Note on solar hard X-ray bursts

Observationally solar X bursts fall into three different categories : soft X bursts (E < 10 keV), deka-keV bursts (10–150 keV), and very hard X bursts or deci-MeV bursts (200–1000 keV). The first kind is quasi-thermal, the last kind is non-thermal. The real existence of the third kind of burst looks probable but has not yet been proved by direct observations. The difference between deci-MeV and deka-keV bursts may mainly be a matter of geometry of the emitting plasma.     

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).     

Directivity of solar hard X-ray bursts

Solar hard X-ray bursts (>10 keV) seem to show a centre-to-limb variation, while softer X-ray bursts show no directivity. This effect of hard X-ray bursts may be due to the directivity of the emission itself. As the cause of the directivity, two possibilities are suggested. One is the inverse Compton effect and the other is the bremsstrahlung from anisotropic electrons.     

Time variations of hard X-ray bursts observed with the Solar X-ray Telescope aboard Hinotori (with a movie)

We have developed a new method for synthesizing hard X-ray maps from the raw data of the Solar X-ray Telescope (SXT) aboard Hinotori. Using this method we analyzed five typical SXT events and summarized their images in a movie with a time resolution of about 8 s (half spin period of the satellite). The movie clearly shows that (1) three different classes of bursts, i.e., the gradual thermal burst, the multiple impulsive burst, and the extended outburst, have different structures and show quite different variations from each other, and that (2) the source of the extended outburst is located in the corona above 10⁴ km and its shape appears to be a large loop.     

Longitudinal distribution of the hard X-ray bursts on the Sun

The analysis of 315 hard X-ray bursts (HXR) producing solar flares observed by Hinotori satellite shows that the HXR bursts occur most prominently at 110°, 140°, 290°, and 320° longitude, respectively. These longitudes are not only prolific in producing flares in number but also in producing flares with large photon counts.     

On the spectrum of solar impulsive hard X-ray bursts

This article puts forward a new method for the theoretical analysis of the X-radiation spectrum of impulsive hard X-ray bursts. It points out that the electron density energy state function must obey the fundamental kinetic equation. In the case of several model source functions, the electron density energy spectra are deduced. This can serve as a basis for an analysis of the spectrum of X-radiaiton in impulsive hard X-ray bursts. The article also makes a preliminary discussion of these energy state functions which help to explain the phenomena of softening of the X-radiation spectrum.     

Coronal oscillations as revealed by solar hard X-ray bursts

During the 21st solar activity cycle the HXRBS aboard SMM satellite and the HXM on HINOTORI spacecraft detected several thousand hard X-ray solar flares. Studies of the temporal properties of these events had revealed hundreds of examples of fast spikes with durations of less than 1 sec. We analysed part of these observations and found that they have four common characteristics. Among these characteristics, quasi-periodic oscillations led us to believe the possibility of oscillations existing in the corona. We have studied the characteristics of the oscillations and derived their periods. The conditions of trapping the oscillations are also discussed.     

The deduction of energy spectra of non-thermal electrons in flares from the observed dynamic spectra of hard X-ray bursts

The derivation of dynamic spectra of high energy electrons in flares from high resolution hard X-ray observations is considered. It is shown that the Bethe-Heitler formula for the electronproton bremsstrahlung cross-section over the 20–100 keV range of energies admits of a general analytic solution for the electron spectrum in terms of the X-ray spectrum, in a form convenient for computation. The bearing of this analysis on different models of flare conditions is considered. In examining the hypothesis that the X-rays are produced in regions of high ambient density, the duration of the burst being governed by modulation of the electron source rather than by the decay of trapped electrons injected impulsively, it is emphasised that the energy spectrum of the electrons at their source is different from their effective spectrum in the X-ray emitting region. This spectrum, at the source, is found to be much steeper than that in the X-ray region which means that the entire energy of the flare could reside in the injected electrons.     

Temporal behaviour of the thermal model of hard X-ray bursts

A simple, analytic model is presented of a hot (10⁸ K), thermal hard X-ray source, continuously heated, bounded by ion-acoustic conduction fronts, and expanding in a loop. The model is used to investigate the assumption, made in some published comparisons of this model with data, that the rise time of the X-ray emission is approximately given by the loop length divided by the ion-sound speed appropriate to the peak temperature. It is found that a freely-expanding source does not behave in this way; instead, the rise time is symptomatic of the timescale for primary energy release. If the energy release rate does not fall significantly before the source fills the loop, however, then this assumption may be approximately satisfied, if a condition on the temporal behaviour of the energy release is satisfied.Finally, some remarks on the relative timing of temperature and emission measure peaks are made, and possible further applications mentioned of the results presented herein.     

The decay characteristics of models of solar hard X-ray bursts

Models of solar hard X-ray bursts are considered in which non-thermal electrons are impulsively injected into a coronal magnetic trap. Recognising that the ends of the trap are likely to be rooted in the photosphere and that the density of the ambient atmosphere may thus be highly non-uniform along the field lines, it is shown that the X-ray spectra will initially soften with time, due to collisions, when this non-uniformity is strong enough. This removes a well-known discrepancy in models with uniform density.It is shown also that non-uniformity steepens the electron spectrum required to produce a given observed X-ray spectrum. In consequence the total non-thermal electron energy involved in a given burst is greater than that previously inferred from impulsive injection models.     

