The electron-cyclotron maser instability as the source of solar type V continuum

In this paper, it is proposed that the electron-cyclotron (EC) maser instability can be the source of solar type V bursts. The propagation of electrons up an open field line is examined, and it is shown that the resultant distribution can be subject to the bump-in-tail (BIT) or the EC maser instabilities, or both. The characteristics of the emission from the BIT and EC maser instabilities when they are driven by such distributions are compared. It is proposed that type V bursts are produced by the coalescence of the upper hybrid waves produced by the maser instability, while type IIIs are produced by the BIT instability.