Resonant Transition Radiation and Solar Radio Bursts

This paper presents general relations for the intensity of the resonant transition radiation (RTR) and their detailed analysis. This analysis shows that the spectrum amplitude of the x-mode at some frequencies for high-energy electrons can grow with the magnetic field increase in some interval from zero value; it can even dominate over that for the o-mode. With further magnetic field increase, the intensity of the RTR x-mode decreases in comparison with the intensity of the o-mode and this decrease is higher for higher velocities of energetic electrons. The polarization of the RTR depends on the velocity of energetic electrons, too. For velocities lower than some velocity limit v<v _i the RTR emission is unpolarized in a broad interval of magnetic field intensities in the radio source. For reasonable values of indices of the power-law distribution functions of energetic electrons, the RTR is broadband in frequencies (df/f≈0.2−0.4). Furthermore, we show various dependencies of the RTR and its spectral characteristics. Assuming the same radio flux of the transition radiation and the gyro-synchrotron one at the Razin frequency, we estimate the limit magnetic field in the radio source of the transition radiation. Then, we analyze possible sources of small-scale inhomogeneities (thermal density fluctuations, Langmuir and ion-sound waves), which are necessary for the transition radiation. Although the small-scale inhomogeneities connected with the Langmuir waves lead to the plasma radiation, which is essentially stronger than RTR, the inhomogeneities of the ion-sound waves are suitable for the RTR without any other radiation. We present the relations describing the RTR for anisotropic distribution functions of fast electrons. We consider the distribution functions of fast electrons in the form of the Legendre polynomials which depend on the pitch-angle. We analyze the influence of the degree of the anisotropy (an increase of the number of terms in the Legendre polynomial) on spectral characteristics of the RTR. A comparison with previous studies is made. As an example of the use of the derived formulas for the RTR, the 24 December 1991 event is studied. It is shown that the observed decimetric burst can be generated by the RTR in the plasma with the density inhomogeneities at the level 〈ΔN ²〉/N ²=2.5⋅10⁻⁵.     

Microwave Type III-Like Bursts as Possible Signatures of Magnetic Reconnection

Magnetic reconnection is commonly accepted to play a key role in flare energy release, but only poor information about the main characteristics of this process is available so far. An intrinsic feature of reconnection is plasma density enhancement in current sheets. A unique method to detect this effect is provided by analysis of drifting bursts, whose emission frequency is close to the local Langmuir frequency or its harmonics. With this purpose, we analyze a series of several tens of drifting microwave bursts during the 30 March 2001 flare. The burst drift rates range from −10 to 20 GHz s⁻¹. Using one-dimensional scans recorded with the SSRT interferometer at two different frequencies near 5.7 GHz, we have measured relative positions of burst sources and their velocities along a flare loop revealed from soft X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet images. It is argued that the contribution of the increasing density effect into the observed frequency drift rates is about 6 GHz s⁻¹, which is shown to be consistent with theoretical models of magnetic reconnection with reasonable boundary conditions.     

Positively Drifting Structures During the 18 March 2003 Solar Flare

We analyze the high-frequency drift radio structures observed by the spectrometer at Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) over the frequency range of 4.5 – 7.5 GHz during the 18 March 2003 solar flare. The drifting structures take place before the soft X-ray maximum, almost at the maximum of hard X-ray flux at 25 – 50 keV. For the first time, the positive drift in this kind of radio structures is detected in such a high frequency range. Their global drifting rate is roughly estimated as 3.6 GHz s⁻¹. They appear in four groups, lasting in total for less than 6 s, and have a broad bandwidth of more than 2 GHz but a smaller ratio of the bandwidth of the drifting structures to mean frequency than that of the lower frequency range. The lifetime of each individual burst in this event can be derived by using the high temporal resolution of the spectrometer at PMO and has an average value of 36.3 ms. Since the negative drifting structures observed in the 0.6 – 4.5 GHz frequency range were interpreted to be a radio signature of a plasmoid ejected upward (moving out of the Sun), the present observation may imply that it is possible for a plasmoid to move downward during a solar flare. However, for a confirmation of this suggestion direct radio imaging observation would be needed.     

