Origin of plasma-wave clumping in type III solar radio burst sources.
Abstract
It is hypothesized that the observed clumping of plasma waves in type III sources in the solar wind is due to suppression of the linear stream-plasma interaction by density inhomogeneities of scale size comparable to the characteristic amplification length. Criteria are given for when such suppression should be important. The magnitude and scaling of density inhomogeneities in the 50-200-km range near 0.5 AU are estimated from interplanetary scintillation data. This information is used to construct model sources in which plasma waves are traced and amplified with random inhomogeneities to test the hypothesis. Significant clumping occurs for inhomogeneity scales of 50 and 100 km, with inhomogeneity expectation values of 0.0048 and 0.0006 respectively, but not for 200-km scales. Further research is suggested to determine more completely the effects of density inhomogeneities in type III sources.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1086/157463
- Bibcode:
- 1979ApJ...233..998S
- Keywords:
-
- Cosmic Plasma;
- Plasma Waves;
- Solar Wind;
- Type 3 Bursts;
- Density Distribution;
- Electron Energy;
- Inhomogeneity;
- Plasma Radiation;
- Wave Packets;
- Solar Physics;
- Plasma Waves:Solar Radio Bursts