Far-IR and radio thermal continua in solar flares

TL;DR

This paper investigates the formation and behavior of thermal far-infrared and radio continua in solar flares, focusing on the effects of particle beams and thermal processes in the chromosphere.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of how time-dependent particle beams influence thermal FIR and radio emissions in solar flares, an area with limited prior exploration.

Findings

Identification of formation regions for FIR and radio continua during flares

Analysis of the impact of beam heating on thermal emission characteristics

Insights into non-thermal excitation effects on chromospheric plasma

Abstract

With the invention of new far-infrared (FIR) and radio mm and sub-mm instruments (DESIR on SMESE satellite, ESO-ALMA), there is a growing interest in observations and analysis of solar flares in this so far unexplored wavelength region. Two principal radiation mechanisms play a role: the synchrotron emission due to accelerated particle beams moving in the magnetic field and the thermal emission due to the energy deposit in the lower atmospheric layers. In this contribution we explore the time-dependent effects of beams on thermal FIR and radio continua. We show how and where these continua are formed in the presence of time dependent beam heating and non-thermal excitation/ionisation of the chromospheric hydrogen plasma.