Space Charge Wave Amplification in a Shock Front and the Fine Structure of Solar Radio Noise

Abstract

The Mott-Smith (1951) interpolation method gives a non-Maxwellian velocity distribution for the particles in a shock front. The dispersion equation corresponding to the non-Maxwellian distribution is derived by Vlasov's (1945) formula. The roots of the dispersion equation indicate frequency bandwidths of space charge wave amplification that decrease with the shock strength. It is suggested, in agreement with Denisse and Rocard (1951), that the storm bursts of narrow bandwidth originating in shock fronts constitute the elementary fine-structure components of solar radio noise bursts.