The standard flare model in three dimensions. II. Upper limit on solar flare energy

How powerful can a flare be? This cartoon answers that question in an extraordinarily trivial way: "Give me a big starspot, and I'll give you a big flare!" True, the paper does describe a heirarchy of model calculations on these scales, but it does not increase our understanding of the process much to know that numerical simulations, with very limited physics and many very strong assumptions, can imitate real life. The Archivist would like to note that there is a very poor correlation between spot size and flare magnitude; this is not very surprising since the physics of these two phenomena is so different. The celebrated Helen Dodson-Prince had pointed out long ago that "great" flares could sometimes happen in active regions with no spots at all, for example. These would include the so-called Hyder flares.

      Needless to say, the paper in which this cartoon appears is an excellent and well-cited one; we are after all extremely interested in extrasolar planets and their habitability, and so any iota of knowledge will be eagerly welcomed. And, of course, this cartoon is both attention-grabbing and easy to understand, meritorious features for sure.