV made with the OGO-5 satellite are compared with ground based measurements of type III solar radio bursts in 10–580 MHz range. It is shown that the times of maxima of these two emissions, when detectable, agree within 18 s. This maximum time difference is comparable to that between the maxima of the impulsive X-ray and impulsive microwave bursts. In view of the various observational uncertainties, it is argued that the observations are consistent with the impulsive X-ray, impulsive microwave, and type III radio bursts being essentially simultaneous. The observations are also consistent with 10–100 keV electron streams being responsible for the type III emission. It is estimated that the total number of electrons 22 keV required to produce a type III burst is 10³⁴. The observations indicate that the non-thermal electron groups responsible for the impulsive X-ray, impulsive microwave, and type III radio bursts are accelerated simultaneously in essentially the same region of the solar atmosphere.     

Solar microwave bursts as indicators of the occurrence of solar proton emission

A study has been made of the relation of 19 GHz( = 1.58 cm) solar radio bursts to solar proton emission, with particular reference to the usefulness of relatively long duration bursts with intensities exceeding 50% of the quiet Sun flux (or exceeding 350 × 10^–22 W m^–2 Hz^–1) as indicators of the occurrence of proton events during the four years from 1966–69. 76 to 88% of such bursts are directly associated with solar protons and 60 to 85% of the moderate to large proton events in the four year period could have been predicted from these bursts. The complete microwave spectra of the proton events have also been studied, and have been used to extend the results obtained at 19 GHz to other frequencies, particularly in the 5–20 GHz band. The widely used frequency of 2.8 GHz is not the optimum frequency for this purpose since proton events have a minimum of emission in this region. Most of the radio energy of proton events is at frequencies above 10 GHz. The radio spectra of proton events tend to peak at higher frequencies than most non-proton events, the overall range being 5 to 70 GHz, with a median of 10–12 GHz and a mean of 17 GHz.On leave from the Radio and Space Research Station, Slough, England, as 1969–1970 National Research Council-National Academy of Sciences Senior Post-Doctoral Research Associate at AFCRL.     

High-resolution observations of solar radio bursts with multi-element compound interferometers at 3.75 and 9.4 GHz

High-resolution observations of solar radio bursts made simultaneously with multi-element compound interferometers at 3.75 and 9.4 GHz are presented.Preliminary results are: (1) The burst of December 16, 1967 showed a change in polarization distribution in the radio source, which suggests a magnetic field change in the source. (2) The existence of the multi-source burst is also confirmed at 3.75 GHz. (3) The source size of the impulsive burst is estimated to be 0.'5. (4) Among the GRF bursts there seem to be two kinds; one has a large angular size and the other has a small one.A brief discussion is given of the burst of December 16, 1967.     

Sharp Decreases of Solar Metric Radio Storm Emission

We discuss a little-known variety of sharp decreases of long-duration meter-wavelength noise storms and type IV bursts. A survey of the IZMIRAN and AIP radio observations shows that a decrease or nearly complete disappearance of the continuum and bursts developing over tens of minutes without a subsequent recovery of the radio flux occasionally occurs. The decrease is usually preceded by a short-duration (several tens of minutes) enhancement of the radio emission. In these events, the onset of the flux decrease drifts from high to low frequencies with a rate of –(0.05–0.35) MHz s^–1, comparable to the drift rates of noise-storm onsets and of chains of type I bursts. White-light coronagraph observations, as well as the characteristics of the accompanying microwave and soft X-ray emissions, provide evidence that such radio decreases appear to be associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and post-CME phenomena. Yohkoh/SXT images show radio flux decrease events which are accompanied by significant rearrangements of coronal structures. We suggest that the radio flux variations are caused by CME interactions with pre-existing coronal arcade structures which are sources of noise storms and energetic electron acceleration. The fact that the noise-storm decreases develop with delays of several tens of minutes relative to the associated microwave burst peak, when the corresponding CME front is located at heights of several R , however, is not explained.     

