Click on the image above for a larger .gif version.

This is the standard cartoon, rendered with extraordinary clarity and applied to a vexing problem: the acceleration of all the electrons. The concentric lozenges towards the bottom represent the conjectural fast-mode standing shock that results (in these 2D cartoons) automatically from the geometry. There is little evidence for their existence, but the data are not perfect; also the general picture has some positive points. These could be summarized as (a) flare images, albeit at different times and places, can sometimes look like this cartoon; and (b) it would be good to have a large volume involved in the acceleration, since lots of electrons are needed, and (c) putting the acceleration at the lowest possible altitude is sensible.

Note that the authors refer to one of the best flares of all time, SOL2003-10-28T11:10. This event designation is the new (at time of writing) IAU designator.

16 June 2010