During a unique solar radio event on March 2, 1970, among very diverse features, a very regular pattern was observed in the solar radio spectrographic record between 220 and 320 MHz. The proposed explanation is emission by slightly relativistic electrons at the sum frequency of the plasma frequency (~ 160 MHz) and the lower harmonics of the local gyrofrequency (n from 3 to 10), rather than emission at pure harmonics of the gyrofrequency (n from 15 to 20). The derived magnetic field strengths range from 3 to 8 G, and can be determined very accurately. From the simultaneously occurring pulsating structure in the type IV emission and the deduced magnetic field strength a typical size of the emitting region of 2-300 km is derived.
In order to explain a fine structure of parallel ridges in stationary type IV continua, the emission due to the coupling of electrostatic upper hybrid waves and Bernstein waves at the sum frequency of the upper hybrid and harmonics of the gyro frequency has been calculated. If the energy density of these electrostatic waves is of the order of 10 -3 times the thermal energy density, then the observed zebra pattern can be emitted by a region with a diameter of ~ 10 a km.
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