Solar Flare Theory
Table of Contents



home icon Solar Flare Homepage

What is a Solar Flare?

Why Study Solar Flares?

Coronal Mass Ejections, Solar Flares, and the Sun-Earth Connection

Space Weather: What Impact Do Solar Flares Have on Human Activities?

What are Hard X-rays?

Why Study Solar Flares in Hard X-rays?

ion iconGamma-Ray Lines and Accelerated Ions

Image of a Flaring Loop in Hard X-rays

The Model Loop

bowling icon Fast Electrons, Bremsstrahlung, and Bowling

The Injected Electrons

The Computed Images

Changing the Plasma Density

X-ray Spectra and the Energetic Electrons

Where is the Energy Deposited?

Conclusions

A Spectroscopic Imager

Q&AQuestions and Answers

Crossword Puzzle IconCrossword Puzzle

Links & Books icon Links and Books

acknowledgements icon Acknowledgements

glossary icon Solar Physics Glossary

 

 

Video Animations

video iconA Sun-grazing comet and a coronal mass ejection
video iconThe changing appearance of a model flare loop as the energy of the observed x-rays is increased
video iconThe changing appearance of the model flare loop as the plasma density in the loop is increased
video iconChanging x-ray spectra from the model flare loop cusp and footpoints as the plasma density in the loop is increased
video iconChanging electron energy distributions from the model flare loop cusp and footpoints as the plasma density in the loop is increased
video iconChanging electron energy flux and energy deposition in the model flare loop as the plasma density in the loop is increased


Web Author: Gordon Holman
Web Author: Sarah Benedict

Responsible NASA Official: Gordon D. Holman,
Heliophysics Science Division
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Solar Physics Laboratory / Code 671
Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
Gordon.D.Holman@nasa.gov

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