Solar Radio Bursts in the Period Oct. 22-Nov. 4, 2003

A series of solar radio bursts were observed in AR NOAA 10486 withthe Solar Broadband (1.1--7.6 GHz) Radio Spectrometers (SBRS of China). Here weanalyze four significant events associated with CME events and strong X-ray flaresthat occurred on 2003 October 22, 26, 27, 29. The Oct. 26 event is a long durationevent (LDE) with drift pulsation structure (DPS), narrowband dm-burst (DCIM),and more than seven types of Fine Structures (FSs); its time of the maximum flux(07:30 UT) is about half an hour later than the X-flare (06:54 UT).     

Are Homologous Radio Bursts Driven by Solar Post-Flare Loops？

Three particularly complex radio bursts (2001 October 19, 2001 April 10 and 2003 October 26) obtained with the spectrometers (0.65-7.6GHz) at the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC, Beijing and Yunnan) and other in- struments (NoRH, TRACE and SXT) are presented. They each have two groups of peaks occurring in different frequency ranges (broad-band microwave and narrow-band decimeter wavelengths). We stress that the second group of burst peaks that occurred in the late phase of the flares and associated with post-flare loops may be homologous radio bursts. We think that they are driven by the post-flare loops. In contrast to the time profiles of the radio bursts and the images of coronal magnetic polarities, we are able to find that the three events are caused by the active regions including main single-bipole magnetic structures, which are associated with multipole magnetic structures during the flare evolutions. In particular, we point out that the later decimetric radio bursts are possibly the radio counterparts of the homologous flares (called "homologous radio bursts" by us), which are also driven by the single-bipole mag- netic structures. By examining the evolutions of the magnetic polarities of sources (17GHz), we could presume that the drivers of the homologous radio bursts are new and/or recurring appearances/disappearances of the magnetic polarities of radio sources, and that the triggers are the magnetic reconnections of single-bipole configurations.     

Diagnostics of the Low-Cutoff Energy of Nonthermal Electrons in Solar Microwave and Hard X-Ray Bursts

The low-cutoff energy has a strong effect on the relationship between the radiation and electron spectral indices in both nonthermal gyrosynchrotron and bremsstrahlung theories. Hence, we have to calculate or fit the low-cutoff energy together with the electron spectral index as two independent parameters. Theoretical calculations of nonthermal gyrosynchrotron and bremsstrahlung radiations suggest a new method to obtain the exact solutions of the low-cutoff energy and the electron spectral index from the observable photon spectral indices at two adjacent energy or frequency bands (double power law). One flare on 10 June 2000 was studied as an example of the hard X-ray and microwave diagnostics for the low-cutoff energy and the electron spectral index. The results showed some differences between hard X-ray and microwave diagnostics.     

太阳微波爆发FFS的基本单元

参加了Ｆｌａｒｅｓ２２和Ｍａｘ＇９１国际联合观测之后，我们处理了三个频率（１．４２，２．８４，３．６７ＧＨｚ）和四个频率（１．４２，２．００，２．８４，４．００ＧＨｚ）或（１．４２，２．１３，２．８４，４．２６ＧＨｚ）快速采样射电望远镜的观测资料。结果除了发现射电爆发源的局部区域中存在有射电辐射的第四种基本分量而外，还在微波爆发快速精细结构中发现了三种基本时间单元。其量级分别是：０．１秒＞τ１≥１毫秒；１秒＞τ２≥０．１秒；１００秒＞τ３≥１秒。尽管出现在各自基本时间单元内的ＦＦＳ事件的形态及特性各自不同，但是，叠加在射电爆发背景之上的特性，构成了它们的共同属性。三种基本时间单元的确认，对于研究微波快速活动的精细时间结构，划分ＦＦＳ事件的种类找到了根据。三种基本时间单元的研究，对于深入探讨产生ＦＦＳ源的ＥＣＭ理论，也具有重要的科学价值。     

Some Observed Results of Solar Radio Spectrometer at 4.5—7.5GHz

A new instrument of broadband solar radio spectrometer working at waveband 4.5-7.5GHz was developed at Purple Mountain Observatory for Solar Maximum 23. Some new results of spectral observation have been obtained since August 1999.Two typical type Ⅲμbursts with rich fine structures are presented and some interesting features discussed.     

