Impulsive and gradual hard X-ray sources in a solar flare
The paper reports recent observations of a relatively large hard X-ray burst with well developed impulsive and gradual components, that was associated with a relatively modest optical flare on Aug. 14, 1979. The impulsive X-ray source has a much higher ion density and the electron injection in the phase is shorter in duration consisting of fewer energetic electrons than in the gradual phase. The gradual X-ray source seems to consist of a lower density region, probably bounded by a magnetic arch in which the energetic electrons are perfectly trapped. The different temporal development of the impulsive and gradual hard X-ray components suggest large differences in the physical parameters of the ambient plasma.