AbstractWe present X-ray observations of the 21 July, 1980 flare which was observed both with the Einstein Observatory Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) and the X-Ray Polychromator (XRP) and Gamma-Ray Spectrometer onboard the SMM satellite. The Einstein observations were obtained in scattered X-ray light, i.e., in X-rays scattered off the Earth's atmosphere. In this way it is possible to obtain spatially unresolved X-ray data of a solar flare with the same instrument that observed many X-ray flares on other stars. This paper juxtaposes the results and implications of the ‘stellar interpretation’ to those obtained from the far more detailed SMM observations. The result of this ‘calibration’ observation is that the basic properties of the flaring plasma can be reliably determined from the ‘stellar’ data, however, the basic physics issues can only be studied through models.
Simulation of cosmic rays in the Earth’s atmosphere and interpretation of observed counts in an X-ray detector at balloon altitude near tropical region