Impulsive solar X-ray bursts

Journal Article · Sat Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/156297· OSTI ID:7051092

Crannell, C J; Frost, K J; Maetzler, C; Ohku, K; Saba, J L

A set of 22 simple, impulsive solar flares, identified in the OSO 5 hard X-ray data, have been analyzed together with coincident microwave and meter-wave radio observations. The rise times and fall times of the X-ray bursts are found to be highly ocrrelated and effectively equal, strongly suggesting a flare energizing mechanism that is reversible. The good time resolution available for these observations reveals that the microwave emission is influenced by an additional process, evident in the tendency of the microwave emission to peak later and decay more slowly than the symmetric X-ray bursts. Meter-wave emission is observed in coincidence with five events which also show strong time correlation between the X-ray and microwave burst structure. This meter-wave emission is characterized by U-burst radiation, indicating confinement of the flare source. The relationship found between the X-ray spectra, gives additional support to the hypothesis that the impulsive component is driven by adiabatic compression and expansion of a magnetically confined plasma which is the common, primary source of both X-ray and microwave emission.

• Research Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
• OSTI ID: 7051092
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 223:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
MICROWAVE SPECTRA
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR FLARES
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLAR RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SOLAR X-RAY BURSTS
SPECTRA
X-RAY SPECTRA