Multiwavelength multipoint observations of the October 28, 2021 type III radio burst

Abstract

Type III solar radio bursts trace electron beams escaping from flares onto interplanetary magnetic fields, yet unambiguous source identification and continuous beam tracking remain challenging. We analyze a Type III event associated with a compact flare in NOAA AR 12887 studied with an unusually complete set of observables: X-ray imaging of the flare site, radio spectro-polarimetry with direction-finding, and multi-point in-situ particle and wave measurements. This synergy delivered two key results. (1) We identify the burst's solar source region by combining the timing consistency between the flare evolution and the radio onset (after accounting for light-travel time) with the sense and degree of circular polarization. The polarization is consistent with emission on topologically open (or quasi-open) field rooted in a compact EUV arcade, as expected for outward-propagating o/x-mode radiation in a diverging flux system. (2) We localize the electron beam and follow its spatio-temporal evolution into the heliosphere by triangulating radio directions and correlating them with time-of-flight signatures in the in-situ electron data. The accompanying Langmuir-wave measurements constrain the characteristic cross-section of the guiding flux tube via the spatial coherence and bandwidth of the wave packets, providing an empirical estimate of the beam's aperture. The magnetic context of AR 12887 shows a complex photospheric field with adjacent open corridors. This configuration could explain the rapid magnetic connectivity between a compact EUV arcade and interplanetary space, and clarifies why strong polarization can arise even when closed loops are present nearby. Together, these observations establish an end-to-end linkage from flare energy release to heliospheric propagation and provide a template for future coordinated studies that require coincident timing, imaging, polarization, radio direction-finding, and in-situ diagnostics to resolve electron escape pathways.