My interests are in using RHESSI data together with complementary observations to study the factors that lead to the flare energy release and how topolgy affects this and subsequent flare evolution. For example, differences in spectral evolution were seen by Sakao for separating and non-separating footpoints with Yohkoh, and differences are seen in pre-flare behaviour of SXR non-thermal line broadening for flares with impulsive and gradual rise phases in HXR. Studying magnetic field evolution in the active region using MDI data and EUV/SXR data for corresponding changes in coronal structure could be used to compare with imaging and spectral information from RHESSI to make progress in better understanding the relationship between the large scale structures involved in the flare process and the small-scale energy release and particle acceleration processes.
I'm also keen on using spectroscopic data and magnetic field information, including extrapolations,to better understand electron transport.
email address: sam@mssl.ucl.ac.uk