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    Noise storm continua: power estimates for electron acceleration

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    We use a generic stochastic acceleration formalism to examine the power LinL_{\rm in} (ergs−1{\rm erg s^{-1}}) input to nonthermal electrons that cause noise storm continuum emission. The analytical approach includes the derivation of the Green's function for a general second-order Fermi process, and its application to obtain the particular solution for the nonthermal electron distribution resulting from the acceleration of a Maxwellian source in the corona. We compare LinL_{\rm in} with the power LoutL_{\rm out} observed in noise storm radiation. Using typical values for the various parameters, we find that Lin∼1023−26L_{\rm in} \sim 10^{23-26} ergs−1{\rm erg s^{-1}}, yielding an efficiency estimate η≡Lout/Lin\eta \equiv L_{\rm out}/L_{\rm in} in the range 10^{-10} \lsim \eta \lsim 10^{-6} for this nonthermal acceleration/radiation process. These results reflect the efficiency of the overall process, starting from electron acceleration and culminating in the observed noise storm emission.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physic
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