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Energetics of Three Solar Flares Observed by RHESSIWe compare the energy content of the thermal plasma and suprathermal electrons in three solar flares observed by the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). Fits of computed isothermal and thick-target bremsstrahlung spectra to RHESSI X-ray spectra are used to deduce the instantaneous energy content of the X-ray-emitting plasma and the accumulated energy in suprathermal electrons throughout the three flares. We minimize the energy in the suprathermal electrons by assuming that the electron distributions have a low-energy cutoff that is no lower than the highest cutoff energy that provides a good fit to the X-ray spectra. The energetics of the 2002 April 15 M1 flare and the 2002 April 21 X2 flare are computed and compared with results for the 2002 July 23 X5 flare. We find that for all three. flares the energy in nonthermal electrons is comparable to the energy contained in the thermal plasma.
Document ID
20040074182
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Holman, G. D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Dennis, B. R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Sui, Linhui
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Meeting Information
Meeting: AAS Meeting 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: May 30, 2004
End Date: June 3, 2004
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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