Scaling-laws of Radio Spike Bursts and Their Constraints on New Solar Radio Telescopestwo

Radio observation is one of important methods in solar physics and space science. Sometimes, it is almost the sole approach to observe the physical processes such as the acceleration, emission, and propagation of non-thermal energetic particles, etc. So far, more than 100 solar radio telescopes have been built in the world, including solar radiometers, dynamic spectrometers, and radioheliographs. Some of them have been closed after the fulfillment of their primary scientific objectives, or for their malfunctions, and thus replaced by other advanced instruments. At the same time, based on some new technologies and scientific ideas, various kinds of new and much more complicated solar radio telescopes are being constructed by solar radio astronomers and space scientists, such as the American E-OVSA and the solar radio observing system under the framework of Chinese Meridian Project II, etc. When we plan to develop a new solar radio telescope, it is crucial to design the most suitable technical parameters, e.g., the observing frequency range and bandwidth, temporal resolution, frequency resolution, spatial resolution, polarization degree, and dynamic range. Then, how do we select a rational set of these parameters? The long-term observation and study revealed that a large strong solar radio burst is frequently composed of a series of small bursts with different time scales. Among them, the radio spike burst is the smallest one with the shortest lifetime, the narrowest bandwidth, and the smallest source region. Solar radio spikes are considered to be related to a single magnetic energy release process, and can be regarded as an elementary burst in solar flares. It is a basic requirement for the new solar radio telescope to observe and discriminate these solar radio spike bursts, even though the temporal and spatial scales of radio spike bursts actually vary with the observing frequency. This paper presents the scaling laws of the lifetime and bandwidth of solar radio spike bursts with respect to the observing frequency, which provide some constraints for the new solar radio telescopes, and help us to select the rational telescope parameters. Besides, we propose a spectrum-image combination mode as the best observation mode for the next-generation solar radio telescopes with high temporal, spectral, and spatial resolutions, which may have an important significance for revealing the physical essence of the various non-thermal processes in violent solar eruptions.     

Anisotropic Beam Model for the Spectral Observations of Radio Burst Fine Structures on 1998 April 15

A fine structure consisting of three almost equidistant frequency bands was observed in the high frequency part of a solar burst on 1998 April 15 by the spectrometer of Beijing Astronomical Observatory in the range 2.6-3.8GHz. A model for this event based on beam-anisotropic instability in the solar corona is presented. Longitudinal plasma waves are excited at cyclotron resonance and then transformed into radio emission at their second harmonic.The model is in accordance with the observations if we suppose a magnetic field strength in the region of emission generation of about 200G.     

叠加在微波爆发上的快速尖峰群事件

本文介绍了北京天文台观测到的太阳射电10厘米波段的毫秒级快速精细结构(FFS)中一类有长持续时间的尖峰(我们称毫秒时标记录上陡升陡降图形为“尖峰”,称秒级时标的记录上的陡升陡降图形为“脉冲”)群事件。这一类微波毫秒尖峰群(MMS)事件具有一系列显著的特点: 1)它在秒级时间常数的慢速记录上常常对应一8S型(持续时间小于1分钟的脉冲)的爆发。因而利用脉冲的频谱特性,对这一类微波爆发中的毫秒精细结构的特征及可能的机制进行探讨,以弥补目前只能在一个波段上观测FFS事件的缺陷。 2)这一类脉冲爆发具有从低频向高频的频漂(正的频漂),而且频漂的速率随频率带增加而增加。 3)脉冲的幅度在波长8—10厘米间受到强烈的衰减。 4)脉冲群中的每一脉冲的极大频率及起始频率从高频逐渐移向低频,意昧着激发源逐渐上升。估计上升速度约为50公里/秒。 5)这类脉冲常常出现在有δ型磁结构、最大磁场强度大于2500高斯的复杂活动区中,可能有不同级别的耀斑与之对应。 6)这类脉冲与硬X线爆发事件、分米波段快速频漂事件及“BLIPS”事件见文[7]有密切的关系。 7)这一类微波快速尖峰群事件可以解释为来自耀斑-爆发事件中形成的电子加速中心的快速非热电子流向下运动穿入一耀斑环激起的电子迴旋脉泽辐射。     

