TRACE and Yohkoh Observations of a White‐Light Flare

Abstract

We present observations of a large solar white-light flare observed on 2001 August 25, using data from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) white-light channel and Yohkoh/HXT. These emissions are consistent with the classic type I white-light flare mechanism, and we find that the enhanced white-light emission observed by TRACE originates in the chromosphere and temperature minimum regions via nonequilibrium hydrogen ionization induced by direct collisions with the electron beam and by back-warming of the lower atmosphere. The three flare kernels observed in hard X-rays and white light are spatially associated with magnetic separatrices, and one of the kernels is observed to move along a magnetic separatrix at 400 km s À1 . This is evidence in favor of particle acceleration models, which energize the electrons via magnetic reconnection at magnetic separators.