Observations and interpretation of moving type IV solar radio bursts

Properties of 23 moving type IV bursts observed with the Culgoora Radioheliograph are summarized. Both shock and plasmoid models are examined. It is found that the theories invoking shocks have limited application and that plasmoid models have several problems with regard to plasmoid formation as well as with explanations for multiple sources and large values of circular polarization. While the synchrotron radiation mechanism is the most widely accepted for both shock and plasmoid models, it is possible that Langmuir wave emission processes may be important, at least in some events. To overcome some of the difficulties of the plasmoid theory, a new source model is proposed. This model involves synchrotron radiation from electror ; confined by rapid scattering through hydromagnetic wave particle interactions.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract AST-74-04129 with the National Science Foundation.