Evidence for delayed second phase acceleration in solar flares

Abstract

Data gathered on solar gamma-ray events by the gamma-ray spectrometer on board the HEAO-3 satellite are discussed. Measurements were made of both hard X-ray and gamma-ray events. A total of 37 flare-like incidences were detected from October 1979 to July 1980. Power law spectra were fitted to the flux energies exceeding 420 keV. The appearance of two events with a 30 sec interval between radiation peaks, a slow rise and quick decay of the high energy component, and the softening of the low energy component are taken for evidence of two acceleration processes, one boosting electrons to hundreds of keV for the X ray bursts, the other producing gamma rays through ions accelerated to tens of MeV.