Evidence for electron excitation of type III radio burst emission

Type III radio bursts observed at kilometric wavelengths ( 0.35 MHz) by the OGO-5 spacecraft are compared with > 45 keV solar electron events observed near 1 AU by the IMP-5 and Explorer 35 spacecraft for the period March 1968–November 1969.Fifty-six distinct type III bursts extending to 0.35 MHz ( 50 R equivalent height above the photosphere) were observed above the threshold of the OGO-5 detector; all but two were associated with solar flares. Twenty-six of the bursts were followed 40 min later by > 45 keV solar electron events observed at 1 AU. All of these 26 bursts were identified with flares located west of W 09 solar longitude. Of the bursts not associated with electron events only three were identified with flares west of W 09, 18 were located east of W 09 and 7 occurred during times when electron events would be obscured by high background particle fluxes.Thus almost all type III bursts from the western half of the solar disk observed by OGO-5 above a detection flux density threshold of the order of 10^–13 Wm^–2 Hz^–1 at 0.35 MHz are followed by > 45 keV electrons at 1 AU with a maximum flux of 10 cm^–2 s^–1 ster^–1. If particle propagation effects are taken into account it is possible to account for lack of electron events with the type III bursts from flares east of the central meridian. We conclude that streams of 10–100 keV electrons are the exciting agent for type III bursts and that these same electrons escape into the interplanetary medium where they are observed at 1 AU. The total number of > 45 keV electrons emitted in association with a strong kilometer wavelength type III burst is estimated to be 5 × 10³².     

A comparison of type III solar radio burst theories using satellite radio observations and particle measurements

The required electron density to excite a type III solar burst can be predicted from different theories, using the low frequency radio observations of the RAE-1 satellite. Electron flux measurements by satellite in the vicinity of 1 AU then give an independent means of comparing these predicted exciter electron densities to the measured density. On this basis, one theory predicts the electron density in closest agreement with the measured values.NAS/NRC Postdoctoral Resident Research Associate.     

On the possibility of determining the coronal magnetic field from solar type III radio burst observations

A simple method of estimating the coronal magnetic field is suggested. It is based on the observational fact that the duration of the highly polarized part in type III bursts can be different, varying from a small fraction of the burst length to its total duration. We suggest that this difference is determined by the relation between the size of the region where only the ordinary wave can propagate and the size of the region where the burst is generated at a fixed frequency. The magnetic field is estimated at several tens of gauss in regions emitting highly polarized type III bursts at frequencies over 200 MHz. Density and magnetic field scales are estimated.     

Solar radio burst (type III)

This article describes the observations of a type III radio burst observed at 103 MHz simultaneously by the two radio telescopes situated at Rajkot (22.3°N, 70.7°E) and Thaltej (23°N, 72.4°E). This event occurred on September 30, 1993 at about 0430 UT and lasted for only half a minute. The event consisted of several sharp spikes in a group. The rise and fall time of these are comparable, however the peaks of individual spikes varied by a factor of four. The comparison of these observations with the data of solar radio spectrograph HiRAS indicates that this was a metric radio burst giving highest emission at about 103 MHz.     

Evidence for arc sec radio burst sources in the upper corona

Some interpretations of solar S burst spectra are presented. It is shown that the spectra provide evidence for small (～ 500 km) radio sources in the corona which radiate at the fundamental plasma frequency. The possibility of S burst fringes corresponding to coronal MHD waves of wavelength λ ～- 10³ km is discussed.     

