Directionality of Continuum Gamma Rays from Solar Flares
Abstract
Using hard X-ray burst spectrometer total counts as calibration, the author investigates how the brightness of γ-rays above 300 keV changes as a function of the heliocentric angle of a flare. The normalized γ-ray brightness, on the average, increases with the heliocentric angle; a flare at the limb is estimated to be 13 times brighter in γ-rays than a similar flare near the central meridian. Both pancake-like electron distributions and downward beam distributions can be adjusted to produce the deduced limb brightening.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 1988
- DOI:
- 10.1086/166897
- Bibcode:
- 1988ApJ...334.1049B
- Keywords:
-
- Continuous Radiation;
- Directivity;
- Gamma Rays;
- Solar Flares;
- Solar Radiation;
- Electron Distribution;
- Limb Brightening;
- Solar Limb;
- Solar X-Rays;
- Solar Physics;
- GAMMA RAYS: GENERAL;
- SUN: FLARES