太阳射电爆发现象中的电子回旋脉泽辐射

太阳射电爆发(Solar Radio Burst, SRB)是太阳高能电子与背景等离子体相互作用产生的感应辐射现象,其多样的动力学谱类型及其复杂的精细结构反映了辐射源区磁等离子体结构状态丰富的物理信息,而相关辐射机制则是解读相关物理信息的关键工具.长期以来,在SRB辐射机制的研究中一直存在着争议不决的两种主要机制,即等离子体辐射机制和电子回旋脉泽(Electron Cyclotron Maser, ECM)辐射机制.近年来,针对传统的ECM辐射机制应用到SRB现象时遇到的一些主要困难,发展了由幂律谱电子低能截止驱动和包含快电子束自生阿尔文波效应的新型ECM驱动模型,并成功应用于解释各类不同SRB动力学谱的形成机制.基于这些新型的ECM辐射模型,系统地总结了ECM辐射机制在各种不同类型SRB现象中的应用,并对它们不同动力学谱结构的形成给出了一致统一的物理解释.     

The Gyrosynchrotron Radiation Spectrum in a Nonuniform Source

Effects of the energy spectral index δ, low energy cutoff E0 and number density N of energetic electrons on gyrosynchrotron spectrum are investigated for a model source with a nonuniform magnetic field. It is found that the flux density Sv of the x-mode and o-mode systematically increase with increasing E0, N and with decreasing δ. The peak frequency of the spectrum, vp, also systematically increases as increasing E0 and N, but it may not depend on δ. The gyrosynchrotron radiation in the nonuniform case is polarized predominately in the x-mode at v ≥ 3 GHz. A sense reversal of circular polarization also occurs but at much lower frequencies (v ≤ 3 GHz). The reversal frequency also increases with increasing E0 and N, but it perhaps is independent of δ.     

On Solar Intermediate Drift Radio Bursts at Decimeter and Meter Wavelength

Fiber – or intermediate drift – bursts are a continuum fine structure in some complex solar radio events. We present the analysis of such bursts in the X17 flare on 28 Oct. 2003. Based on the whistler wave model of fiber bursts we derive the 3D magnetic field structures that carry the radio sources in different stages of the event and obtain insight into the energy release evolution in the main flare phase, the related paths of nonthermal particle propagation in the corona, and the involved magnetic field structures. Additionally, we test the whistler wave model of fiber bursts for the meter and the decimeter wave range. Radio spectral data (Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, Astronomical Observatory Ond?ejov) show a continuum with fibers for ≈?6 min during the main flare phase. Radio imaging data (Nançay Radio Heliograph) yield source centroid positions of the fibers at three frequencies in the spectrometer band. We compare the radio positions with the potential coronal magnetic field extrapolated from SOHO/MDI data. Given the detected source site configuration and evolution, and the change of the fiber burst frequency range with time, we can also extract those coronal flux tubes where the high-frequency fiber bursts are situated even without decimeter imaging data. To this aim we use a kinetic simulation of whistler wave growth in sample flux tubes modeled by selected potential field lines and a barometric density model. The whistler wave model of fiber bursts accurately explains the observations on 28 Oct. 2003. A laterally extended system of low coronal loops is found to guide the whistler waves. It connects several neighboring active regions including the flaring AR 10486. For varying source sites the fiber bursts are emitted at the fundamental mode of the plasma frequency over the whole range (1200?–?300 MHz). The present event can be understood without assuming two different generation mechanisms for meter and decimeter wave fiber bursts. It gives new insight into particle acceleration and propagation in the low flare and post-CME corona.     