Direct observations of low-energy solar electrons associated with a type III solar radio burst

A highly anisotropic packet of solar electron intensities was observed on 6 April 1971 with a sensitive electrostatic analyzer array on the Earth-orbiting satellite IMP-6. The anisotropies of intensities at electron energies of several keV were factors 10 favoring the expected direction of the interplanetary magnetic lines of force from the Sun. The directional, differential intensities of solar electrons were determined over the energy range 1–40 keV and peak intensities were 10² cm^–2 s^–1 sr^–1 eV^–1 at 2–6 keV. This anisotropic packet of solar electrons was detected at the sattelite for a period of 4200 s and was soon followed by isotropic intensities for a relatively prolonged period. This impulsive emission was associated with the onsets of an optical flare, soft X-ray emission and a radio noise storm at centimeter wavelengths on the western limb of the Sun. Simultaneous measurements of a type III radio noise burst at kilometric wavelengths with a plasma wave instrument on the same satellite showed that the onsets for detectable noise levels ranged from 500 s at 178 kHz to 2700 s at 31.1 kHz. The corresponding drift rate requires a speed of 0.15c for the exciting particles if the emission is at the electron plasma frequency. The corresponding electron energy of 6 keV is in excellent agreement with the above direct observations of the anisotropic electron packet. Further supporting evidence that several-keV solar electrons in the anisotropic packet are associated with the emission of type III radio noise beyond 50R is provided by their time-of-arrival at Earth and the relative durations of the radio noise and the solar electron packet. Electron intensities at E 45 keV and the isotropic intensities of lower-energy solar electrons are relatively uncorrelated with the measurements of type III radio noise at these low frequencies. The implications of these observations relative to those at higher frequencies, and heliocentric radial distances 50R , include apparent deceleration of the exciting electron beam with increasing heliocentric radial distance.Research supported in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under contracts NAS5-11039 and NAS5-11074 and grant NGL16-001-002 and by the Office of Naval Research under contract N000-14-68-A-0196-0003.     

Correlated type III burst emission from distant sources on the Sun

We report the observation and interpretation of a correlated type III burst emitted from distant sources on the Sun. The angular separation between the distant sources is as large as 26 or 10⁶ km. There was an active region 30° behind the limb, and it is believed that the type III burst emission originated from activity in this region. The implications of the locations of the correlated sources with regard to the geometry of the magnetic structures involved in the flare process are discussed.On leave from Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Kodaikanal, India.     

Characteristics of type III exciters derived from low frequency radio observations

Low frequency radio observations (2.8 MHz-67 kHz) from the RAE-1 and IMP-6 satellites allow the tracking of type III solar burst exciters out to large distances from the Sun (of the order of 1 AU). A study of the interaction processes between the exciter and the interplanetary medium was made using the time-intensity profiles of the radio emission. We have investigated the change in exciter length with distance from the Sun, and the resulting exciter velocity dispersion which can be deduced from this change. From detailed measurements on 35 simple bursts we have found that the exciter length increases at a faster rate than a constant velocity dispersion would give. We have also investigated the damping of the radio emission and have concluded that some current theories of the damping mechanism give results which are not consistent with the low frequency observations.Work performed while a NRC/NAS Postdoctoral Resident Research Associate.     

Clumpy Langmuir waves in type III radio sources

A model is developed for the clumpy Langmuir waves observed in type III source regions. In this model the waves are generated by instability of a beam which propagates outward from the Sun in a state close to marginal stability. Ambient density perturbations cause fluctuations about the marginally stable state, leading to nonuniformities in both beam and waves and, hence, to spatially inhomogeneous growth. High damping rates and high wave levels are strongly anti-correlated, leading to suppression of the net damping. Below saturation stochastic growth causes the waves to follow a random walk in the logarithm of their energy density and the resulting probability of observing a field of magnitude E is approximately proportional to E ^-1. Comparison with observations shows that this model can account for the levels and clumpiness of the Langmuir waves, the small net dissipation required for the beams to propagate to 1 AU, the characteristic decay time of type III electromagnetic emission, and the negative mean growth rate observed in situ in type III sources. At 1 AU only the very highest fields approach the threshold for nonlinear wave collapse, but this threshold may be more commonly exceeded closer to the Sun.     

