Abstract:
Recent observations of the fast time variability in the hard X-ray emission from solar flares are interpreted. The fast spikes are assumed to be superimposed on the thermal X-ray emission. The rise and fall of a spike are caused by disruptions in the plasma. The rise time represents the impulsive heating time and the decay or fall time represents a quick cooling of the plasma due to the accelerating growth rate of the m = 1 tearing mode. The estimated characteristic time durations of the spike are found to be in good agreement with the observed ones.
