[Previous] | [Session 55] | [Next]
D. Alexander (Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab.), G. M. Simnett (University of Birmingham)
We investigate the spatial location of large solar flares (>M5) occurring in the GOES record from 1-JAN-1986 to 1-JAN-1999. It is found, with very few exceptions, that a single active region dominates the flare production over any given time. In other words, before a flare can occur in an active region, flare production must have completely ceased in any other active regions present. This suggests some sort of communication between the active regions on the solar disk and that the large-scale corona plays an important role in the production of these large solar flares. One intriguing possibility is the treatment of the global solar corona as a multi-flux system with each part physically related to all others. In this scenario, the transfer of flux between active regions, caused by a solar flare in one of them, suppresses the ability of the other to erupt. This has important implications for flare studies and flare prediction in general.
If the author provided an email address or URL for general inquiries,
it is as follows: