On the efficiency of electron cyclotron maser instability in solar flares
Abstract
We describe a simple model, designed to estimate the efficiency of the electron cyclotron maser (ECM) instability inside a magnetic trap. The emphasis in this model is on the energy loss associated with the formation of the loss cone distribution, rather than on the microscopic plasma physics. We find that the net radiation efficiency is low. Repeated mirroring does not greatly enhance the intrinsic efficiency, because of the energy lost from the corona in precipitating electrons. In consequence, absorption of ECM radiation is unlikely to be an important factor in understanding soft X-ray observations.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- March 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992A&A...256..613M
- Keywords:
-
- Electron Cyclotron Heating;
- Masers;
- Solar Flares;
- Stellar Models;
- Computational Astrophysics;
- Coronal Loops;
- Electron Energy;
- Solar X-Rays;
- Solar Physics