The Solar Minimum Active Region 7978, Its X2.6/1B Flare, CME, and Interplanetary Shock Propagation of 9 July 1996
Michels, D. J.; Paswaters, S. E.; Koomen, M. J.; Thompson, B. J.; Schwenn, R.; Andrews, M. D.; Lamy, P.; Galvin, A. B.; Mann, G.; Tappin, S. J.; Arzner, K.; Howard, R. A.; Ipavich, F. M.; Dryer, M.; Smith, Z.; Karlický, M.; Brueckner, G. E.; Aurass, H.; Klassen, A.; Kiplinger, A.; DeForest, C.; Garcia, H.; Meisner, R.; Watari, S. I.
United States, Germany, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Japan, France, Switzerland
Abstract
The first X-class flare in four years occurred on 9 July 1996. This X2.6/1B flare reached its maximum at 09:11 UT and was located in active region 7978 (S10° W30°) which was an old-cycle sunspot polarity group. We report the SOHO LASCO/EIT/MDI and SOONSPOT observations before and after this event together with Yohkoh SXT images of the flare, radio observations of the type II shock, and GOES disk-integrated soft X-ray flux during an extended period that included energy build-up in this active region.