Decameter solar type III bursts: Data classification with use of cluster analysis

The many-parametric data on decametric type III bursts containing more than 1000 events were classified with use of cluster analysis, i.e., the pattern recognition procedure. For the classification such parameters have been used as intensity, duration and degree of circular polarization derived from burst time profiles. The automatic classification has resulted in division of daily samples of type III bursts into classes of bursts, more homogeneous statistically, which can be associated with different components of type III radiation distinguished by their physical origin. For the classes obtained, statistically reliable dependences of the mean intensity on source position can be found which allow one to conclude about the source structure and evolution, as well as about the characteristics defined by a burst generation mechanism and propagation effects.