Periodicities in an active region correlated with Type III radio bursts observed by Parker Solar Probe

• Main Authors: Cattell, Cynthia, Glesener, Lindsay, Leiran, Benjamin, Goetz, Keith, Oliveros, Juan Carlos Martínez, Badman, Samuel T, Pulupa, Marc, Bale, Stuart D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 23-09-2020
• Subjects: Physics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics; Physics - Space Physics
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2009.10899

A&A 650, A6 (2021) Context. Periodicities have frequently been reported across many wavelengths
in the solar corona. Correlated periods of ~5 minutes, comparable to solar
p-modes, are suggestive of coupling between the photosphere and the corona.
Aims. Our study investigates whether there are correlations in the periodic
behavior of Type III radio bursts, indicative of non-thermal electron
acceleration processes, and coronal EUV emission, assessing heating and
cooling, in an active region when there are no large flares. Methods. We use
coordinated observations of Type III radio bursts from the FIELDS instrument on
Parker Solar Probe (PSP), of extreme ultraviolet emissions by the Solar
Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/AIA and white light observations by SDO/HMI, and of
solar flare x-rays by Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) on April
12, 2019. Several methods for assessing periodicities are utilized and compared
to validate periods obtained. Results. Periodicities of about 5 minutes in the
EUV in several areas of an active region are well correlated with the
repetition rate of the Type III radio bursts observed on both PSP and Wind.
Detrended 211A and 171A light curves show periodic profiles in multiple
locations, with 171A peaks lagging those seen in 211A. This is suggestive of
impulsive events that result in heating and then cooling in the lower corona.
NuSTAR x-rays provide evidence for at least one microflare during the interval
of Type III bursts, but there is not a one-to-one correspondence between the
x-rays and the Type-III bursts. Our study provides evidence for periodic
acceleration of non-thermal electrons (required to generate Type III radio
bursts) when there were no observable flares either in the x-ray data or the
EUV. The acceleration process, therefore, must be associated with small
impulsive events, perhaps nanoflares.