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A Statistical Study of Limb Flares Observed by RHESSI: Imaging

Liu, W.; Jiang, Y. W.; Petrosian, V
Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4060

Metcalf, T. R.
LMSAL, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, Palo Alto, CA 94304

Abstract:

Hard X-ray observations by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) (Lin, et al. 2002) provide unprecedented opportunities to understand the underlying physics driving solar flares. We have embarked on an investigation of a sample of limb flares observed by RHESSI. RHESSI flare images are used to infer flaring loop structures and to distinguish between footpoint, looptop and other possible types of sources. We present an analysis of the lightcurves and images for these features and show statistics on the occurrence of looptop and footpoint sources. These are compared with previous studies utilizing YOHKOH/HXT observations, and their implications for particle acceleration processes and other theoretical aspects of flares are discussed.





Wei Liu 2003-07-08