Observational Studies of Magnetic Energy Storage and Release in Solar Flares

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Solar flares are believed to be a process of liberating magnetic energy stored in the solar atmosphere. The aim of this research is to study this process by means of a modern observational instrument. We constructed in 1988 the instrument called the Solar Flare Telescope. This telescope has the capability of observing the magnetic field, velocity field, photospheric and chromospheric structures of the sum simultaneously. Since the launch of the X-ray observing satellite 'Yohkoh', we have been conducting cooperative observations with 'Yohkoh'.1. In 1991 June we succeeded in observing a very active sunspot group, which produced several energetic flares. In particular we detected small patches of flare brightenings in white light, which had never been observed before.2. We have detected an unambiguous change in magnetic fields which was associated with a flare of February 6, 1992. Yohkoh also observed a clear change in the structure of coronal loops.3. In a large flare of November 2, 1992, which occurred at the limb of the sun, our H-alpha observation shows a loop prominence system which was displaced from an X-ray flare arch. This supports the flare model in which hot X-ray loops cool and evolve into H-alpha emitting plasma.