41 research outputs found
Frequency rising sub-THz emission from solar flare ribbons
Observations of solar flares at sub-THz frequencies (millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths) over the last two decades often show a spectral component rising with frequency. Unlike a typical gyrosynchrotron spectrum decreasing with frequency or a weak thermal component from hot coronal plasma, the observations can demonstrate a high flux level (up to ∼104 solar flux units at 0.4 THz) and fast variability on sub-second timescales. Although, many models have been put forward to explain the puzzling observations, none of them has clear observational support. Here we propose a scenario to explain the intriguing sub-THz observations. We show that the model, based on free-free emission from the plasma of flare ribbons at temperatures 104 − 106 K, is consistent with all existing observations of frequency-rising sub-THz flare emission. The model provides a temperature diagnostic of the flaring chromosphere and suggests fast heating and cooling of the dense transition region plasma
Study of flare energy release using events with numerous type III-like bursts in microwaves
The analysis of narrowband drifting of type III-like structures in radio
bursts dynamic spectra allows to obtain unique information about primary energy
release mechanisms in solar flares. The SSRT spatially resolved images and a
high spectral and temporal resolution allow direct determination not only the
positions of its sources but also the exciter velocities along the flare loop.
Practically, such measurements are possible during some special time intervals
when the SSRT (about 5.7 GHz) is observing the flare region in two high-order
fringes; thus, two 1D scans are recorded simultaneously at two frequency bands.
The analysis of type III-like bursts recorded during the flare 14 Apr 2002 is
presented. Using-muliwavelength radio observations recorded by SSRT, SBRS,
NoRP, RSTN we study an event with series of several tens of drifting microwave
pulses with drift rates in the range from -7 to 13 GHz/s. The sources of the
fast-drifting bursts were located near the top of the flare loop in a volume of
a few Mm in size. The slow drift of the exciters along the flare loop suggests
a high pitch-anisotropy of the emitting electrons.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, Solar Physics, in press, 201
Investigation of quasi-periodic variations in hard X-rays of solar flares. II. Further investigation of oscillating magnetic traps
In our recent paper (Solar Physics 261, 233) we investigated quasi-periodic
oscillations of hard X-rays during impulsive phase of solar flares. We have
come to conclusion that they are caused by magnetosonic oscillations of
magnetic traps within the volume of hard-X-ray (HXR) loop-top sources. In the
present paper we investigate four flares which show clear quasi-periodic
sequences of HXR pulses. We also describe our phenomenological model of
oscillating magnetic traps to show that it can explain observed properties of
HXR oscillations. Main results are the following: 1. We have found that
low-amplitude quasi-periodic oscillations occur before impulsive phase of some
flares. 2. We have found that quasi-period of the oscillations can change in
some flares. We interpret this as being due to changes of the length of
oscillating magnetic traps. 3. During impulsive phase a significant part of the
energy of accelerated (non-thermal) electrons is deposited within the HXR
loop-top source. 4. Our analysis suggests that quick development of impulsive
phase is due to feedback between pulses of the pressure of accelerated
electrons and the amplitude of magnetic-trap oscillation. 5. We have also
determined electron number density and magnetic filed strength for HXR loop-top
sources of several flares. The values fall within the limits of cm, gauss.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, submitted to Solar Physic
A burst with double radio spectrum observed up to 212 GHz
We study a solar flare that occurred on September 10, 2002, in active region
NOAA 10105 starting around 14:52 UT and lasting approximately 5 minutes in the
radio range. The event was classified as M2.9 in X-rays and 1N in H\alpha.
