The role of magnetic loops in solar flares

Abstract

X -ray and ultraviolet observations of flares have provided much important information on their spatial structure and magnetic topology. The early observations from Skylab emphasized the role of simple loops and loop arcades, but later observations from the Solar Maximum Mission have greatly complicated this picture. Flares appear in a multitude of loops with complex spatial and temporal interrelations. In many cases, interactions between different loops appear to play a crucial role. The inferred magnetic topology of solar flares will be reviewed with emphasis on the implications for processes of energy release and transfer. It will be shown that the spatial resolution of the observations obtained so far is still inadequate for solving many basic questions of solar flare research.