Temporal correlation of solar hard X-ray bursts with chromospheric evaporation

During the impulsive phase of many solar flares, blueshifted emission wings are observed on the soft X-ray spectral lines of highly excited ions that are produced in the flare plasma. This emission has been commonly interpreted as chromospheric evaporation of material from the footpoints of coronal loops by non-thermal particle beams, although the question of whether the bulk of the energy is carried by electrons or ions (protons) has been the subject of much debate. The precise temporal relationship between the onsets of the blueshifted emission and the hard X-ray bursts is particularly important in resolving the mechanism of energy transfer to the hot plasma in the impulsive phase. A sample of flares observed with the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) onYohkoh has been analysed for blueshifted emission and the results compared with hard X-ray light turves obtained with the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). In some flares, the blueshifted emission precedes the onset of the hard X-rays by up to 100 s. There is no evidence for a temporal correlation between the maximum energy input to the hard X-ray bursts and the maximum blueshifted intensity. These results lend support to those models favouring protons as the dominant energy carrier in the impulsive phase of flares and are inconsistent with the hypothesis that the bulk of the energy resides in electron beatos, although some other energy input, while unlikely, cannot be completely eliminated.     

An interpretation of the decay characteristics of solar hard X-ray bursts

A simple trap model of solar hard X-ray bursts is discussed in which nonthermal electrons trapped in a magnetic bottle precipitate into the lower chromosphere through the resonant scattering by whistlers. In such a model, the X-ray spectra produced from trapped and precipitating electrons have different spectral shape, and both of the spectra will initially soften with time, provided the precipitation dominates over collisional degradation.     

The inter-relationship of hard X-ray and EUV bursts during solar flares

A comparison is made between the flux-versus-time profile in the EUV band and the thick target electron flux profile as inferred from hard X-rays for a number of moderately large solar flares. This complements Kane and Donnelly's (1971) study of small flares. The hard X-ray data are from ESRO TD-1A and the EUV inferred from SFD observations.Use of a ₂ minimising method shows that the best overall fit between the profile fine structures obtains for synchronism to 5 s which is within the timing accuracy. This suggests that neither conduction nor convection is fast enough as the primary mechanism of energy transport into the EUV flare and rather favours heating by the electrons themselves or by some MHD wave process much faster than acoustic waves.The electron power deposited, for a thick target model, is however far greater than the EUV luminosity for any reasonable assumptions about the area and depth over which EUV is emitted. This means that either most of the power deposited is conducted away to the optical flare or that only a fraction 1–10% of the X-ray emitting electrons are injected downwards. Recent work on H flare heating strongly favours the latter alternative - i.e. that electrons are mostly confined in the corona.     

Correlation of hard X-ray and type III bursts in solar flares

The observed correlations between X-ray and type III radio emissions from solar bursts are described by means of a bivariate distribution function. Procedures for determining the form of this distribution are described using a sample of data analyzed by Kane (1981). With the help of this distribution a model is constructed to explain the correlation between the X-ray spectral index and the ratio of X-ray to radio intensities. Implications of the model are discussed.     

On the periodicities of sunspots and solar strong hard X-ray bursts

In the present investigation, we have carried out power spectrum analysis of sunspot number and great hard x-ray (GHXR) burst (equal to or greater than 10,000 counts per second) for a period of about 6 years. The GHXR bursts show a periodicity of about 155 days. On the other hand, sunspot numbers do not show any periodicity. The GHXR burst periodicity confirms the existence of a 152–158 days periodicity in the occurrence of solar energetic events. Further, the GHXR bursts are showing periodicity independently indicating that the GHXR bursts are a separate class of X-ray flares.     

Observations of fine time structure in solar flare hard X-ray bursts

Hard X-ray (?100 keV) time histories of solar flares which occurred on 1978 December 4 and 1979 February 18 are presented. The first flare was observed by 3 identical instruments from near-earth orbit (Prognoz 7) and interplanetary space (Venera 11 and 12). Fine time structure is present down to the 55 ms level for the e-folding rise and fall times. These data may be used to localize the emission region by the method of arrival time analysis.     

Dynamic spectral characteristics of thermal models for solar hard X-ray bursts

The dynamic spectral characteristics of the thermal model for solar hard X-ray bursts recently proposed by Brown et al. (1979) (BMS) are investigated. It is pointed out that this model, in which a single source is heated impulsively and cooled by anomalous conduction across an ion-acoustic turbulent thermal front, predicts that the total source emission measure should rise as the temperature falls. This prediction, which is common to all conductively cooled single-source models, is contrary to observations of many simple spike bursts. It is proposed, therefore, that the hard X-ray source may consist of a distribution of many small impulsively-heated kernels, each cooled by anomalous conduction, with lifetimes shorter than current burst data temporal resolution. In this case the dynamic spectra of bursts are governed by the dynamic evolution of the kernel production process, such as magnetic-field dissipation in the tearing mode. An integral equation is formulated, the solution of which yields information on this kernel production process, from dynamic burst spectra, for any kernel model.With a BMS-type kernel model in one-dimensional form, the derived instantaneous spectra are limited in hardness to spectral indices 4 for any kernel production process, due to the nature of the conductive cooling. Ion-acoustic conductive cooling in three dimensions, however, increases the limiting spectral hardness to 3. Other forms of anomalous conduction yield similar results but could permit bursts as hard as 2, consistent with the hardest observed.The contribution to the X-ray spectrum from the escaping tail of high-energy kernel electrons in the BMS model is calculated in various limits. If this tail dissipates purely collisionally, for example, its thick-target bremsstrahlung can significantly modify the kernel spectrum at the high-energy end. The energetics of this dynamic dissipation model for thermal hard X-ray bursts also are briefly discussed.Now at: Department of Mathematics, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.