Spatial expansion and speeds of type III electron beam sources in the solar corona

TL;DR

This study uses kinetic simulations to analyze the spatial expansion and velocities of type III electron beams in the solar corona, revealing how beam properties evolve and influence radio burst characteristics.

Contribution

The paper provides new insights into electron beam expansion, speed variation, and their impact on type III radio burst features through detailed kinetic modeling.

Findings

Electron front speeds range from 0.2c to 0.7c.

Beam elongation correlates strongly with peak velocity.

Faster beams produce higher brightness temperatures and shorter durations.

Abstract

A component of space weather, electron beams are routinely accelerated in the solar atmosphere and propagate through interplanetary space. Electron beams interact with Langmuir waves resulting in type III radio bursts. Electron beams expand along the trajectory, and using kinetic simulations, we explore the expansion as the electrons propagate away from the Sun. Specifically, we investigate the front, peak and back of the electron beam in space from derived radio brightness temperatures of fundamental type III emission. The front of the electron beams travelled at speeds from 0.2c--0.7c, significantly faster than the back of the beam that travelled between 0.12c--0.35c. The difference in speed between the front and the back elongates the electron beams in time. The rate of beam elongation has a 0.98 correlation coefficient with the peak velocity; in-line with predictions from type III observations. The inferred speeds of electron beams initially increase close to the acceleration region and then decrease through the solar corona. Larger starting densities and harder initial spectral indices result in longer and faster type III sources. Faster electron beams have higher beam energy densities, produce type IIIs with higher peak brightness temperatures and shorter FWHM durations. Higher background plasma temperatures also increase speeds, particularly at the back of the beam. We show how our predictions of electron beam evolution influences type III bandwidth and drift-rates. Our radial predictions of electron beam speed and expansion can be tested by the upcoming in situ electron beam measurements made by Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe.