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Title: Peak flux density spectra of large solar radio bursts and proton emission from flares

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6282284

The authors have reexamined the relationship between U-shaped peak flux density microwave spectra and solar proton events for approx. 200 large (Sp > or = 2 GHz) > or = 800 solar flux units (sfu)) microwave bursts (1965-1979). The radio spectra fell into two basic classes: U-shaped, with two maxima (> or = 800 sfu) in the range from 200 MHz to > or = 10 GHz (59% of all events), and cutoff spectra, with a maximum > or = 800 sfu at f > or = 2 GHz and Sp (200 MHz) < 100 sfu (18%). Nine percent of the events had intermediate spectra with a maximum > or = 800 sfu at f > or = 2 GHz and 100 sfu < or = Sp (200 MHz) < 800 sfu. The authors were unable to classify 15% of the events because of incomplete data. The associations of the three classes of spectra with type II (and/or type IV) meter-wavelength bursts and > 10-MeV proton events of any size (> or = 0.01 protons/sq cm/s/sr) are as follows: U-shaped: type II/IV (90% of large microwave bursts with U-shaped spectra are associated with type II/IV events), protons (77%); intermediate: type II/IV (78%), protons (73%); and cutoff: type II/IV (22%), protons (33%). These statistics affirm various lines of evidence linking coronal shock waves and interplanetary proton events. They also suggest that the meter wavelength branch of the U-shaped spectrum may be attributable to second-phase (versus flash phase) accelerated electrons. This latter supposition was examined, and it was found, that it cannot be true in general.

Research Organization:
Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
OSTI ID:
6282284
Report Number(s):
AD-A-158566/0/XAB; AFGL-TR-85-0176
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English