Speaker
Description
Solar flares involve the catastrophic release of magnetic energy through magnetic reconnection. Solar flares are also highly efficient particle accelerators, capable of accelerating a large number of charged particles to high energies within a short time. The unique sensitivity of microwave emission to both the dynamic coronal magnetic field and the flare-accelerated high-energy electrons makes it an excellent tool for probing the key physical processes underlying magnetic reconnection and particle acceleration. Recently, we have enjoyed a major transition in solar microwave observing as it has evolved from imaging at a few discrete frequencies to true broadband imaging spectroscopy. In this talk, I will highlight some of our recent results based on this new technique, using data from the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array.
