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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 August 2015
Various authors have presented arguments for either the thermal or the nonthermal interpretations of impulsive E > 20 KeV X-ray bursts and slowly varying E < 10 keV X-ray bursts. In this review the arguments for and against the prevailing opinion that the impulsive bursts are nonthermal and the slowly varying bursts are thermal are presented.
For the impulsive bursts we discuss the spectra, electron mean free paths, center-to-limb distributions of both the numbers of events and spectra of events, and polarization data as relevant criteria. For the slowly varying events we discuss electron self collision times, distribution of X-ray temporal parameters, associated gradual rise and fall radio bursts, spectral and time profiles of special events and center-to-limb distributions of numbers of events as the relevant criteria.