Magnetic reconnection and energy release in a long-duration stellar flare
Pallavicini, R.; Poletto, G.; Kopp, R. A.
Italy, United States
Abstract
A dynamical model of magnetic reconnection in solar two-ribbon flares is applied to EXOSAT observations of a long-decay flare from the star EQ Peg. We show that the model is able of reproducing correctly the energy release rate and temporal evolution of the decay phase of the observed flare. We conclude that the flare was the stellar counterpart of solar two-ribbon flares and we derive the physical parameters of the emitting region.