A Statistical Study of Low-Frequency Solar Radio Type III Bursts

Abstract

We have studied low-frequency (45 – 410 MHz) type III solar radio bursts observed using the e-Compound Astronomical Low-cost Low-frequency Instrument for Spectroscopy and Transportable Observatory (e-CALLISTO) spectrometer located at Gauribidanur Radio Observatory, India, during 2013 – 2017. After inspecting 1531 type III bursts we found that 426 bursts were associated with flares, while the others might have been triggered by small scale features/weak energy events present in the solar corona. In this study, we have carried out a statistical analysis of various observational parameters like start time, lower- and upper-frequency cut-offs of type III bursts and their association with flares, variation of such parameters with flare parameters such as location, class, onset, and peak times. From this study, we found that most of the high frequency bursts (whose upper-frequency cut-off is >350 MHz) originate from western longitudes. We interpret that this could be due to the fact that Parker spirals from these longitudes are directed towards the Earth and high frequency bursts are more directive. Further we report that the number of bursts that reach Earth from western longitudes is higher than from eastern longitudes.