Electron beams generated by shock waves in the solar corona

Abstract

Beams of energetic electrons can be generated by shock waves in the solar corona. At the Sun shock waves are produced either by flares and/or by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). They can be observed as type II bursts in the solar radio radiation. Shock accelerated electron beams appear as rapidly drifting emission stripes (so-called "herringbones") in dynamic radio spectra of type II bursts. A large sample of type II bursts showing "herringbones" was statistically analysed with respect to their properties in dynamic radio spectra. The electron beams associated with the "herringbones" are considered to be generated by shock drift acceleration. Then, the accelerated electrons establish a shifted loss-cone distribution in the upstream region of the associated shock wave. Such a distribution causes plasma instabilities leading to the emission of radio waves observed as "herringbones". Consequences of a shifted loss-cone distribution of the shock accelerated electrons are discussed in comparison with the observations of "herringbones" within solar type II radio bursts. © ESO 2005.