Observational Characteristics of Radio Emission Related to Multi-polar Magnetic Configuration

We present a, large complex radio burst and its associated fast tune structures observed on 2001 April 10 in the frequency range of 0.65-7.6 GHz. The NoRH radio image observation shows very complex radio source structures which include preexisting, newly emerging, submerging/cancelling polarities and a bipolar, a tripolar (a 'bipolar + remote unipolar'), and a quadrupolar structure. This suggests that the radio burst is generated from a very complicated loop structure. According to the spectral and image observations, we assume that the beginning of this flare was caused by a single bipolar loop configuration with a 'Y-type' re-connection structure. A composite of radio continuum and fast time structures is contained in this flare. The various fast radio emission phenomena include normal and reverse drifting type III bursts, and slowly drifting and no-drift structures. The tripolar configurations may form a double-loop with a 'three-legged' structure, which is an important source of the various types of fast time structures. The two-loop reconnection model can lead simultaneously to electron acceleration and corona heating. We have also analyzed the behaviors of coronal magnetic polarities and the emission processes of different types radio emission qualitatively. Interactions of a bipolar or multi-polar loop are consistent with our observational results. Our observations favor the magnetic reconnection configurations of the 'inverted Y-type' (bipolar) and the 'three-legged' structures (tripolar or quadrupolar).     

A New Solar Radio Spectrometer at 1.10-2.06 GHz and First Observational Results

An improved Solar Radio Spectrometer working at 1.10-2.06 GHz with much improved spectral and temporal resolution, has been accomplished by the National Astronomical Observatories and Hebei Semiconductor Research Institute, based on an old spectrometer at 1-2 GHz. The new spectrometer has a spectral resolution of 4 MHz and a temporal resolution of 5ms, with an instantaneous detectable range from 0.02 to 10 times of the quiet Sun flux. It can measure both left and right circular polarization with an accuracy of 10% in degree of polarization. Some results of preliminary observations that could not be recorded by the old spectrometer at 1-2 GHz are presented.     

A New Method of Identifying 3D Null Points in Solar Vector Magnetic Fields

Employing the Poincare index of isolated null-points in a vector field, we worked out a mathematical method of searching for 3D null-points in coronal magnetic fields. After introducing the relevant differential topology, we test the method by using the analytical model of Brown & Priest. The location of null-point identified by our method coincides precisely with the analytical solution. Finally we apply the method to the 3D coronal magnetic fields reconstructed from an observed MDI magnetogram of a super-active region (NOAA 10488). We find that the 3D null-point seems to be a key element in the magnetic topology associated with flare occurrence.     

与高能质子共生的两类太阳微波爆发(英)

在分析了近年来对太阳射电爆发与高能质子观测的基础上指出，既非II型也非米波IV型而是强微波爆发几乎总是同高能质子共生的；这一结果否定了以前长期所持的观点。同高能质子共生的微波爆发可分成两类：强脉冲型和强微波IV型，前者共生的被俘质子或相互作用质子要多于逃逸质子，后者则常共生有更多的逃逸质子．作者对每种情况中质子的有效加速过程进行了考虑，并对强微波爆发为何几乎总是有高能质子共生的缘由作了解释．     

Harmonic Structures of Gyrosynchrotron Radiation and Cyclotron Maser Instability

1 INTRODUCTIONSolar microwave bursts are usually produced by dtherellt radiation mechanisxns: gyroresonance absorption, Coulomb brernsstrahlung of the thermal baCkground plasma, as well asgyrosynchrotron radiation of the nonihermal electrons (Hildebrandt et al. 1998). Meanwhile,cyclotron or synchrotron maser instabilities may be responsible for microwave spaaes, blips, andtype ill bursts (Wu 1985; Huang 1987; Huang et al. 1996; Huang 1998), which are usuajly superposed on the ambient mi…     

一个复杂太阳射电爆发及其微波源和远紫外冕环特征的初步研究

利用太阳射电宽带频谱仪(0．7-7．6GHz)于2001年10月19日观测到的复杂太阳射电大爆发，呈现出许多有趣的特征，结合NoRH(Nobeyama Radio Heliograph)的高空间分辨率射电成像观测及TRACE(Transition Region and Coronal Explorer)在远紫外(EUV)波段的高空间分辨率成像观测资料，分析了该爆发的射电频谱特征和微波射电源的演化以及它们与复杂的EUV日冕环系统的关系，该爆发是一个双带大耀斑的射电表征．前一部分以宽带(从厘米到米波)爆发为主，机制是回旋同步辐射，所对应的是环足源的辐射；后一部分以窄带(分米到米波)分米波爆发为主，机制是等离子体辐射和回旋共振辐射的联合，对应的是环顶源的辐射。