Paper detail

Impulsive Phase Coronal Hard X-ray Sources in an X3.9 Class Solar Flare

[Abridged]We present analysis of a pair of unusually energetic coronal hard X-ray (HXR) sources detected by RHESSI during the impulsive phase of an X3.9 class solar flare on 2003 November 3, which simultaneously shows two intense footpoint (FP) sources. A distinct loop top (LT) coronal source is detected up to ~150 keV and a second (upper) coronal source up to ~80 keV. These photon energies are much higher than commonly observed in coronal sources and pose grave modeling challenges. The LT source in general appears higher in altitude with increasing energy and exhibits a more limited motion compared to the expansion of the thermal loop. The high energy LT source shows an impulsive time profile and its nonthermal power law spectrum exhibits soft-hard-soft evolution during the impulsive phase, similar to the FP sources. The upper coronal source exhibits an opposite spatial gradient and a similar spectral slope compared to the LT source. These properties are consistent with the model of stochastic acceleration of electrons by plasma waves or turbulence. However, the LT and FP spectral index difference (varying from ~0-1) is much smaller than commonly measured and than that expected from a simple stochastic acceleration model. Additional confinement or trapping mechanisms of high energy electrons in the corona are required. Comprehensive modeling including both kinetic effects and the macroscopic flare structure may shed light on this behavior. These results highlight the importance of imaging spectroscopic observations of the LT and FP sources up to high energies in understanding electron acceleration in solar flares. Finally, we show that the electrons producing the upper coronal HXR source may very likely be responsible for the type III radio bursts at the decimetric/metric wavelength observed during the impulsive phase of this flare.