Interplanetary baseline observations of type III solar radio bursts

Simultaneous observations of type III radio bursts from spacecraft separated by 0.43 AU have been made using the solar orbiters HELIOS-A and HELIOS-B. The burst beginning at 19:22 UT on March 28, 1976 has been located from the intersection of the source directions measured at each spacecraft, and from burst arrival time differences. The source positions range from 0.03 AU from the Sun at 3000 kHz to 0.08 AU at 585 kHz. The electron density along the burst trajectory, and the exciter velocity (=0.13c) were determined directly, without the need to assume a density model as has been done with single-spacecraft observations. The separation of HELIOS-A and -B has also provided the first measurements of burst directivity at low frequencies. For the March 28 burst the intensity observed from near the source longitude (HELIOS-B) was 3–10 dB greater than that from 60° west of the source (HELIOS-A).     

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.     

X-ray observations of gamma-ray burst sources

We report on preliminary results of EXOSAT observations of three gamma-ray burst error boxes. No source was detected down to a limit of 10^–10 erg cm^–2s^–1, assuming a black-body spectrum for the burst counterpart. Results are interpreted in the framework of current theoretical models.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Interferometer observation of pulsating sources associated with a type IV solar radio burst

An extremely complex outburst, part of which showed unsually rapid intensity fluctuations of a few second interval, was observed on 1970 November 5 with the 160 MHz interferometer of the Nobeyama Solar Radio Station. The pulsating source, which was stable in position and strongly circularly polarized ( 60 %), had an extension as large as 17 (7.5 × 10⁵ km) in the east-west direction. The structure of the source remained unchanged while the source darkened and brightened repeatedly. The change of the source brightness occurred in a time shorter than a second.Two alternative mechanisms responsible for the pulsating phenomenon are suggested; (1) gyroresonance absorption of continuum radiation by a fast particle beam injected in a quasi-periodic manner into a large region of weak magnetic field, or (2) magnetohydrodynamic oscillation of the continuum source itself, which is intrinsically much smaller than observed. It is observed as a large source as a consequence of scattering of the emitted radiation in a region situated above the source.     

Antenna system characteristics and solar radio burst observations

The Chinese Spectral Radio Heliograph(CSRH) is an advanced aperture synthesis solar radio heliograph, independently developed by National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It consists of 100 reflector antennas,which are grouped into two antenna arrays(CSRH-I and CSRH-II) for low and high frequency bands respectively. The frequency band of CSRH-I is 0.4–2 GHz and that for CSRH-II is 2–15 GHz. In the antenna and feed system, CSRH uses eleven feeds to receive signals coming from the Sun. The radiation pattern has a lower side lobe and the back lobe of the feed is well illuminated. The characteristics of gain G and antenna noise temperature T affect the quality of solar radio imaging. For CSRH, the measured G is larger than 60 d Bi and T is less than 120 K. After CSRH-I was established, we successfully captured a solar radio burst between 1.2–1.6 GHz on 2010 November12 using this instrument and this event was confirmed through observations with the Solar Broadband Radio Spectrometer at 2.84 GHz and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. In addition, an image obtained from CSRH-I clearly revealed the profile of the solar radio burst. The other observational work involved the imaging the Fengyun-2E geosynchronous satellite which is assumed to be a point source.Results indicate that the data processing method applied in this study for deleting errors in a noisy image could be used for processing images from other sources.     

Stochastic-growth theory of Langmuir growth-rate fluctuations in type III solar radio sources

Fluctuations in type III beams are produced by quasilinear interactions with clumpy Langmuir waves in type III radio sources. The properties of these fluctuations are estimated and shown to yield Langmuir growth rates and growth-rate fluctuations consistent with those required by the recent stochastic-growth theory of type III radio bursts, with observations, and with existing theoretical constraints. This strengthens the basis of stochastic-growth theory and provides an essential consistency test for this model.     

