GIANT_ARCHES

File Created: 18-SEP-95 21:41:44 UT

Full size [80.40 KB]

Post-flare Giant Arches

These images show a set of large arches rising from an active region at the W limb on 2-3 November 1991. This is an example of the "post- flare giant arch" phenomenon discovered by Z. Svestka in the SMM/HXIS observations. Such structures are characterized by continuous growth extending to very great altitudes, as opposed to ordinary post-flare loop systems whose growth gradually slows with time. Another distinction for this event is that the temperature of the brightest part of the arch structure INCREASES with time and height, rather than decreasing as is normal with a post-flare loop system (F. Farnik).

Submitted 21-May-95, H. Hudson


The solar x-ray images are from the Yohkoh mission of ISAS, Japan. The x-ray telescope was prepared by the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and the University of Tokyo with the support of NASA and ISAS.

sxtwww@sxt.space.lockheed.com