The Late Gradual Phase of Large Flares: The Case of November 3, 2003

Abstract

The hard X-ray time profiles of most solar eruptive events begin with an impulsive phase that may be followed by a late gradual phase. In a recent article (Aurass et al. in Astron. Astrophys.555, A40, 2013), we analyzed the impulsive phase of the solar eruptive event on November 3, 2003 in radio and X-ray emission. We found evidence of magnetic breakout reconnection using the radio diagnostic of the common effect of the flare current sheet and, at heights of ±0.4 R_⊙, of a coronal breakout current sheet (a source site that we called X).