Solar Flares - the Impulsive Phase

Dennis, BrianĀ R. and RichardĀ A. Schwartz, Solar Flares - the Impulsive Phase, Sol. Phys., 121, 75-94 (1989) (ADS)

The cartoon

(click on the image for a larger version)

This cartoon appeals to radio astronomers and high-energy astrophysicists, and is here in the Archive at Brian Dennis's request. Brian asserts that Joe Gurman drew this cartoon originally, but Joe believes that it was inspired by a cartoon devised by Gordon Hurford. The original medium was probably ballpoint on napkin. It was then brilliantly rendered in IDL by Keith Strong, and labeled copiously by the GSFC solar group. A further genre development into colorization is hoped for. This version was scanned from the original publication by Brian Dennis. The reductionist concept embodied here eschews MHD concepts such as magnetic reconnection, in favor of focusing on the all-important particles.

      Note that the circled region at the bottom neatly defines the "thick target" interactions of coronal non-thermal electrons impacting the lower solar atmosphere. See the De Jager cartoon for more detail.

Date: 2005 August 02

Update: 2019 February 13