Abstract
The continuum emission of an X1 flare on 26 March, 1970 observed close to the solar limb (N 05 E 64) was analyzed by a photometric determination of the contrast ΔI(λ)/I 0(λ) in the wavelength range 3558–5920 Å. Two possible mechanisms for the emission were investigated, namely hydrogen Paschen and H− continua. We show the unlikeness of the Paschen possibility and derive strong constraints on the temperature structure and energy deposition mechanism imposed by the H− continuum process.
We conclude that the emission must have originated in deep atmospheric layers. The relevance of this result with respect to flare energy release and transport processes is also discussed.
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Boyer, R., Machado, M.E., Rust, D.M. et al. Analysis of a white-light flare spectrum. Sol Phys 98, 255–266 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152459
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152459