It has been suggested (Holman et al 1980; Melrose and Dulk 1982a) that solar microwave spike bursts are due to electron cyclotron maser action. These bursts have been observed in the range 1-3 Ghz, and occur in conjunction with flare-associated impulsive microwave and hard X-ray bursts. The bursts have rise times of a millisecond or less (e.g. Slottje 1978).
Laboratory experiments simulating electron cyclotron masers in space
