Electron-Cyclotron-Maser Observable Modes

Abstract

We investigated wave amplification through the Electron-Cyclotron-Maser mechanism. We calculated absorption and emission coefficients without any approximations, also taking into account absorption by the ambient thermal plasma. A power-law energy distribution for the fast electrons was used, as is indicated by X-ray and microwave observations. We developed a model for the saturation length and amplification ratio of the maser, scanned a large parameter space, and calculated the absorption and emission coefficients for every frequency and angle. Previous studies concluded that the unobservable Z-mode dominates in the nu_p \~ nu_B region, and that millisecond spikes are produced in the region nu_p / nu_B<0.25. We find that the observable O-mode and X-mode can produce emission in the 0.8<nu_p / nu_B<2 region, which is expected at the footpoints of a flaring magnetic loop. The important criterion for observability is the saturation length and not the growth rate, as was assumed previously, and even when the Z-mode is the most strongly amplified, less strongly amplified O-mode or X-mode are still intense enough to be observed. The brightness temperature computed with our model for the saturation length is found to be of order 10^{16} K and higher. The emission is usually at a frequency of 2.06 nu_B, and at angles 30-60 degrees to the magnetic field. The rise time of the amplified emission to maximum is a few tenths of a millisecond to a few milliseconds, and the emission persists for as long as new fast electrons arrive into the maser region.