Type III radio burst productivity of solar flares

We study the occurrence probability of type III radio bursts during flares as a function of the flare position on the Sun. We find that this probability peaks around 30° east of the central meridian, which points to a reciprocal tilt of the average radiation pattern of type IIIs. We argue that anisotropic scattering of the radiation by overdense coronal fibers parallel to the magnetic field is the dominant factor determining the orientation of radiation patterns. It follows that the average magnetic field appears to be tilted 30° west from the vertical. We also find that within a given active region, the average type III production rate of flares peaks 1° west of the center of gravity of all the flares of this active region.We infer that the coronal magnetic field above active regions presents a strong east-west asymmetry, resulting from the well known asymmetry at the photospheric level. As the west side of an active region covers a smaller area with stronger magnetic field than the east side, western flares are generally closer to open field lines than eastern flares. As a consequence, accelerated particles on the trailing (east) side of active regions usually stay trapped in magnetic loops, while on the leading (west) side they are more likely to escape along open lines into interplanetary space. As a result of the initial westward tilt of these open lines, we estimate that the corresponding Archimedean spiral is on average (apparently) rooted 15° west of the flare.     

Type III radio burst productivity of solar flares

We study the statistical relationship between type III radio bursts and optical flares, using the comprehensive flare data base at the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center (Boulder, Colorado), and the radio observations obtained with the ARTEMIS multichannel spectrograph in Nancay (France), operating at 500–100 MHz.At variance with previous results, we find that type III probability of occurrence depends only weakly upon the spatial extension of the flare observed in H, but strongly upon its brightness. We also confirm that type III probability increases with proximity to sunspots and with mass motions (surges and prominence activity); in addition, our statistical data are consistent with both relations holding at fixed flare brightness. Thus, some of the conditions favorable to type III occurrence are characteristic of compact flares, while others are characteristic of large and long-duration flares, which are often related to mass ejections. This apparent paradox suggests that particle acceleration and magnetic expansion are at work simultaneously in the ejection of electron streams out of flaring sites.     

Decay time of type III solar bursts observed at kilometric wavelengths

Type III bursts were observed between 3.5 MHz and 50 kHz by the University of Michigan radio astronomy experiment aboard the OGO-5 satellite.Decay times were measured and then combined with published data ranging up to about 200 MHz. The observed decay times increase with decreasing frequency but at a rate considerably slower than that expected from electron-proton Coulomb collisions. At 50 kHz values differ by about a factor of 100. Using Hartle and Sturrock's solar wind model, Coulomb collisional frequencies were computed and compared with the apparent collisional frequencies deduced from the observations. It was found that the ratio of observed to computed values varies with heliocentric distance according to an inverse 0.71 power. This is similar to an ad hoc function used by Wolff, Brandt, and Southwick to increase the electron-proton collisional energy exchange and make the solar wind theory agree with the measurements of electron and proton temperature near the Earth. These results may provide a clue about the nature of the non-collisional plasma wave damping process responsible for the short duration of type III bursts.     

ROSAT X-ray observations of 3CRR radio sources

Over half the 3CRR sample of radio galaxies and quasars has been observed in X-rays with ROSAT pointed observations, and we present results from these observations, discussing many of the sources in detail. The improved spatial resolution of ROSAT over earlier missions allows a better separation of the nuclear and extended components of the X-ray emission. We investigate the relationship between nuclear X-ray and core radio luminosity, and show that our results support a model in which every radio galaxy and quasar has a beamed nuclear soft X-ray component directly related to the radio core. We report evidence for rich cluster environments around several powerful quasars. These X-ray environments are comparable to those of high-redshift radio galaxies.     

Quantitative comparisons of type III radio burst intensity and fast electron flux at 1 AU

We compare the flux of fast solar electrons and the intensity of the type III radio emission generated by these particles at 1 AU. We find that there are two regimes in the generation of type III radiation: one where the radio intensity is linearly proportional to the electron flux, and the second regime, which occurs above a threshold electron flux, where the radio intensity is proportional to the 2.4 power of the electron flux. This threshold appears to reflect a transition to a different emission mechanism.