The signatures of magnetic reconnection according to the microwave drifting bursts observations

Abstract

A series of drifting microwave bursts during the 30 March 2001 flare are analyzed using the Siberian Solar radiotelescope (SSRT) images at 5.7 GHz and dynamic spectra obtained simultaneously by the spectropolarimeters of National Astronomic Observatories in China (NAOC) in the range 5.2–7.6 GHz. While observing the event with the SSRT, the burst sources were simultaneously recorded at two frequencies, which allowed their relative spatial shifts to be measured and source velocity along the flare loop (observed in soft X-ray and ultraviolet emission) to be evaluated. Estimates were made of the plasma density gradient along the source movement direction, the plasma emission being assumed to be generated at the second harmonic. Drifting burst series occur during transient hard X-ray brightenings. Burst drift rates ranged from 10 to 20 GHz/s, with a mean value of about 6 GHz/s. The shape of the drift rate distribution around the mean value is nearly symmetric. It is suggested that the mean value distribution may be related to increased plasma density in the source of subsecond pulses. In particular, the corresponding density variations may be associated with magnetic reconnection processes.