Tracking of an electron beam through the solar corona with LOFAR (original) (raw)
Related papers
LOFAR tied-array imaging of Type III solar radio bursts
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2014
Context. The Sun is an active source of radio emission which is often associated with energetic phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). At low radio frequencies (<100 MHz), the Sun has not been imaged extensively because of the instrumental limitations of previous radio telescopes. Aims. Here, the combined high spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution of the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) was used to study solar Type III radio bursts at 30-90 MHz and their association with CMEs. Methods. The Sun was imaged with 126 simultaneous tied-array beams within ≤5 R of the solar centre. This method offers benefits over standard interferometric imaging since each beam produces high temporal (∼83 ms) and spectral resolution (12.5 kHz) dynamic spectra at an array of spatial locations centred on the Sun. LOFAR's standard interferometric output is currently limited to one image per second. Results. Over a period of 30 min, multiple Type III radio bursts were observed, a number of which were found to be located at high altitudes (∼4 R from the solar center at 30 MHz) and to have non-radial trajectories. These bursts occurred at altitudes in excess of values predicted by 1D radial electron density models. The non-radial high altitude Type III bursts were found to be associated with the expanding flank of a CME. Conclusions. The CME may have compressed neighbouring streamer plasma producing larger electron densities at high altitudes, while the non-radial burst trajectories can be explained by the deflection of radial magnetic fields as the CME expanded in the low corona.
The Frequency Drift and Fine Structures of Solar S-bursts in the High Frequency Band of LOFAR
The Astrophysical Journal, 2020
Solar S-bursts are short duration (< 1 s at decameter wavelengths) radio bursts that have been observed during periods of moderate solar activity, where S stands for short. The frequency drift of S-bursts can reflect the density variation and the motion state of the electron beams. In this work, we investigate the frequency drift and the fine structure of the S-bursts with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR). We find that the average frequency drift rate of the S-bursts within 110-180 MHz could be described by df /dt = −0.0077f 1.59. With the high time and frequency resolution of LOFAR, we can resolve the fine structures of the observed solar S-bursts. A fine drift variation pattern was found in the structure of S-bursts (referred to as solar Sb-bursts in this paper) during the type-III storm on 2019 April 13, in the frequency band of 120-240 MHz. The Sb-bursts have a quasi-periodic segmented pattern, and the relative flux intensity tends to be large when the frequency drift rate is relatively large. This kind of structure exists in about 20% of the solar S-burst events within the observed frequency range. We propose that the fine structure is due to the density fluctuations of the background coronal density. We performed a simulation based on this theory which can reproduce the shape and relative flux intensity of the Sb-bursts. This work shows that the fine structure of solar radio bursts can be used to diagnose the coronal plasma.
Radio signatures of shock-accelerated electron beams in the solar corona
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Context. The Sun’s activity can appear in terms of radio bursts. In the frequency range 8−33 MHz the radio telescope URAN-2 observed special fine structures appearing as a chain of stripes of enhanced radio emission in the dynamic radio spectrum. The chain drifts slowly from 26 to 23 MHz within 4 min. The individual structures consist of a “head” at the high-frequency edge and a “tail” rapidly drifting from the “head” to lower frequencies over an extent of ≈10 MHz within 8 s. Since they resemble the well-known “herring bones” in type II radio bursts, they are interpreted as shock accelerated electron beams. Aims. The electron beams generating these fine structures are considered to be produced by shock drift acceleration (SDA). The beam electrons excite Langmuir waves which are converted into radio waves by nonlinear wave-plasma processes. That is called plasma emission. The aim of this paper is to link the radio spectral data of these fine structures to the theoretical results in o...
Coronal electron stream and langmuir wave detection inside a propagation channel at 4.3 AU
Journal of Geophysical Research, 1995
Observations of an energetic interplanetary electron event associated with the production of Langmuir waves, both of which are identified at 4.3 AU by instruments on the Ulysses spacecraft, are presented in this paper. This electron event propagates inside a well-defined magnetic structure. The existence of this structure is firmly established by joint particle and plasma observations made by Ulysses instruments. Its local estimated radial width is of the order of 2.3 x 107 km (0.15 AU). The electron beam is associated with a type III burst observed from Earth at high frequencies and at low frequencies from Ulysses in association with L•ngmuir waves detected inside the structure. The consistency of local (Ulysses) •nd remote (E•rth)observations in terms of temporal and geometrical considerations establishes that the structure is anchored in the solar corona near the solar active region responsible for the observed type III emission and gives an accurate determination of the injection time for the observed electron beam. The width on the solar surface of the structure is estimated to be 6000 km. Propagation analysis of the electron event is presented. It is shown that this event is nearly scatter-free. Ion plasma velocity variations inside the structure were very small in amplitude as well as in direction. The magnetic field inside this structure was also very quiet and organized. In order to quantify the magnetic field properties, a variance analysis has been performed and is presented in this paper. The analysis establishes that inside the structure the amount of magnetic energy involved in the fluctuations is less th•n 4% of the total magnetic energy; the minimal variance direction is well defined and in coincidence with the direction of the mean magnetic field. This configuration may produce conditions favorable for scatter free streamifig of energetic electrons and/or Langmuir wave production. The results presented show that the magnetic field might play a role in stabilizing the coronal-origin plasma structures and then preserving them to large, • 4 AU, distances in the heliosphere.
LOFAR tied-array imaging and spectroscopy of solar S bursts
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2015
Context. The Sun is an active source of radio emission that is often associated with energetic phenomena ranging from nanoflares to coronal mass ejections (CMEs). At low radio frequencies (<100 MHz), numerous millisecond duration radio bursts have been reported, such as radio spikes or solar S bursts (where S stands for short). To date, these have neither been studied extensively nor imaged because of the instrumental limitations of previous radio telescopes. Aims. Here, LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) observations were used to study the spectral and spatial characteristics of a multitude of S bursts, as well as their origin and possible emission mechanisms. Methods. We used 170 simultaneous tied-array beams for spectroscopy and imaging of S bursts. Since S bursts have short timescales and fine frequency structures, high cadence (∼50 ms) tied-array images were used instead of standard interferometric imaging, that is currently limited to one image per second. Results. On 9 July 2013, over 3000 S bursts were observed over a time period of ∼8 h. S bursts were found to appear as groups of short-lived (<1 s) and narrow-bandwidth (∼2.5 MHz) features, the majority drifting at ∼3.5 MHz s −1 and a wide range of circular polarisation degrees (2−8 times more polarised than the accompanying Type III bursts). Extrapolation of the photospheric magnetic field using the potential field source surface (PFSS) model suggests that S bursts are associated with a trans-equatorial loop system that connects an active region in the southern hemisphere to a bipolar region of plage in the northern hemisphere. Conclusions. We have identified polarised, short-lived solar radio bursts that have never been imaged before. They are observed at a height and frequency range where plasma emission is the dominant emission mechanism, however, they possess some of the characteristics of electroncyclotron maser emission.
The Astrophysical Journal
Understanding electron acceleration associated with magnetic energy release at subsecond scales presents major challenges in solar physics. Solar radio spikes observed as subsecond, narrow-bandwidth bursts with Δf/f ∼ 10−3–10−2 are indicative of a subsecond evolution of the electron distribution. We present a statistical analysis of frequency- and time-resolved imaging of individual spikes and Type IIIb striae associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME). LOFAR imaging reveals that the cotemporal (<2 s) spike and striae intensity contours almost completely overlap. On average, both burst types have a similar source size with a fast expansion at millisecond scales. The radio source centroid velocities are often superluminal and independent of frequency over 30–45 MHz. The CME perturbs the field geometry, leading to increased spike emission likely due to frequent magnetic reconnection. As the field restores itself toward the prior configuration, the observed sky-plane emission loc...