Solar Submillimeter Telescope observations, in addition to microwave data give
us a good spectral coverage between 1.415 and 212 GHz. We combine these data
with ultraviolet images, hard and soft X-rays observations and full-disk
magnetograms. Images obtained from Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic
Imaging data are used to identify the locations of X-ray sources at different
energies and to determine the X-ray spectrum, while ultra violet images allow
us to characterize the coronal flaring region. The magnetic field evolution of
the active region is analyzed using Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. The
burst is detected at all available radio-frequencies. X-ray images (between 12
keV and 300 keV) reveal two compact sources and 212 GHz data, used to estimate
the radio source position, show a single compact source displaced by 25" from
one of the hard X-ray footpoints. We model the radio spectra using two
homogeneous sources, and combine this analysis with that of hard X-rays to
understand the dynamics of the particles. Relativistic particles, observed at
radio wavelengths above 50 GHz, have an electron index evolving with the
typical soft-hard-soft behaviour.Comment: Submitted to Solar Physics, 20 pages, 8 fugure
Magnetic fields in supernova remnants and pulsar-wind nebulae
We review the observations of supernova remnants (SNRs) and pulsar-wind
nebulae (PWNe) that give information on the strength and orientation of
magnetic fields. Radio polarimetry gives the degree of order of magnetic
fields, and the orientation of the ordered component. Many young shell
supernova remnants show evidence for synchrotron X-ray emission. The spatial
analysis of this emission suggests that magnetic fields are amplified by one to
two orders of magnitude in strong shocks. Detection of several remnants in TeV
gamma rays implies a lower limit on the magnetic-field strength (or a
measurement, if the emission process is inverse-Compton upscattering of cosmic
microwave background photons). Upper limits to GeV emission similarly provide
lower limits on magnetic-field strengths. In the historical shell remnants,
lower limits on B range from 25 to 1000 microGauss. Two remnants show
variability of synchrotron X-ray emission with a timescale of years. If this
timescale is the electron-acceleration or radiative loss timescale, magnetic
fields of order 1 mG are also implied. In pulsar-wind nebulae, equipartition
arguments and dynamical modeling can be used to infer magnetic-field strengths
anywhere from about 5 microGauss to 1 mG. Polarized fractions are considerably
higher than in SNRs, ranging to 50 or 60% in some cases; magnetic-field
geometries often suggest a toroidal structure around the pulsar, but this is
not universal. Viewing-angle effects undoubtedly play a role. MHD models of
radio emission in shell SNRs show that different orientations of upstream
magnetic field, and different assumptions about electron acceleration, predict
different radio morphology. In the remnant of SN 1006, such comparisons imply a
magnetic-field orientation connecting the bright limbs, with a non-negligible
gradient of its strength across the remnant.Comment: 20 pages, 24 figures; to be published in SpSciRev. Minor wording
change in Abstrac
Origin of the submillimeter radio emission during the time-extended phase of a solar flare
Solar flares observed in the 200-400 GHz radio domain may exhibit a slowly
varying and time-extended component which follows a short (few minutes)
impulsive phase and which lasts for a few tens of minutes to more than one
hour. The few examples discussed in the literature indicate that such
long-lasting submillimeter emission is most likely thermal bremsstrahlung. We
present a detailed analysis of the time-extended phase of the 2003 October 27
(M6.7) flare, combining 1-345 GHz total-flux radio measurements with X-ray,
EUV, and H{\alpha} observations. We find that the time-extended radio emission
is, as expected, radiated by thermal bremsstrahlung. Up to 230 GHz, it is
entirely produced in the corona by hot and cool materials at 7-16 MK and 1-3
MK, respectively. At 345 GHz, there is an additional contribution from
chromospheric material at a few 10^4 K. These results, which may also apply to
other millimeter-submillimeter radio events, are not consistent with the
expectations from standard semi-empirical models of the chromosphere and
transition region during flares, which predict observable radio emission from
the chromosphere at all frequencies where the corona is transparent.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figure
Probing dynamics of electron acceleration with radio and x-ray spectroscopy, imaging, and timing in the 2002 april 11 solar flare
Based on detailed analysis of radio and X-ray observations of a flare on 2002 April 11 augmented by realistic three-dimensional modeling, we have identified a radio emission component produced directly at the flare acceleration region. This acceleration region radio component has distinctly different (1) spectrum, (2) light curves, (3) spatial location, and, thus, (4) physical parameters from those of the separately identified trapped or precipitating electron components. To derive evolution of physical parameters of the radio sources we apply forward fitting of the radio spectrum time sequence with the gyrosynchrotron source function with five to six free parameters. At the stage when the contribution from the acceleration region dominates the radio spectrum, the X-ray- and radio-derived electron energy spectral indices agree well with each other. During this time the maximum energy of the accelerated electron spectrum displays a monotonic increase with time from ~300 keV to ~2 MeV over roughly one minute duration indicative of an acceleration process in the form of growth of the power-law tail; the fast electron residence time in the acceleration region is about 2-4 s, which is much longer than the time of flight and so requires a strong diffusion mode there to inhibit free-streaming propagation. The acceleration region has a relatively strong magnetic field, B ~ 120 G, and a low thermal density, ne 2 × 109 cm–3. These acceleration region properties are consistent with a stochastic acceleration mechanism