Spectral characteristics of solar S bursts

Observations of the solar radio spectrum have been made with high time and frequency resolution. Spectra were recorded over six 3-MHz bands between 30 and 82 MHz. The receivers used were capable of time and frequency resolutions of 1 ms and 2 kHz, respectively. A large number of radio bursts exhibiting a variety of find spectral structure were recorded.The bursts, referred to here as S bursts, were observed throughout the 30–82 MHz frequency range but were most numerous in the 33–44 MHz band and were very rare at 80 MHz. On a dynamic spectrum the bursts appeared as narrow sloping lines with the centre frequency of each burst decreasing with time. The rate of frequency drift was about 1/3 that of type III bursts. Most bursts were observed over only a limited frequency range (< 5 MHz) but some drifted for more than 10 MHz. The durations measured at a single frequency and the instantaneous bandwidths of S bursts were small; t = 49 ± 34 ms and f = 123 ± 56 kHz for bursts observed near 40 MHz. A significant number had t 20 ms. Flux densities of S burst sources were estimated to fall in the range 10²³-5 × 10²¹ Wm^–1 Hz^–1.A small proportion (1–2%) of bursts showed a fine structure in which the burst source apparently only emitted at discrete, regularly spaced frequencies causing the spectrogram to exhibit a series of bands or fringes. The fringe spacing increased with wave frequency and was f - 90 kHz for fringes near 40 MHz. The bandwidths of fringes was narrow, often less than 30 kHz and in some cases down to 10–15 kHz.New address: Astronomy Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, U.S.A.     

The emission and propagation of ∼ 40keV solar flare electrons

Observations of prompt 40 keV solar flare electron events by the IMP series of satellites in the period August, 1966 to December, 1967 are tabulated along with prompt energetic solar proton events in the period 1964–1967. The interrelationship of the various types of energetic particle emission by the sun, including relativistic energy electrons reported by Cline and McDonald (1968) are investigated. Relativistic energy electron emission is found to occur only during proton events. The solar optical, radio and X-ray emission associated with these various energetic particle emissions as well as the propagation characteristics of each particle species are examined in order to study the particle acceleration and emission mechanisms in a solar flare. Evidence is presented for two separate particle acceleration and/or emission mechanisms, one of which produces 40 keV electrons and the other of which produces solar proton and possibly relativistic energy electrons. It is found that solar flares can be divided into three categories depending on their energetic particle emission: (1) small flares with no accompanying energetic phenomena either in particles, radio or X-ray emission; (2) small flares which produce low energy electrons and which are accompanied by type III and microwave radio bursts and energetic ( 20 keV) X-ray bursts; and (3) major solar flare eruptions characterized by energetic solar proton production and type II and IV radio bursts and accompanied by intense microwave and X-ray emission and relativistic energy electrons.     

On the Nature of Modulation of Radio Emission During Solar Flares

The distribution of pauses between subsequent elements of a periodic process is symmetric, while a random process produces an asymmetric exponential distribution. The third moment of the pause distribution, which is sensitive to the asymmetry, can therefore be used to discriminate between perodic and random processes. With such a method we analyze the observations of 19 series of solar type III radio bursts and find with a confidence of 0.99 that, on average, the bursts are randomly distributed in time. Only one series can be considered to be periodic with a confidence 0.5. The bandwidth of the repetition frequency of most bursts corresponds to the quality of oscillations of Q¯ = 1.0±0.6 that does not indicates a resonance. Therefore, the modulation of particle beams and intensity of type III radio emission should be considered mainly as the result of random processes. Thus, these properties observed in the majority of radio type III bursts do not support the existence of any periodic or resonant oscillations in the solar corona during flares, although some periodic processes in active regions cannot entirely be ruled out.     

Numerical simulation of type III solar radio bursts caused by high-density electron beam

Numerical simulation for the type III solar radio bursts in meter wavelengths was made with the electron beam of a high number density enough to emit fundamental radio waves comparable in intensity with the second harmonic.This requirement is fulfilled if the optical thickness ₁ for the negative absorption (amplification) becomes -23 to -25. Since ₁ is roughly proportional to the time-integral of the electron flux of the beam, the intensity of the fundamental waves depends strongly on the parameters which determine the electron flux. Therefore, it is most unlikely that the harmonic pairs of type III bursts of the first and the second harmonics occur frequently with comparable intensities in a wide frequency range, say 200 MHz to 20 MHz, if we take the working hypothesis that the fundamental waves are caused by the scattering of electron plasma waves by thermal ions and amplified during the propagation along the beam.However, we cannot rule out the possibility that single type III bursts with short durations or group of such bursts are the fundamental waves emitted by the above mechanism, but only if the observed large size of the radio source can be attributed to the radio scattering alone.