The Astrophysical Journal, 2018
Solar radio type III bursts are believed to be the most sensitive signatures of near-relativistic electron beam propagation in the corona. A solar radio type IIIb-III pair burst with fine frequency structures, observed by the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) with high temporal (∼10 ms) and spectral (12.5 kHz) resolutions at 30-80 MHz, is presented. The observations show that the type III burst consists of many striae, which have a frequency scale of about 0.1 MHz in both the fundamental (plasma) and the harmonic (double plasma) emission. We investigate the effects of background density fluctuations based on the observation of striae structure to estimate the density perturbation in the solar corona. It is found that the spectral index of the density fluctuation spectrum is about −1.7, and the characteristic spatial scale of the density perturbation is around 700km. This spectral index is very close to a Kolmogorov turbulence spectral index of −5/3, consistent with a turbulent cascade. This fact indicates that the coronal turbulence may play the important role of modulating the time structures of solar radio type III bursts, and the fine structure of radio type III bursts could provide a useful and unique tool to diagnose the turbulence in the solar corona.
The Astrophysical Journal
Coronal Jets are transitory small-scale eruptions omnipresent in solar observations. Active regions jets produce significant perturbations on the ambient solar atmosphere and are believed to be generated by microflare reconnection. Multiple sets of recurrent jets are identified in extreme-ultraviolet filter imaging. In this work we analyze the long timescale recurrence of coronal jets originating from a unique footpoint structure observed in the lower corona. We report the detection of penumbral magnetic structures in the lower corona. These structures, that we entitled "Coronal Geysers", persist through multiple reconnection events that trigger recurrent jets in a quasi-periodical trend. Recurrent jet eruptions have been associated with Type-III radio bursts that are manifestations of traveling non-thermal electron beams.We examine the assumed link, as the coronal sources of interplanetary Type-III bursts are still open for debate. We scrutinized the hypothesized association by temporally correlating a statistically significant sample of six Geyser structures, that released at least 50 recurrent jets, with correspondent Type-III radio bursts detected in the interplanetary medium. Data analysis of these phenomena provides new information towards understanding of small-scale reconnection, non-thermal electron beam acceleration, and energy release. We find that the penumbral Geyser-like flaring structures produce recurring jets. They can be long-lived, quasi-stable, and act as coronal sources for Type-III bursts and implicitly for upwards accelerated electron beams.
Satellite observations of type III solar radio bursts at low frequencies
Space Science Reviews, 1974
Type III solar radio bursts have been observed from 10 MHz to 10 kHz by satellite experiments above the terrestrial plasmasphere. Solar radio emission in this frequency range results from excitation of the interplanetary plasma by energetic particles propagating outward along open field lines over distances from 5 R O to at least 1 AU from the Sun. This review summarizes the morphology, characteristics and analysis of individual as well as storms of bursts. Substantial evidence is available to show that the radio emission is observed at the second harmonic instead of the fundamental of the plasma frequency. This brings the density scale derived by radio observations into better agreement with direct solar wind density measurements at 1 AU and relaxes the requirement for type III propagation along large density-enhanced regions. This density scale with the measured direction of arri, al of the radio burst allows the trajectory of the exciter path to be determined from 10 R| to 1 AU. Thus, for example, the dynamics and gross structure of the interplanetary magnetic field can be investigated by this method. Burst rise times are interpreted in terms of exciter length and dispersion while decay times refer to the radiation damping process. The combination of radio observations at the lower frequencies and in-situ measurements on non-relativistic electrons at 1 AU provide data on the energy range and efficiency of the wave-particle interactions responsible for the radio emission.
Exploring the Circular Polarisation of Low–Frequency Solar Radio Bursts with LOFAR
Solar Physics
The Sun is an active star that often produces numerous bursts of electromagnetic radiation at radio wavelengths. Low frequency radio bursts have recently been brought back to light with the advancement of novel radio interferometers. However, their polarisation properties have not yet been explored in detail, especially with the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), due to difficulties in calibrating the data and accounting for instrumental leakage. Here, using a unique method to correct the polarisation observations, we explore the circular polarisation of different sub-types of solar type III radio bursts and a type I noise storm observed with LOFAR, which occurred during March–April 2019. We analysed six individual radio bursts from two different dates. We present the first Stokes V low frequency images of the Sun with LOFAR in tied-array mode observations. We find that the degree of circular polarisation for each of the selected bursts increases with frequency for fundamental emission, w...