Date: 18 Oct 2010
Copyright: ESA/ROB

This sequence plots the response of the LYRA aluminium channel and the SWAP imager during flares recorded on 18 October 2010.

The aluminium channel records the flux of the Sun within the 17-80 nm band. The peaks observed in this band correspond to a temperature of the solar corona of several million degrees.

Solar flares are classified as A, B, C, M or X class flares according to their peak flux, that is measured in Watts per metre-squared (W/m²). Each class has a peak flux ten times greater than the preceding one.

On 18 October 2010, several B-class and 3 C-class flares were observed. The rectangular box in the lower left panel indicates the region from which the flare originated.